Trinity Blood: War Continuum
by smcandy
Summary: Story takes place one month after the anime's events and finale with additional material and things from the manga. ABEL/ESTHER main pairing to semi major love triangle or more with one-sided love. READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRESSION.
1. One: Ruler of Albion

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES:**Hi everyone! ^^, finally one of my own WIP [Work IN Progress] stories is finally in production of being typed and here is proof of my hard work along with some help from one of my two co-partners (^.^) **dragonwriter24cmf**. Both **dragonwriter24cmf** & **KinReynard** whom their own have accounts respectably are helping me simultaneously with this TB story. I'm looking forward to when we reach the finale of this story to continue on with it sequel which is _still a long ways off_from being done and typed right now. I'm just very happy go lucky with getting the fist chapter typed and done by my cyber pal **dragonwriter24cmf**. Thanks a bunch girlfriend (^.^) many cyber hugs to you for sending and helping me with this (^.^)

I hope you all enjoy this fan fiction since it's my first adult rated one, as the chapters will be uploaded and updated regularly twice weekly if we can manage due to mine and dragonwriter24cmf's hectic schedules.

**DISCLAIMER:**All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to one of my editors and co-partners in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her own TB stories on which are awesome. Additional thanks to my second co-partner for also participating in helping with this story **KinReynard** check out her own TB story **'Devil His Due' **whom I'm her beta for when possible. When one of my co-partners/editors are unable to continue the other will take over both are involved with this fan fiction as time goes on with it's updates. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice:****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage Against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). ** In adttion to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shapeof or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter One: Ruler of Albion**

One month. Esther Blanchett, the newly crowned Queen of Albion, looked at the date on the paperwork she was signing and sighed. It had been one month since she had been crowned. One month since she had taken the position as the head of the Albion government. One month since she had stood by her throne, the Pope at her side, and sworn to create a new world for her people. She remembered that moment well, the feeling of standing beside His Holiness, as they looked into each other's eyes and promised each other that things would be different. Not just for Albion, but for the world. Esther sighed again, then stood and stretched. Feeling restless, she walked to the window of her office and looked outside. In some ways, it felt like it had been an eternity since that day. The endless audiences, the paperwork, and the day to day concerns made some days pass in a crawl. And yet, at other times it felt as if no time had passed at all. When she considered that, a little over a month ago, she'd been the youngest novice of Cardinal Caterina's AX division, it still made her dizzy. When she thought of all that needed to be done, then time flashed past like lightning.

Esther shook the thoughts free and opened the window curtains. Across the formal courtyard, she could see the front wing of the Palace. Looking, she smiled in appreciation. The repairs had been going on from the minute she'd set foot in the Palace, and they were well underway. Most of the outside and structural damage was repaired, the broken supports mended, the damaged stonework repaired and replaced. Normally, a month wouldn't have been enough time to truly make a dent in the problem. But she and Virgil Walsh, one of her closest advisors, had decided to implement a new strategy. They had hired, not one, but two construction crews. The first one, the day shift that was currently working, came from Londiniums finest workers and builders. The other shift, the night crew, came from the Ghetto. Virgil Walsh and his sister Vanessa had carefully selected a group of skilled builders from the underground facility they called the Ghetto and asked them to aid in the palace reconstruction. Once they'd agreed, both crews had met to discuss the repairs. With the designs already laid out in front of them, and the similarities in thinking, it had taken almost no time for them to split the jobs and begin work. And so the work went twice as fast. Better still, to Esther's way of thinking, the cooperation between the two groups had spawned friendships as well as mutual admiration. It was the first of many such projects she and Virgil had in mind, and she was glad it was going so well.

Esther looked across at the damaged wing of the palace again. The smile slipped from her face. She would be glad when the repairs were complete, when the marks of damage were erased. Every time she saw them, she was reminded of the events surrounding the damage of the palace. Remembering again, Esther shivered. In her minds eye, she could see again the tall blond man who had invaded the palace. She had only seen the damage left in his wake but Colonel Mary Spencer, her other advisor, had told her how the man had simply walked up to the Palace. A lift of one hand and a smile had stopped every bullet the guards could throw at him. And then, without even a pause for breath, he'd thrown the guards aside and destroyed the front wing of the building. Esther remembered him, blond, dressed in white robes, with a white cloak and shoulder guards that seemed like a cruel mockery of Vatican war gear. What had frightened her most though, had been the odd emptiness of his eyes, the quietness of his voice. As if everything he had done, everything he was doing, was no more to him than a walk in the Vatican gardens would be to her. And then…Esther felt her breath hitch in her throat. What had happened after he'd gone to the Ghetto was something she'd relived in nightmares many times. She closed her eyes, seeing the man lift his hand again, to rest it against the heart of the one man she'd cherished more than any other. She saw it again as Father Nightroad, her friend and protector and guide, hesitated a split second, his eyes widening in surprise as he saw her there, in the corridor. And then the blond man had smiled, and released that awesome destructive power…and Father Nightroad had died.

Esther shook herself free of the memories and turned back to her desk. There was still a great deal of work to be done, and she had no time to remembering the events that had occurred. She had a responsibility to oversee the future of her country. But still, as she sat down and tried to return to work, her mind went back to the man she'd seen fall a month and a half ago. Father Nightroad. He'd been her mentor and her friend since the day she'd first met him at Saint Mathias church. And yet…now she knew nothing of him, his condition or his whereabouts. She had seen him rise again, resurrected in a chapel by Father Tres. She remembered that clearly as well, his body and even his hair the black of midnight, save where strange blue markings crossed his chest and face. Black triple wings spread, and his eyes glowing red and feral. She'd seen him rise from a storm of black clouds, only to launch himself out of the chapel in a flair of darkness, followed by the man in white. She'd rushed outside, seen lightning and black, a midnight form marked with blue fire and a white one haloed in red. She'd seen them fight, and known then that this was a battle older than time. And then, she'd seen them fall. And since then, nothing. Esther bit her lip. The AX agents within the city had gone to look for him, and she had sent her own people to assist. However, Virgil had reported that they'd found nothing, only scorched earth. And if anyone in the AX had found anything, they hadn't told her. Esther sighed in frustration. Her heart told her he'd survived, that the miracle of his resurrection, however it had come about, would not have permitted him to die so easily. She knew he was out there somewhere, probably still fighting. But she'd heard nothing. Not from him, not from anyone else. The silence was a knife to her heart, driving her crazy with concern and worry. The creak of the office door yanked her from her thoughts. She looked up to see Virgil Walsh, her primary advisor, standing in the doorway of the office. Though she still didn't know him that well, she could detect the concern written across the pale, aristocratic features.

"Lord Walsh." "Your Majesty." He stepped further into the room, and shut the door behind him, then bowed.

"I hope I'm not intruding." "Of course not. You should know by now your presence is never an intrusion." Esther smiled, gesturing him to a seat across from her. "I'm sorry. I was working, but I got a little sidetracked."

Virgil hesitated, then settled himself into the chair. Though Esther had heard from Mary Spencer that he had maintained a close friendship with the previous queen, and a very informal one, he was still a little uncomfortable sitting in her presence. But he sat down, and regarded her for a few moments. "If it isn't too much of an intrusion, you seemed unhappy, Your Majesty." "Oh no, it's all right." Esther shook her head.

"It's just, I was watching the reconstruction work from the window for a moment, and then I remembered…" her voice trailed off. "The events surrounding its destruction."

Virgil looked at the window, now covered by curtains. "The memories trouble me as well, sometimes. However, the repairs are going swiftly and soon there will be no signs of the damage. Perhaps we will both sleep a bit easier then."

"Yes. That reminds me. How are the repairs to the Ghetto going? I know the attack from Rosenkreutz did a lot of damage." Virgil sighed. "We have buried the dead, and their family and friends mourn them, but they are coping. As for the damage to the buildings, to the homes, most of it has been repaired. There are one or two places where we're still checking machinery and replacing wall panels, but on the whole, we are recovering well."

He paused. "There is one room we haven't ventured into yet…" She knew which one he meant.

"Well, it was completely destroyed, wasn't it? Was there anything important stored in there?" Virgil sighed. "I'm not entirely sure. Everything in that room involved data for some old technology. Lost technology, from before Armageddon. I believed, until recently that it was mostly obsolete, more a matter for scientific curiosity. But in light of Rosenkreutz's interest in the facility…I'm not so sure any more."

"That is a great concern. But I trust you will decide how to handle the matter appropriately." Even hearing about that place, Esther felt her body tense. She didn't want to think about that room right now. She changed the subject. "How are things down there?" She hesitated a moment, then added. "And if you don't mind my asking, how is your sister?."

Virgil smiled. "Vanessa is well. Both she and I are extremely glad you pardoned her. She's been directing repair crews, and she's organizing the rebels into a mobile security force. She's furious at the Order for invading the Ghetto, so she's taken it upon herself to defend the civilian areas for the time being." "I see." Esther smiled too. "Perhaps I ought to make it official then. An official appointment. The Royal Underground Guards, perhaps, like the Palace Guards here. She could take a position similar to Mary, if they both agreed to it."

"It is a good idea. And I believe, if it is properly presented, that Colonel Spencer will have no objections. I, for one, would not mind having the addition help. And of course, Vanessa would appreciate the recognition of her efforts." He smiled, then added softly.

"They do appreciate it, you know, how hard you are trying. Vanessa gets impatient sometimes, but she has a good heart." He paused. "That reminds me. I have an official request from Vanessa, which she asked me to relay to you. We've been doing some research, and it appears that there are some houses in Londinium, and on the outskirts, that connect to the Ghetto, or could be made to. She's requested permission to rebuild some of them, to allow members of the Ghetto above ground."

"I see. Well, it sounds like a very good idea, but…that could also be very dangerous, couldn't it?" Esther pursed her lips in thought. "I mean, if someone sneaks in the way they did last time…"

"That is my concern as well. However, Vanessa assures me the houses would be under guard. Also, she has stated that if we agree to her request, she is willing to implement the full measure of our new security systems." Walsh's voice was quick and business-like, but Esther sensed the mingled concern and hope in his words. He wanted desperately to give his sister the freedom she had asked of them.

"Speaking of that…have you found anything? Have you figured out how they got in, and what to do about it?" "Indeed. They apparently hacked the system using some very old codes." Virgil's eyes darkened. "It's strange…they used codes so old they pre-dated Armageddon. I've only seen one other such access in my lifetime."

Esther blinked. Though he looked no older than twenty-five or thirty, he'd told her himself that he'd lived to serve four Albion rulers. Though she'd never asked his actual age, that alone told her he was nearly a hundred years old. "Only once? Who was it? Perhaps they can help us." Virgil shook his head. "I'm afraid I can not ask them." He saw her puzzled gaze.

"The only other access I've seen using codes that old was by the AX members who entered and helped counter the attack. I asked, but all of them told me that their entrance was made possible by the man they called Father Nightroad." Esther felt her stomach clench. To distract herself, she spoke up quickly. "Can you counter the access codes?"

"I can. It's a matter of removing the codes from the software. It's taking some time, because they were embedded in the core of most of our systems. Either that, or I'm finding codes and software that were based off the original guidelines. Even if the codes are expunged, anything that has similar data could be hacked. My engineers and software programmers and I are working hard at it, but it will take more time. I estimate at least another month before we can be even reasonably certain we've removed most of the access coding. Another two or so before I can be sure the systems are completely clean and the new protections are in place." Esther winced. She didn't understand much about technology, but three months without protection was bad.

"Is there anything else you can do?"

"Of course, Your Majesty." Virgil bowed his head slightly. "Forgive me, I did not mean to cause you undue concern. Even though preventing another such invasion will take some time, I have already implemented security measures that will alert me if those codes are re-used, or anything like them. Also, it will warn me if any computer using a signature like that which originally hacked our system is used. Even if I cannot prevent it, I will know the instant such an incursion occurs." There was silence between then for a moment, and then Virgil looked away. "Regarding that matter, there was one question I had for Your Majesty."

"What is that?"

"The codes your comrade Father Nightroad used. At this time I've not tried to remove them, nor have I placed a special alert on them. However, I have noted they are even more dangerous than those which Rosenkreutz used. The codes and recognition sequence he used will access and activate any part of the Ghetto. I can block them as well, if you wish. But I thought it would be polite to ask you first."

Esther considered the matter. On one hand, it would be better to remove the danger entirely. The ghetto would certainly be better off if the access was blocked. But…they were Abel's access. She had no idea why he'd had such a thing, why he knew when and how to enter the facility, but he must have had his reasons. Finally she sighed.

"If you would, Lord Walsh, leave those in place. But for the safety of the people, I'd like you to put them under alert, with the others. And…let me know immediately if anyone uses them." "As you wish. And Vanessa's request?"

"I'll have to think about it." Esther sighed. "I'd like to simply tell them yes, but it's so risky. We should probably inspect the sites, to see if it's possible to mount an effective guard, and then decide which ones are useful, and what security would need to be used." She looked at him regretfully. "Please tell her I'm sorry we can't simply grant her request, but we'll do the best we can."

"I will. Shall I relay your suggestion for a formal Guard position and royal sponsorship as well?"

"Please do. I'd like to hear how she reacts to the idea." Esther smiled. "Is there anything else? If not, I should probably get back to my paperwork." She looked ruefully at the neat piles of papers on her desk. "These reports and petitions won't read and sign themselves."

"That is true." Virgil rose, then looked at the clock. "However, might I suggest you join me in Mary's office? It is almost time for the conference call you requested with Cardinal Sforza."

"Oh. Already?" Esther glanced at the clock on the wall, then leapt to her feet. "You're right. We'd better go then." Virgil smiled and held the door, bowing her through. "After you Your Majesty." He followed her through, then shut the door. Together they walked down the long hallway to another door, which led to the office of the head of the Albion Military, a position currently held by Mary Spencer, Esther's other primary advisor. Virgil knocked twice, then opened the door and held it for Esther.

"Colonel Spencer, Her Majesty is here." Mary was sitting at the desk, working on her own paperwork, but she rose with a smile as they entered. "Your Majesty. I was just expecting you." She glanced at the clock on the wall.

"The call should be coming through in just a few minutes. Please be seated."

"Thank you." Esther smiled. "I keep telling you both, you don't have to be so formal when we're simply talking." She blushed. "I'm still not used to being treated like a queen. It would be easier if you'd call me by my name. And please, both of you be seated as well."

"Well, it's a little inappropriate, but if that is your wish, I will do my best to abide by it." Mary settled back into her chair. "If I may ask, how are you settling in? Is everything all right?" She smiled warmly. "If you're struggling with anything, Virgil and I will be happy to assist you."

"Thank you." Esther looked at the desk. "I think I'm doing all right. It's just…I was working on paperwork just now, and I got a little distracted. I really can't afford that, or I'll get behind, won't I?" Mary chuckled "I wouldn't worry about it too much, Your Majesty. I think everyone has trouble keeping up with their paperwork at times. I know I do." She turned an amused gaze to her peer. "For that matter, so does Virgil. But when he gets distracted, it takes forever to get him back to it, and then he stays up for three days straight sorting it all out. How he manages it without ever losing that calm expression of his is a mystery to me."

Virgil shrugged gracefully. "I simply have a constitution that can handle the stress."

Esther blinked. "That's right…you're a Methuselah, aren't you?" She blushed and looked at the floor. "I've wondered about that, but I hadn't managed to ask you about it…and I wasn't sure how that could be possible. I mean, it's day out, and you were looking through the windows…"

Virgil bowed his head slightly. "I am a Methuselah, majesty. However, there is a special mix of silver nitrate and other chemicals that will allow someone like me to walk in the sunlight, while still retaining some of my strength. I take it every morning." He hesitated a moment, then spoke more softly.

"Does it bother you?"

"No. not at all. I was just curious. Forgive me if I upset you." Esther looked at him again. "But…it doesn't hurt you, does it? I don't want you to be causing yourself harm simply to be in my service." A smile touched the corner of his stern mouth.

"Your predecessor once said that to me as well. Rest assured, Majesty, that I am coming to no harm. The silver solution was created to have minimum negative effects, and by now, my body is quite used to it." He turned his head for a moment to look at the windows, open in Mary's office to admit the light of the sun. Then he looked back at Esther. "The joy I have in serving, and in being able to stand by your side, here in this sunlight, far outweigh any considerations of the drugs effects."

Esther blushed, uncertain what to say. Mary saved her the trouble. "That may be, but when on Earth do you sleep?"

"When I need to." Virgil looked totally serious, but Esther caught the glint of humor in his eyes.

"Naturally. I suppose that is true of all of us." Mary Spencer snorted, a mild sound of appreciation. A light blinked on her desk console. "Ah. Your majesty, the call from the Vatican is coming in. Shall I connect it?"

"Please do." Esther straightened, running one hand nervously through her hair. Lord Walsh shifted, and made a motion to rise.

"Shall we leave you in peace, Your Majesty?"

"No, please, I'd appreciate it if you'd stay. There are some things I want to talk about that you need to be aware of." She motioned to him, and he settled back into his seat, just as the display in the communications center lit up. The face of an older woman, about Mary's age and framed in the red robes of a cardinal of the Vatican, appeared. Blond hair framed a slender, beautiful face with sharp grey eyes. Esther smiled. "Good afternoon, Duchess of Milan."

Caterina Sforza, Duchess of Milan, head of the Vatican's Department of Foreign Affairs, and of the less official AX division, smiled back.

"Good afternoon, Your Majesty." Esther blushed.

"Please, call me Esther. After all, only two months ago, you were my superior. It feels to strange for you to address me like that."

Caterina's smile widened. "Very well then. May I ask how things are going, Esther?"

"Well, they seem to be going all right. That's why I wanted to speak with you." Esther took a deep breath, straightening her back. "My predecessor very much wanted to have an Alliance with the Vatican, and my advisors have agreed. We believe that such an alliance would be beneficial for both sides, especially in light of recent events."

"You're referring to the attack by Rosenkreutz on the city of Londinium?" Caterina's eyes were sharp.

"Yes. We will need to stand strong to meet this threat. It was only because we all worked together that we defeated them. I believe we should aid each other in future events as well."

"You're quite correct about that." Caterina smiled warmly. "I'd be happy to propose a formal alliance agreement to the Vatican council. I'm certain it will be approved. After all, His Holiness is very fond of you, and many of our staff are aware of how you saved him in the Albion Underground." Esther flushed.

"I really didn't do all that much. I mean, I lost him in the tunnels, and allowed him to be taken." "But you did your best. And His Holiness remembers it. He told me, that you and he had promised to try and make the world better. And that he truly wants to keep that promise."

"I'm glad His Holiness thinks so well of me. Please, give him my regards when you see him."

"I will." Caterina frowned thoughtfully. "We'll need to set a time and place for a formal meeting. In the mean time, is there anything I can do for you?"

"Actually, yes." Esther sat up straight. "I have a few questions. And…I would like to ask a few favors of you, Lady Caterina." "If it's within my power to answer you, I'll be happy to." Esther nodded, then spoke hesitantly.

"About my previous position in the AX…I would like to know my current status. If possible, I would like to remain in the AX, to offer my support if nothing else."

"I see." Caterina appeared to consult something off screen for a moment. "I hadn't changed your status yet. However, I'd like to list you as retired reserves for the moment. You need to concentrate on your kingdom, and give your strength to Albion. After all, you've only recently weathered a terrible assault, and you've only been queen a month. Your first responsibility lies there."

Esther swallowed. "I understand. But still…I would like to be able to help you as well."

Caterina nodded. "I appreciate that. We'll leave you as a retired reserve. Rest assured, if there's anything I feel I need assistance with, I will call upon you immediately."

"Of course. In that case, I'd appreciate it if you could give me any information you have on Rosenkreutz. I'm afraid we know almost nothing about them. It would be a great help if you could pass whatever you know on to me. Or, if you prefer, to my advisors, Lord Virgil Walsh of the Albion Underground, or Colonel Mary Spencer."

"Yes. The two who contacted us about a possible alliance after the passing of Queen Brigitte." Caterina considered a moment, then wrote something down. "Very well, I'll send you what we have. I'm afraid it isn't much. We have a few names, most of which you already know, and a few hints here and there. Unfortunately, they're very good at hiding their tracks. Even when we get a lead, it's often useless by the time we follow up on it."

"I'm sure it will still be a great help." Esther swallowed. She hadn't even told her two strongest supporters what else she'd intended to ask about. "Also…I was wondering if you still had contacts within the Methuselah Empire, Your Grace." Esther felt the two behind her stiffen, but Caterina only looked thoughtful.

"I do. Duchess Astharoshe Asran has proved a useful ally." She sighed. "The Earl of Memphis is currently unavailable, however, he did put me in touch with his grandmother, the Duchess of Moldova, whom I believe has the ear of the Empress."

"I was wondering if you could help me get in contact with them. I would like to speak to the Empire, but…I have no means of contacting the Imperial Court myself." Esther sighed, then looked at the woman before her. "If it's possible, I'd like to do as you've done, and forge an alliance with the Empress. I believe that we may need her assistance."

"That's a very wise idea. I'll send you the information I have regarding my contacts within the Methuselah Empire." Caterina smiled. "I'm sure you'll have no trouble. Both the Duchess of Moldova and the Duchess of Kiev spoke very highly of you." Esther blushed. "Thank you." She hesitated. "Do you really think an alliance can hold up? I mean, His Excellency, Cardinal di Medici…" Caterina chuckled.

"Francesco is furious about even the tentative agreement we've reached. But after the blatant attack on Londinium, even he can't ignore the greater threat Rosenkreutz poses. I think that by the time he gets around to trying to break it, the Alliance will have proven itself. Besides, His Holiness has shown a tentative support of the truce. It's a great help."

"That's very good to know. Thank you." Esther bowed her head politely. "If you can send me that information as soon as possible, I would greatly appreciate it."

"Of course. I'll have it to you within the week. Is there anything else?"

"Well, we do need to set that date for a meeting. However, I'd like it if we could meet after I've had a chance to get in contact with the Empire. Perhaps we could arrange a triple meeting, and work everything out at once."

"It's a fine idea. In the meantime, I would suggest that you and your advisors work out a basic idea of things you'd like to cover in the alliance, trade and so forth. That way, you'll be ready. I intend to do the same."

"Yes, of course." Esther could feel the tension radiating from the two behind her. No doubt she had a lot of explaining to do, since she hadn't told either of them what she intended. She only hoped they wouldn't be too upset with her. She thought Virgil would be all right with the suggestion, but she wasn't as sure about Mary. After all, Colonel Spencer had weathered a number of combats with Methuselah. She forced her mind back to the conversation.

"I'll certainly take your suggestion. Thank you."

"It's a pleasure." Caterina looked off screen at something. "If we're going to make this work, then we both have a great deal to do."

"Yes. I should get back to my work as well." Esther reached for the button, that would terminate the call, then hesitated. "Lady Caterina, I did have one more question. I was wondering…have you by chance heard anything…from or about Father Abel?" Caterina's face settled into stillness.

"Father Abel?" She sighed. "No, I'm afraid I haven't heard from him. My agents all have instructions to be on the lookout for him, but I'm afraid I've had no word."

"I see. Well, it was just a thought on my part. Thank you again for your assistance." Esther forced a smile. "I look forward to working with you."

"And I with you. Until we speak again, Your Majesty." Caterina nodded, and both of them reached forward to break the connection. Esther sighed, then turned around to begin explaining things to her advisors.

After the transmission ended, Caterina Sforza sat back in her chair and sighed. Esther was becoming a good queen. Caterina could see it in her face, the way she was adapting to the challenge, and growing into the responsibilities she'd abruptly inherited. She had no doubt Esther would become a strong monarch, and a good one, well able to care for her people and her kingdom. Though Caterina hadn't had any idea that the young sister was the heir to the Albion throne, she had to admit she knew of few better candidates. Esther had a good head on her shoulders, and she learned quickly. In the short time she'd served with Caterina, she'd picked up a good grasp of politics, and it was obvious that even her short time on the throne had caused her to expand her knowledge rapidly. And there was no doubt in Caterina's mind that the young woman would do what was best for Albion, and for her allies. Caterina sighed again, looking out her window. She really did admire Esther, and wanted to support the girl. Perhaps that was why she felt so guilty about lying to her. But it couldn't be helped. She'd given her word to Abel that she'd reveal him status to no one, and particularly not to Esther. Caterina grimaced, remembering the conversation, held in Lilith's tomb three days after Abel's resurrection.

_She had received a message, very blunt and short, asking her to meet him in the old crypt. It hadn't been signed, but she had known the handwriting, and which crypt he meant. She'd arrived, late in the evening, to find Abel already there, standing beside the coffin that housed the body of his lover. He didn't turn as she entered, but he spoke. _

"_Caterina." _

"_Abel." _

_She started to step forward, to touch his shoulder, but he stepped away from her, turned his face away. She saw where he looked, at the empty housing for the tube of nano-machines. _

"_I'm sorry. I had no choice." _

"_You had a choice. You chose this." Abel's voice was rough, and she couldn't tell whether it was anger or grief or pain. Perhaps all three. _

"_We still need you. Surely you don't think…Abel, I believe she would have given her blessings." _

_She didn't understand why he was so upset. But she remembered the difficult road he had travelled, the hardship he had endured. She sighed. _

"_I'm sorry, if I've forced you to do something you didn't want. Perhaps it would have been better to leave you. But I felt, and still feel, that we _

_need you. Please, Abel…don't be angry with me. I did what I felt I had to." _

"_Pray it doesn't destroy us all." Abel turned, and she saw then the terrible desolation, anger and fear, mixing in his blue eyes. _

"_What you've done to me…the only other person to survive this went insane. He is now the Enemy of the World." _

_Caterina gasped. "You're saying…this process created the Contra Mundi? But if you know that…" She reached out, took hold of his sleeve before he could evade her. "Abel, what is it? Please, tell me." _

_He stared at her for a long time, anger and anguish warring in his eyes. Then his head bowed. _

"_Long ago, I used the nano-machine fusion to save the life of someone. The power drove them insane." _

"_Who was it, Abel?" She didn't let go. When he didn't answer, she tried something else. _

"_The effects for each individual are different. You've said it yourself. There's no reason for it to be the same…" _

"_There's a good reason. He and I…we have the same genetic code." Blue eyes rose to meet hers. "The Contra Mundi, the Enemy of the World…he is my twin brother, Cain." Shock made her release him. _

"_Abel…" _

"_I thought he was dead. But he isn't. I'm going to destroy him." "Abel, wait." She caught him again, noticing this time the shudder that passed through him. _

"_I'll help you. The professor can check you…and we'll gather resources…" _

"_No." Abel cut her off. "You can't. I've died, remember? Even if the AX knows the truth, how will you explain my presence to the church? Brother Petros and Sister Paula saw my body. We'll both be tried as heretics and destroyed."_

"_At least let Professor Wordsworth examine you…"_

"_No. It's not safe. It was a risk even coming here." One hand rose to clutch the front of his robes, and she saw him wince suddenly. _

"_It's not…they are much harder to control now…it isn't safe. My powers are changing, and I don't know if I can handle it. I only came to say goodbye." He straightened, and turned to leave her. _

"_Abel, wait." She didn't want him to leave like this, but she couldn't think how to stop him. _

"_Please, don't try to fight alone." She sought something else to say. "At least let me send Tres with you. He can't get in your way, and he already knows. _

_You can rely on his discretion. And if something happens…" Abel paused a moment. _

"_Tres…he might be able to stop me. Very well. I'll accept Tres. But no one else." He didn't turn around, but Caterina heard the pleading in his voice. "Please Caterina, don't tell anyone." She knew Professor Wordsworth knew, and probably a few others. But she understood, especially in light of what he'd just told her. However, there was one matter. _

"_What of Esther? Tres said she was there, and she was upset over your death. Shouldn't you tell her?" _

"_No!" The word seemed almost to rip itself from him. He stopped, then spoke again, quieter but no less intense. "I don't want Esther to know…it's bad enough she saw me, and Cain. Promise me you will not tell her. Not even that I came here." _

_The shame in his voice stopped whatever argument she might have made on Esther's behalf. _

"_Very well." She saw him relax slightly. _

"_May God be with you, Abel." He didn't reply, and her last sight of him was his back as he walked into the darkness._

Caterina withdrew from her memories with a grimace. Since then she hadn't seen Abel. He relayed periodic messages to her through Tres, and that was it. She knew he was somewhere in the Germanic kingdoms, hunting Rosenkreutz and their partners, Fleur du Mal, but she only knew that because Kate was tracking them in the Iron Maiden. Abel had been upset about that, when he'd discovered Kate was also covering him, but Caterina had sent a message reminding him that air back up was a useful thing to have, and that he and Tres needed a quiet way to get supplies. She'd also pointed out that both Kate and Professor Wordsworth had already found out he was alive before she assigned them, and that with their help, she could safely divert attention to other areas and leave him to work in peace. He'd finally agreed to it, but only on the condition that the Professor remained in Rome. Caterina rubbed her forehead with one hand. She knew where Abel was, or at least where Tres was. She knew, based on Tres's reports, that he had been joined by the young Count of Memphis, Ion Fortuna. She knew he was hunting.

But she didn't know anything more than that. All Tres had been able to tell her of his condition was that he appeared to be performing satisfactorily. She supposed that meant he was well, but she worried. What had she done to him, forcing the fusion? What was it doing to him? She'd seen it in his eyes, that night, how frightened he was. And from the brief reports she'd had of the Londinium fight, she knew his powers had changed. But what had happened, and what would happen, she had no idea, and she was afraid for him. Caterina sighed, then rose and walked to the window, concern on her face. She feared, though she could not say it, that her actions had doomed one of her dearest friends to torment and madness. But there was no way to undo it. She raised one hand, pressed it against the glass, then made the sign of the cross.

"May God be with you, Abel."

She bowed her head in silent prayer for a moment, then turned back to her desk. The only thing she could do for Abel now was pray for him. In the meantime, there was work to be done.


	2. Two: Alliance

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES:**Hi everyone ^^ smcandy here again to bring you as originally promised another wonderful chapter and story update. I first wanted say thanks to all whom are loving and are subscribed/alerted or are watching (TBWC) **Trinity Blood War Continuum**. I did not think this many readers new and old would have liked the first chapter of this story this much. It's got me really happy and giddy inside ^^ that's how much you affected me threw your first chapter reviews. I also appreciate all the loving emails and messages I got form you guys whom are very thrilled by this story. I promise as more updates come about and are posted, the more in depth and thrill will come out of this story. Yes it's starting out kind of dray and slow with many things but it will pick up pace, "patience is a virtue" and I not wish not to rush things that will ruin or make the story OOC for me. This how I original planed the story start and will finishing with bag when we read the finale.

I also taken heart and consideration some of pointing out the spacing from the first chapter, that was my mistake but I cannot please all of you I am going to try and improve or lesson on that problem but I do appreciate you telling me. But I think for now I'll leave that be. Sorry if that will become eye sore for most or some of you but myself and **dragonwriter24cmf** cannot please all readers with every little imperfection that arises within the chapters unless it's spelling mistakes or errors. Soon spring break will be coming for most of not all us whom are still doing high school/collage/university part or full time basis ect, myself and **dragonwriter24cmf** are going to try and make more frequent updates during that time if time allows us to. We're both working gals so let's keep our fingers crossed.

So without further or do I present chapter two, read, review/comment and enjoy until next time TLC to you all, keep this comments coming in ^^.

**DISCLAIMER:**All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to one of my editors and co-partners in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her own TB stories on which are awesome. Additional thanks to my second co-partner for also participating in helping with this story **KinReynard** check out her own TB story **'Devil His Due' **whom I'm her beta for when possible. When one of my co-partners/editors are unable to continue the other will take over both are involved with this fan fiction as time goes on with it's updates. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice:****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage Against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). ** In adttion to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shapeof or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Two: Alliance**

Esther waited a moment before ending the transmission, then took a deep breath and turned to face her two advisors. She knew she owed them an explanation. She only hoped she could persuade them to believe in her decision to negotiate an Alliance with the Empire. She needed their support.

Mary looked concerned. Walsh looked inscrutable, but after a moment, he spoke. "Your Majesty…you are planning to open communication with the Methuselah Empire?"

"Yes." Esther met his eyes calmly, trying to mask the nervousness she felt. She needed these two, more than any others to support her. "I believe they will be necessary allies against the Order of Rosenkreutz."

"You say that as if you're sure that they are the enemies of Rosenkreutz themselves." Mary's face was still calm, but Esther could see the tension in her frame.

"I am." Esther looked her military advisor in the eyes. "While I was working with the Vatican, I was sent on a mission to the Empire. We were involved in the troubles that Rosenkreutz caused there. Because of what happened, I am absolutely certain that they are the enemies of the Empire as well. I also believe that being allied with the Empire will give us a greater advantage in facing the Order."

"Indeed. If Your Majesty would kindly explain your reasoning." Mary's tone was polite, a subordinate asking for information. Esther supposed she could have been angry that the other woman would even question her, but she understood Mary's concern.

"I saw the ship that appeared over Londinium. Perhaps I am wrong, but I don't believe we have the technology to build a ship like that." She turned to Virgil for support.

"It's true. We have the specifications for many types of vessels, but I have no schematics for a ship of that design." He sighed, frowning a little in thought. "We have records of them, old records, but they are vague on the details of construction. We were able to analyze some of the mechanics, mostly the weaponry. However, even with the information we managed to gather, I would be hesitant about stating that we could build anything to match it. That was a war ship from long ago, when the Lost Technology was not lost."

"That's what I feared." Esther turned back to Mary. "However, I've seen ships similar to that one, though smaller, being used within the Empire. I've also seen the shields that ship used."

"The Aegis shield." Virgil supplied. "We know the basics, but the internal mechanics are very difficult."

"Yes. But in the Empire, they have both those things." Esther hesitated a moment. "I don't know how the Order got it's hands on such devices, but surely, if the Empire is allied with us, they would be willing to provide us with the information they have. At the very least, that would give us a better idea of their weaknesses and strengths."

Mary nodded, the frown on her face one of thought, rather than discomfort. "It is sound reasoning. The Methuselah Empire has always been more proficient and interested in Lost Technology. And it is a sound military strategy." She looked thoughtful for a few more moments. "I confess, I still feel uneasy about such an alliance. Does Your Majesty truly wish to do this?"

"I do. I understand your concerns but…" Esther smiled remembering the nobles she had met on her trip to the Empire. Particularly a raven-haired young woman with green eyes. "I used to be a little wary of them too. But I met several good people there, and I'm confident you'll like them, if you get a chance to speak with them."

"Then I will trust Your Majesty's judgment. I only ask that you consider carefully, before you enter into a formal agreement."

"I will. I promise you that. And I will be sure to ask both of you for your guidance." Esther smiled. She looked up at the clock. It had been over an hour since she'd begun speaking to Caterina. "I really need to get back to my paperwork."

"As you wish, Majesty." Mary bowed. Esther nodded back, then left the room, with Virgil walking just behind her.

He was very quiet on the way back to the office. It wasn't until they'd reached the door that he spoke. "Does Your Majesty require anything?"

"No. But I really do hope we can get in contact with the Empire quickly. I don't know why, but I feel as if we'll need their support soon."

"Yes." She turned to look at him. Virgil bowed his head. "Rest assured, as soon as the information is relayed from the Vatican, I will begin attempts to contact the Empire."

"Does it bother you as well? The idea of being allied to the Methuselah Empire?" Virgil gave her an inquiring look, and she blushed. "I know, you are a Methuselah, but…you told me once you wanted to be left alone."

"I confess, I had ever considered such an alliance to be possible, until recently." Walsh gazed off into the distance, his eyes thoughtful. "However, I know that your reasons are valid, and sensible. I also know that there are people within the Ghetto who are unhappy with our way of life. Perhaps, if this alliance is formed and maintained, it might be possible to give them an alternative. With your permission, of course."

"Of course." Esther smiled. "I'll let you get back to your work then."

"Thank you, Majesty." He straightened, then shifted his weight. He seemed about to ask her something, but then sighed slightly, bowed to her once more, and left, leaving Esther to face the piles of papers on her desk with a sigh.

The information from Caterina came the next day. Esther and her two advisors examined it in her office.

There were two packets. One was the information Esther had asked for on Rosenkreutz. As Caterina had stated, it was mostly a list of names. She saw Dietrich's name there, listed as one of the higher ranking members. She also saw one she recognized, Isaak von Kampfer, and a few she knew as being deceased, like Radu Barvon. The rest were names she didn't know. There was also a list of affiliated groups, mostly terrorists. She saw the Fleur du Mal on that list, as well as a name she thought might be the Imperial identification for what they called the radical faction. A third list detailed incidents that the Order was suspected of being behind. Esther recognized several incidents, but she was surprised to see that some of the information was over a decade old. Esther gave that package to Mary, knowing the Colonel would know more about how to handle that information than she did.

The second was contact information for the Empire. Astharoshe Asran, Duchess of Kiev and Viscountess of Odessa was listed as a primary contact. The other was Mirka Fortuna, Duchess of Moldova. Esther wanted to make that contact herself, but she knew proper channels had to be followed, especially to soothe the members of her council. Many of them were uneasy at the thought of contacting the Empire, but they trusted Virgil to know what he was doing. Esther handed him the contact information, after adding a personal greeting to the two women in question. He bowed, took it, and promised to begin negotiating for contact with the Empress that very evening.

Virgil Walsh was as good as his word. He brought back information three days later, stating that the Empress had expressed a favorable interest in speaking to Esther, and had suggested a conference call for two nights later. Esther agreed promptly, and offered a time at which she would call the Imperial Star Palace. It would have to be later in the evening, for the sake of the nobility, but she knew she could handle a late night, especially on a matter of this importance. Virgil took her reply and relayed it, to return later that evening saying that the Imperial representative had agreed to the time she had suggested.

Two nights later, Esther sat in the communications room with her two advisors standing behind her. She fidgeted a little with the small coronet she'd agreed to wear, then looked down once more to check that the dress she'd chosen still looked proper. Though she knew both of the Imperial contacts, she wanted to make a good first impression as queen. She sighed. She'd chosen something elegant, that would look good, but not her formal robes. Those would have been overkill for a simple conference. The light blinked, indicating the connection to the Empire was active. She swallowed once, to calm her nerves, then opened the communications line.

As the screen cleared, Esther started a little. She'd expected to see the Duchess of Moldova, or perhaps even Astharoshe the Duchess of Kiev. But the person who appeared on screen was a young woman, with short black hair and vivid green eyes. She was wearing white and green, a shade that matched her eyes, and an impish smile on her face. "Good evening, Queen Esther."

"Seth!" Esther blurted the words, then raised one hand to cover her mouth, flushing with embarrassment. "I apologize, I mean…Your Imperial Majesty…" Behind her, she heard both her advisors cough, a small sound of shock they both quickly suppressed.

Seth laughed. "It's all right. I did tell you before, didn't I? You're not one of my people, you're one of my friends. So you can call me anything you like. Besides…" Seth grinned that mischievous grin again. "We are fairly equal now, since you're the Queen of Albion."

Esther smiled. "Well, I'm not so sure about that." She relaxed a bit. "I was a little surprised. I thought that the Duchess of Moldova would handle the initial negotiations."

"Normally she does, or one of my envoys. But I heard about your ascension to the throne some time ago from Lady Caterina. So when Mirka told me that you'd sent a message, I decided I wanted to talk to you myself." Seth settled back into the chair behind her. "Mirka told me you were considering an alliance with the Empire."

"I am. Actually, I was hoping to make it a three way alliance with the Empire, Albion and the Vatican all working together. I've already spoken to Lady Caterina, and she agreed that such an alliance would prove beneficial."

"Well, I agree as well." Seth sighed. "Actually, I think your presence could be very useful, if you were willing. There has been much conflict and mistrust between the Vatican and my Empire. Even with the tenuous truce we have forged, things will be incredibly difficult. Perhaps, if you were willing, Albion could be the mediators between our two peoples."

"I see." Esther did understand her logic. Albion had both a church presence and a high population of Methuselah. "I mean no disrespect, but I think my advisors would be better able to determine our capabilities in that regard." She flushed. "Actually, if we're going to be working closely together, I thought I should introduce them to you and your advisors as well."

Seth grinned. "You really do think of everything Esther. The Albion government is lucky to have you. But I'd like to meet your people. Astharoshe is not within the capital right now, but I can certainly ask Mirka and Baibars to come. For once, I haven't loaded them down with work." She turned her head and did something, off screen, then turned back.

Esther gestured Virgil Walsh and Mary Spencer forward. Virgil stepped forward and bowed. "I am Virgil Walsh, Count of Manchester, Supervisor of the Albion Underground Facility." Esther blinked, not sure why he had added that bit of information, but trusting his judgment. Walsh stepped back slightly, giving Mary room to enter the view-screen's area. Mary also bowed. "Colonel Mary Spencer, of her Majesty's armed forces."

Seth nodded gravely to both of them. "I've heard of both of you, before, but I never did get a chance to make your acquaintance. You've got quite a reputation as a warrior in the court, Colonel Spencer." Seth smiled "I hear you've taken care of quite a few problems with rogue Methuselah in Albion."

"I've handled a few problems." Esther saw Mary shift uncomfortably. Seth's smile widened. "You don't need to look so nervous. It's not an accusation on my part. Even here in the Empire, I sometimes have problems with my children. And speaking of the children of the night…how is the Underground Facility doing, Lord Walsh? I haven't heard any news in a very long time, but I hope your people are thriving."

Esther saw Virgil start slightly. Then he inclined his head. "We are doing fairly well, Imperial Majesty. But I was not aware that the Empire was interested in our people."

"Well, I will admit, it was a long time ago that the people of Albion left the people who became part of my Empire. However, they are all Methuselah, and thus, very important to me." A touch of sadness entered the green eyes, and touched the youthful smile. "Someone very dear to me wished greatly for your safety. And my brother thinks highly of you."

"I see." Esther heard the puzzled note in his voice. She couldn't blame him. Seth's brother? She knew the Empress of Methuselah had mentioned it once, that she had two older brothers, but she couldn't think of who they might be. She forced her attention back to the conversation as Virgil spoke again. "We do well here, Imperial Majesty. However, I must confess, that perhaps some of our people would benefit from the perspective of Imperial life."

"Well, then we should get this alliance settled, and see what can be done about that." Seth turned her head. "Ah. My advisors are here now. You've already met them Esther, but for you others, I'd like to introduce the head of my Imperial Council, and the head of the Yenceri, my Imperial Guards." At her words, two more people stepped into view. The first was a petite woman, perhaps a head taller than the Empress, with blue eyes and a waterfall of pale blond hair flowing down her back. She bowed. "Mirka Fortuna. I am the Duchess of Moldova, and head of Her Majesty's Imperial Secret Council." She straightened with a twinkle in her eyes. "I believe we've already had words, Count of Manchester."

"Indeed." Virgil bowed slightly. "I look forward to future cooperation with you, my lady."

"Yes. Of course." The mischief in that smile made Esther hide her own grin. Mirka was infamous for teasing people she worked with, and it looked as if she was already thinking of ways to test Virgil's patience and sense of humor. The smile settled as Mirka moved aside to make room on the screen for another individual. A tall, dark-skinned and dark-haired man stepped forward, sweeping his cloak around his shoulders as he bowed. He was easily six feet tall, Esther knew, and even his image showed his well muscled shoulders. She would have been afraid of him, had she not also known he was a courteous individual. He straightened, and faced them over the screen. "I am Baibars, Duke of Khartoum, and head of the Yenceri, the Imperial Palace guard."

Mary stepped forward. "Colonel Mary Spencer, head of the Albion Palace Guard." Esther saw the slight stiffness in her frame. "I am honored to make your acquaintance."

"And I yours. I have heard of you. They say you are quite the warrior lady of Albion." Baibars smiled. "I would like to have the opportunity to spar with you perhaps, lady." Mary relaxed as well. "I think perhaps, my lord, that if this alliance is successful, we might stand side by side against mutual enemies on the field. I would prefer that to fighting a man of your size and evident strength." Baibars laughed. "A good answer. I will look forward to the day we stand together, then." With that, he bowed and stepped back to allow his Empress full access to the screen again. Seth grinned as Baibars moved to stand behind her. "Well, now that we're all introduced, we should talk a little more." She smiled, a little ruefully. "I like you quite well, Esther, and I wouldn't mind an alliance based on friendship alone. However, I'm afraid my Imperial Court isn't quite that generous. So…what were you hoping for?"

Esther straightened in her seat. "A mutual alliance against the Order of Rosenkreutz. They have attacked Londinium, and I know that they have also caused havoc in your Empire. I believe we should pool resources and information, along with the Vatican, in an effort to quell this threat. My advisor, Virgil Walsh, says he has information about the computer programming they've been using to manipulate things, and what they may be seeking to access. He also believes he might have some methods to counter them. In return, I would like to ask a favor of you."

"I see. Information on their programming would be useful. I have some idea of what they're doing, but more information is always good to have." Seth nodded decisively. "And what favor were you seeking?"

"The ships of the Empire…they greatly resemble the ship that attacked Londinium nearly two months ago. My Lord Walsh says it was an ancient warship, from the time before technology was lost. But…I've seen the ships of the Empire. I was hoping perhaps you could tell us how to build weapons similar to that which was used against us. Or perhaps tell us their weaknesses." Esther sat forward. "I promise, I have no intention of using these weapons against you."

"I know you don't." Seth's grin was still rueful. "I wish my Council were as trusting. This is going to take some work. I could just overrule it as the Empress, but that might spark another rebellion." She sighed. "Well, send me the information on the ship. I can probably at least point you in the right direction, after all. I will tell you if it's an Imperial design, or if it's older." She sighed again, looking pensive. "An alliance forged on shared information against a shared threat. It's not the way I would have chosen to do things. But…I suppose it will do for now. We'll have time to work out the details later, and make something better." She smiled again. "Well then, since we've figured out the basis for our agreement, we should pick a time to meet with Lady Caterina and finalize the agreements between us."

"I agree. I also believe we have no time to waste." Esther blushed a little. "I realize, I might be rushing things, and perhaps I'm overreacting, but I fear that if we delay too long they will strike again."

"I don't doubt you're right. They're very good at that. And somehow, I don't think their leader is just going to accept what happened." Seth thought a moment. "In light of those facts, I would suggest that we reconvene with Cardinal Sforza in three weeks, to propose a tentative triple alliance agreement." Esther turned to look at her two advisors. "Do you believe we can have our papers ready in that amount of time?"

Virgil considered. "It would be a rush, however, I think it highly possible. With the danger so evident, I believe the Albion Council will be…rather cooperative." He nodded. "It can be done, Your Majesty."

"Very well." Esther turned back to the screen. "I agree with your suggestion. If Cardinal Sforza also agrees, we will renew contact to create a formal alliance in three weeks time."

"Excellent. In the meantime, I'll do what I can about that ship you requested I look into." Seth grinned. "After all, I do owe you for all your help with the troubles we had. You did a great deal for me. This will be the least I can do."

"Thank you. Thank you very much." Esther blushed. "I really don't feel like I did much at all. Really, it was Father Nightroad…" She stopped, uncertain of what to say. She recalled her last days in the Empire. There had been something between Father Nightroad and Seth she knew. After their joint effort to stop Dietrich, the two of them had walked and spoken together alone quite often. Esther swallowed. "Speaking of Father Nightroad…I'd like to talk to you in private a moment, if I may."

"Of course." Seth looked back over her shoulder at her two advisors. "You two can go now. I'll meet with you later."

"Yes, Your Majesty." With the limits of the screen, Esther didn't see their faces, but she saw the shift of clothing as both of Seth's advisors bowed, then moved away. She turned to look at her own advisors. Virgil bowed. "With your permission Majesty, we will also take our leave of you. If this alliance is to go forward, there is much to be done." He and Mary Spencer both bowed to the figure on the screen, then withdrew quietly. As the door shut behind them, Esther turned back to the screen.

Seth smiled. "I rather like your advisors. They seem very sensible."

"Yes." Esther took a deep breath. "About Father Nightroad…I was wondering if you had heard what happened to him."

"You mean his death? I had heard. I also know that he was revived." Seth sighed. "Abel is not at all happy about that." Esther felt her heart skip a beat. "You've…you've heard from Father Nightroad? But…Lady Caterina…she said there was no word…"

"Well he has Ion Fortuna with him. Otherwise, I'm not sure he would even have contacted me." Seth sighed. "Abel is so stubborn." She turned a rueful smile to Esther, then frowned. "Esther, what is it?". Esther moved quickly to brush away the tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry. It's just…I haven't heard anything. I don't even know…I don't even know how he is."

"I see. Well, he is alive." Seth sighed. "Don't let his lack of communication bother you. Abel is just like that. And right now…" She trailed off. "I understand. It's just…why? Why did he call you, and not…?" Esther stopped. "I apologize. It's just…"

"It's quite all right. I suppose it's only reasonable to wonder why Abel would be calling me." Seth smiled ruefully. "The truth is, Abel and I are very close." Esther blinked. "Close? But…you only met in the Empire…."

"Not exactly." Seth raised one hand to put a finger to her lips. "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I think you have a right to know, and you can be trusted to keep a secret." She stopped for a moment. "The truth is, Abel is actually my brother." Esther stared at the screen. "Your…brother…but he never said…." Seth chuckled. "We hadn't seen each other for quite a while, when he came to the Empire with you. I'd never actually told him I was the Empress. But, he's still my older brother, and we made contact after he was resurrected. We needed to discuss some things." Esther nodded. The idea of Abel being brother to the Empress of the night was rather overwhelming, but it wasn't her primary concern. "If you've spoken to him…could you tell me how he is? What he's doing?". Seth sighed. "I wish I could. But I've barely spoken to him. Most of my information comes from the Count of Memphis these days. And when I do talk to Abel, he won't tell me anything." She sighed again, her expression sad. "I don't really know what he's doing. But he wants to be left alone for now."

"I see." Esther stared at her hands in her lap. "I'm sorry to trouble you with this. I'm just very worried about him."

"So am I. But at the moment there's nothing we can do about him." Seth smiled at her again. There was sadness and hope both in that small grin. "It'll be all right, I think. Brother Abel is…very strong. We'll just have to give him time, and he'll return when he's ready. In the meantime, we have an alliance to prepare."

"Yes of course." Esther brushed a hand across her eyes, and met the emerald green gaze of the Empress. "I'll be ready in three weeks."

"As will I. Until then, stay safe Esther." The screen went blank as Seth cut the connection. "Stay safe, Your Majesty." Esther stared at the blank screen for a moment, then stood resolutely. She had work to do. The message for a formal alliance meeting with the Empress came two days later. The one requesting the alliance meeting with the Vatican followed it the day after. Esther sent back an affirmative reply to both. She, Virgil and Mary spent long hours discussing what they wanted to negotiate for in the talks. Both of her advisors were willing to allow Albion to become the mediating state between the Empire and the Vatican. However, they did have some concerns. The first, of course, was whether or not the Alliance with Rome would hold. Caterina was the Minister of Foreign Affairs, but something like this had to be supported by the Pope. There was also the Inquisitorial department to consider. Even if the Pope supported Caterina, there was the danger that the Inquisitorial department would try to break the treaty. All of them considered possible ways of handling the situation, but in the end, there was nothing left to do but hope that they could maintain stability.

Next came considerations of what they would ask and what they would offer in terms of the alliance. Aside from mediation, they had to have something to give their allies. There was military support, of course. The Albion army wasn't that big, but neither were the forces of the Vatican and the Empire. There were also matters of intelligence and technology. Virgil admitted to having potential access to several satellites, not to mention the labs of the Ghetto. And of course, Albion's technology was every bit as good as the Empires. The three of them discussed various needs and advantages for hours, trying to find the best possible bargain they could form with their allies. Finally, the night of the meeting arrived. Esther wore one of her best royal gowns, white and pink. It was a mutli-layered creation, with a long under-dress of white, over which a pale pink gown had been buttoned. The sleeves and neck of the gown were decorated with embroidery in darker pinks and the occasional touch of red, and cut in a shorter, flower petal style for the under-gown to show through. A high collar, though with out the ruffles some preferred, provided backdrop for the elegant gold and ruby necklace she wore, which supported her royal seal. The formal crown she'd worn at her coronation was still safely locked among her jewelry, but a smaller crown, also with gold and rubies had been settled carefully on her head.

Esther sighed and fidgeted slightly with the ornate sleeves. She still wasn't used to the clothing, especially not the kind she wore for official functions. She'd been raised in a convent, after all, and the only times she hadn't worn a habit were the times when a mission required a different uniform. The thought made her smile wryly. She had a new mission now, it seemed. The thought made the clothing easier to deal with. A hand touched her shoulder. She looked up at Virgil, wearing an elegant formal outfit in the colors of his House, including the crest of his family and the one that marked him as the Queens Advisor. He smiled. "Are you concerned with something, Your Majesty?"

"Well, a little." Esther smiled back. "I was just thinking that I hadn't quite gotten used to these outfits." Virgil laughed. So did Mary, standing beside him in her full dress uniform complete with the fringed shoulder pads. The general chuckled a moment, then gave Esther a smile. "Trust me, no one really gets used to these things, Majesty. I assure you, as soon as negotiations are over, I intend to change as quickly as possible." She cast an eye at Virgil. "Well, Lord Walsh might be happy in his outfit." She eyed her fellow advisor. "Some day you must explain how you look so comfortable in anything."

"Practice. However, I assure you Majesty that I also look forward to returning to a slightly less…ornate manner of dress." He looked down at the pendants and medals his office entitled, and sometimes required, him to wear. "Dressing properly is to be commended, however, I have very little patience with ornamentation." Esther smiled. She knew that was true. Virgil almost always wore a proper suit, but he tended to dress plainly beyond that. A light began to blink on the console, and at once, Virgil and Mary were all business. Virgil bowed. "Your Highness, I believe the call you've been anticipating is coming through now." Esther straightened. "Please, make the connection at once. It would not do to keep our future allies waiting." Virgil touched the panel, and two holographic images sprang into being above the console. Esther swallowed, and bowed her head, offering a nod of courtesy from one leader to another. "Cardinal Sforza. Your Imperial Majesty, Augusta Veradica. Good evening."

"Good Evening, Queen Esther." Like her, both of them were wearing the formal robes of their positions. Caterina was wearing the full scarlet robes of a Cardinal, over a dress that sported the house colors of the Duchess of Milan. Seth was wearing an outfit of green and white, embroidered and edged in gold. It was almost identical to the outfit she'd worn in the Empire, when she'd revealed herself to Esther, Ion and Astha. Seth smiled. "Before we get started, I think I'd like to suggest we dispense with formal titles between us. After all, we are all known to each other and it will make conversation a great deal easier."

"I have no objections to that." Caterina nodded. "It seems a reasonable policy, considering the short amount of time we have to work in." She considered. "With that in mind, perhaps you would care to start negotiations, Lady Augusta?"

"Well, I wasn't intending to, but I have no objections. However, before we begin, I do have a question for you, lady Caterina." She settled back in her throne, her face serious. "I am aware that it is likely that there are members of your church who do not favor an alliance between us. I speak in particular of the Department of Inquisition. So I wish to know: How great is the danger that they will attempt to interfere with us? I need to know what kind of backing we have within the church, and what may cause severe resistance."

"A wise question." Caterina folded her hands. "In truth, my brother Francesco is the one who heads the department of Inquisition. And he is…not pleased." She sighed. "In truth, he is furious at the mere thought of an alliance. Even the temporary truce we forged months ago has sent him into a fury. However, I believe at the moment he will take no direct action. I consulted with His Holiness on the matter of this union, and he gave it his public and heartfelt support. With that sort of backing, even Francesco will be hesitant to move." She sighed again. "I've also made every effort to impress upon my brother the danger that Rosenkreutz poses. As regrettable as the attack on Londinium was, it has at least opened his eyes to the threat. He is currently bending his resources against the Order and has little to spare for the Empire. I've also pointed out to him that the Empire, enemy though they may have been, has always been open in their animosity, where the Order moves in shadow. He's not happy, but he has agreed they are the greater danger. With any luck, it will occupy him for some time, long enough to cement this alliance."

"I see. And is there anything that can be done to ease his fears, or anything that would cause him to turn against us?" Caterina considered. "I doubt he will tolerate armed Imperials, even messengers or allies within the Vatican lands. I would advise against forming any official force, or sending envoys, unless you do it carefully. However, if you have no objections, I will suggest to him that the alliance provides a perfect opportunity to place spies in the Empire. Perhaps you might be willing to grant them safe passage, provided they do no harm."

"A good idea." Seth grimaced slightly. "I don't like the idea of Vatican spies in my territory, but it's better than risking a confrontation with the Inquisition." She paused. "Well then, since we have that out of the way, I think it's time to discuss what exactly, we intend to bring to the alliance." She sat up. "For myself, I can offer the use of Imperial technology. I know Albion's technology is very close to our own, but we do have some improvements. As Esther pointed out in my previous discussion with her, we know how to manufacture some of the weapons and defenses they seem to have gotten a hold of. We are willing to provide that information to you, as long as it's carefully handled. After all, some things shouldn't be made common knowledge." Seth made a face, then relaxed her expression into one of neutrality. "We also have satellites we can access for information. And if there is no objection, I will ask my envoys and enforcers to begin investigations. Our methods are a bit different from yours, and we might uncover something you do not." A small sad smile touched her face. "Actually, I have an agent out on assignment now." Caterina nodded. "I also have AX agents in the field presently." She looked down at a thin object in her hand. "Your offers of technological expertise, particularly in our defenses would be most welcome. And if you could determine how Rosenkreutz got a hold of those weapons, that information would be greatly appreciated."

"I can answer that, but I'm afraid it's of little use to me." Seth smiled. "We've received hints that the Contra Mundi was once a man of great influence. I can't give you all the details, I'm afraid, but I suspect he is extremely capable of gaining access to many things." Caterina nodded. "I understand. I also happen to know that one of his lieutenants was once a foremost pupil in the Albion University. Lord Isaac Butler, now known to us as Isaac von Kampfer, using the Rosenkreutz alias of 'Wizard'. I suspect that man would be capable of doing a great deal with technology."

"I see. That is helpful information. I'm afraid we of the Empire are sadly lacking in information on the details of the Orders membership. We know of one or two, but I have very little to go on." Seth grimaced. "The Contra Mundi does not often work within the boundaries of my Empire."

"Yes. As part of our own contribution to the Alliance, my department is prepared to send you copies of all the information we have concerning the Order and its membership." Caterina considered a set of notes in her hand. "In addition we will provide the information gathered by our own satellites. I will also send you whatever information my AX members gather concerning movements of the Order of Rosenkreutz and their known allies. And while I need to gain official approval for it, I intend to send you information on our defensive capabilities as well. That way we can better assist, and you can aid us with improvements."

"That sounds fine." Seth considered. "I suppose it would be a good thing if I sent both of you the information on my ships and their designs and registrations. Some of them do bear an unfortunate resemblance to the Orders ships."

"It would be greatly appreciated." Caterina smiled. "That concludes what I may offer at this time. I believe that just leaves Albion." Both women turned to face Esther.

Esther swallowed. She'd been listening to the way the other two spoke about military movements, strategy, compromises and trades. It made her all too aware of how little experience she had with this sort of thing. Working for Caterina wasn't the same thing as working on her own. Seth had been doing things like this since before Esther had even been born, and Caterina had been head of the Foreign Affairs department for over a decade. Nevertheless, she was determined to move forward. "We of Albion have no great armies. However I do have a few things I would like to offer. First of all, while the technology of the Empire is greater in some respects, I believe our programmers to be the best skilled. My advisor, the Count of Manchester, has suggested that we may be able to assist with the programming of ships and computers, and other technology to make it both more defensible and more efficient. Also there is one more thing I can offer." She took a deep breath. "Albion is a neutral territory, between the Vatican and the Empire. We have representatives from both of your countries, and we know a little of both worlds. Therefore, I offer that Albion be a neutral site between you. We will mediate, should there be disagreements between your two countries. Also, we are capable offering a safe haven for both Methuselah and Vatican emissaries, for either missions or meetings between you. Therefore, we also intend to offer this service as well."

"Interesting." Seth sat back. "Are you intending to use the position of the Albion Underground for the Methuselah then?"

"For the moment. However, the Count of Manchester and I, along with one of his family members in the Facility, are currently looking into the possibility of Methuselah safe houses above the ground. We have several possible sites in mind, that connect to the Underground Facility. If we can make these operational, then things will be even easier."

"Indeed." Caterina looked thoughtful. "It's actually quite ideal. Albion recognizes the authority of the Church in some matters, but we don't actually have a significant power base there. If you welcome Imperial Emissaries under your own flag, then even Francesco can say nothing. And of course, since there are churches in Albion, it's only logical for there to be priests and sisters there. It's an ideal cover." She smiled. "I believe that will be very helpful. What do you think, Lady Augusta?"

"I think you are correct. It's a wonderful idea." Seth smiled. "A neutral point between the Vatican and the Empire sounds like a very useful thing to have." She shifted positions. "Well then, since we've all laid our advantages on the table, I suppose it's time to get to negotiations." They spent the next several hours discussing various points. Suggested meeting points, this or that trade negotiation, who could cover what responsibilities. Esther felt a bit overwhelmed, but Virgil and Mary were right behind her. Any time she was unsure, she spoke to them. When the question came up about military support, should need arise, Mary answered confidently that Londinium housed a small army of about five hundred men, and the actual army of Albion was far larger. Virgil also indicated that many of the Albion Ghetto residents had been trained in combat, and could be called upon if necessary. By the time they ended at dawn, they had the beginnings of a solid framework written out. Esther felt tired enough to fall asleep in her formal gown when they finally ended the talks for the night, but she was well satisfied with her work.

They agreed then to contact each other every three days, until the details were filled out. The next few weeks were a whirlwind of action. Proposals made during the meetings had to be brought before her Council for approval. Suggestions were taken from her various Councilors. Esther suspected that the Alliance with the Empire might have caused more fuss under other circumstances, but the threat of Rosenkreutz and Virgil and Mary's unwavering support silenced many objections. It was also during this time that she decided to fulfill her promise to Virgil and Vanessa. In a public ceremony, Vanessa was called forward, knighted, and officially given the title of Captain of the Royal Albion Underground Guards. She was given the authority to appoint whomever she liked into place as her lieutenants. Her first mission was to form a safety perimeter around the Ghetto, and to seek any information she could find within the Albion Underground concerning the Order. There were a few nobles that were concerned about the promotion of someone who'd nearly been arrested for treason and rebellion only a few months prior, but Esther had expected as much. Part of Vanessa's orders stated that she would be working with Mary Spencer, and partially under the control of Virgil. It wasn't the complete freedom the other woman would have once demanded, but in a private discussion afterward, she gave Esther her thanks. She admitted that even though she could have hoped for more, this was far more recognition than she'd ever hoped to receive. She also had Virgil inspect the houses Vanessa had requested be renovated for use travelling between the Ghetto and the city of Londinuim proper.

Virgil returned with the report that at least three of them could certainly be made defensible and repaired to proper shape. There was one, somewhat close to the palace, that he thought might also be used to house visiting Methuselah from the Empire in times of need. Esther approved all three locations, and set the siblings to work on finding people to refurbish them and install the needed security, and to make sure the connections between the Ghetto and the houses were secure. It was exhausting, fitting everything in between her regularly scheduled duties, and the day to day responsibilities of ruling the kingdom. The nights she didn't meet with Seth and Caterina for discussions, she collapsed in bed and was often asleep before the lights were turned off. She knew she was running Mary ragged, though the Colonel never complained, and even Virgil looked a little worn. One night, waiting for the communications to connect, she looked into his face and saw the shadows under his eyes. He looked down and saw her concern. "Is there something wrong, Majesty?"

"Not with me." She sighed. "You look tired, Lord Walsh. I'm a little worried that I'm pushing you too hard." She looked into his face, then to Mary's. "You are both getting some rest, I hope. I don't want to have you collapse." Virgil smiled. "It's kind of you to be so concerned, but you have nothing to worry about. I am fine. And in fact, you have recently lightened both or duties somewhat. By appointing Vanessa to take over much of the patrolling and security of the Ghetto, it makes it easier." One hand touched her face, a light respectful gesture. "You should also take care of yourself, Majesty. You are still a young ruler, but you are doing a great deal. Remember, you are the Star of Hope for Albion. We want you to stay strong." He smiled again. "For that goal, I don't mind losing a little rest at all." Mary nodded. "He's right. I won't say I'm not a little tired, but for what you're accomplishing here, the lost sleep is well worth it." They might have spoken more, but the light blinked on the communications board, and it was time to return to work. Finally, three weeks after their initial meeting, the three women met to discuss the final draft of the proposal. There was silence between them as they each read through the documents. The Seth smiled. "Well, it really does look like a strong agreement. I think this will do nicely."

"I agree. We've made it as fair as possible, and I'm confident that this has been well thought out." Caterina smiled as well. "This is very well done. Esther, you especially should be congratulated. You've done an impressive job, maintaining Albion's part in this." Esther blushed. "Oh, well…I have very good advisors, and you two have been very patient and understanding. I think it's really all our accomplishment, isn't it?" Seth laughed. "Well said, Esther. You've got a fair mind. You're right, this is the work of all three of us." She looked over it once more, then shrugged. "Well then, if we're all in agreement, I suppose it's time to put our seals on this." She held up the last page of her copy, so that it showed on the projection. Then she lowered it, and Esther saw her hold out her hand to Mirka, standing behind her. The other woman placed a pen and a small crest in her hand. Esther saw Caterina reach for something on her desk, and quickly turned to Virgil. "Lord Walsh…I need a pen."

"Here, Your Majesty." He handed her a silver-chased fountain pen with a bow. Esther nodded, then turned back to the papers lying before her, one hand reaching up to the seal she wore around her neck. Carefully, she inscribed her signature upon the parchment. _Esther, Queen of Albion_. She turned and handed the pen back to Lord Walsh, at the same time Colonel Mary Spencer leaned forward and unclasped the necklace holding the royal seal. Virgil stowed the pen back in his jacket, then lifted a stick of sealing wax and a lighter. It was the work of a moment to soften the wax, and another to press the seal firmly into it. As Mary took cleaned off the royal emblem and set it back around her neck. Esther sat staring at the papers before her. _I…I did it. There is now a formal treaty between the Vatican, the New Human Empire, and Albion_.

"Hey Esther." Seth's voice brought her back to the meeting with a snap.

"Oh…sorry." Seth chuckled. "It's all right. It was a bit strange for me the first time I signed a major treaty as well." Caterina was also smiling sympathetically. "I've had the same experience. To tell the truth, I'm a little overwhelmed now." Esther felt better. She tested the wax to see that it was dry, then lifted the sheet. "I'm scanning the image now." Since they hadn't met in person, they'd agreed to scan and record the images of the signed documents, and send them to each other. Caterina and Seth both nodded, and a moment later, two images sprang into being on Esther's computer. One bore a double seal of the church and the Duchess of Milan, beside the words **Cardinal** **Caterina Sforza**, in elegant script. The other carried the Imperial Seal of the New Human Empire, marked beside the signature **Augusta Veradica, Empress of the New Human Empire**. She saw both her counterparts looking at their own screens. After a moment, Caterina spoke. "I've confirmed the reception of both signed and sealed images. I trust everything is well on your ends?"

"Yes." Esther's words were echoed by Seth. "Well then, it appears we have ourselves and Alliance." Caterina bowed her head. "I'd like to extend my gratitude to both of you for all your hard work."

"Thank you. I appreciate your support as well, lady Caterina." Seth nodded. "I too am grateful that we have been able to forge this treaty." She sighed, and the happiness slipped from her eyes. "However, on that note, I do have some disquieting news. My agents outside the Empire have detected some disquiet of late." She sighed. "Even if we wished to, an alliance of this magnitude is impossible to keep secret. And because of that, I fear that the Order has heard of this as well."

"I've also had information along those lines." Caterina folded her hands, resting her chin on them. "Can you tell us anything more, Lady Augusta?"

"Nothing concrete. It's only rumors and guesses at this stage. I've had some vague hints of troubles, but nothing I can follow up on. However, I did hear one thing that I think you need to know. You in particular, Esther."

"Yes? What is it?" Esther swallowed, feeling a trickle of fear like ice down her spine. "Even though it's not necessarily the case, Albion is seen as the more vulnerable of the three of us. You in particular, because you are a new ruler, and a young one. It would be much easier for you to fall or lose the trust of your people than for either of us. Therefore, I suspect that if the Order does decide to make a move, you will be their target. You will be the one they pursue most heavily. Be careful." She smiled sadly. "I would really like not to see anything happen to you."

"I share that sentiment." Caterina's face was grave. "I urge you to take extra care. I'll have my agents in the field look into the matter, and I'll send you whatever information I may acquire. Until then, please, look out for yourself, Your Majesty."

"I will. I thank you both for your warnings. I assure you, I will do everything in my power to protect myself and my people." Caterina nodded. "Then Albion is in good hands." She looked away. "I believe I need to go announce the successful signing of our agreement to the Pope. I bid you both a good evening."

"You as well." Esther stood, as Seth did. "I wish you both a safe evening until we meet again." They bowed to each other, and then the monitors went dark. Esther stood staring at the darkened screen for a long moment. She didn't like the idea that she might be targeted, but that was hardly surprising. She turned to her advisors, standing behind her. "I suppose you heard what Her Majesty said?"

"We did." Mary's face was stern. "Rest assured, Majesty, we will do everything in our power to protect you."

"I know. I have every faith in you." Esther sighed, then looked at the papers sitting on her desk to the side of the console. Then she lifted her face. "Come, we have a great deal of work to do, to uphold our end of this alliance, and to keep the kingdom safe."


	3. Three: Assassins and Strangers

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES:**I'll be continuing to update this story until the dire end and it's finale. A little treat for you now things are starting to speed up a notch some action to come near the end of this chapter to enjoy. So without further or do I present chapter three, read, review/comment and enjoy until next time TLC to you all.

**DISCLAIMER:**All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to one of my editors and co-partners in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her own TB stories on which are awesome. Additional thanks to my second co-partner for also participating in helping with this story **KinReynard** check out her own TB story **'Devil His Due' **whom I'm her beta for when possible. When one of my co-partners/editors are unable to continue the other will take over both are involved with this fan fiction as time goes on with it's updates. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice:****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage Against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). ** In adttion to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shapeof or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Three: Assassins and Strangers**

Brother Petros scowled at the reports in front of him, then growled and rubbed his eyes. With everything going on, he'd been short of rest so often even he felt the strain.

The last few months had been maddening on several levels. The attack on Londinium by Rosenkreutz had been troublesome, and had nearly gotten them all killed. And then, only a few weeks ago, things had gotten more out of hand. Word had come that there was a formal truce…a formal alliance between the Vatican and the Methuselah Empire.

Francesco was furious. Petros had been shocked, along with everyone else in the Department. But the shock had passed and, though it made him uncomfortable, he'd accepted it. After all he'd met several Methuselah, both Imperial and Albion, and had come to the rather grudging conclusion that, whether they were heretics or not, they were honorable individuals. They were also loyal to their own ideals and rulers. One Albion Methuselah had gone from being his enemy to helping him protect his Pope. Inside his heart, Petros knew that was the other reason he'd accepted this strange alliance, meant to end a war that had started before his ancestors were born. However he personally felt about standing shoulder to shoulder with a vampire, this was something the Pope wished for. And he had sworn, the day he first took his oath as a knight of the Church, that he would serve God and his Pope above all other things.

Since then, his department had been set to searching out information on the Order of Rosenkreutz and any of their supporters and affiliated organizations. Cardinal Sforza had given him all the information she had, and every rumor she had heard within the past several years, but it was astonishingly little. He had more information on the inner workings of the Methuselah Imperial Court than he did on Rosenkreutz. But a lack of information hadn't ever stopped him before, and he was determined not to let it slow him down now. He'd begun sending out squads of Inquisitors, both obviously and undercover the day after he'd received the information. What he'd gotten back in his reports was…disquieting, even for him.

The Order was moving. There were no details on how, but there was a persistent rumor that they were targeting the heads of the Alliance. Cardinal Sforza, possibly the Pope, and certainly Queen Esther Blanchett. An even fainter rumor indicated they would target the Empress of the Night, but that wasn't his concern. The Empress had her own guards, and reports from past incidents indicated she was well able to hold her own. The Pope and the Lady Cardinal were the ones Petros had to worry about.

Petros frowned again, then leafed through the reports, stopping at another one. Another rumor had been brought to his attention lately, and this one was equally disturbing, in some ways more so. Someone was ahead of them. Several times they had moved on Order hide-outs, or against associated terrorists like the Fleur du Mal, only to find someone had come before. Several lairs of dangerous individuals had been attacked, prior to the Inquisitions arrival. On one occasion, they had arrived to the sounds of screams. One man reported, rather uncertainly, that he thought he'd seen lightning but inside the building. A few others had reported glimpses of a strange figure on the grounds. One man thought he'd seen silver hair, or something silver at any rate. Another had reported delusions of a black and silver angel, who'd vanished from the scene before anyone could get a closer look.

The fact that someone was ahead of them was disturbing, more so because no one could get any sort of information on who it might be. The person, or persons, who were moving forward so ruthlessly might have been phantoms. But those solitary glimpses, of impossible lightning and the silver and black angel were what disturbed Petros the most.

He wanted to dismiss them as a delusion. But he'd seen lightning like that once before, and the angel described. Once, in the streets of Carthage, he'd witnessed such a thing. But…the man he knew to have been the source of those visions was dead. He'd carried the body of Father Nightroad to the church himself, silently mourning the death of a good man and a true servant of God. It seemed impossible to him that there could have been another like him. And yet, he'd heard reports of a black angel in the skies of Londinium, with glowing blue fire, and reports of a violent disturbance of Father Nightroad's coffin. He'd been too busy to pursue the rumors at the time. But thinking back, he'd always been shocked at the wound that had killed the man. He'd seen Father Nightroad take far more serious injuries and live, and hadn't understood why it had been different this time. He knew the man was dead, he'd checked for the pulse and breathing himself, but the doubts still remained.

Petros scowled, then shoved the thoughts to the back of his mind. Whatever, whoever this person was, it was only a matter of time before he was caught by the Inquisition. And then Petros would have his answers. Until then, there was no point in considering the matter. He had far more important things to take care of. If the heads of the Alliance were being targeted, it was his duty to warn Lady Caterina, and then to take his place at the Pope's side, ready to defend him. He set the reports back down, then picked up his screamer. He almost never used it inside the Church, but if there was a threat then he intended to be ready. He was already wearing the light armor he preferred to use. He bowed his head in a quick prayer, then strode out the door and down the hallways to the wing housing the Cardinal's offices. He stopped by Caterina's and took a deep breath. He and the lady Cardinal had an understanding these days, ever since she'd warned him about the danger to the Pope in Londinium, but things were still somewhat uncomfortable between them. He knocked on the door once, then let himself in.

Caterina Sforza was sitting at her desk, writing reports, but she looked up as Petros entered. "Ah, Brother Petros. You needed to speak with me?"

"Yes, my lady." Petros bowed stiffly, then got straight to the point. "We've received word that the Order of Rosenkreutz and it's allies may be preparing for an attempt on your life."

"I see." Caterina laid the pen aside, and regarded him with a piercing stare. "And just how serious do you believe this threat to be? After all, there are always rumors of assassination attempts being planned."

"Based on the sources, I believe it to be extremely likely they will target you." Petros scowled. "There is also a rumor that they will target the Empire and Albion." He paused, then continued. 'Though it's unconfirmed, there are hints that Albion is likely to be the target that is of highest priority."

"I see. And have you informed them of this threat?" Petros bowed stiffly. "Relations with other countries is not a part of my duties, my lady. I judged it best to inform you of the matter, and allow you to handle it in the manner you see fit."

"I see. And what does the Department of the Inquisition intend to do?"

"We will mount guards of course, and continue with our investigation." Petros scowled again. "At the present time, I have been ordered to guard His Holiness at all times, along with my second in command. I will assign guards to you, Lady Caterina, but I suggest that you also tighten the security of your division."

"Of course. You're certainly needed to protect His Holiness far more than you are to stand beside me, at this time. Very well, I'll take your words into consideration." She offered him a cool smile. "Was there anything else, Brother Petros?"

"There is one other rumor I feel you should be aware of." Petros met Caterina's eyes, determined not to miss a flicker of her reaction. "Some of my units have reported there is someone else investigating Rosenkreutz, someone moving outside official channels. Some of my men have reported…unusual sights."

"Indeed?" One eyebrow rose. "And how does this concern me?"

"Because among the reported sightings was one of a silver-haired man…and of angel with lightning." Petros held her gaze. "Knowing the unusual powers of your subordinates, I wondered if perhaps this brought someone to mind. After all, if you have an agent working in a similar manner, shouldn't the Department know of it?"

"I see." The small smile turned faintly sarcastic. "I'm afraid I can't help you with that. Whoever your men have encountered, it's not one of my agents. If it were, of course I would have reported it to you." Petros bowed. "I understand. I apologize for my rudeness. However, I had heard that one of your agents…"

"Father Nightroad is dead…as you yourself verified." There was a steely sharpness to her tone that cut him off instantly. "I know of no one else like him. Whoever this individual is, he works outside of my control." She paused. "However, if someone has taken Father Nightroad's appearance, or has similar powers…rest assured, I will get to the bottom of the matter. If your reports are correct, then I also desire to know the truth."

"Yes my lady. I will send copies of the reports to you as soon as possible." Petros instincts told him that Caterina knew more than she was letting on, but she didn't seem to be lying. There was a subtle sense of something wrong with her statements, but nothing he could pin down. He resolved to keep an eye on her, but at the moment, there was nothing more to say. He bowed. "If you will excuse me, my lady, I have duties to attend to."

"Of course. You have an important job, protecting His Holiness. I won't keep you from it any longer. Thank you for your information, Brother Petros."

"Yes, my lady." Petros nodded his head again, then left the office, heading for the main complex where the Pope would be working. He had a responsibility to fulfill. Caterina waited a few minutes after Petros left, then pressed a button on her desk. A slight hiss on the other end informed her that the channel was open. "Father Wordsworth, I'd appreciate it if you and Father Havel could attend me in my office at once." There was a quick affirmation on the other end, and the channel went dead.

Less than ten minutes later, Vaclav Havel and William Walter Wordsworth, codenamed 'Know Faith' and 'Professor' stepped into her office. Havel bowed. "You wanted to see us, Caterina?"

"I did. Brother Petros was just here, with some interesting information." She relayed the conversation to the two men, then folded her hands in front of her. "Well, gentlemen? I'd like to hear your input." William sighed, leaning against the wall with his unlit pipe between his teeth. "Well, I can't say it's surprising. After all, an Alliance such as this is definitely one that Rosenkreutz would make every effort to disband. It's only natural that they'd make an effort to destroy the leaders. What's surprising is that we've actually heard wind of it. Usually they're a bit more subtle."

"Yes, well, there are several things to consider. One is that our efforts may be having some affect. Particularly his…" She didn't want to speak Abel's name too loud, not even here in the safety of her office. "Another is that they're leaking information in an attempt to distract us from their real plans." Vaclav considered. "I suspect it will be both. However, no matter what the situation is, we can't afford to ignore the warnings. I recommend we send notice to our allies immediately, and increase the guard on you."

"Indeed, send messages to Esther and Her Imperial Majesty at once. Make sure Albion is aware that they are considered the primary target." Caterina stared into space. "And what of your guards?" William sighed. "I hate to admit it, but we're stretched a little thin. Kaya is out on normal duties, as is Hugue. Leon is out on your orders, doing investigations and keeping the non-Order factions from stirring up trouble. And Tres and Kate are with Abel." He sighed again. "I wish I could say Vaclav and I will be enough, but I can't be confident. Not if they mount a serious attempt."

"William is right." Havel's eyes were dark with concern. "You need better protection than we can give you."

"I understand." Caterina considered a moment. Finally she sighed. "Recall Dandelion from the field, and tell Gypsy Queen and Sword Dancer to stay on alert. Leon is fully capable of backing the two of you up."

"Is that really enough though?"

"It will have to be."

"Will it really?" William's eyes were dark. "Caterina…if what you said is true…" his eyes were looking into the distance. "If what was reported is true, then Abel's come dangerously close to being noted by the Inquisition. I'm worried. And with a threat to you, we need Sister Kate and Father Tres. I think it would be wise to contact him. Ask him to come in with the others. Not only would his presence be helpful, but it would be safer for both of you." Caterina sighed. "You make a good argument, but I'm not sure he'll listen to me. Things are still…very unclear between us. As it is, he's really only speaking to Tres. I'm not sure I could convince him to return."

"Then allow us to try and contact him." William took the pipe from his mouth. "I realize he can be stubborn, but perhaps if we make the gravity of the situation clear to him…"

"You certainly have my permission to try." Caterina frowned. "Warn him that he's been spotted by the Inquisition as well." She looked back at the reports she'd been working on. "I'll leave you gentlemen to it. On further consideration, I'll contact our allies myself. A message of this importance should be relayed personally. In the meantime, please make the calls I requested and come see me this evening."

"Yes, Your Eminence." Vaclav bowed again and the two men exited the room. Caterina sighed and put her head in her hand.

_Possible multiple assassination attempts by the Order and their allies. This could get messy very quickly. It's fortunate that Brother Petros chose to come speak with me about it. And Abel…what were you thinking? If the Inquisition gets a hold of you…there's no way brother will be reasonable abut this. Please, be more careful._

Caterina shook herself back to the present. There wasn't any time to worry about Abel. She feared for him, but he was capable of taking care of himself, and situations like this were precisely why she'd sent Tres and Sister Kate with him. The two of them were more than capable of retrieving the situation. And they had the help of the Count of Memphis. In the meantime, there were much more important things to be doing. She settled the reports to one side, then went to the communication console on the other side of her office. The press of a few buttons brought the console to life. Caterina took a breath, then punched in the communications code for the Imperial Palace of the New Human Empire.

It was almost Vespers when William and Vaclav returned. Caterina was back to writing reports but she set them aside when the two men entered. "I trust you took care of everything?"

"Yes. Leon is on his way back now. We're sending him the money needed for the trip." Vaclav sighed. "And Abel? Did you reach him?" Caterina looked at her two subordinates. William sighed. "We managed to reach Kate, and Father Tres."

"Did you speak to Abel at all?" Caterina sighed. "Or did he make himself unavailable?"

"We spoke to him. However, I'm afraid its mixed news." Vaclav's eyes were dark and unhappy. "He's decided to send Kate back here. Tres has refused to move without your express order, but he's sending the Iron Maiden back to Rome. He convinced Kate you needed her more than he did."

"I see. And what of Abel?"

"He says he'll continue his work." William sighed. "He did promise to be more careful, but he's absolutely refused to return here for the time being."

"Did he give a reason?"

"Yes. He said he refused to risk us. Quite aside from the dangers of being seen with a man meant to be dead…" William trailed off. "He says he can't. He won't say why, but I have my suspicions."

"And what is it you suspect?" Caterina could guess, knowing Abel, but it was best if William confirmed it. "He looks different, somehow. I can't quite place it, but even on the communications line, there's something odd. I asked Tres, and he confirmed that Abel's abilities have changed. Nothing too extreme, not enough to put Tres on alert, but they are altering. Knowing him as well as I do, I suspect he's afraid of that change, and endeavoring to put as much distance between us and any potential danger as he can. Caterina stifled a groan and ran one hand through her hair. "That's very like Abel." She lowered her hand, looked at it for a moment. "Well, there's nothing we can do at the moment. We might as well leave him alone. At least Father Tres can keep an eye on him for us."

"That's what William and I were thinking." Vaclav moved to her side. "What about the calls to the Empire and Albion? Were you successful?"

"Yes." Caterina ran a hand through her hair again, then stood. "The Empress has already had word from one of her field agents. I understood, from the words of the subordinate I spoke with that her highest ministers have undertaken to guard her. And the palace guard has been alerted to keep a close eye on the Empress and her advisors."

"That's good news." William put the pipe back between his teeth. "And if I may ask, what of Albion?" He smiled. "It's been years since I lived there, but I still do feel some affection for my home. Especially the current monarch."

Caterina nodded. "I know what you mean. Unfortunately, at such short notice I was unable to speak with Esther. However, I did inform the Count of Manchester of the situation and he assured me that they would do everything in their power to protect Her Majesty from harm."

"I see. Then I suppose that all we can do is wait."

"Yes." Caterina sighed, then moved to the window. "All we can do is wait, and pray that we've taken enough precautions."

Esther emerged from Council feeling tired, but elated. They'd gotten some good work done. Finally, after weeks of effort, she'd gotten the Council to agree to furnish and validate the three houses that had been designated safe passages for the Ghetto residents. It had taken a lot of work and persuasion, but now the residents of the Ghetto could begin to walk the surface once more. Even better, they'd officially set the framework for the Imperial Embassy, the nearest of the safe houses. Esther smiled as she rose passed through the doors of the meeting hall. Even if it wasn't much, it gave her a warm feeling to be able to accomplish something. She was so wrapped up in he thoughts, she nearly crashed into Virgil standing just outside the door. She stopped abruptly, blushing slightly. "Lord Walsh."

"Your Majesty. I trust you are well?"

"Oh, yes of course. I was just a little preoccupied. With everything we were discussing…" She frowned, remembering how Virgil had excused himself earlier. She looked up, and saw the concern in his eyes. "I'm sorry, I'd forgotten you left early. Is everything all right?"

"For the moment. However, the reason I left the meeting gives me cause for some concern." He stopped, then stepped forward and spoke in a softer tone. "I left because I was given word that we received a priority call from the Vatican, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

"From Lady Caterina? Did she say why?"

"Yes. It appears the threat to your safety that Her Imperial Majesty hinted at weeks ago has emerged, Your Majesty. There have been several rumors among the possible associates of the Order about an attempt on your life. Lady Caterina believes that you may be in serious danger." Esther felt her breath catch for a moment. She had no doubt Virgil was sincere. She also had no doubt that if Caterina had decided to inform her, the danger was real. In fact, she suspected Virgil was understating things. "Did she say anything else?"

"She did. However, I would prefer it if we could discuss it elsewhere, Your Majesty." Virgil bowed. "The hallway is not an appropriate location, and I would like to call Colonel Spencer to the meeting."

"That's fine. Please, meet me in my office as soon as possible." Virgil bowed. "As you wish, Your Majesty." He straightened, then continued down the hall. Esther sighed, then turned to return to her rooms. She stopped in her rooms, exchanging the formal dress she wore for Council for a more practical one. Absently, she handed her jewelry to the maid. Her mind, however, was on Virgil's words. _They're planning to attack me._

When she arrived at her office, Virgil and Mary were both already waiting, standing beside her desk. Mary's face was grave. "Your Majesty…"

"Lord Walsh told you the news?" Esther moved forward to sit behind her desk, and motioned her advisors to sit down. At Mary's nod, she turned to the slender man sitting across from her. "If you would tell me what information Lady Caterina gave you?"

"Yes Your Majesty." Virgil folded his hands in his lap. "It appears that all three of the Alliance representatives are being threatened. However, because Albion is the central point, and because you are the youngest ruler, it is believed you will be the main target. Unfortunately, we don't know what form the attack will take."

"I see." Esther considered. "How much danger do you think I'm in?"

"Difficult to say. However, I am unwilling to consider this a light threat." Mary nodded. "I agree with him. If the Vatican is taking the time to warn us, then it is obviously serious. I propose we implement full security measures to protect you, Your Majesty."

"I understand. What measures did you have in mind?" Esther knew her advisors had probably been planning things since Seth's original warning, but there'd been no confirmation so she hadn't worried about it. Mary sat forward, all business. "Virgil and I will accompany you throughout the day, with guards nearby, every day. When you rest, we'll have guards outside your room, both doors and window access. Also we'll post additional guards at other rooms in the wing as a diversionary measure." Virgil nodded. "I also recommend we deploy the Underground Royal Guards in full force. Should you need to descend to the Facility, Vanessa and I will escort you. We'll maintain a continuous check from the main monitor room to be sure that the places you elect to go are safe."

"I see." Esther sat back. "Do you really feel this is necessary? After all, won't it upset the people?" Mary sighed. "It will probably cause some unease. But not nearly as much unease as a successful assassination would. In this situation, I'm not sure there is such a thing as too careful." She paused. "Given the nature of the threat, I'd like to begin implementing these procedures now. It's been my experience that by the time we hear about a threat, the plans are already well in motion."

"I understand." Esther sighed, then straightened and faced her advisors. "I'm relying on both of you." Both of them stood and bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty." As they straightened, Virgil turned to Mary. "Colonel Spencer, I recommend you leave the first shift of guarding Her Majesty to me. Your preparations need to be carried out before nightfall, and mine will wait until then."

"Agreed." Mary turned to Esther. "If you will permit me, Your Majesty?"

"Of course. Thank you." Esther smiled as Mary left, then turned to Virgil. "I hope I'm not keeping you from your work, Lord Walsh."

"There's nothing that cannot wait at this time." Esther motioned him to resume his seat. "Most of my current paperwork is taken care of, and as I stated before, the changes in movement of the Ghetto can wait until this evening."

"But what about your work as the Governor, and as the supervisor of the production facility?" Esther looked at him with worried eyes. "Will it be all right, if you are here guarding me?"

"At the moment, it's fine. Should something occur, they will notify me. However…Vanessa is quite capable of handling things until I can call Colonel Spencer to take my place. I do not foresee any major complications." Virgil gave her that small reassuring smile. "Please, do not be troubled on my account. Our first responsibility is to you, but I assure you, these plans were formed taking our duties into consideration." Esther smiled back. "Well then, I won't worry any more. I only hope we can resolve this matter quickly." Virgil bowed his head. "As do I."

That night, Mary escorted her to her rooms, and remained with her while she prepared for bed. Esther watched nervously as the Colonel checked all the rooms for danger, then withdrew to the hallway. She listened to the faint sound of orders being given, then the even fainter clack of her military advisors boots striding down the hallway. Turning her head, she could see the faint shadows of the guards outside the door. She sighed, then dropped into a restless slumber. The next morning, Virgil appeared directly after she'd dressed. He went with her to breakfast, standing beside her as a servant assisted her to her seat. Esther smiled at him. "Will you join me, Lord Walsh?"

He bowed. "I have already eaten, Highness. However, Mary requested I stand with you this morning. And I believe that after breakfast, you wished to visit the Ghetto and speak with Vanessa about the safe-houses we were working on?"

"Yes. I did." Esther looked at her plate, swallowing nervousness. "Has she…?"

"Vanessa has been informed of the current circumstances. She has agreed to meet us in the elevator."

"I see. Well then, I shouldn't keep either of you waiting." Afterward, Virgil escorted her to the elevator. Vanessa stood inside, leaning against the wall in her new scarlet and black uniform. She straightened as Esther entered. "Your Majesty. Virgil."

"Please, no need to be so formal." Esther stepped inside. "Especially when you're going to all this trouble for me."

"It's not any trouble." Vanessa grinned at her as the elevator started down. "You gave me a second chance after I rebelled, and you're giving my people the freedom and respect they deserve. Protecting you while you visit us is the least I can do. And personally, I consider it an honor."

"I'm grateful you feel that way." Esther blushed. "Has Lord Walsh told you about the current status of the safe houses?"

"Not a lot. Only that they'd been approved and were under discussion yesterday." Vanessa looked at her. "He said you'd tell us today what that Council said about it." Esther could hear the suppressed contempt in the other woman's voice, but she couldn't blame her. After all, the Albion Council had ignored the Ghetto for a long time. Esther smiled. "They've voted to fund the repair and furnishing of the houses, and they also agreed that you could use the nearest one as the Imperial Embassy. In addition they've agreed to permit some underground residents, those hired as servants and workers, to take up residence in the houses as soon as they've been made habitable, to prepare for the people travelling through them." She looked into Vanessa's eyes. "It's going to be a lot of work, but I'll be counting on you to take care of things."

Vanessa stared. "You're serious? We're actually going to have full government support?" She put a hand to her face. "I thought for sure we'd have more trouble than that." She straightened. "You can rely on us, Your Majesty."

"I know." The elevator came to a stop. Esther started to leave, but Virgil put one hand in front of her. "If you could give me a moment, Highness…" He nodded to Vanessa, and the other woman stepped out of the elevator ahead of them, eyes alert and scanning the passage. She nodded. Virgil pulled a hand radio out of his pocket, and Esther saw him thumb the switch. "Are the passage and observation room secure?" He tilted his head, listening for a moment, then lowered the radio. "It is safe. Shall we go, Your Majesty?"

"Yes, of course." Esther followed Vanessa, with Virgil right behind her. Though she'd been down here dozens of times, and knew the way to the main production observation room, the watchfulness of her companions made her feel slightly uneasy. The observation room was guarded by a young man in a simpler version of Vanessa's uniform. He saluted as they approached, then opened the door for the three of them to enter. Esther gave him and encouraging nod, and he smiled back. As the door shut, she turned to the woman behind her. "Is he one of your new lieutenants?"

"Yeah. He used to be my third in command when we were rebels. He's smart. I was planning on asking him to take over safe house security for one of the upper houses when they're restored, if that's all right. Your Majesty." Esther smiled. "It's fine. I trust your judgment. Speaking of security, how are things going down here?" She looked over the huge production labs. "It still looks the same to me, I'm afraid."

"Yes we've tried to alter the working environment as little as possible. However, we do have scanners and extra security cameras on the floor. Everyone working there is scanned at random at least once a week. Camera facial recognition and ID codes are both processed." Virgil studied a screen in front of him. "We're looking for less troublesome methods, but this is the best we can do." Esther sighed. "I'm afraid I don't understand any of that sort of thing. I'll have to leave it in your hands. But…what about the residential areas?"

Vanessa spoke up. "We've organized patrols and area checks. My people come from all over the place. At any given time, I keep half of them out of uniform, just blending into the crowd." She hesitated. "I hope you don't find it presumptuous of me, but we've been practicing to have the same set up in the safe houses, when we start staffing them. We thought it would be a good idea if there was always one man who wasn't obviously security."

"It's not presumptuous. It's only sensible." Esther gave her a reassuring smile. "It's good that you're planning ahead for these things." She stood looking over the facility for a moment. "If it's possible, I'd like to meet your people sometime."

"Yes, Your majesty." They spent another hour talking over what kind of furnishings might be good to have, what arrangements needed to be made, and what kind of security would be in place before the houses were opened. Virgil spoke now and then, providing information on the security, but he was more interested in the facility. When they finally turned to leave, Esther thought she saw a faint frown on his face. She considered asking him about it, but decided to leave it alone. After all, if it was important, he'd tell her. Vanessa escorted them back to the elevator. As Virgil stepped inside, Esther turned back to her. "Thank you for escorting us. If possible, I'd like to meet your men soon."

"Yes, of course." Vanessa bowed. "I'll send you a messenger as soon as I can with a requested interview time." And with that, the elevator door closed. The next few days were uneventful. Esther worked on her paperwork, met with her Council and made sure things were running smoothly. Virgil and Mary soon settled into a system of working with her. After the first morning Mary usually accompanied her for the mornings, and Virgil worked with her for the afternoons. In addition to her other work, Esther requested Mary help her brush up on her combat training. She'd been well trained in the AX division, but even then she'd always been with someone. Under Mary's training, she was soon scoring a bull's eye at almost every shot with her gun. She also began training with more hand to hand combat. Mary was a master with a sword and knife, and Esther learned quickly. The colonel showed her how to use the knife forehand and backhand, and with either hand. Esther was more proficient with her right hand, but she could manage with her left.

A week after they started training, Mary presented her with a military style short knife to wear hidden in the back of her belt. It was made to fit with her dress clothing. Mary also provided her with another one to wear on her arm. Though smaller, it was a silver alloy that was more than enough to deal a lethal blow to a Methuselah attacker. Esther was half afraid that it would offend Virgil, but he only nodded approvingly. "It is best for you to carry such a weapon." He sighed. "Even with the precautions we take, there is no guarantee you will be safe at all times. I'm actually relieved that you are carrying that."

Three nights later, there was a knock on the door of Esther's study. Esther looked up from her work as the guard opened the door and saluted. "Your Majesty…the gentleman says he's a messenger from Lady Vanessa. From the Royal Albion Underground Guards." Virgil rose to his feet. "Of course. I had word she might send someone this evening." He bowed. "I believe this was the messenger she promised to send about the meeting of the lieutenants."

"Oh yes." Esther set her pen aside. "Please, send him in." The guard bowed, and stepped back through the door, to be replaced by a man wearing the red and black uniform of the Underground guards. The man bowed. "Your Majesty." Esther gestured. "Please, raise your head. I understand you had a message for me."

"Indeed." With shocking suddenness the man raised a hand, Esther had just enough time to see the gun he held, before he pulled the trigger. Something hit her hard, driving her down and sideways. She gasped, and looked up to see Virgil crouching above her. "Stay down." The man in front of them laughed. "Well, it's nice to have a challenge." He dropped the gun. A knife appeared in one hand. Then he seemed to disappear.

Esther recognized the haste mode. She had just enough time to tense when Virgil whirled around, his eyes tracking the blur that was the assailant. Esther saw her advisor's frame shift slightly as he sped up his own reactions. One hand shot out, blocking the knife strike aimed at her head. Then Virgil seized Esther's arm in a grip like iron and pulled her to her feet. She gasped as the man struck again, but Virgil simply rolled, using his body and upper arm as her shield. The knife grazed across his sleeve and he leapt back, taking Esther with him. Two sharp bounds put him in the corner. Esther felt him let go, but she barely saw him move as he turned to counter the next strike. One hand struck out, catching the knife wielding hand, and then Virgil spun on his heel, driving a punishing blow into the attacker's midriff with his other hand. The man doubled over. Esther thought it was over, but the man's hand shot out, aiming a blow at Virgil's chest.

Virgil spat a curse and jerked back, and the man wrenched his other hand free, backing up a step or two. "Well, aren't you skilled?"

"What do you think you're doing?" Virgil's normally impassive face had gone rigid with anger. "I recognize you…you're one of Vanessa's men."

"Well she certainly thinks so." Something about the arrogance of the voice, the way the man stood, sparked a memory in Esther. "But the truth is, I haven't been completely on her side for quite a while. But I did have a message for Esther." The man smiled mockingly, offering her a salute. "It seems that you've managed to upset the Contra Mundi a bit with this alliance of yours. Setting up a partnership with the Methuselah Empire, becoming a mediator between them and the Vatican….it really is quite troublesome you know. So the order has come down…you're to be eliminated."

The man launched forward again. Virgil was ready for him. He met the attacker halfway, catching the wrist with the knife in it. His hand wrenched sharply sideways, and Esther heard a snap as the man's wrist broke. She expected to see the knife fall from his hand, but the man only grinned eerily. "You know, it really doesn't matter what you do. It's not as if I particularly care." He struck back at the Albion lord, but Virgil let go, spinning backward and kicking the man hard. There was a crack of ribs breaking, but the man stayed upright. "See? It really doesn't matter." The pieces clicked. Esther froze, her stomach knotting in horror. "Deitrich…"

The man laughed. "So you did figure it out. Well, you always were good at things like that." Virgil launched forward while the figure spoke. Esther saw the blur of his movement, and then he had the man's wrists. There was a blurring shift of movement, and then a thud, and the moving forms returned to normal. Virgil was kneeling on top of his attacker. Both hands gripped the wrist with the knife, and one knee was planted firmly in the man's back. Virgil scowled, and with a quick wrench, he ripped the knife from the man and threw it across the room. "Enough….stop or I'll break both your arms. Or your spine."

"Well I've already said I don't care…but I suppose this is the end for this evening." The figure on the ground shrugged in Virgil's grip. The eerie grin was still on his lips. "Well then, I guess I'll be seeing you around. I certainly won't forget you, Lord Walsh." The head tilted, craning the neck into an awkward angle. "Bye, Esther. I love you." Then his eyes closed and he went limp. Virgil scowled at the figure for a moment, then rose to his feet. "I'll call the guards to take this piece of trash." He scowled. "They should have been in here a minute ago. I'll have to speak to Mary."

"No. It's not…" Esther touched his arm. "Dietrich would have made sure they couldn't interfere." Virgil nodded and went to the door. He came back in a moment later. "You're right. They've been knocked out." He paused, looking at the man on the floor. "Your majesty, do you know something about this man?"

"Not him…the one who controlled him." Esther shivered slightly. "At least…" She paused. "When Father Nightroad's body was retrieved, was there another body there?"

"No. Only the priest was found."

"There was another man. His name was Dietrich von Lohengrin." Virgil nodded. "I recall the name. He was called the Puppet Master."

"Yes. Because he… he has these strings…I'm not sure exactly what they are, but he can use them to manipulate a person. Their movements, their senses…everything. All he needs to do is touch a person once."

"I see. Then Vanessa's man was being manipulated by an outside force." Some of the tension went out of Virgil's frame. He sighed. "I'll call Mary and let her know what's happened. And then, if you don't mind, I'd like to call Vanessa in here and see what she can tell us."

"Of course. We should warn her that her people are in danger." Virgil nodded and moved to the computer system. As he did so, Esther saw the blood staining his sleeve, where the knife had gouged it. She stepped forward. "You're injured." Virgil offered her a faint smile. "It's only a scratch." The light on the console blinked on. "Colonel Spencer. I need you in Her Majesty's office right away. There's been an incident." There was a bitten off swear word from the other end of the line, followed by a hasty affirmative. The light blinked off, and Virgil pressed another button. "Vanessa? Yes. I need you to come to the Queens office. There's something I need to speak with you about, immediately." Both women were in the office in a manner of minutes. Mary immediately cuffed the man. "What on Earth happened?"

"The man came in claiming to be a messenger from you, Vanessa, and then he attacked the Queen." Virgil lifted one hand to the bloodstained arm of his coat. "It was a very close call. Vanessa, I recognized him as your lieutenant. Did you send him here this evening?"

"No. I was going to send one of the others." Vanessa studied the man's face. "Damn. He's one of the ones I had rotated to undercover assignment recently. He wasn't supposed to be in uniform." She stood, her eyes narrowed. Then she turned and bowed to Esther. "I apologize, Your Majesty. I thought I could trust him."

"It's all right. He was being manipulated by someone else." Esther looked at Mary. "Please, be careful with him. It's…not his fault." Mary nodded. "Manipulated?" Vanessa's eyes shifted back to her fallen soldier. "By someone outside the Ghetto?"

"Yes. Have you seen any strangers, or heard reports of any suspicious men?" Virgil sighed. "I've not had time to watch as closely as I should have." Vanessa frowned. "It's odd. I was planning on telling you this evening. A couple of my men have reported a stranger in the Ghetto." She frowned. "But it's crazy, what they were saying…they said he came from the sealed areas. The places where no one ever goes. They saw him walking in the halls. One of my men asked around the lower residency, and apparently he's been there a few times, talking to the people. But whenever we've tried to catch up to him, he simply vanishes." She growled in frustration. "We've never even gotten a name." Esther jerked upright. "What did he look like?" She looked at the still unconscious figure that Mary's guards were taking out. "The man who did this would have looked young, about eighteen or so. He has auburn hair, and brown eyes." She stopped as Vanessa shook her head.

"That doesn't match our mystery guy at all." Vanessa sighed. "The man my men described was tall, with blue eyes. Older, in his twenties, and he had silver hair."

"Silver? Are you sure?" Esther felt her breath catch. Beside her Virgil stiffened. "That's what I heard." Vanessa frowned. "Is this someone you know?"

"He sounds familiar. But that man…" Virgil trailed off. Esther saw him turn in her direction.

"Father Nightroad. He's alive." Esther took a deep breath. "And he's returned to Albion."


	4. Four: Undercover Queen

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES:**Hi again people yes another update and chapter of this awesome TB fan fiction. Again I want to say my thanks for all the awesome reviews good an and to those whom have messages about the story. I appreciate your comment keep them in long with me saying a 'HUGE' **T HA N K Y O U**to all readers whom favourite and altered this story and me with it. Again I am very grateful that I am almost speechless. Some more action coming at the bottom of this chapter so read and enjoy So without more further or do I bring you chapter four .

**DISCLAIMER:**All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to one of my editors and co-partners in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her own TB stories on which are awesome. Additional thanks to my second co-partner for also participating in helping with this story **KinReynard** check out her own TB story **'Devil His Due' **whom I'm her beta for when possible. When one of my co-partners/editors are unable to continue the other will take over both are involved with this fan fiction as time goes on with it's updates. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice:****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage Against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In adttion to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shapeof or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Four: Undercover Queen**

There was a moment of silence at her remark. Vanessa looked at her brother's expression. "Wait. This guy is someone you know? Your Majesty?"

Virgil sighed. "You recall the priest who was killed in the attack over three months ago?"

"I remember. But if he was killed…" Vanessa trailed off. "An imposter? Or did he fake it?"

"I'm not certain." Virgil sighed. "I never met the man, and of course I was preoccupied at the time of his death. I don't know the exact conditions…nor do I know the man himself." He sighed. "I suppose he might have entered the grounds. When we visited you, I saw records of an interesting entry, but I couldn't trace it. It did not, however use any of the codes I was aware that Father Abel Nightroad had access to." He turned. "I am sorry I did not inform you, Your Majesty…however…"

"No. I understand. Father Nightroad…" She hesitated, unsure how to explain his condition. "He was…Lady Caterina told me it was something like a coma. She sent Father Tres, another member of the AX with something to help him heal. I saw him revive, but since then..." She trailed off. "I had no idea where he was."

"Of course. That was why you asked the Cardinal for information." Virgil nodded. "I had wondered. However, I felt it would be rude to pry into your personal affairs."

"Thank you." Esther paused. "We need to contact the Vatican and the Empire and inform them of what has happened, and what we know about Dietrich. But first…" Her eyes went back to Virgil, to the red stain spread across the sleeve of his coat. She stepped forward and lifted one hand to brush lightly across his shoulder. "We need to tend to your injury. Virgil shifted uncomfortably under her touch. "As I've assured you, it's only a scratch, Majesty. I promise you, I will be fine."

"Don't be stubborn Virgil." Vanessa stepped forward and looked at his arm. "Assassins that carry knives usually coat them with something. It would be stupid if you let your pride get you killed." Virgil sighed. "I would rather not leave Her Majesty at this time. My place is at her side." Mary sighed. "Honestly. I understand your concern, Count of Manchester, but you really should be sensible about these things." She saw the look of resolution on Virgil's face. "Very well. If you're really that concerned…" She turned to Esther and bowed. "Your Majesty, I happen to be well trained in first aid. Would you object if I attended to the Count of Manchester's wounds here?"

"No not at all. It's fine…just as long as he's taken care of." Esther felt a little shaky. Now that the adrenalin was wearing off, she could still see the knife flashing down at her. The blood on her advisor's arm testified to how close she had come to being killed. "Thank you." Mary strode over to a small cabinet, where she kept various supplies, including a small first aid kit. She turned back, took a look at Esther's face and stopped. "Lady Vanessa, if you could perhaps get Her Majesty a seat, and something light to drink. Esther managed a shaky smile, and settled back into her desk chair. "It's all right. I'm really fine, just a bit shaken." Mary smiled. "That's to be expected." She set the medical kit on the desk, removed a small bottle of disinfectant and some bandages, then turned to Virgil. "All right. Remove your jacket please."

Virgil shifted again. "This really is rather improper…"

"Well you were the one who insisted on it." Vanessa leaned casually against the door, ensuring there would be no interruptions. "Either do what Colonel Spencer asks, or go to the Palace infirmary. Or…" she examined one hand. "I can take care of it." She grinned, a faint light of almost predatory amusement in her eyes. Esther felt herself twitch. That grin made her think that there was a memory there that she didn't want to know about. Virgil sighed, but he stripped off the long jacket he wore without further protest. Beneath it, there was a large scarlet stain on the sleeve, at least the size of Esther's hand and still gleaming wetly. Mary examined the wound the looked back at Virgil. "I can't work through your shirt."

Virgil stiffened. "I will not embarrass myself by appearing so undressed in front of her majesty." His other hand came around, and casually ripped the sleeve from the shoulder. He carefully peeled it off his arm, exposing a four inch long gash running across his bicep. "The sleeve was ruined anyway." Mary grinned. "Ever proper and correct." She reached out and dabbed a linen strip over the bloody wound, then lifted it to her nose and sniffed. "It smells clean, but you and Vanessa would be able to tell better than I can." She held the cloth out to the woman standing by the door.

Vanessa took the bloodstained cloth and sniffed it. "It's fine. Everything's normal, unless you count that silver nitrate in his system." She made a face. "You got lucky, Virgil." Virgil sighed. "Would you rather I had not protected Her Majesty?"

"No. I'd rather you were sensible about your injuries." Mary soaked another wad of linen in disinfectant. The sharp smell if alcohol and medical chemicals hit Esther's nose. "Hold still." She pressed the cloth against the wound and began to clean away the blood. Esther heard the air hiss between her advisor's teeth as the anti-septic stung in the gash, but his face looked utterly impassive. Had she not learned to read his expressions over the past few months, she'd have never noticed the slight tightening of his jaw. A cold feeling hit her stomach as she watched Mary clean the wound and wrap a white bandage around it. It had been so close. So close. And next time, there was no assurance it would not be worse.

Virgil waited until Mary bound the wound, then carefully removed his jacket from the back of the chair and slung it back around his shoulders. He looked once at the blood-stained sleeve of his coat and sighed, then turned and bowed to Esther. "Your Majesty, I believe you wished to speak to the Vatican and the Empire, did you not?" Esther shook herself out of her daze with a snap. Now was no time to be lost in concerns. "Yes. If you would please." Though the original long distance transmitter had been in Mary's office, she'd had one set up in her own for the peace talks. It was much easier for everyone. Virgil stepped forward, flipped a switch on the console, and typed in a command. His hand stopped, hovering over the keyboard. "Would you prefer I contact the Vatican or the Empire first? Or did you wish to speak to both of them?" Esther considered. "It would be best if we could speak with both of them. However, if either of them is unavailable, then it's all right."

"As Your Majesty wishes. I am transmitting our signal now." He touched a few more buttons, then straightened. "It will likely take them a few minutes to reply." Esther nodded, then turned to Vanessa. "That man…the one who might be Father Nightroad. Can you tell me anything more about him?" She clenched her hands in her lap. Vanessa sighed. "Nothing. He's been around the lower living areas. He bought some basic food and supplies, paid with standard Albion currency. But no one's seen him actually living anywhere. One of my men tried to follow him, but he vanished into the sealed areas."

"Sealed areas?" Esther looked at Virgil. "Yes. There are places that even those with full access to the Ghetto can't go." Virgil sighed. "You recall the place I led you, where I told you we could go no further?" She did remember. "Yes of course. You said it was a place you weren't permitted to take me."

"Indeed. That place is protected, by safeguards even I can't penetrate. I believe it was once a lab, so old it pre-dates Armageddon. But what is inside, and why it was sealed…I have never discovered." He turned his head. "You're sure that's where this man went?"Vanessa sighed. "Honestly, no. That's where my man thought he went. But…this guy is a ghost. And he's only been seen perhaps a handful of times. And one of my men mentioned that if he hadn't been seen in the deserted areas, no one would have noticed him. I've had a couple others who said that even looking for the man, they barely saw him in the crowd." Esther felt her stomach clench. She remembered that ability well. Abel had been capable of walking up right behind a Methuselah on full alert without raising suspicion if he chose. Though he was often a loud, vibrant individual, he could and had also been silent as a cat when needed, and even his odd appearance wouldn't mark him out. She opened her mouth to ask another question, but a light on the communications console blinked. Virgil moved to her side. "It appears that both the Vatican and the Empire are replying, Your Majesty. Shall I put them both on?"

"Yes, of course." Esther straightened her back, and smoothed her dress into a less rumpled condition. Virgil waited a moment for her to compose herself, then pressed the button. Two faces sprang into being above her desk. Esther smiled. "Good evening, Lady Caterina, Your Majesty. I'm sorry to trouble you so late." The image of the Empress laughed. "Well, it's not really that late for us, you know. However, I got the impression that it was something important."

"Indeed. Your message did seem a little rushed when I received it." Caterina frowned slightly. "I take it something has happened."

"Yes. A man, one of my guards, tried to kill me this evening. However, what concerns me is that I believe he was acting under the influence of another." Caterina frowned. Esther briefly relayed the story, including her realization about Dietrich. "I thought you ought to be warned immediately."

"Indeed. An enemy who can take control of our most loyal soldiers with a simple touch. This is a most troublesome development." Caterina's frown had deepened. "However, I thought Dietrich von Lohengrin had perished in the attack over four months ago."

"So did I." Esther smiled ruefully. "I apologize. I didn't check things as thoroughly as I should have. However, it appears he was taken before we returned to retrieve Father Abel's body. I don't know how he could have survived, but…"

"It doesn't matter." The Empress spoke up. 'The fact that he is alive and working is most troubling, but it's good to know. Thank you for telling us, Esther."

"Yes. I'll alert the guards, and warn my brothers to watch for anyone behaving unusually." Caterina sighed. "This is going to be a headache. After all, he could be controlling anyone he had contact with…this really is most irritating."

"Well, at least we are warned." The Empress sighed. "I'm sorry you were attacked though, Esther. I must say, I'm relieved you came to no harm."

"Yes, thank you." Esther took a deep breath. "If I may, there's one other matter I'd like to ask you about." She paused, then spoke softly. "It's been reported by the Captain of my Underground Guards that Father Abel may have been seen in Albion, even in the Underground Facilities of Londinium. I was wondering if either of you knew anything about that." Caterina blinked. "In Albion? Interesting." She sighed. "I'm afraid I can't tell you anything about it, myself. Unfortunately, I've had no contact with him." She sighed. "I've had Father Tres looking for him, but that's all I can say."

The Empress shook her head slightly. "I can't tell you any more than that either. He...Abel might have reasons for being in Albion, and even perhaps the Underground. But I can't tell you where he is, or what his intentions are." Esther bit her lip to stop tears of frustration. She had a feeling that both women knew more than they were telling her, but she didn't know how to ask. She took a breath, to calm herself, then spoke again. "Your Majesty, you once mentioned to me that a young noble of your court might be with Father Abel. Is it possible that I could contact him? Or Father Tres, Lady Caterina?" She looked down at her hands. "I know…this probably seems dreadfully silly of me but…there was something I needed to say to him."

"Esther." The gentleness in the Empress's voice caused her to look up. "I can guess how you feel but…you really shouldn't go looking for him right now. Right now, your greatest concern has to be your welfare and that of your kingdom." She smiled, a small rueful smile. "Believe me, I understand your frustration, and I'm sure Lady Caterina does too. But right now…it's best to leave this alone. If he doesn't want to be found…then he probably has a very good reason."

"She's right." Caterina sighed. "It's one of the hardest things I learned about him. When he doesn't want to be disturbed, Abel is harder to deal with than a wisp of smoke. And right now, it appears he doesn't want to be found. It's best to leave him alone until he sorts things out. He'll turn up eventually." Esther nodded. "I see. Thank you very much. I apologize for troubling you."

"It's all right. I really do understand your frustration." The slender veiled form of the Empress shifted, and then turned back. "Well, I'm afraid I have business to attend to, and it's getting late for both of you. Esther, you should probably go rest."

"Indeed. I have one or two minor matters to take care of, but I assure you, I intend to seek my own rest fairly soon." Caterina bowed her head. "I wish you both a good evening."

"Yes." Esther inclined her head to both women. "Good evening." And both images blinked out. Esther sat for a moment, then looked up as a gentle hand touched her shoulder. Virgil was looking down at her, his face impassive, but his eyes full of concern. "Your Majesty, I believe that the Duchess of Milan and her Imperial Majesty are correct. You should get some rest."

"Yes." Esther managed a wan smile. "I do still feel a bit shaken, I suppose." Mary nodded kindly. "A good night's sleep will help. Rest assured Majesty, we'll take every precaution to see that nothing disturbs you."

"Thank you. But please…" Esther reached out one hand, placed it gently over the torn spot of Virgil's coat, and then looked up at them. "Please, take care of yourselves as well." Mary grinned. "I intend to."

"As do I." Virgil bowed. "You are the first and foremost in our care, Majesty however, I can assure you that I have no intention of being taken off guard a second time." He extended his hand. "If you will allow us to escort you to your rooms…"

"Yes, thank you." Esther allowed herself to be conducted to bed without any further protest but her thoughts were spinning. As she dropped into an uneasy slumber, her last vision was of Mary, standing watchfully beside the door. Esther woke the next morning, aware that it was far later than she usually awoke, and aware too that Mary was gone. She sighed, looking at the clock. She should have been in morning Council hours ago. Doubtless, Mary and Virgil had conferred and decided to let her rest, then found a plausible excuse to offer the rest of the nobles. She pushed her hair back out of her eyes, and said a quiet prayer of thanks for the gift of such helpful advisors. Even with the extra rest, she felt tired. Her dreams had been plagued with nightmare images of Virgil, and Vanessa and Mary, stabbed by assassin's blades. Or worse, of seeing them come after her, their hands brandishing weapons while their eyes begged her for forgiveness. She knew well what it felt like, to be bound by Dietrich's strings, forced to do things she would rather not do.

She shivered, remembering how he had once forced her to shoot Father Nightroad multiple times. She was aware, having seen those strings at work, that it might be necessary to kill anyone who was bound by them. The thought of killing one of her advisors, then burning the body to ash so it couldn't be used, made her sick. She shivered, remembering those dreams, remembering what else she'd seen in the long night. She had dreamed of Father Nightroad several times. Sometimes, it had been his gentle smile, his warm kindness. More often though, she had dreamed of his death, and of seeing him lying in the coffin, surrounded by roses. Or of the many times she'd seen him in battle, wounded and torn.

A light knock on the door startled her, and then Mary entered. The Colonel stopped and bowed. "Forgive the intrusion, Majesty, but I thought I should look in on you."

"It's all right." Esther stretched carefully. "I should have been awake a long time ago. Mary bowed again. "Virgil and I thought perhaps some additional rest would be beneficial for you."

"I really do appreciate it. However, it really is time I stopped lazing about." Esther offered her advisor a smile. "I really don't want to get behind on my paperwork, and I suspect that the Court would like verification that I'm all right."

"Of course, Your Majesty." Mary bowed again. "I'll send your maids in. When you're ready, I'll be happy to escort you to the dining parlor. I believe Virgil may have arranged to set up lunch in there, in hopes that you would join us."

"It sounds wonderful. I'll be right with you." Mary exited the room, and a moment later, one of Esther's serving girls came in, carrying a clean dress for her to wear. Esther dressed quickly, allowing the maid to arrange her hair and button the back of the dress. She still wasn't used to having personal servants, but the passing months had enabled her to come to an understanding with her maids. The young woman stood behind her respectfully as she shrugged into the garment, then stepped forward to do the awkward fastenings and smooth the folds of the dress. A quick application of a brush to her hair, with some clips to make it a little more manageable, and Esther was ready. Mary was waiting just outside the door to Esther's suite. As they walked the short corridor to the main dining parlor, Esther spoke softly. "I was wondering…what is the condition of the assassin from last night?"

Mary frowned. "He hasn't regained consciousness. I suspect, given that he is a Methuselah, he's more likely to wake this evening. Out of consideration for your theory, we've bound his injuries. However, we won't know his condition, and whether or not he's still being controlled until he wakes. Therefore, we've taken the precaution of binding him tightly, in one of the lower cells with silver bars."

"I see. Well, that makes sense." Esther sighed. "Thank you for telling me." They entered the dining hall. Virgil was standing beside her chair at the head of the table. He looked impeccable, as always, and if she hadn't seen it happen, she'd never have guessed he was injured. At the sight of her he bowed, then gestured to the chair. "Good morning, Your Majesty. If you would care to have a seat…"

"Thank you." Esther moved to the chair and settled herself into it. "Please, be seated." She gestured, then waited until her two main advisors had seated themselves on either side. "Lord Walsh, how is your arm?"

"It is mending, Majesty." He inclined his head. "I believe it will be fully healed within a day or two."

"That's good." Esther smiled. "You know, you really don't have to be so formal, Lord Walsh. You did save my life, after all. Besides, you're also one of my closest advisors. It's all right to relax." A slight smile touched the corner of his mouth. "I appreciate your offer, Majesty, however I'm afraid I simply never developed the habit."

"Well, at least use my name sometimes. It feels so strange, being called majesty all the time." She smiled at him. "As you wish." He inclined his head, then made a slight nod towards the food on her plate. "Is your breakfast acceptable…Lady Esther?"

"That's better. And yes, breakfast is fine. Thank you." Esther smiled, then turned her attention to her plate. Despite the long night, she had a good appetite. She finished to find both of the others waiting for her. "What's on the schedule for today?"

"There is nothing in particular. However, in regards to last night's incident, we are taking measures. Vanessa has recalled all her personnel, and will be speaking with them, to see if she can find any evidence of others who may have been taken in. Colonel Spencer will be doing the same with the guards here at the palace, particularly any whom she intends to rotate into your personal guard. In the meantime, I will stay with you."

"I see. Well then, I suppose I should attend to my paperwork." Esther sighed, then hesitated. "About the man Vanessa mentioned…has there been any more news?"

"No, I'm afraid not." Virgil sighed. "I've even gone down to look at the cameras myself, to see if he'd been spotted on one of them. Whoever it is, they are extremely careful."

"I see. Still…I'd like to speak to him. Is it possible for you to escort me down there? I'd like to see for myself." Virgil rose. His face was still, and stern. He looked at her for a moment, then bowed. "If you make it a direct order, Majesty, then I cannot refuse you. However, I would ask you not to do this, please. Both Cardinal Sforza and her Imperial Majesty have hinted that it would be unwise to seek this man. I do not know their reasons, but I believe their concern was sincere."

"He's right." Mary rose from her seat on the other side. "Besides, even with Vanessa's best intentions, we can't provide adequate security down in the lower areas of the Ghetto. They're a warren. When you add in the possibility that any one of the guards assigned to you might have been tainted by this man, Dietrich, that makes it even more perilous. I'm afraid I must join the Count of Manchester in asking you not to consider such an action at this time." Esther stared at them. Both of them looked calm, but she had heard real tension in Mary's voice, and anxiety in Virgil's. She nodded. "I understand. I won't ask you then." Virgil straightened. "Thank you, Majesty."

She spent the rest of the day working on her papers, granting various requests, looking over documents. The Council had produced a few requests about land taxes and so forth. Virgil worked beside her, patiently explaining all the things she didn't understand, listening as she spoke her way through her thoughts, and offering his advice. For the most part, it was a fairly relaxed exchange, but once or twice, she caught the shadow of concern in his eyes. It was just going to evening when Mary knocked on the door. "Your Majesty…the assassin has awakened."

"I see. And his condition?"

"He seems very confused." She made a disgruntled noise. "He's fairly upset at being confined, and he swears he remembers nothing. I'm almost inclined to believe him. It's my recommendation that we leave him there for a while. We might make him a bit more comfortable, but I don't believe we should release him yet."

"I agree. Dietrich…Dietrich is very good at waiting. Please…take care of him and make sure he's adequately provided for, but keep him under guard for now."

"As you wish." Mary considered her. "I apologize if I seem forward, majesty, but I recommend you retire early tonight as well. You still look a bit worn out."

"Thank you. Actually, I was just thinking the same thing." Esther yawned. "With all the excitement, I'm afraid I didn't sleep all that well." The next few days passed in her usual routine. Esther attended her duties, took care of the business of the kingdom, and handled various matters that came up. There were no more assassination attempts, but her nerves wouldn't settle. Her dreams were plagued with visions of Abel, his expression set in the state of terrible, solitary despair she'd seen in him once or twice. Worse still were dreams of her advisors, attacked or attacking her while Dietrich stood in the background and gloated. The third day, she went to see the prisoner, with Colonel Spencer and a fully armed guard at her side. The man was conscious, but he seemed confused. When she appeared at the door to the cell, he dragged himself to his knees, then bowed his head, apologizing profusely. Esther came away from the encounter troubled. That night she dreamed of Virgil, bound in the dark cell, apologizing as the man had, with shame and grief written on his usually calm face. She woke, sick and shaking, one hand pressed to her mouth.

It was too much. She knew there'd been no attacks, but as the days stretched on, she couldn't rid herself of the nagging fears that held her. That next time, the wounds would be greater than a simple scratch on the arm. Or that, next time, it wouldn't be some simple guard that attacked her, but one of the people whose advice and presence she was coming to treasure. She would be forced to kill them, or cause them shame by locking them away. She feared, even if she tried to spare their lives, that it would make no difference. Virgil and Mary were both prepared to risk themselves for her, and she had no doubt that they would die if they thought they'd betrayed her. A week after the attack, Virgil met her for breakfast. He held a chair for her, but before he settled into his own seat, he stopped. "Majesty, are you well? You look a little pale."

"Oh, I'm fine." She forced a smile onto her face. "I simply didn't sleep well last night. I think I was just a little tense for some reason." His face said he didn't quite believe her, but he nodded. "I see. Well, I pray you sleep better this evening." He sat down. "Your Majesty, concerning the man you asked me about…I believe I have news." Esther felt her heart stutter. "Yes?"

"I believe…that if he was indeed in the Ghetto, he has left it." He consulted a small pad at his elbow. "Last night, I recorded an odd code being used again. It was used to open a door, which leads to some ruins on the outskirts of Londinium. The door was accessed from the inside control panel, and that code was not reused. Nor was any similar incident recorded." Esther stared down at her plate. "I see. He left." She looked back at her advisor. "Do you know where he might have gone?"

"I'm afraid not, Majesty. That particular door is on the outskirts of Londinium, but it is not even close to any of the houses we considered for renovation. I'm afraid he'll be impossible to track."

"Well, I suppose that's it then." Esther smiled sadly. "I was hoping to get a chance to speak with him." Virgil nodded. "I apologize, majesty, that I could not help you in that regard."

"It's all right. After all, Lady Caterina and the Empress did both say it was better to leave him alone." She smiled up at him. She finished her breakfast, then went on to the business of the day, but it was difficult to keep her mind on her work. She kept thinking of other things.

_He's left the Ghetto. Lord Walsh said he was probably in Londinium's outskirts. It's a lot of ground to cover, but…._ She considered her advisor. _I wonder if his arm is still bothering him. It's been a week, and Methuselah usually heal faster than humans, but Lord Walsh…he takes that silver nitrate solution. He said it was all right, but it might affect his healing._ She looked out the window, thoughtfully. _The Father…Father Nightroad might be out there right now._

The thoughts continued to plague her that night. She couldn't get rid of them, even though she tried. The next morning, Mary joined her at breakfast. As she settled into her seat, Esther spotted a small bruise on the Colonel's jaw. "Colonel Spencer, did something happen?" Mary gave her a wry smile. "It's nothing too serious. We heard rumors that there was a dangerous group, planning an attack on the Palace, and went to investigate. However, it seems they were aware of our approach. There was a brief fight, and I regret to say that a few of them escaped. But it's nothing serious." Nothing serious. Her advisor had been out fighting in the streets in the middle of the night to protect her, and it was nothing serious. Esther bit her lip.

_Every moment I'm here, these people are in danger protecting me. They're watching out for me. But Dietrich…Dietrich could have touched anyone, and we'd never know until it was too late. They could get killed. I don't want that. And even if I'm the Queen, they know so much more about what this country needs.._

"Your Majesty?" Mary's soft question disturbed her thoughts. Esther looked up and forced a smile. "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I got lost in thought for a moment there. But I'm glad nothing too bad has happened. Please, take care of yourself."

"Of course, Majesty." Mary inclined her head. Esther returned her attention to her food, but her mind was racing elsewhere. She couldn't go on like this, worrying every second of the day about her advisors, or Father Nightroad, she had to do something. She had to find a way to get them out of danger. Two nights later, Esther sat at her desk, working. A glance at the clock told her it was far later than she usually worked. Both of her advisors were standing together, watching her. As she looked up, Mary stepped forward. "It's late, majesty. Perhaps you should consider retiring for the night." Esther smiled sheepishly at them. "I know but I wanted to finish these reports. Besides, I haven't been sleeping all that well lately, and I thought if I could work a little longer, it would be better than taking medications."

"I see." Virgil considered, then turned to the Colonel. "Colonel Spencer, I need to attend to my duties in the Ghetto. Do you object to watching over Her Majesty until she is ready to retire?"

"Not at all. With your permission Majesty." Mary turned back to Esther.

"Of course. Actually, the company is welcome." Esther smiled. "Then I will take my leave of you." Virgil bowed, then exited the room. Esther worked for a few more minutes, mindful of the woman settled in the chair nearby. Then she began to flip through the files on her desk. Mary noticed her agitation after a few minutes. The older woman rose and stepped up to the desk. "Is something wrong, Majesty?"

"I can't seem to find some of the reports from this morning's Council meeting. I meant to go over them for discussion tomorrow, but they aren't here." Esther ruffled through the papers a few more times, then stood. "I suppose I'll have to go see if the secretary has any copies." Mary stiffened. "Majesty, I don't think it's wise for you to go wandering the Palace at this hour." She considered. "If you are not too bothered, I can go and retrieve the documents you wish. It will take no more than ten minutes. I know precisely where the Council Secretary keeps everything." She looked at the young queen. "If you will take care to lock the door behind me, I will instruct the guards to permit no one to enter, save myself. I trust you have your weapons?" Esther nodded. "Of course. If it's not too much trouble, I really would appreciate this. "I'll only be gone a moment, Majesty." Mary bowed. She walked out, and Esther heard the heavy door latch click. She walked over and closed the other latch. Mary had the keys to both latches, and the office was connected to Esther's rooms. But the locked door would give her a bit of time.

Esther looked at the door a moment, then turned and raced into the bathroom. There she hurried to remove the dress she was wearing. She reached under the sink, retrieving the clothing she had placed there this afternoon, while getting ready for her afternoon meetings. The bundle contained a pair of black leggings, meant to go below a knee length skirt, dark boots, and a dark shirt. Long sleeves went over her arms, along with fingerless gloves, and she'd obtained a dark cloak to wear to hide her hair. Quickly Esther slipped into the new outfit, replaced her weapons on her person, and settled the cloak over her shoulder. A quick peek into the office showed Mary hadn't returned. Esther stepped out into the room. She stood looking at the desk for a moment, then bit her lip and removed a folded piece of paper from her uniform. It was a letter to both of her advisors, when they returned.

**I'm sorry. Please forgive me, for doing what I felt I had to do. I know…you would ask me not to do this. I know of the responsibilities I bear as the Queen but I feel a heavier weight now, that forces me to leave. I cannot stay here. Every moment I am here, I place the both of you in danger. Anyone could be in Dietrich's hand. Worse, he could touch one of you. I fear that any moment, someone else will be employed as a pawn, and that this time, the encounter will not end in a simple wound. I do not wish to risk you. Both of you know so much more than I, and your lives have become so precious to me…I am sorry.**

**I will go and seek Father Nightroad, and any companions he may have. I know they will be able to protect me, even from Dietrich's manipulations. I know perhaps I hurt you, saying this, but all I can ask is that you forgive me…please. Until I return, when the threat is lifted, I am formally placing you as my joint stewards. Please, take care of this realm and the fragile Alliance we have formed. I pray that I will be able to return to you soon. Once more, I apologize for placing you in this position. Please understand this is what I felt I had to do.**

***Queen Esther Blanchett***

Esther bit her lip. She didn't like leaving them like this, but it was the only way. She set the paper on the table, then returned to the bathroom and shut the door. It was the work of a moment to unlatch the window on the far side, and Esther slipped up onto the sill. Just as she did, she heard the latch click on the other side of the door, and knew Mary had returned. Quickly she dropped out of the window into the grounds below. Twenty minutes later, she scaled a tree on the far side of the grounds and leapt onto the wall. She gauged the distance to the ground, then leapt. A second later, she was on the ground and sprinting into the light fog clouding Londinium's streets. Dawn found Esther wandering the Londinium streets with the rest of her citizens. Her clothing, the functional but respectable attire she'd worn out of the Palace, didn't stand out much. Better still, it was a damp drizzly sort of day, which meant retaining her cloak made perfect sense.

Esther smiled underneath the shadow, munching on the light snack she'd brought with her. She spared a brief thought for Virgil and Mary. She knew they'd be worried frantic, especially Virgil, to whom the late queen had given the final task of finding her and caring for her. She sighed and shook the thoughts from her mind. There was no going back. Not for now. Around noon, Esther stopped at a small café for lunch. She was pleased when no one commented on her appearance, or recognized her as Albion's queen. Hopefully, her disguise would protect her in other areas as well. But she had other things to think about.

_The last sign of Father Nightroad indicated he was going to the Londinium outskirts, near the edge of town. That's also where Mary said that violent gang was located, the one that threatened my life. Since they targeted me, it's possible they were Rosenkreutz, or Fleur du Mal associates. Either way it looks as if my best bet is to move toward the edge of the city. I should probably avoid the areas around the Ghetto safe-houses though. Someone there would likely recognize me._

Esther finished her food, then moved to the counter. "Excuse me, I'm afraid I'm fairly new around here, and I don't know my way around yet. Do you know where I could find a map?" She was surprised when the shopkeeper handed her one off the shelf, but he only smiled. "It's not unusual to get lost people up in this district. New servants, tourists, and nobles out for a lark…they all come through. It's standard policy to have maps on hand. If you lose that one, just stop by anyplace and pick up a new one." Esther nodded. 'Thank you." She spent the next two days and evenings wandering around the city. Londinium was huge, almost as large as Rome, and certainly as complicated. Had it not been for the Vatican at the center of the holy city, Esther suspected that Londinium would have been it's equal. She walked along, stopping to rest and eat when she needed to. Sandwich shops and the like supplied simple cheap meals, and she could sit under a tree and doze whenever she felt like it.

The evening of her fourth night found her approaching the older sections of the city. Here, the buildings weren't as well maintained. Signs of age and wear showed through, and the streets were less clean. Esther studied the area, looking up at the deepening sunset sky. She knew it would be sensible to go find a place to rest, to retreat to the safer areas and wait for dawn. But night was when Methuselah stirred, as did the worst of the criminals of the underworld. If she wanted information on who was targeting her and why, there was no better time. Besides, if Abel was still around it was probable that he'd be out in the evening too. She'd seen no sign of the silver-haired priest, and though she'd asked hesitantly in several places for someone matching his description, she'd yet to find anything. She sighed.

Likely, he was already gone. It had been foolish to seek him, foolish to hope he'd remain in Londinium, or that she'd be able to find him in a city that was home to thought decided her. Though she'd been well trained, she wasn't really a match for a bunch of Methuselah. As much as she wanted to know what was going on, it was better if she waited for day before venturing deeper into a dangerous situation. She knew from her wandering that the city conditions improved within half a mile. There would be some place to rest there, and then she could make inquiries in the morning. She turned and began to make her way back to the safer environs.

"Hey, you lost?" The voice took her by surprise. She looked up. There was a man lounging against the wall, looking at her. Esther tensed. She had a bad feeling about the situation. He was bigger than she was, but he'd appeared almost out of no where. However, it would do no good for her to panic. She slipped her arm to her side and gripped her gun, though she retained a calm expression. "No. I'm not lost at all, thank you. I was just on my way home."

"On your way home, huh?" The man pushed off the wall and strolled toward her. "If you don't mind my saying, you look a little too well dressed to be from this section of town."

"I was looking for a friend of mine. He used to live in this area." The man was now fairly close, and Esther knew within a couple steps she'd have to stop, or try to brush past the man. If she stopped, she'd just look weak, and scared. She tightened her grip on the gun, and her other hand over the long knife strapped at her hip under the cloak. She took another step. "Excuse me." She didn't even have time to blink before the man's hand closed on her arm. "I don't think so." He grinned at her, a dangerous predator's smile. "I think I should help you out, little miss." He'd caught the arm with the knife. Esther didn't think, she reacted, pulling the gun out from under her cloak and firing at his chest. The man swore, dodging, and his grip on her arm released. Esther took off running. She got all of a dozen steps when he suddenly appeared in front of her. There was a scrape across one arm, and his expression was murderous. "Not so fast." He lunged.

_He used haste. He's a Methuselah! _Esther fired again, her stomach clenching with fear. Her other hand drew the knife, holding it flat to her arm as Mary had taught her. _I have to get out of here!_

The second shot didn't even graze him. Esther gasped as the gun was knocked from her hand and she stumbled backward into a wall. She had just enough presence of mind to lift her knife hand up. Her attacker cursed as it caught him across the palm. "Feisty, aren't you?" A smile crossed his face. "That's good. My men were hoping for some fun tonight. Esther knew what that meant, she lunged forward, around him, hoping to break free, but it was already too late. From the shadows, several more men appeared. Esther dodged, but one caught her arm.

She slashed wildly, but there were too many and they were stronger than she was. She felt the blade connect, but then someone caught her knife hand and wrenched it behind her, twisting her wrist to force her to drop it. By the time she could even try to fight free, two men had seized her arms, and a third had grabbed her around the shoulders, lifting her feet off the ground. Esther kicked, hoping to hit someone where it would hurt, but the men on either side of her simply extended their legs slightly in front of her, blocking her effectiveness, and the man behind her was too close. She was helpless. The man who'd first approached her watched with a smile on his face. As soon as the other men had her captured, he moved forward.

His eyes roved over the group. "Hmmm…you've managed to wound three of my men. Not bad. You're a very spirited woman." His grin got a little wider, and he shoved the hood back off her face. "Well, well. Red hair, blue eyes. Dressed as an upper class servant and wandering the Londinium outlying areas. Not very bright." He leaned forward and whispered mockingly into her ear. "Not bright at all, was it, Your Majesty?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Esther felt her stomach twist again. If she'd been discovered…. He laughed. "Don't play coy." The smirk returned to his face. "We've been looking for you, you know. We heard rumors that you were interested in something outside the grounds of the Palace. We put on that little show for the Colonel, hoping it would bring you out. I was considering an attack or an attempt to sneak in, but then we got the most interesting piece of news. That you'd left the Palace. We got a good description of you too, by the way, so there's no point in denying it." Esther bit her lip. There'd been no general alarm raised on her disappearance. Which meant they'd heard the news from someone inside. "Who are you people?"

The man sneered. "We're members of the Fleur du Mal. And you…" He reached out one hand and touched her jaw. Esther jerked back and spat in his face, trying to break free. The man laughed. "I have an employer who's going to be very pleased that we have you. Esther jerked at her arms, not caring if she broke something. She had to get away. She kicked out, twisting and struggling as best she could. The man's gaze shifted behind her. A second later, something slammed hard into Esther's skull. She fought the pain, but it was too great. Within a moment, she was unconscious.

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES:**Normally I leave chapters without **AUTHOR'S NOTES**at the bottom of the pages as you have seen thus far until chapter 4. Yes a Cliff-hanger don't scold me!. I promise it will get more active when the updates become more and more frequent. A is said before the more updates the faster and action packed it will become. But this does leave many? in your heads as to what becomes of Esther for the rest of the story. Well I not telling would be spoiling it for most for you ^^. Take care until chapter five's arrival and strayed tuned to TBWC; TTFN smcandy


	5. Five: Rescue and Reunion

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Hi one and all again one and all to another TBWC update yahoo (^.^), and just in time for Easter holiday as well coming up this weekend. Be warned though this chapter is less longer more or less shorter then the previous ones but we are working on chapter six right and will have it delivered for your reading pleasure ASAP. So enjoy the chapter five everyone and HAPPY EASTER to you all this weekend.

**DISCLAIMER:**All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to one of my editors and co-partners in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her own TB stories on which are awesome. Additional thanks to my second co-partner for also participating in helping with this story **KinReynard** check out her own TB story **'Devil His Due' **whom I'm her beta for when possible. When one of my co-partners/editors are unable to continue the other will take over both are involved with this fan fiction as time goes on with it's updates. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice:****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage Against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). ** In adttion to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shapeof or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Five: Rescue and Reunion**

Esther regained consciousness slowly. The first thing she noticed was that her head was pounding, especially the point just above her left temple. She almost cried out, then bit the inside of her cheek. She could hear voices around her, and until she knew more about her status, she wasn't going to give away the fact that she'd regained awareness. The second thing she noticed was the bindings. She was tied very securely, hand and foot, and from the way her arms were locked above her head it felt as if she'd been bound to a wall. Her feet, also tied securely, had been bound to her hands, so that she couldn't kick. She was tied against a wall, kneeling on her legs. She shifted surreptitiously, trying to see if the bonds were loose, but they weren't. In fact, if they'd been any tighter, she'd have completely lost circulation in her limbs.

Carefully, Esther opened her eyes a little, just enough to see clearly. She was in a small room, mostly unfurnished but for rough chairs. At least ten men were gathered around, talking quietly amongst themselves. Esther shivered, recognizing several of them from the attack in the streets. One of the men happened to look up at her motion, and a definite leer spread across his face. "Hey, look. Our little royal prisoner's come round at last." He stood, then walked over and bowed mockingly. "You'll have to excuse our hospitality, but we were under the impression you might be a bit…unruly when you woke up."

Since she was already discovered, Esther opened her eyes fully, and pulled herself upright. Her bonds didn't allow for much movement, and her head was still throbbing, but she was determined not to face them looking weak. "What kind of cowards are you, that it takes this many of you to watch one woman?" The man laughed. "Well, you're not one to take chances with, now are you? But…" He leaned down. "I'll tell you a little secret. We're not all here to keep an eye on you. We're all here, so that we can listen when the boss returns. He's upstairs, talking to the man who hired us right now, about what we're gonna do with you. And me and the boys, well…let's just say we're hoping to get a little fun out of this. Especially since you managed to land some lucky punches." One hand came out of his pocket, and slowly stroked her face. "You might find it fun too…majesty." His tone made the word sound obscene.

Esther turned her head and snapped at his hand. The man jerked back with a startled curse, and she glared at him. "Don't you dare touch me." The man looked at her a moment, then laughed. "Well, I like a spitfire." He grinned. "It's no problem to me. I can wait until the boss gets back." He shrugged, then settled back against the wall. Esther felt a sick sensation creep through her stomach. She'd been in similar situations once or twice before, but this felt…different. There were no brave companions, no kindly priests or guards here to help her. As far as she knew, she was completely, totally alone this time. Her weapons were all gone. She could see them, the two knives and the gun, sitting on a small table. She twisted her wrists in her bonds, kicked her feet slightly to try and loosen them, but it did no good. She twisted her neck, craning around to see the heavy ring she'd been tied to. She jerked at it a few times, but it was well embedded in the wall. She couldn't even get it to budge.

One of her captors laughed. "Keep trying. It's fun watching you." Esther shot him a glare. She was tempted to spit in his direction, but it would never hit him, and spitting wasn't a habit she'd developed. She settled for sitting back, giving him her best stare. Her hands still shifted, feeling for a weakness in the knots, as did her ankles. But whoever had tied her up had definitely been practiced. These bonds were tight. She felt her spirits sink. A sudden memory came to mind. She and Father Nightroad had once been captured by pirates, and she'd seen him squirm his way out of his bindings then. She'd asked later how he'd done it, and he'd told her. _'_

_You have to keep up the pressure. Rope is flexible. Just keep pressing, then relax, and do it again. Of course, you also need to consider how much time you have, and how much damage you can afford to take.' He'd given her a brief, sheepish grin. 'I heal very fast. Actually, I strained more than one joint in that little break out, but…' The smile faded. 'There are times when it's worth it.'_

The memory made her smile for a moment. Then seriousness replaced nostalgia. If there was ever a time when dislocating her wrist would be worth the trouble, it had to be now. She pulled her arms down again, her wrists pressing against the opposite sides of the rope. She strained a little, then relaxed, as if it she were just struggling uselessly. She saw the man leer at her again, but she ignored him, and kept her mind focused on Father Nightroad's instructions.

She'd been at it for half an hour, and had just felt the rope slacken the slightest bit when the leader of her attackers walked into the room. All of the men jumped to their feet. The one who'd been speaking to her took a step forward. "Well boss?"

He grinned, a feral smile that sent shivers up Esther's spine, then walked around the other man to squat in front of Esther. "Well, Your Majesty, it seems you've been leading a pretty interesting life. You've managed to piss off the Contra Mundi himself. I didn't get a lot of details from my contact, but it seems you've foiled some pretty big plans. They really don't like you. So when I told them we had you, trussed up like a bird on a spit, guess what they said." Esther bit back a cry as his hand shot out. She barely saw the knife he held before it flashed into the wall and embedded itself into the plaster right next to her head. The man leaned in closer. "They said to kill you, deliver your head to your advisors publicly, and your body to them as proof." He smiled again, and stood up. "We're gonna make an example outta you, for the Order."

The other men grinned and chuckled. Esther felt her heart constrict in terror, but she wasn't going to let them see it. The leader chuckled again, then turned to the men behind him. "So boys, since we've got our orders, any ideas?"

The man who'd spoken to her before raised a hand. "Yeah boss." He stepped forward, and gave Esther another leer. His voice was almost syrupy with exaggerated politeness when he spoke. "You know boss, I don't think the little Queen here's been enjoying our hospitality much. She's been trying to leave all evening. I was thinking it's only fair to make it up to her, especially with that greeting she gave us earlier. So perhaps, before we send her on her way, we should give her a little something. Maybe…invite her to dinner with us? I bet all of us together can show her a real good time."

The men around him chuckled. The group leader turned his head and surveyed Esther. "I think that's a good idea. But we don't want anyone to monopolize the lady. That's not fair." He considered. 'Tell you what. We'll draw numbers." He counted. "One through twelve. Everybody gets a turn to play. How's that sound?"

"Fair enough." The men were grinning now. Esther felt ice cold terror race down her spine. One man pulled out a piece of dirty paper and began writing, tearing it into pieces as he went. Another offered a hat. Esther turned her attention from the proceedings and jerked at her bindings. Broken wrist, dislocated wrist…it didn't matter. She kicked her feet wildly as well, trying to get free. She had to get out of here now. She saw her weapons over on the table, and struggled harder. She had to get free.

A hand slammed down on the rope around her wrists. Esther gasped, turned to find herself face to face with the Fluer du Mal leader. He gave her a slow smile. "Why miss, were you planning on walking out of here? After we agreed to treat you? That's not nice."

Esther snapped at him, but couldn't reach. "Get your hands off me!"

He grinned and stepped back. "Okay who's number one?"

The man who'd addressed her before raised a hand. "That's me."

"Right. And ten through twelve?" Three other men raised their hands. "Good. Well then..." He turned to Esther, his eyes suddenly gone cold. "Let's get her ready boys." The men moved in. Esther kicked and struggled, but it was no good. Two men grabbed her wrists and pinned them, while another undid the rope tying her to the wall. The rope tying her feet to her hands was also cut. Esther took the opportunity to lash out at them with her bound feet, but she was in a bad position. One of the gangsters simply grabbed her ankles and rendered her immobile. Esther shuddered as a rough hand stroked up her leg and thigh, to just under her skirt. Other hands were touching her sides, roughly pulling her shirt free and slipping underneath it. One of the men holding her wrists slipped a hand down and squeezed her chest. "Not bad." Esther snapped at his hand, and he pulled back with a laugh. "Hey, I'm number seven." One hand stroked her cheek. "Save some of that spunk for me."

The men jerked her roughly to her feet, then off the ground. She hung from their grips, while another man knelt and caught her ankles. He looked up. "Well, it's not a bad view from here, boss." One hand rubbed across her legs, and Esther fought the urge to be sick. He snickered. "Well, these leggings of hers hide a bit." The leader grinned and stepped forward. "You know, I think you have a point. Let's see what we're getting." His hands shot forward, gripping her shirt. He ripped downward, tearing the front of the shirt in two. Esther twisted, but it didn't help. The men holding her arms chuckled, as did the leader. "Hmmm…not bad at all." His hand fondled her breasts. "Although…I don't think you need this." He hand moved again, and Esther saw her bra in it as he moved away. Esther felt her cheeks turn red with humiliation, but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing it. She let her anger fill her eyes instead, glaring at the man. "You bastard." Something flickered in his eyes, cold and predatory. He moved forward, till he was almost nose to now with her. "Watch your mouth, little princess." Then that dangerous smile was back on his face. "You know, I do believe my man is right."

Esther gasped as his hand shoved up under her skirt and grasped the waist of her leggings and her underclothes. She didn't even have time to consider moving before she heard the sound of ripping cloth, and felt cool air on suddenly exposed flesh. The man holding her legs let out a whistle. The leader grinned, a knowing leer, and Esther gasped again as his rough hand touched her, ran across her. She squirmed, and he let out a low laugh. "You do that. Feels good to me." He moved closer, his hot breath in her ear. "Makes me…excited, you know." He leaned into her, and Esther felt the bulge in his pants. He shifted his hips a little. "See?"

Esther jerked and tried to head-butt him. He moved out of the way with a slow, lazy smile on his face, then turned his head to look at the men holding her. "You were the last three, right?" Esther couldn't see them but she guessed they must have nodded. "Good. We'll just rotate through." He turned to the man standing behind him. "When you're done, take the number ten place. And remember…" He gave the other man an almost playful grin. "Don't be too greedy. Leave enough dinner and fun for the rest of us."

"Sure, boss." He leered. The one holding Esther's left arm spoke up. "So, how do you want her?"

The other man considered a moment, then a nasty smirk spread over his face. "I want her on her back, on the ground. But prop her head up on something." He moved forward, and seized Esther's jaw, while his other hand stroked her between her legs. "I want her to see…everything."

The men laughed. Esther felt their grips shift, but she had no time to take advantage of it before she was dropped roughly on her back, hard enough to wind her. One man shoved something hard under the back of her neck, forcing her head up so she was gazing down the length of her own body. One man seized her arms and pinned them. If they hadn't still been bound together, she might have broken free, but the rope was still too tight. She twisted her wrists, but he just gripped them more firmly. His partner moved to kneel by Esther's feet. The other men moved back, settling in a loose circle around them. Esther looked up at the leering faces and felt her heart sink. Every face held an identical expression of lust and amusement. The man grinned as he removed his dirty jacket. "Spread 'em." Esther gasped as the men roughly pulled her legs apart, leaving her exposed. She kicked her feet, twisted her legs, but their grips were too strong, and pinned as she was she had no leverage at all. Then the man knelt between her legs, and his hands pinned her thighs.

He grinned, and stroked her thighs with one hand. Esther shuddered at his touch, and he smiled nastily at her. "Nice, soft skin. Feels real good." He stroked upward, then with a lunge, he was leaning over her. One hand supported his weight, while the other shoved the remains of her shirt back to expose her chest. He fondled one breast, tweaking it. "Not bad either." Esther jerked. "You monster." Even to her, her voice sounded far too strained, too high. She could hear the fear, and so could they. She heard the amused chuckles from around her, he grinned, a silent response that was worse than any verbal he could have made. Then his hand moved lower, and she felt him flip her skirt up, exposing her. There were hoots from the men around her. She gave a cry as his hand shoved up into her, running across her, his fingers sinking into her body. She thrashed, struggled, and writhed, but he only smiled as his hand continued it's invasion. He leered. "You're virgin territory. My lucky night."

He sat back, a mocking sneer as he rose to his knees. Esther's head was tilted so she couldn't help but watch as he slowly undid his belt and shoved his pants down from his hips. She closed her eyes against the sight of his body, his male parts. Then suddenly, a hand seized her jaw. A rough voice spoke in her ear. "Open your eyes. Look at me, or I swear it's gonna get a lot worse for you." Esther's eyes jerked open involuntarily, looking into the eyes of her assailant. He smirked. "Actually, it's about to get worse anyway, but I wanna see it in your face as I violate you." He bent his head and licked her neck.

Esther jerked her head away. "No…you monster!"

"Yeah." His face came back into her line of view. Esther felt his weight shift slightly, and something hard and hot pressed against her lower body, between her legs. She gasped. "No."

"That's right. Scream for me." He bent his head again. Esther felt the fangs brush her neck, and the pressure at her lower regions increased. She tried to struggle, but there was no way out. Involuntary tears filled her eyes. "No!" _Someone please….Father Nightroad…._

The door to the room exploded inward with a jarring blast. Esther gasped, heard her attackers swear. The grip on her loosened a little. She immediately jerked trying to break free. Then, out of the corner of her eyes, she saw a flicker of light, like lightning indoors. The glow sparked a memory and she involuntarily shut her eyes. The next instant light exploded in front of her face, blinding even behind her closed lids. She smelled ozone and burned meat, and the pressure on top of her disappeared. Esther jerked, feeling her hands and feet come free. She rolled, moving even with the spots dancing in front of her eyes, and got into a crouching position near a wall. She blinked hard, trying to clear her vision enough to see where the table that held her weapons was standing. She saw it, a few feet away, just before one of her captors lunged at her. Esther flinched back to run, but before she could move, a figure appeared between her and the other. A dark clad arm moved sharply, and Esther heard a scream of surprise and pain. A hoarse deep voice spoke. "Enough." Her heart stuttered. She'd heard that voice before. She knew that hand, still outstretched in a protective gesture. She blinked, then scrubbed the last of the spots and tears from her vision.

A figure stood in front of her, his back mostly turned. Esther's eyes went to the hand still outstretched in front of her. The skin was dark, dusky colored. Long nails, like claws, tipped the fingers. Her eyes shifted to the form in front of her, and her breath caught in her throat. The man before her wore the robes of a Catholic priest. Though she couldn't see his face, he was tall, and slender. Above the high collar of his outer robe, silver hair glittered, fanning upward and outward in a strange way that resembled a crown. The air around him crackled, and Esther could feel the electric energy that swirled around him. She opened her mouth to speak, to say something, but he spoke first. "Are you hurt?"

She swallowed, her mind gone blank. "No…I…"

He didn't turn to face her, but somehow, he'd removed the outer robe of his garments, and reached back to hand it to her. She took it from his hand, blushing as she remembered the state she was in, and wrapped it around her shoulders. She saw his body shift as he turned his attention to the men standing by the far wall, crouched in defensive positions. "You're the members of the Fleur du Mal." The brief note of concern in his voice had vanished, replaced by ice. "Rumor has it you work for the Order of Rosenkreutz." The leader shifted away from the wall. There was a cut across his forehead, but his eyes were hard and arrogant. "So?"

"I have some questions I want to ask you." Esther felt a brief thread of fear go down her back at that harsh, implacable tone. The leader laughed. "Hah. You think you can take us all on, and still protect that girl?" He sneered. "You might have taken out a couple of my men with that electric trick of yours, but I don't think you can do it again. Besides, if you move, my men will take that girl." At his words, the remaining Fleur du Mal members began fanning out. "I'll admit you surprised us, but it's not going to help you now."

"This is your last chance." The figure before her didn't seem concerned. A slender figure appeared in the doorway. Esther saw light glint off of blond hair. "Father Nightroad, do you need some assistance?"

The voice was young, boyish, but with a mature, sober quality that only an adult could possess. Esther felt her heart stutter again. She knew that voice as well. "I'm fine. But get the girl out of here." Her protector shifted. "I want both of you out of the building. I'm afraid I'm in a bad mood right now. I think…I feel a rampage coming."

"Understood." There was a shimmer in the air, and Esther gasped as Ion Fortuna appeared beside her, a short blade in one hand. "Let's go." He didn't give her time to protest, simply looped his free arm across her waist. "Hold on." He took a single step, and Esther felt it as his body began to speed up into haste mode. She saw one of the Fleur du Mal members lunge for them, but before Ion could even bring up his sword, a jet black wing stretched in front of them. The dark cloaked man in front of her shifted, and another scream rang out. Then they were through the door, out of the room and Ion was racing down the hall. Esther barely had time to breathe before he threw himself down a flight of stairs and out an already broken doorway. Esther wanted to stop, to turn back, but her mind and body felt like they'd gone numb.

The only thing she could think of was that black and silver form, standing guard over her. Ion's words echoed in her mind. _Father Nightroad…._

They burst out onto a badly maintained lawn of a derelict house on the very edge of Londinium. Esther knew roughly where they were. This house was so far out, it was in what was considered countryside. She turned her head back to look at the building, but Ion didn't slow down. He didn't stop until they were into the trees. Finally, he slowed, and halted in a clearing. His hand released it's death grip. "We should be safe here. Even if they escape…"

Esther turned, and put a hand over his mouth. "Ion? Your Excellency, is that really you?"

Ion stared at her. The moon overhead illuminated them both, and she saw his eyes widen. "Esther? But what are you doing here?"

"I…" She looked away. "I was looking into something and those men captured me, and they…" She stopped. Her gaze turned slowly back toward the house. "That man…was that…Father Nightroad? Is he really with you?" She took a faltering step towards the house. "Esther wait." Ion grabbed her arm, his grip gentle but, more than firm enough to stop her. "You can't go back in there. I can't let you." Her emotions erupted, the hysteria of the past few hours bursting free. "You have to let me go! He's outnumbered ten to one! You have to help him! Let me go!" She wrenched at her arm, trying to break free. "Esther, no!" Ion took her shoulders. "It'll be fine. He can handle it." He held her gently. He lowered his head, then turned to look at the house as a distant scream rang out. "It will be all right. But it's not safe to go in there. You heard him say he's in a bad mood. And he told us to leave."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Esther felt the emotion choking her throat.

"We have to help him."

"Negative." Esther spun around at the quiet monotone from the trees. Seconds later, the familiar form of Father Tres moved into view. He was gazing at the house. "It is not advised to enter the premises at this time."

"Father Tres." Esther breathed the words. The android priest turned to her. "Lady Esther Blanchett. Why are you here? You should be within the walls of Buckingham Palace."

"I know." Esther flushed. There was no criticism in Tres's tone, but there didn't need to be.

"I…I was just trying to figure some things out, so I…"

"It is inadvisable for Your Majesty to be wandering around unattended." He paused, and she saw his eyes go over her. "My lord Ion, it would seem Lady Esther is in need of some replacement apparel." Ion started, and Esther saw him take in her state. He blushed, visible even in the moonlight. "Esther, I'm sorry." He shifted, then removed his jacket and handed it to her with his face turned away. "I…I was just…here. It's probably not the best fit but…"

"Thank you." Esther took the jacket from him. Her hysteria was subsiding into numbness again. She took the jacket from him, knotted the torn rags of her shirt around her chest, and then slipped the jacket on and fastened it. It was a little tight, but wearing it, she felt better, more decent at least. She shivered, and wrapped the black overcoat of she'd been given back over her shoulders. She took a deep breath, aware then of the faded smell of ozone and clean earth, and subtle church incense. A smell she associated with Abel. There was another howl from the interior of the house. Esther started, then took a step forward. "Father Nightroad…"

Ion's hand stopped her. "He'll come out when he's done. But I can't let you go in there."

"Positive." Tres spoke from beside them. "According to statements my lord has made within the past twenty four hours, it is highly likely that entering the house would be hazardous to both of you."

"But…" Esther looked from one to the other. Ion shook his head, his own gaze going to the house. "He's…different. I don't understand it, but when he says he's in a bad mood…it's best to leave him alone. He…sometimes, it's like he needs to get into a fight. He told me it's important. But when I began travelling with him he ordered me to stay away from him when he fights. When he says he's on a rampage…" Ion shivered. "He said it was dangerous to even be near him."

"Positive. In my lord's present condition, approaching him during combat is extremely dangerous."

"Dangerous? But why?" Esther stared up at the house, dread in her heart. She didn't understand. What had happened to him? She remembered the coldness in his voice as he'd addressed the men in that room. Even angry, he was usually merciful. But his voice had been totally unforgiving. There was silence from inside. Esther stared up at the building. She was dimly aware of Ion letting go of her arm, and of Tres standing guard beside both of them. But her thoughts were on the man she'd left inside. Knowing he was so close made her heart start pounding. She found herself remembering that terrible night, the night she had seen him die. And the night she'd seen him rise again, and had stood by his empty coffin, helpless to do anything for him. The sick, anguished feeling she'd felt, the concern that had occupied her mind over the past four months rose up inside, blanking out everything else. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hold it back, but it overwhelmed her.

"Esther?" She heard Ion speak her name, but it didn't matter. She stared up at the building, praying for a sound, any sound to break the bleak silence, to tell her what was going on. Praying for that familiar form and that gentle face to appear in the doorway, or in a window, to tell her everything was all right. The silence built. All at once, it was too much. She couldn't stand still, simply waiting for him to return, waiting to hear the news. She didn't even think about it. Her mind was still drifting as her feet made that first step, and then she was running, running back toward the dark house, heedless of everything but the sudden, overwhelming desire to see him again. She was nearly to the steps when she felt a hand grab her arm.

She looked back into Ion's concerned face. "Esther, you can't…"

She didn't even respond. Somehow, she jerked free of his grip and raced inside, leaving him on the threshold. Her boots clacked on the rough floors, the only sound she could hear in the silent building. Esther froze on the landing, biting her lip. The silence was worse than the brief screams had been. She couldn't hear anything but her own breathing. She hesitated, and then her feet began to move again, back toward the second floor and the room Ion had taken her from. She almost flew up the steps, and stumbled down the hall, her wide eyes surveying the rooms. _Father Nightroad…_

The third door on the left had been blown into smithereens, the wood of the frame charred and splintered. Esther stopped in the doorway, feeling her heart skip a beat as she surveyed the interior of the room. It was a charnel house. There was virtually no blood, oddly enough, but there were splashes of gore in huge sprays across the wall. The bodies of her assailants were sprawled across the room, some of them bearing huge wounds, others marked with horrible burns. The stench of ozone and burned flesh hung thick in the air. Her mind lost in a haze, Esther barely realized that the blackened corpse on the far wall was the man who'd come so close to raping her. Her eyes drifted over the body of the leader, a huge slash wound across his chest, and over the other men. Some of the bodies weren't even intact. She felt a dim sense of horror at the scene, knew that she should be feeling sick. But as her eyes focused on the figure in the center of the room, the rest of it faded. All she could do was stand and stare at the man before her.

Abel Nightroad stood in the center of the room. He was facing one wall, his long silver hair, falling free over his back. Esther saw one hand reach up to clutch his chest, and his jaw tightened, as if he were in pain. He took a few staggering steps forward, and she saw him reach out and lean against the wall. In the silence of the room, she became aware of his harsh breathing, but she couldn't move. She watched as he turned and leaned his back against the wall. She couldn't see his entire face, just the side, but his expression was strained, his teeth clenched. Finally, Abel shifted again. He slowly straightened, taking his hand away from the wall and standing upright. Esther saw him glance at the back of his hand, and his shoulders tightened. Then he sighed, reached up to a pocket on the breast of his uniform, and withdrew a pair of glasses and a black ribbon. He slipped the glasses over the bridge of his nose, then began to tie his long silver hair back. It was such a familiar gesture that Esther felt herself start to relax again. She watched him as the lights of the room touched the edges of his glasses, and illuminated his hands and his long hair. Esther moved forward to speak, and her eyes caught on the back of his hand as he lowered it. Her breath caught in her throat once more.

His hands were bare, uncovered by the gloves he usually wore, but she saw clearly the odd markings on the back. A stylized haloed cross, drawn in lines and dots like an odd children's drawing, covered the back of his hand and wrist. The circle of the halo was perhaps an inch and a half across, divided by the arms of the cross. Sunburst marks, at the points of the compass, radiated from the circle, connected by odd dots. In the dimness of the room, it looked as if the marks had been cut or tattooed into the pale skin. The color was an odd purple black that reminded her horribly of partially dried blood. She gasped, stepping forward. "Father Nightroad…"

Abel stiffened, his whole body going rigid. His head snapped around, and she saw his eyes widen. "Esther?"

She took another step forward, and saw then that the stylized cross on the back of his hand also touched his forehead. She reached out. "Father, your hand…your face…are you all right?"

He jerked his face aside. "I'm fine. You shouldn't be here." He turned away from her completely, and she saw him pull his hands from sight, hiding them in his sleeves. "I thought you were in Buckingham Palace." His voice was rough, and she couldn't distinguish the emotions in it. But the low sharpness of it, and the way he turned away from her stung like a slap. She could almost see him shutting her out. "I…I was trying to…I heard there might be…"

"It's dangerous." She shivered. She'd heard him sound like this before, in Carthage and in the Underground. Cold and harsh, withdrawn from her. As if he was a stranger. She reached out. "Father, I…"

He turned and headed for the door, not even looking at her. "You should rejoin Ion outside. I have some things I need to take care of. Tell Tres I need his help." He stopped for a moment. "We'll return you to the Palace as soon as we're finished here. I'll have Tres contact the Albion government and let them know."

"Father, wait!" Esther reached out. "Please…"

He hesitated a brief moment. "I have work to do. You should collect your weapons and rejoin Ion." Then he disappeared into the darkened hallways. Esther stood still a moment, then moved over to pick up her gun. Her hand came to rest on the table. She felt tears stinging her eyes, and bit her lip. She'd known that there might be problems seeing him again. She'd known that when she'd heard from Seth that he wasn't talking to anyone. But that cold dismissal, the anger and pain she'd heard lacing his voice when he'd spoken, those were things she hadn't expected. Her hand clenched over the gun.

_Does he really hate me so much? I know…I know I got him killed, that he died because of me. Was it really so terrible? And what were those markings? Did something else happen to him, something else I caused him to suffer? _The tears broke free to splash on the table in front of her. _Oh, Father…I'm so sorry. I hope…I hope you'll at least give me a chance to apologize. Dear Lord, please, let me have a chance to tell him how sorry I am for the terrible thing I've done to him._

She sent the prayer to God, and then moved to scrub the tears from her eyes. She couldn't apologize to him if she was standing there weeping. She grabbed her knives, and her gun. She spotted her torn clothing lying in a nearby corner and, after a moment of hesitation, walked over. They were all dirty, and her pants were too torn to be useful, but she thought the undergarments could be knotted together. She shivered, aware again of her exposed body underneath the skirt and Ion's jacket. She hurried into the clothing, tying it in quick double knots at her hips and the center of her back, then shrugged back into the borrowed jacket and went through the door. She paused, considering looking for Abel, to try and speak with him again, but the memory of that cold dismissal stopped her. After a moment, she turned and went down the stairs back out into the night to wait for him.

**dragonwriter24cmf**** (AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **For those who are wondering, Abel's new markings are similar to the ones Lilith has, however they are slightly larger, mimicking the cross he wears somewhat. They are caused by his nanomachines fusing to Lilith's during an extreme transformation.


	6. Six: Midnight Conversations

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Hi again my loyal TBWC fan, another time to celebrate and get out the snakes chapter six is here (^. ^), I hope you all had fun either holiday. Be warned this chapter is a little more longer the last two so I hope you'll like and will enjoy reading. But before I sign off I have to say thanks to all whom have commented and faved this fan fiction, keep bringing in that commitment guys I do appreciate all of your support threw the last five chapters and now the sixth one. So with further or do read on my fellow readers here's chapter six ^^.

**DISCLAIMER:**All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to one of my editors and co-partners in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her own TB stories on which are awesome. Additional thanks to my second co-partner for also participating in helping with this story **KinReynard** check out her own TB story **'Devil His Due' **whom I'm her beta for when possible. When one of my co-partners/editors are unable to continue the other will take over both are involved with this fan fiction as time goes on with it's updates. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice:****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage Against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). ** In adttion to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shapeof or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Six: ****Midnight Conversations**

Ion and Tres met her at the entrance to the house. In the light, Esther could see Ion's face was tense with concern. "Esther! What were you thinking?" He took her arms looking her over. "Are you all right? Father Nightroad…"

Esther shook her head. "It's all right. He's fine, just as you said he would be." She gave Ion a shaky smile. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me for a minute there."

"My Lady's readings suggest a state of possible shock." Tres spoke from the lower steps. His gaze turned to Ion. "It is advised that we escort Lady Esther away from the building, and provide a place for her to recover." Esther shook her head. "Thank you Father Tres, but I'm really feeling much better now." She swallowed back the lump in her throat. "Father Nightroad asked me to tell you he needs your assistance."

"Positive. I will attend Father Nightroad. Earl of Memphis, please maintain guard over Her Majesty."

"Of course I will." Ion nodded, and Tres went up the steps to vanish into the house. They both waited until Tres's footsteps died away, then Esther sighed and settled on the steps. Ion hesitated a moment, then joined her. "Esther?" She turned to look at him. "Father Nightroad…are you really all right?"

"Yes, of course." She smiled sadly. "I just…by the time I got there it was already over." She sighed. "I wish I could have helped him in some way." Ion sighed too. "I understand perfectly." He looked out over the grass. "He's…a very strange man to travel with, these days." They sat in the silence for a few more moments, but the quiet drove Esther to distraction. She kept thinking of the way Abel had turned from her, the odd pain and anger she'd heard in his voice. Her jaw tensed. She was just about to leap up and start pacing, when Ion spoke from beside her. "Esther."

"Yes?" She turned to look at him, and was surprised to find a shy smile on his face.

"Well, I just remembered, I heard that you were crowned Queen of Albion, and that you and Her Majesty Augusta have formed an alliance." He stepped off the stone steps, and bowed his head. "I wanted to offer you my formal congratulations." Despite her worries, Esther smiled. "Thank you." She looked ruefully down at her borrowed jacket and battered clothing. "I'm afraid I don't really look much like a queen right now though."

"Well, I don't know about that." Ion raised his head, his eyes warm and gentle. "I've always thought there was something special about you, you know." He sat back down. "When I heard you became Queen, I really wasn't that surprised at all. You just seem…suited for it." The statement, warm and endearing, tugged a smile onto Esther's face. "Thank you." She sighed, settling her chin on her knees. 'The truth is, I don't really feel like a queen some days. It's a very difficult task. I don't feel like I'm at all worthy of it."

"Don't be silly." Ion leaned forward and met her eyes with his own. "I think you'll be a wonderful Queen."

"Thank you, Your Excellency." Esther smiled, her heart eased by Ion's gentle kindness. They sat in silence for a few more moments, then Esther hesitantly gave voice to her own question. "How did you come to be traveling with Father Nightroad? Did the Empress send you?"

Ion shifted uncomfortably. "Well, no. Actually, I broke an Imperial Command. I'm fortunate that Her Imperial Highness granted me a pardon." He hesitated a moment. "When I heard he'd died…something inside me just couldn't sit still. I had to come here. And then…" He stopped a moment. "I want to find the Contra Mundi. He took Radu from me, assaulted our Empire, and took Father Nightroad's life. I will never forgive him for that. For any of it." His head turned to look into the depths of the house. "I don't know why, but _he_ knows what's going on. So I decided I'd follow him. Till the end of time if I have to."

"I see." Esther wrapped her arms around her ribcage, feeling a cold chill pass through her. She'd heard of the Contra Mundi, the Enemy of the World, but now she had a face to put with the title. She shivered, remembering that too calm face, so like and unlike Abel's. Heavy footsteps sounded inside the house, interrupting her reverie. Seconds later, Tres appeared in the doorway. "Your Majesty. Earl of Memphis. Father Nightroad has ordered we return to the woods." His eyes turned to Ion. "We will reconvene there."

"Of course." Ion stood. "And Father Nightroad?"

"My lord will join us there, when he has finished his current work." Without another word, Tres stepped around Esther and off the stairs, heading straight for the wooded areas. Esther bit her lip and turned back, but Ion took her arm.

"It's best if we just go with Father Tres. He'll come soon. Besides…" Ion gave her an encouraging smile. "You already know he's all right."

"True." Esther felt a pang of regret. She wanted to help Abel, but the cold manner he'd rebuffed her earlier made her feel awkward. She sighed and followed the other two. Tres led them both to a small clearing about a quarter mile from the edge of the woods. He finally stopped and Ion stopped with him. "Father Tres, are we returning Esther to Londinium soon?"

"Negative. It is currently inadvisable. However, that is part of the matter Father Nightroad wishes to discuss."

"I see." Ion subsided. Fifteen minutes later, there was a soft scrape of shoes over leaves, and Abel entered the clearing. Ion stepped forward. "Father Tres said we aren't returning to Londinium."

"That's correct. When we contacted the Albion Royal Government, we were advised to stay away from the Palace for the time being. It appears there may be a spy within the Palace walls, and also the Underground." Abel's voice was impassive, and Esther couldn't see his face in the shadows of the trees. Though his next words addressed her, he didn't turn his face in her direction. "My apologies, Miss Esther, but I fear we won't be able to return you to your home as soon as I thought." His tone was neutral, and gave nothing away. Esther nodded, but her brain had frozen again. "A spy?"

"Positive." Tres's impassive voice answered her. "The Count of Manchester informed me that information was leaked about your disappearance from the Palace to the Underground. Also he and his associates have noticed unauthorized contacts from the computer terminals in the walls of Buckingham Palace, and in the upper levels of the Underground Facility. The Count of Manchester and Colonel Mary Spencer are currently tracking the perpetrator. However, they have requested that you remain in our custody for the time being."

"Then what are we going to do?" Ion shifted his weight in a restless movement. "Are we taking Esther with us?"

"Not precisely. The three of us will escort Her Majesty to Rome. We'll entrust her to the care of Cardinal Sforza. From there, the church will arrange for safe passage for her."

"I see. It sounds like a good plan." Ion turned to face her. "Do you think that will work, Esther?" Esther nodded, her mind still slowed by the weight of too many shocks. "I suppose it will."

"Understood. However, it is advised we acquire some alternative apparel for the lady." Tres spoke again. "Her current gear is insufficient for the journey you propose."

"Ah?" Abel turned his head. "I see. Of course." He considered, turning his head. "Londinium is about an hours march that way. But the shops won't be open at this hour." Esther spoke hesitantly. "If we could delay our journey, I could go and purchase something when the shops open."

"Negative. It was specifically requested that you be kept away." Abel sighed. "It's possible Ion could go. He's capable, and he should be all right."

"I could go." Ion turned. "If you'll tell me what you need Esther, I'll be happy to get something for you." Esther felt herself flush. She didn't mind getting fresh clothing, but the thought of asking Ion to buy her undergarments made her face heat. "Well, the shops won't be open until day. But even not considering that…I need everything, I'm afraid, except for my boots." She looked down. "I suppose my skirt is fine, but everything else is…" She stopped, unable to speak the words past the lump in her throat.

"Everything?" Ion's voice took on a doubtful tone. He sounded suddenly embarrassed. "Father Nightroad. Lady Esther does have a valid point. The shops will not open until morning. While the precautions you have taken will protect His Excellency from normal concerns, it will draw attention to his presence to be seeking clothing for a young woman."

"But then wouldn't both of you arouse the same suspicion?" Ion spoke up.

"Yes. I suppose so." There was another sigh from Abel. Esther saw his head tilt up, looking at the thin line of sky visible between the trees.

"Could we not return to the Underground?" Ion spoke again. "If we were there, then this wouldn't be a problem."

"Negative. Not only is returning to the Underground against Albion government requests, it is also ill-advised. Our last entrance to the facility was detected. Unless my lord wishes to break his decision to avoid notice…"

"No." Abel breathed the word. "I'm not ready for that." He sighed again. "Tres, you and Ion stay with Esther. Backtrack to where we left our supplies, and see if you can get some food for her, if she wants it. I'll return in about three hours." He turned, and began to walk away. Esther winced at the way he spoke as if she wasn't there. She stepped forward. "Father Nightroad, wait!" he stopped. "Please…what do you plan to do?"

"I will go acquire the things we need. You should stay and rest, and eat something to keep up your strength." He didn't turn around. "I'll return soon."

"But…how will you…" She stopped, wondering if she wanted to know, then slowly lowered her hand. "Thank you." He didn't respond, just disappeared into the trees.

"Your Highness." Tres spoke. "I would advise you to remain here with His Excellency. I will return with our supplies within a few minutes."

"Of course. Thank you, Father Tres." Esther settled back to the ground, pulling her knees to her chin. She was aware of Tres leaving, and of Ion standing beside her, but she couldn't muster the energy to do anything. All of a sudden, she felt simply too drained and limp to do anything more than sit there on the ground, listening to the night. Tres returned a few minutes later, carrying two sacks. Ion took them an opened one, and moments later, he knelt in front of her. "Here Esther. It isn't much, but this should help."

"Thank you." Esther took the food he held out for her. It was only travel biscuits, some dried meat and some cheese, but she hadn't eaten for hours. She bit into the food, and Ion handed her a flask of cool water to wash it down. Esther swallowed it with gratitude, only then noticing how sore her throat was. Ion waited patiently until she finished, then handed her a napkin. "So Esther, do you feel a little better now?"

"Yes, I do." She still felt shaky, but with food in her system, she was no longer feeling light-headed, and there was a little more strength in her body. She gave him a tired, rueful smile. "I'm sorry, but…it's been a difficult evening."

"I imagine it has. Being trapped with those brigands." Ion settled beside her. "I'm sorry we didn't arrive sooner, but I'm glad Father Nightroad was able to stop them." His eyes drifted briefly over her. "They didn't hurt you, did they Esther?"

"No. But…" she subsided, the memories crowding into her mind. She didn't want to talk about it just yet. To her relief, Ion didn't press her. He simply sat beside her, offering his quiet companionship. His warm presence eased her fears. The sky was beginning to lighten when they heard the quiet tramp of shoes through the underbrush, and then Abel appeared. He had two packages in his arms. The first, he extended to Ion. "I've replenished our supplies. This should be enough to last us for a little while." Ion nodded, and took the bundle. Abel held out the other, bulkier sack to Esther. "I managed to get you some clothing. I'm afraid they're not the best, and I had to guess at the size, but they should do." His voice was as emotionless as before, and he wasn't quite looking at her, but the generosity of the gesture eased it somewhat. Esther took the bag and looked inside. He'd gotten her a spare skirt, three shirts and a pair of leggings. At the very bottom of the bag she discovered three sets of undergarments. She blushed again, but managed to look back up at him. "Thank you."

He didn't respond for a moment. When he spoke, his voice was soft. "You should change. I'd like to leave this area soon, while there's still a little time before true dawn."

"Oh. Of course." She stood, then looked back at the garments in her arms. "Father, if you don't mind my asking, how did you get these? The stores still aren't open." He sighed. "I left the money on the counter." He turned away, but she understood him well enough. Ion looked up, curiosity in his eyes. "Father Nightroad, you didn't…you didn't do anything illegal, did you?"

Abel sighed again. "I picked the lock on one used clothing store. However, I assure you, I left adequate money both for the clothing and for the inconvenience. And as for the food, there was a late night grocer willing to sell me a few items." He turned away. Ion nodded. Esther bit her lip. She knew she shouldn't condone that sort of thing, not in her capital city, but…he had done it for her. She sighed. "Thank you Father." Then she slipped into the trees on the other side of the clearing to change. The clothing was a bit loose, but it fit well enough, and it was a relief to remove the knotted reminders of her nights ordeal. Ten minutes later, she was dressed in new clean clothing, wearing the pants and shirt. She folded the borrowed jacket from Ion, and then carefully picked up the loose over-jacket Abel had given her. She put everything else into the sack, then walked back to the clearing. She handed Ion his coat. "Thank you for the loan, Your Excellency."

"You're welcome. And Esther…" Ion waited till she looked at him. "Please, call me by my name. I mean, technically, you're higher ranked than I am now. But I…I'd like it if you called me by name."

"Of course. Thank you Ion." She smiled, then turned and strode to the silent figure, standing just within the trees. She held out the garment. 'Thank you Father, for lending this to me." He stood silent for a moment, then reached out and slowly took it from her. "You're welcome." He straightened, and slipped it across his shoulders. "If you're ready, we should be leaving now." Esther nodded. "Yes. I'm ready." Ten minutes later, they were walking away from Londinium. Abel was in the lead, a tall silent presence moving ahead of them. Tres was following behind, and Ion walked beside her. Esther looked at the brightening sky, and then turned a concerned look at the young man walking beside her. "Shouldn't you be finding shelter soon? Dawn is coming."

Ion smiled. "It's all right. When I began journeying with Father Nightroad, I received permission to use this." He held up a small bottle. "The serum inside helps protect me from the sun. And Cardinal Sforza was also kind enough to supply me with some anti-UV gel, so I'm really quite safe." Esther returned his smile with one of relief. "That's good. I was really worried about it." She looked at the tall figure striding ahead of them. "So, when do you stop to rest?"

"Whenever we need to." Ion shrugged. "Sometimes we don't move much at all. Sometimes, we'll walk for two days at a time. It really depends on him." His gaze followed hers.

"I see." Esther frowned. Ion caught her expression. "Esther, is something wrong?"

"Well, it's just…" She hesitated. She wasn't sure if Abel had shared the circumstances of his death. "I'm just afraid he might be angry with me."

"I don't think so." Ion considered Abel's back. "He's always like this right after a fight. Especially if he's found something." He gave her a reassuring look. "You should talk to him again after a few days have passed."

"Thank you. I'll do that." Esther gently squeezed his hand in thanks, and then turned her concentration to her steps. The journey was a relatively smooth one. They stopped every few hours to eat and rest their feet. Abel ate, but he was usually off somewhere, scouting or simply standing on his own. When they stopped to rest, Esther often fell asleep while he was still awake, and woke to find him in the same position. She wanted to ask him how he was, but he was still withdrawn. He spoke to her sometimes, and he was courteous enough, but the warmth and camaraderie he had once extended was missing from his tone, and his expression showed nothing of his feelings. Ion, on the other hand, was often beside her. The two of them spoke of various things, of Esther's life adjusting to her new status, of the Empire, and other things. Ion was still fascinated by sunlight. It had been years since he'd made the transition to a Methuselah state, and the renewed experience was a wonder to him. His gentleness and kindness eased the discomfort of Abel's aloofness.

A day and a half after their meeting, they took a cargo ship from Albion to Rome. It was a smallish affair, but it was quiet, and not heavily populated. Esther stood on deck a while, then went in search of Tres. He was standing at the railing. Though he didn't turn when she approached, he did speak. "Lady Esther."

"Father Tres." She stepped up beside him, and leaned on the railing. "I was wondering…if it's important to get to the Vatican, aren't there easier ways?"

"To what do you refer?"

"Well, there are airships that travel directly between Albion and Rome. Or we could have asked Sister Kate to take us, couldn't we?"

"Negative. The Iron Maiden is currently assigned to the Vatican, as part of the guard for Lady Caterina and His Holiness. As for acquiring tickets for an airship…" The android paused. "At the moment, our highest priority is maintaining a low profile. It is not possible to do so onboard a small enclosed craft. Furthermore, this group does not have the monetary resources necessary to provide such transport."

"I see thank you for explaining it to me." She wanted to ask him about Abel, but recalled his answer last time. He would only tell her to speak to Father Nightroad directly. So she remained silent, staring out at the moonlit ocean as is drifted by. The fifth night of their journey, Esther dropped off to sleep, only to wake hours later from the nightmare of her capture. She sat bolt upright in her blankets, one hand clamped over her mouth to stifle her sobs. After a moment, she got herself under control and looked around her. Ion was sprawled nearby, sound asleep. It seemed strange to see him sleeping during the night hours, but then, they were all resting irregularly these days. She looked around, but Father Tres was nowhere to be seen. He was probably patrolling a wide circle of the camp. She looked around again, and this time spotted the tall, silver-haired figure standing a little ways off. They'd camped this evening in an open area, and Abel's figure showed up easily in the light of the double moons.

Esther studied the moonlit figure, her mind torn by indecision. She wanted to speak to him, she needed to speak to him, but she was afraid of his reaction. As much as his current coldness bothered her, she was more afraid of his open rejection. She looked at her hands, remembering how she'd prayed for just one chance to apologize to him. There wasn't likely to be a better chance than this. After a moment, she rose, gathering a blanket around her against the cool night air. Abel didn't turn at her approach, but as she came to stand beside him, his soft voice reached her ears. "Miss Esther. You should be resting."

"I know." She fumbled awkwardly with the blanket. "It's just…I couldn't sleep, and when I saw you standing here…" She trailed off, the tried again. "Anyway, shouldn't you be resting too, Father? I mean, Father Tres is on patrol so…"

"I'm all right." His voice was quiet, and as usual, gave nothing away. Esther bit her lip. He was still shutting her out. She felt hot tears in her eyes, and blinked them away. After all she couldn't blame him. She looked up at the silent man beside her, and the words slipped out before she could stop them. "I'm sorry."

"Miss Esther?" he turned his face slightly toward her, and she caught the faintest note of surprise in his voice. Esther looked up into his face, trying to draw her dignity around her. This was hard enough, and she didn't want to make it harder by crying in front of him. "I'm sorry for disturbing you, Father, but there was something I felt I needed to tell you."

"Yes?" Abel's voice was mild, but there was an undercurrent to that single word that she couldn't quite identify. He sounded slightly upset. Esther clenched her teeth, feeling near-despair. Though she'd wanted to make it a calm, dignified apology, the words broke forth in a torrent, with all the concern, and sorrow and pain of the past four months compressed into her voice. "I'm so sorry, Father." Her fists clenched, and her head bowed. "I know you hate me for what I've done to you. Because I disobeyed you, because I came back underground…that man killed you. I know…I know you'll probably never forgive me for that, for the terrible thing I've done, but I wanted you to know…I am so sorry, Father." She swallowed back the hot tears, the lump in her throat. "I just wanted to tell you that." She bowed, and turned away. "I'll…leave you alone now."

She turned to leave, but a gentle hand touched her shoulder. "Esther, wait." She turned back to find him looking directly at her. "Yes, Father?"

"Esther…I don't hate you. And I don't blame you for…for my death." He stumbled over the words slightly. "It's wasn't your fault."

"Don't lie to me. I saw…I saw what happened. You hesitated because of me. And that man…" Her voice was shaking, and she tried to steady it. "That man…he killed you." She closed her eyes against the tears that wouldn't stay away. "And then… in that chapel…you rose up, but it looked so…so hard on you." Abel sighed. "It's true…the regeneration was difficult. However, Miss Esther…" He stopped, and reached out again, one gentle finger brushing her cheek. "You shouldn't blame yourself. It truly wasn't your fault. I…that man…" he halted for a moment. "To tell the truth, I'm not sure I could have touched him, even if you hadn't been there. And as for my regeneration…" He stopped again. Then to her surprise, he bowed his head. "Thank you, Miss Esther. For protecting me from him. If you hadn't…I'm not sure what would have happened. Thank you…for protecting my body."

"But Father…" She looked at him, tears falling almost unnoticed. "I couldn't do anything to save you…" She remembered the familiar face, darkened to midnight with the lightning marking his frame. "I couldn't even help you after…"

"It's all right. You did enough. Truly." his voice was gentle now, the comforting voice she knew and remembered. He paused. "You didn't really think I hated you, did you?" There was genuine distress in his voice.

"I thought you were angry with me." She bit her lip, hurt and anger warring in her heart. "Why Father? Why didn't you contact me? You obviously spoke with Caterina, and Seth said you talked to her. And why have you barely spoken to me the last few days, if you weren't angry?"

"Ah." He paused for a moment. His words were soft when he spoke again. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I upset you, Esther. But I am not angry. I simply…" He stopped. "Then why?" Esther looked at him. The silver head bowed and, when he answered, his voice was laced with pain. "Well, I suppose it's because…it's because I am ashamed." That was the last answer she'd expected. In the light of the moon, she could see the tension in his frame, the anguish in the lines of his face. "Father? What could you possibly have to be ashamed of?"

"I am…ashamed…to have you see me like that." His voice was tight, agonized. After a moment, he spoke again, and his tone was the one she remembered following the incident in Carthage, where she had seen him lose control over his powers. "To have placed you in danger, trying to protect me from him…I did not want that. And then…to have you see me like _that_…to see me so transformed…" He stopped, and looked away from her. She reached out, and laid a gentle hand on his arm. "I've told you before Father, I'm not afraid of you. I was afraid for you but…"

"You don't understand. It wasn't…that wasn't the same. The regeneration required me to…to give my body completely to _them_." He stopped. "I…when I rose from that coffin…I was barely even there. The transformation stripped me of everything…including my humanity." His voice was low and rough with pain, and in the moonlight, she could see the tension in his body. "That's why…that's why I was ashamed, when I realized you had seen me like that. That's why I didn't want to face you. And then, when you saw me there…in that room, after what I did to those men…" His eyes came up slowly to meet hers, and there was anguish in them.

"It's all right Father." She gave him a small, comforting smile, and tightened her grip gently on his arm. "You did save me after all." She looked away. "If you hadn't come just then…"

"I was tracking a lead on Rosenkreutz." He sighed, but she saw him relax slightly.

"It doesn't matter. I'm just glad you were there." She looked into his eyes. For a moment, something struck her as odd, and then she blinked and glanced down at his hands. He was standing with them both partially underneath his over-cloak, but they were bare, and in the light she could see the back of his right hand, pale and unmarked. "Those marks…they've vanished."

"Yes. They fade after a while." She heard the sudden renewed tension in his voice, and looked back at him. "If you don't mind my asking, Father…what were they? I've never seen them before." She saw his shoulders tighten, but he answered her. "A reminder." He looked at one hand. "Those marks are…the sign of the price that was paid for my return. The reminder of my greatest sin." Esther winced at the pain in his tone, so close to despair. "I'm sorry, Father. I didn't mean to distress you." She wondered what he meant, but she didn't want to press him any further, not just now.

"It's all right." He turned to face her, and she caught the flash of his sad, gentle smile. He stood in silence for a moment. "I'm sorry I gave you the wrong impression, Miss Esther. I hope…I hope you feel better now."

"Yes. I do. Thank you Father." She smiled. To her relief, she saw him relax a little.

"Good. You should go get some rest." He turned back to the star-lit sky. "We'll probably start moving again in a few hours."

"All right, Father. Good night." She smiled at him one more time, then returned to her blankets. She was asleep within minutes. A few days later, the lights of Rome came into sight. Esther gave a smile of relief. "It seems like we're almost there." Ion nodded. "It's a very impressive city." he surveyed it. "It's rather like Byzantium in a lot of ways. The Vatican reminds me a little of the Imperial Palace, with the rest of the capital spread out around it." Esther considered it. "You're right. It does." She turned to look at Abel and Tres, speaking together a little way off. "I wonder what they're discussing."

"Probably the best way to get into the city." Ion looked thoughtful.

"Well, I suppose it wouldn't work too well for us to simply walk up to the Vatican." Esther smiled ruefully. A moment later, Abel came back to stand beside them. To Esther's surprise, Tres turned and headed for Rome. She started to ask what was going on, but he spoke first. "Tres will go tell Caterina we're here. From there we can arrange for a safe way to get you into the city. If all else fails, Tres can escort you into the Vatican."

"Aren't we going into the city, Father?" Esther looked at him in surprise. "No." He shook his head. "It's not safe for me or Ion to do so. The Earl of Memphis is a Methuselah and might arouse suspicion, particularly since he was an envoy, and has been seen before. And I…well, most of the church considers me deceased." He shook his head again. "We'll stay out here. There's a place we can go." He turned and walked away. A few minutes walk led them to a section of tumbled down ruins. Esther watched him, looking around the area. She turned to Ion. "Do you know what he's looking for?"

"No. he mentioned once that he had a place to stay here, but I've never been." On stopped as Abel paused, then gestured both of them to his side. Esther and Ion joined him, standing on a circular design, in the midst of cleared rubble. He gestured them closer. "Stay close, and brace yourselves." Then he knelt and pressed one bare hand against a section of the stone. There was a sudden groan. Then the edges of the design pulled back, to reveal a deep pit below them. There was another rumble, and the entire circle began to descend. Esther gasped, and would have fallen if Ion hadn't caught her hand, his quicker reactions allowing him to catch his balance faster. Abel straightened as the disc fell, his face impassive. They stopped about twenty feet down. Esther looked up at the hole above them, then at the room around her. It was a circular space, with several doors opening into it. Columns supported the ceiling. The whole place carried a feel of dust and age. She turned to look at the silver-haired man standing quietly beside her. "Father Nightroad, where are we?"

"The ancient catacombs." He sighed, then stepped off the platform. "This place pre-dates Armageddon. But there's a place down this way where we can rest, and where Caterina will come to meet us." He stopped and lit an electric light, which he handed to Esther, then continued on. Ion and Esther looked at each other for a moment, then followed behind him. The passageway he led them down was a fairly straight one, and smooth. Looking at the floor, Esther could see where countless footsteps had worn away the stone. Finally, after about ten minutes, Abel paused by a door. He pushed it open with one hand, and studied the interior for a moment, then nodded. "There's still some blankets. You can rest here." Esther stepped forward and shone the light through the door, to see a pile of neatly folded blankets. A sound made her turn to see Abel moving away. She reached out and caught the back of his robe. "Father, where are you going?"

He sighed. "There's something I need to look into."

"May we come with you?" Esther looked up into his face. She could hear the sadness in his voice and it worried her. He looked into her eyes for a moment, then sighed again. "If you must." Without another word, he broke from her and turned away, walking down the passageway. Esther and Ion shared another look, then followed him. The room they entered was similar to the one they'd begun in. By the time Ion and Esther entered the room, Abel was already on the dais. But unlike the other room, this dais wasn't empty. The center of the chamber held a large crystal and metal structure. It looked a little like a ship, but it was far too small, and the design was nothing Esther had ever seen. She hesitated a moment, then walked up to the dais and looked in the opening behind the glass. Her heart caught in her throat.

A beautiful woman lay there. Long red hair coiled back from around her face, down across her shoulders and her arms. Her skin was a dark brown, a vivid yet beautiful contrast to the sunset hair. She was clad simply in flowing robes, with a high golden collar around her neck. Her hands rested on her chest, and her eyes were closed. Her slender frame was relaxed, still. She looked peaceful, like a statue. It reminded Esther of the story she'd once heard, about the princess asleep in the casket until a prince kissed her awake. She let out a soft breath. "Father…who is she?"

"Her name is Lilith." His voice was quiet, but there was so much agony in it that Esther felt as if she would weep just from his words. She turned, and saw that all the pain in his voice could barely convey the anguish on his face. His expression was so tortured it was as if his pain had surpassed even the ability to be expressed in tears. Esther reached out. "Oh Father…" She turned back to look at the woman who lay there. "Was she…is she someone you know?"

"Yes." The word seemed dragged from him.

"I'm sorry." She looked at the odd chamber again. A coffin, she realized. "What happened?" There was no answer. Instead Abel moved past her, and knelt at the side of the casket. His hand brushed a circular opening in one side, and the pain in his face increased. He looked as if someone was ripping his heart from his chest by centimeters. His eyes closed, but the lines of strain didn't disappear. Esther moved forward to lay a hand on his shoulder, and felt the shudder that racked through the thin frame. "Father Nightroad?"

"She was killed by the Contra Mundi. Trying to help me." His hand clenched, and his head bowed. "Oh. I'm sorry Father." She wanted to comfort him, but she didn't know what to say. The grief in his words was far deeper than any she'd ever encountered. She left her hand on his shoulder for a few moments, trying to convey comfort, then moved away to join Ion. The young noble was standing in the doorway still. As Esther joined him, he looked at her, but he didn't speak. They stood together in silence, respecting the obvious mourning of the man before them. Esther had no idea how long they stood there, but finally Abel rose from his knees. There was still pain in his stance, and in his face, but it seemed to have eased a little. He sighed. "I will wait here until Caterina comes. However, if the two of you wish to return to the other rooms to rest, you should do so." His voice was controlled, almost business-like. Esther sensed he was withdrawing from them again, but there was nothing to do about it.

She shook her head. "I think I'd prefer to remain here, Father, if that's all right."

"It's fine." He didn't look at her, didn't say anything more. She wanted to ask him about the woman in the coffin, but somehow, looking into that quiet, haunted gaze, she couldn't bear to. She stood quiet, considering.

_This woman, Lilith, she was someone important to him. Someone he holds dear. And that man, the one who…who killed him. He was the Contra Mundi, and yet…Father Nightroad called him by name. Cain. And he called the Father…that man called him Abel. He said they were originally one person. Like they were related. _She shuddered, remembering that face, so much like Abel's, save for the blond hair and the oddness of his eyes. _He was a Crusnik as well. I don't understand. How…how did they know each other? And this woman…did she know both of them?_ She looked again at the man standing to the side. _Father…what happened to you?_

She was startled from her thoughts as Ion straightened. "Someone's coming." Esther straightened. One hand tightened on her gun, just in case. Moments later, she relaxed as a familiar figure emerged from the shadows of the doorway. "Lady Caterina."

"Your Majesty. Esther. I'm glad to see you've been brought here safely." Her gaze flickered over the other members of the party. "Earl of Memphis. I trust you've been doing well. And the precautions we gave you are working satisfactorily?"

Ion nodded. "I'm doing very well, thank you." Caterina's gaze slid to Abel. Something like sadness flashed through her gaze. "And you Abel? Have you been doing well?"

"I'm fine." Abel's voice was low. "Where's Tres? You shouldn't have come here without an escort."

"Tres is on patrol outside. I asked him to wait there. Besides, he and Kate are discussing the best way to return Esther home, and Kate's signals can't reach down here." Caterina sighed, then looked up into her former subordinates face. "I couldn't bring anyone else, you know that. Quite aside from your request, a larger group makes it difficult to leave the Vatican quietly."

"Indeed. And here I was wondering why a Cardinal would be leaving at all, this time of night." All of them whirled at the voice that emerged from the shadowed doorway. As a tall armored figure emerged into the light of the chamber, Abel stiffened.

"Brother Petros." Abel's face was tight.

"Indeed." The man's eyes drifted over the group, his face set in a scowl. "Quite an interesting group. I have one Cardinal, one queen who is meant to be in Albion, one Methuselah and…" His eyes drifted to Abel, and his grip on his staff tightened. "One man who is supposed to be dead." His eyes dark gaze locked with the blue eyes of the man before him. "I think it's high time I received an explanation. Unless of course you'd all like to be dragged into interrogation." Caterina glared at him. "How did you pass Tres?"

Petros smiled, a predatory look. "It's not that hard. I simply left a distraction for him, and slipped in after he left." His gaze transferred back to Abel. "Now then…" There was a sudden shift of movement. Before anyone could react, he was before Abel. He seized the other man's robes. "You owe me an explanation." Abel sighed. "Yes. I suppose I do. Perhaps you'd care to step aside with me?" he saw the scowl on the Inquisitors face. "Please. I'm willing to answer your questions, as much as I can, but I'd rather not…I'd prefer this be a private discussion."

"Very well." Petros scowled, then stomped to the far side of the room and settled on a broken pillar. He still held his staff with one hand. Abel sighed again. "Lady Caterina, if you could please watch Miss Esther. Ion, would you please go make sure we have no more uninvited guests. And Lady Esther…" He transferred his gaze to her. "Please, remain here." They nodded. Abel sighed, then moved across the room. Petros watched impassively as Abel moved to stand before him. The silver-haired priest stopped a foot away. "Well, Brother Petros?"

"This is impossible." Petros scowled. "I carried your body from that room myself. What dark sorcery did you use to be able to stand before me now? Or was your death some sort of trick?"

"No. it was no trick." Abel's hand reached up to grasp the front of his robes above his chest, unconsciously covering the place where, four months prior, Petros had seen the fatal wound. "I…I did die. But as I recall, you…" He stopped, and his voice was a mere whisper when he spoke again. "Brother Petros, you've seen it, have you not? My…other form?"

"I witnessed your transformation in Carthage, yes."

"There was a way to revive me, using the powers I have from that other form." Abel's voice was low, and Petros saw the distress in his face. "Caterina…she used that…she used something from here to restore me." His eyes shifted, to the coffin in the middle of the room. "A friend of mine…Caterina used her last legacy to reawaken my body, in the hopes that I would be able to regain my mind afterward."

"I see." Petros let his eyes roved over Abel's breast, where he still clutched his robes. "In Carthage, you survived far more serious injuries than that."

"I know." Abel's voice was ragged. "But that man…" His eyes came up to meet Petros. "That man…he was the Contra Mundi, the leader of Rosenkreutz. And he…he has powers like mine." His head bowed again. "I can't…I can't tell you all the details, but that man is like me. And I…I let my guard down, for just a moment. Long enough, for him to give me that wound. Wounds from someone else with our powers are different."

"And why did you not return to the Vatican? It is your sacred duty as a priest." Petros scowled at him. "Have you abandoned your oath to God?"

"No. I haven't." Abel straightened. "However…I have to stop him. I must find him and prevent him from doing any more harm. Besides…" A bitter smile crossed his face. "Did you not say that you yourself verified my death? I can't imagine that the Church would take it lightly if I simply returned to life. Likely, Caterina and I would both be interrogated and tried as heretics. The Cardinal di Medici…is not particularly tolerant of such things."

"I see." Petros tilted his head. He sensed Abel hiding something from him. "What is it you aren't telling me?"

"I…" Abel stopped. Then something settled in his eyes. He met Petros's stare. "To be revived like that…is troubling. And I am not sure of my control over myself as of yet. I do not wish to risk anyone, anymore than I must." He hesitated. "That man…I can't explain to you why but…I must go after him. No matter what is demanded of me…even if he kills me again. You have no idea what he's done, what he's capable of. I do. I have to stop him."

"Then you regard this as a personal mission from God? And you intend to fulfill it?" Petros held that solemn blue gaze. "Yes." There was no hesitation in Abel's gaze, "Very well. I understand. I will hold you to that promise, Abel Nightroad." Petros stood, so their eyes were level. "I understand." Abel kept his gaze locked with Petros. "I would like to ask you…please, don't tell anyone else about me. I don't…it's better for the time being if they don't know. Better for all of us."

Petros growled. But he understood. Abel was right. There would be an uproar if a man thought to be four months dead were to reappear. If he reported Abel's presence, there would either be an immediate mission launched to capture the other man, or Petros would find himself locked in a room while they tried to ascertain his sanity. "I will not speak of it." He sighed. "Some of Paula's men spotted you a few weeks ago. I will do my best to misdirect her, but you'd better watch yourself."

"I know. Thank you." Abel bowed. "Don't mistake me Nightroad." Petros' hand shot out and seized the front of his robes, pulling him close. "I'm doing this because I know what it is to have a personal mission from the Lord. And because I agree that it is better for the Church. But…" He gave Abel a dark smile. "You'd better not fail, Nightroad, or you will answer to me." Abel merely met his gaze calmly. Petros flushed and released the other man. "As long as we understand each other." Abel nodded, and a small smile touched his face. "Yes. I think we understand each other fairly well, Brother Petros." He bowed. "Thank you."

Across the room, Esther watched Abel speaking with the Inquisitor. She wanted to defend Father Nightroad, but she had no idea what to say. "Don't worry." Esther started, and looked into Caterina's face. The older woman looked calm. She wasn't relaxed, not by any means, but she didn't look particularly worried. She caught Esther's concerned expression and smiled slightly. "I'm fairly certain that if Petros really wanted to take him in, he'd have already tried. And I assure you, even if Abel does get arrested, I will do everything in my power to protect him."

"I'm aware of that. It's just…he was so adamant about not being discovered…" She stopped. "Lady Caterina…you knew, didn't you?" she bit her lip, sudden hurt rushing to the surface. "When I asked you, you knew where he was. You told me Father Tres was looking for him, but really, Father Tres has been with him all along."

"Yes." Caterina sighed. "I apologize for lying to you. I would have preferred to answer you honestly, but I promised Abel that I wouldn't speak of him to anyone. It was the only way he would allow me to send Tres with him." She sighed again. "It was difficult even to get that much. I was afraid he'd disappear, and never return."

"I see." Put that way, she could see the logic in Caterina's actions. She hesitated then spoke up again. "Lady Caterina…I was wondering if you could tell me something."

"Well, you might as well ask, but I can't promise I'll be able to answer you."

"It's just…about Father Nightroad. That man…I was wondering if you knew anything about him. Or about…about her." Her eyes went to the coffin. "She seems to be very important to him, but I was afraid to ask. I mean, he was in so much pain when he first came here…I was wondering if you knew what had happened, who she was."

"Ah yes." Caterina's eyes followed hers. "Lilith. The Nia Sancta."

"The Dark Holy Woman?" Esther stared at her, eyes wide. "But…she lived during the great wars." She stopped, remembering what Seth had told her. "Then Father Nightroad…"

"Is far older than he appears." Caterina's face was sad. "And she is…was…perhaps the only woman Abel ever truly loved."

"He loved her?"

"Yes." Caterina's voice was quiet. "He's only told me a little, but I know that much. He…" She smiled, a sad, nostalgic smile. "When I first found him, it was here. And he was still mourning her. Still weeping after nine hundred years."

"He's mourned her for that long?" Esther turned to look at the man still speaking to the Inquisitor on the far side of the room. "He loved her that much?" She couldn't imagine it, a love so deep that it could cause him so much pain after that long. "I see." She hesitated a moment, then spoke again. "He told me that the Contra Mundi killed her, but…that man, the one who killed him…."

"That was the Contra Mundi as well." Caterina's face had gone hard.

"I thought so. It's just…he said…he said he and Father Nightroad were…" She stopped. "The way he spoke to him, and about him, it was as if they knew each other."

"Yes. Abel told me about that." Caterina sighed. "His brother."

"I don't understand. How did all of this happen? Especially to someone like Father Nightroad." Esther looked again at the tall figure on the other side of the room. "How could this…"

"You'll have to ask Abel. He's never told me the whole story. And right now…I'm afraid he's not speaking much to me."

"I thought…I thought he seemed a little odd. Is it because he doesn't want to come back?"

Caterina shook her head. "More the other way around. He doesn't want to come back because of the rift between us." She sighed. "Lilith was like Abel. When he died, I took her Crusnik and gave it to him, to revive him. I'm afraid he hasn't forgiven me for that." Esther winced. She understood what Caterina meant, but she had an urge to comfort the other woman. "I think that perhaps Father Nightroad is still shaken up by what happened. But he might not really be angry at all. I mean…I thought he was very angry with me, because I was there when he died. I thought he blamed me for causing his death. But when I spoke to him…he said it wasn't that at all."

"Generous as ever." Caterina smiled. "I suppose I'll simply have to wait and see." Movement made both of them look at the two men, just in time to see Petros jerk Abel roughly forward. Esther gasped, but a second later, the Inquisitor released the other man. Abel bowed, and then both men turned and approached the women. Caterina eyed the two before her. "I trust you two have ironed things out?"

"Yes. For the moment." Abel spoke softly. "I've explained things to Brother Petros, and he's agreed to keep my…condition…a secret for now."

"I see. Then that simply leaves the question of Esther." Caterina frowned. "She needs to return to Albion as soon as possible, but we can't leave her unprotected." She grimaced. "Unfortunately, the AX department is spread a little thin."

"As is the Inquisitorial department. Between investigating Rosenkreutz and protecting his Holiness and various officials, we're short-staffed." Petros frowned, then folded his arms and leaned against a nearby column. "Well then. The first thing is to get her inside the Vatican." Caterina's eyes narrowed. "My original purpose in coming here was to get Her Majesty. I assume, Brother Petros, that you'd be willing to claim you escorted me?"

"Yes."

"And Tres can also claim that. However, that leaves the question of who brought Esther here, and why they didn't just bring her to the Vatican doors." Caterina groaned and put her hand to her forehead. "Brother is sure to ask." She sighed, then looked at Abel, standing quietly nearby. "Are you sure you won't consider returning to the AX, Abel? This would be a great deal easier if you were to claim you rescued her on your way to return to Rome."

"I can't do that, Caterina. You know why." Abel's dark gaze met her own. "Cardinal di Medici would never stand for it. Not after my death was verified in Albion."

"I suppose you're right. But I still hope that one day you will consider returning." Caterina held his gaze. Abel looked away first. "I don't know. I…still don't know. I'm asking you to accept that for now."

"As you wish. I'll simply report that it was an anonymous friend. Francesco will now I'm hiding something, but it's the best we can do. However, Esther, if you don't mind, I'd like too maintain protection of you after we return you to Albion."

"Yes. It would help." Esther sighed. "I know my advisors are trying their best but…I would be relieved, if they had help. I…worry about them." A wry grin quirked Caterina's mouth. "I know what you mean." She considered. "I can send Tres with you. However…" She turned to face Abel. "I'd like it if you would accompany Esther back to Albion as well, and keep watch over her." Abel stared at her. "Caterina…"

"I know what your mission is. However, Esther needs more protection than she has." She stepped forward. "Right now, Esther seems to be the Order's primary target. The chances of your gaining information on them if you remain with her are extremely high." Abel stiffened, and went pale. "I will not use her as bait, for my own ends." Caterina's voice sharpened. "Do you really think so little of me, that you think I'd suggest such a thing? It merely occurred to me that, since she's already a target, your purpose might be better served at her side. Besides, you can protect her better than any other. You know that Abel." Abel's voice was soft. "And if it's me…that she needs to be protected from?"

"I don't believe that. Not of you, Abel. I trust you." Caterina put a hand on his shoulder, and Abel flinched. "You've had four months. Can you not trust yourself, even a little? Can you not trust me, to know you?"

Abel stared at her for a long moment. Then he took a deep breath, and released it slowly. "Perhaps you're right." He shook his head again. "I apologize, Caterina, for what I said a moment ago. I…hope you understand that I didn't…" He stopped. Then he took her hand gently away from him, and stepped forward to face Esther. He bowed. "Your Majesty, if you are willing, I will return with you to Albion, to help protect you."

"Of course. I'll be glad to have you with me." Esther smiled. "But please Father, I'd like it if you would call me by name. It seems strange to hear you call me Majesty."

"Very well, Miss Esther." He bowed his head again. A quick sad smile touched his face. "You should probably go with Lady Caterina and Brother Petros now. I'll see you when we get ready to depart." He bowed to the three of them, and then turned without another word and strode from the room. Esther looked after him for a moment. "Until then, Father Nightroad."


	7. Seven: Return Home

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Hi everyone yet again another TBWC update I'm sorry for the delay I received this chapter three to four days prior but I as held up with delays and my allergies kicking in other priories that took the energy out of me. But now rejoice chapter seven is finally here enjoy read and please try and review more guys, I do appreciate all the faves and alerts for TBEC but I would like to see more reviews weather good or bad as long as they are not flames.

Some good _contrastive criticism_ from you all and POV"S so far on TBWC would more nice of notice and news for me to read if possible. So without further or do enjoy chapter seven.

**DISCLAIMER:**All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to one of my editors and co-partners in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her own TB stories on which are awesome. Additional thanks to my second co-partner for also participating in helping with this story **KinReynard** check out her own TB story **'Devil His Due' **whom I'm her beta for when possible. When one of my co-partners/editors are unable to continue the other will take over both are involved with this fan fiction as time goes on with it's updates. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice:****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage Against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). ** In adttion to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shapeof or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Seven: ****Return Home**

Three hours later, Esther collapsed into bed, in the state guest room of the Vatican. She sighed, exhaustion washing over her. She closed her eyes, finally relaxing after all the stress of the journey and the past three hours.

Petros and Caterina, with Father Tres behind them, had led her through the doors of the Church. It was strange, to return to the place that had been her home for over a year, escorted as if she were a stranger. Petros had gone to make a preliminary report to the Cardinals and the Pope. Caterina had taken Esther to her own rooms, and provided her with a hot bath. She'd also called a maid, and had clean clothing and a meal brought. Esther had been relieved to wash the grime of her travels away, and to settle down to something other than basic travelling rations. The fresh bread, the slices of roast, and the cool wine were a wonderful change. The clothing provided had been simple attire for a nun but it was clean, and in good repair.

She'd just finished her meal when Caterina reappeared, to escort her to the Pope. His Holiness and all the Church officials were there. Alessandro gave her a warm greeting, asking if she was all right. She'd said yes. To the Cardinal di Medici's questions, she said she had slipped out of the palace, to discover something, and had been captured, only to be rescued by a friend, who had brought her here. He'd contacted Tres, and then Caterina had come to get her. She refused to name her friend, saying he wished to remain anonymous.

An hour later, they'd finally left the hall. Esther sighed. "Cardinal di Medici…I don't think I've ever seen him like that before. He seems…very tense."

Caterina chuckled. "Brother knows we're hiding something, and it annoys him. But there's no help for it. Abel is right, unfortunately. My brother would not stand for his presence." She stopped at a set of doors that Esther recognized. "Here. We can use the communications channel in my office to contact the Albion government, and let them know you are safe."

"Yes of course." Esther swallowed hard. She'd avoided thinking of what she would say to the advisors she'd left behind. Even knowing she'd have to confront them sooner or later, she was reluctant to speak to them now. Caterina watched her. "Is something wrong?"

"I…well," Esther forced a shaky grin. "It's just that I left them rather abruptly. I disappeared and left them to take care of things. But more than that, I went against what they asked of me. I'm afraid…they're probably very angry with me."

"I understand." Caterina settled on the other side of her desk, and folded her hands in front of her. "But they are probably angry because they are worried."

"I know. It's just…knowing that it was Dietrich, knowing what he could do to them…I just couldn't stay. I was afraid they'd get hurt. Or worse, that he'd get one of them, and I'd…I'd have to…" She faltered.

"I understand that feeling very well indeed." Caterina studied her. "On those lines, I'd like to give you some advice." She studied the air above Esther's head for a moment. "It's true, sometimes your subordinates will get hurt defending you. And sometimes, you and they may be forced to do things you don't want. And yes, they may be taken by the enemy and turned against you. However…you cannot let that stop you." Her cool grey eyes met Esther's solemn and calm. "Even knowing all that, it's important that you trust them, and rely on them. It's the strength of that trust that forms the bond that protects them. If they know you rely on them, they will work harder not to let you down. If you make it clear that part of that reliance is on their ability to stay safe, then they will make every effort to protect themselves. And they in turn will trust you and support you in your battles. They will trust you to stand beside them."

"I see." Esther considered the thought for a moment. "But…if they are taken..."

"If they go willingly, then the trust is broken, and the person you knew is no longer there. And if they are taken by force…" Caterina's gaze hardened. "Then you must be prepared to act. And you must understand…if they were truly trapped against their will, then to stop them is probably the greatest mercy you can give them."

"I see." Esther bowed her head, thinking over the words. Though the advice went against her instincts, she found herself remembering Radu and Ion, and she knew Caterina was right. "Well, then I suppose I'll simply have to make it up to them, for running off like that." She raised her head, her eyes filled with determination. "Please Lady Caterina, I'd like to call my people now."

"Of course." Caterina smiled, and thumbed the communication console, tapping out the code for Albion, Buckingham Palace. A moment later, a familiar face shimmered into view. "Good evening." Esther smiled. "Good evening, Colonel Spencer." Her advisor started slightly, then bowed. "Your Majesty. You've arrived safely in the Vatican?"

"Yes, I have. Lady Caterina's people delivered me just this evening."

"I'm relieved to hear that. Lord Walsh and I were becoming concerned. However, I trust you've taken no injury?"

"No. I'm perfectly fine." Esther smiled again, then met her advisors gaze. "However, I'd like to return home as soon as possible. I'm afraid I've gotten a bit behind on the things I need to do."

"I understand, Your Majesty. However…" Something flickered in Mary's gaze. "We're still working to make sure the Palace grounds are secure."

"It's fine. I'm sure I'll be safe with you." Esther let a little sadness touch her face. "I do apologize for running off like that. I'm afraid I got a little confused there for a moment. I'm very sorry. I'll remember not to do things like that in the future." Something softened in the Colonel's gaze. "There's no need to apologize to me, Majesty." Mary bowed her head. "I will say I'm not completely convinced of the safety of this place, however, if Your Majesty truly wishes to return…"

"I do." Esther straightened. "If it's all right with Lady Caterina, I'd like to make arrangements tonight."

"As you wish, Majesty. I'll go inform Lord Walsh." Esther saw the image move, as if Mary had stood, and then the other woman stopped. Your Majesty, I would recommend you get some rest. You appear quite fatigued. Lord Walsh and I will make the arrangements."

"All right." Esther stood. "Thank you very much, Colonel." Esther sighed, as the events of the evening finished replaying in her mind. Caterina had sent a sister to lead her to the guest room, while she and Esther's advisors made plans for her travels. The room was in the same wing that Caterina resided in, so it was fairly safe. She sighed again, then moved into a more comfortable position. In moments, she was fast asleep.

Esther woke the next morning to sunlight shining through the windows of her room. It took a moment to remember she was in the Vatican, then she stretched and walked to the window. Outside was a view of the formal gardens. She smiled, remembering all the times she'd sought refuge in those gardens. Remembering…all the times she'd shared with the AX. The smile faltered a little, as her thoughts turned to the men she'd left behind the night before. _Father Nightroad, and the Earl of Memphis…I wonder how they're doing. I hope they got a chance to eat something, and rest a little. Particularly the Father._

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. She turned, calling her permission, and a young nun dressed in the habit of a novice entered. The young woman bowed. "Your Highness. Cardinal Sforza asked me to come see if you were awake. She says if you're feeling ready, that she'd like you to join her for breakfast."

"Of course. Thank you. I'll be ready in just a moment." Esther smiled, and moved towards the clean clothes the young sister laid out for her. The girl bowed again and withdrew, though Esther suspected she was waiting just outside the door. She smiled, feeling the nostalgia creeping up on her again as she slipped into the clothing. She could remember being the young sister assigned to handle odd jobs. She took a few minutes to smooth out the skirt, and to brush her hair and pin it back, then went to the door. Sure enough, the young woman was standing there to greet her. "Thank you for waiting. I'm ready now."

"Yes, Excellency. This way please." The sister led her through the halls to a room she recognized as Caterina's. A quick knock was answered from inside, and the young woman pushed door open and bowed her through it. Caterina was sitting at a small table, drinking tea. A folded paper was perched elegantly on one knee. As always, she was dressed in immaculate robes, her hair pulled back and elegantly styled. At Esther's entrance, she looked up and smiled. "Good morning, Esther. Please, join me."

"Thank you, Lady Caterina." Esther took a seat next to the other woman, then reached across to pour herself some tea. At Caterina's gesture, she filled her plate with a roll and some fruit, then settled back. "It looks delicious."

"Yes. It's quite good." Caterina folded the paper and set it down, then reached across to take a roll and the small dish of butter. "The Vatican chefs really are excellent."

"Yes. They are." Esther smiled. There was silence for a few minutes as the two women applied themselves to breakfast. It was only as each of them settled back into their seats with a new cup of tea that Esther spoke. "Regarding the arrangements for my trip home…has there been any decision made, Your Eminence?"

"Ah yes. Your advisors and I discussed it last night. We'll be escorting you to the Iron Maiden this afternoon. Sister Kate will take you back to Albion. Father Tres will escort you back as well, and remain to assist with guarding you."

"I see. And what about…" She stopped, unsure what she could say within the walls. "What of the men who were with me earlier?"

"Ah yes. Abel and the Earl of Memphis. Kate will be picking them up before we take you on board. They'll be brought on this morning, while the flight checks are done." Caterina sighed. "It seems like the safest way to do things. We'll simply have to hope there are no people poking around." She set her teacup down. "In the meantime, I'd advise you to rest and relax. Things are sure to be hectic when you return home."

"I see. Well, thank you. If you think it's all right, I'd like to take a walk in the gardens. I have some very fond memories of them." Caterina smiled. "Of course. That sounds like a fine idea. Unfortunately, I can't join you myself. But I think it would be wise to send someone with you, and I know just the people." She rose and went to a call panel, and tapped a button. Minutes later, there was a knock on the door, and the Professor and Havel entered. Professor Wordsworth brightened immediately. "Esther, it's good to see you." He chuckled. "Silly me, where are my manners?" He removed the pipe from his mouth, and swept her a graceful bow. "Welcome to the Vatican, Your Majesty. It's good to see you safe and sound." Esther flushed. "Thank you Professor. You know, you really don't have to be so formal. We're old friends after all."

"That's as may be. But a gentleman of Albion should always show the proper respect for his ruler." Professor Wordsworth grinned as he set his pipe back between his teeth. "Now then, what can we do for you?"

"Esther mentioned she would like to walk in the gardens. I was wondering if you two might escort her." Caterina folded the paper. "I would come myself, unfortunately, I have duties."

"Understood." The Professor bowed again, then straightened and held out his arm for Esther. "Shall we?"

Esther took his arm, still blushing slightly. "Yes, of course. Thank you." The next few hours were wonderful. Esther sat among the roses and flowers near the fountain, and talked with the two men. Vaclav's gentle presence was soothing, and to her surprise, the Professor had an enormous amount of advice to offer. When they got side-tracked discussing the kingdom, he smiled. "You know, I went to school with a lot of noble gentlemen. Why don't you tell me who it is you're dealing with these days?" The question led to a lengthy discussion about various courtiers, and about life in the Albion Royal circles in general. About noon, Vaclav went and brought tea and sandwiches and they had a quiet little picnic. Professor Wordsworth had her laughing over several personal accounts of the men and women she worked with. The sun was low in the sky when the sound of footsteps interrupted them. Esther turned, to see Father Tres approaching. The android priest stopped a few feet away and regarded her with that closed stare. "Lady Esther Blanchett. It is now time for you to embark on board the Iron Maiden. Please accompany me to the ship immediately."

"Of course." Esther rose and bowed to her companions. "Thank you very much for the stories, Father Wordsworth."

"You're welcome." The Professor smiled at her. "Feel free to call on me at any time."

"Thank you." Esther offered him one more smile, then followed the android priest through the gardens. Twenty minutes later, they were boarding the Iron Maiden. Ion met her just inside the door. "Esther! How are you doing?"

"I'm doing quite well." She grinned at him. "And how are you and Father Nightroad?"

"We're doing very well. Lady Caterina sent us some food supplies, so we actually had a very nice evening." He grinned as he fell into step beside her. "And then Father Tres had us board this morning."

"I see. Are you coming to Albion with us?"

"Yes. I'm still assisting Father Nightroad." He sighed. "I called the Empire last night, and I was ordered to stay with him."

"I'm actually very glad to hear that." Esther smiled at him. "I look forward to working with you again, Your Excellency." Ion matched her smile with one of his own. "I'm looking forward to it as well." The journey to Albion was a short one, only a one night journey, and quiet. Esther spent most of her time staring out through the windows of the bridge. She hoped Abel might join her, but the silver-haired priest stayed out of sight for the entire flight. Ion kept her company through the trip, asking questions about the Albion court and the nobility. He took his role as an ambassador to Esther's country very seriously, and had every intention of making a good impression on the people he came in contact with. As she outlined things for him, he sighed. "It seems very different from the Empire."

"Well, it is, a bit." Esther considered. "I think that it would really be best if you spoke with Lord Walsh when we get there. He's probably the person who will be able to help you the most."

"Lord Walsh…I think Father Nightroad mentioned him." Ion frowned at the glass, thinking. "He said that he needed to speak with him." Esther nodded. "I can see why. Father Nightroad has access to the Underground, and that's really under the control of Lord Walsh's family, as the Earl of Manchester." She tilted her head. "I'll make sure I introduce you as soon as possible."

"Thank you. That would be a big help." Ion looked out of the window. "The view is…very impressive, isn't it?" Esther nodded her agreement, and the two of them spoke of inconsequential things until the lights of Londinium came into sight. As they went through landing procedures Esther hurried to change clothes and prepare for disembarking. She was relieved to be home, but at the same time, she could feel a lump of apprehension in her stomach. She'd made a sort of peace with Mary last night, but she'd yet to speak to Virgil, and she was sure he was upset. Though he'd probably never show it unless directly asked, she knew her aide felt strongly about her presence in the country. She sighed, then pushed the thoughts aside. There was nothing she could do about it until she had a chance to speak to him alone. She made sure she had everything with her, then went to the main doors.

To her surprise, Abel, Tres and Ion were already there. As she appeared, all three men straightened, then fell in around her like an honor guard. She blinked up at Abel. "What's all this about, Father?"

"Well, we are escorting the Queen of Albion home." Abel's voice had a distant quality about it, but it was still friendly enough. "Appearances do have to be maintained, you know."

"Oh. Of course. Thank you, for escorting me." She smiled at him, then turned to face the door as it opened, with the three men behind her. Virgil Walsh and Colonel Spencer were waiting to greet her, with an honor guard waiting a respectful distance away. As Esther stepped forward onto the landing platform, both of them bowed. Virgil spoke. "Your Majesty, welcome home. We're honored to greet you, as well as these gentlemen." His tone was polite and formal, and revealed nothing of his feelings. Esther inclined her head in return. "Lord Walsh. Thank you for meeting me. If you don't mind, my escort would like to make your acquaintance."

"Of course, Your Majesty." He straightened, then addressed the three men with her. "Lord Virgil Walsh, Count of Manchester, Governor of the Albion Underground, and Aide to her Majesty. My companion is Colonel Mary Spencer, Head of the Albion Royal Army."

"Father Tres Iquis, of the Vatican Foreign Affairs department, AX division. I have been assigned to assist with the protection of Her Majesty, Esther Blanchett." Esther knew that Father Tres couldn't help his programming, but the bluntness of his speech made her wince a little. Ion stepped forward quickly and bowed. "I am Ion Fortuna, Earl of Memphis, servant and envoy of her Imperial Majesty, the Empress Augusta Veradica. I have been requested to assist with protection of Her Majesty, as well as establishing relations between our two countries. I look forward to working with you, Count of Manchester."

"Likewise, Your Excellency." Virgil's gaze slipped to the third man, standing quiet behind the other two. He bowed his head. "Forgive my rudeness, my lord, but would you by chance be Father Nightroad of the Vatican?"

"I would." Abel bowed. "I do beg your pardon, my lord. It seems I intruded on your lands some time back. Tres informed me that we'd been noticed, but I'm afraid I was in a bit of a hurry at the time."

"I understand. However, if it's not too much trouble, I'd like some information on the access codes you used. And if I may…rumor has it you were deceased." Virgil's eyes were sharp, measuring, and Esther had the feeling he was sizing Abel up.

"Yes, well…" Abel offered him a brittle smile. "I'm afraid that's not something I'm prepared to discuss. However, about my entry into the Underground…I would be more than willing to explain that. In fact, if you'll permit, I may be able to help you with security there. I have some proficiency with computers."

"Indeed." Virgil's face didn't change, but Esther thought he sounded faintly approving. Then the lord inclined his head. "I'd welcome your assistance, Father. We're actually in the middle of some extensive updates, and any aid you can give is appreciated." He gestured towards Buckingham Palace. "Now, if you'd like to join me. I believe you've had a long flight, and we have refreshments and rooms waiting for you." He bowed to Esther again. "You're Majesty…"

"Of course. Thank you, Lord Walsh." She stepped forward, and the others fell in around her. Virgil and Mary led them to one of the smaller meeting rooms. A table at the side held food and drinks. Virgil gestured "My lords." He moved to one side, and picked up a small case. "My lord Fortuna…it was requested I have this on hand for you." He held it out. Ion took the case and opened it. "Aqua Vitae. Thank you, Lord Walsh." He smiled. He pocketed the case and poured a glass of light wine. He turned. "Esther, would you like something?"

"Just water please." She smiled as she took the glass. Tres wasn't drinking anything, of course, and neither Mary or Virgil seemed inclined to drink. Abel took water, and a small cookie off the tray. They stood around in awkward silence for a few minutes. Finally, Mary broke the silence. "You must be fatigued. We'll show you to your rooms."

"Negative. I do not feel fatigue." Tres moved forward. "Colonel Mary Spencer, I request permission to begin patrol of the grounds."

"Of course." Mary nodded. "I'll supply you with a detailed layout."

"Agreed. Father Nightroad, I recommend you and the Earl of Memphis also commence your work."

"Ah, of course." Abel set his glass down. "Lord Walsh, if you'd care to take Her Majesty to her quarters, I'll await your convenience."

"Thank you. Your Majesty?" Esther nodded, and set her own glass down. The other men bade her a quiet good night. Virgil escorted her to her room. He was quiet, and his face was impassive. She stopped outside her doors. "Lord Walsh…"

"You must be tired, Majesty."

"A bit…but I wanted to speak with you." Virgil bowed. "Of course. However, I suggest we speak in the morning, after you've rested."

"Oh…all right. If you think that would be better." She gave him an uncertain smile. "Please, make sure you get some rest as well."

"As you wish." He bowed again, the long curtain of blond hair falling forward to hide his expression. Esther sighed and shut the door. Esther woke the next morning feeling refreshed, but nervous. She dressed quickly. She'd just finished breakfast when Virgil entered her small dining room. He shut the door behind him, then moved to a spot in front of the table and bowed. "Good Morning, Your Majesty." He straightened "I believe you wished to speak with me."

"Yes, I did." Esther fiddled with her glass and set her napkin aside. "I…" She stood. "I wanted to apologize. For leaving the way I did. It was…unfair of me."

"I see." Virgil's face remained still, but she caught the slight tensing of the lean frame. "I appreciate your courtesy."

"Well…I just…I apologized to Mary earlier. I…understand if you're angry, but I wanted to tell you how sorry I was." Virgil stood silent a moment, then turned away to look at the window. "Your Majesty, if I may speak plainly."

"Of course. You always have permission." His voice was low and harsh when he spoke, and she could hear the barely controlled anger and hurt in it. "What you did was reckless. And worse, it endangered everything we have worked for." He stood quiet a moment. "In truth, I came this morning to offer my resignation. If you do not trust me to protect you…"

"No. It's not that." Esther stepped forward around the table. "I trust you. It's just that…I…I couldn't simply sit by and do nothing. I didn't want to watch someone else get injured because of me."

"I am aware of your feelings. But…" He turned to her. "You are the most important person in this country. You are the only hope my people have. Their only hope for freedom." His voice was soft and intense. "Your predecessor asked me to find you, and take care of you. She said you were the star of hope for a brighter future. I believed her, and in her choice. And you risked…all of that. You, who are the only heir to the queen and prince that I believed in and served, risked your life. I know your reasons for it and I am sorry, Majesty, but I do not agree with them. I cannot condone such actions, especially not for that." He looked away. "I appreciate your concern for my safety but, if my presence endangers you…then I would prefer to leave your service."

"I'd like you to stay." Esther stepped forward. "I…realize what I did was very foolish of me. But I…I just couldn't think straight for a while there. However…" She stepped in front of him. "I apologize for my actions, Lord Walsh, and I'd appreciate if you would stay. Despite what I've done, I still need your support and counsel, very much, and I still rely on your advice a great deal. I'd like to ask you to reconsider your resignation." She bowed.

"Your Majesty…" She could hear the shock in his voice. "You shouldn't…." She straightened. "I know…a queen shouldn't bow. But… you did deserve an apology. And I'm afraid this is the best I can do." She met his eyes with her own. His gaze held hers for a long moment, and then he inclined his head. "If you feel that strongly about it, Majesty, then I will stay. However, I ask that you let me protect you. Please, next time, heed my words more carefully."

"I will. I'm counting on you, Lord Walsh. But please…promise you'll take care of yourself, you and Colonel Spencer both. I appreciate your desire to protect me, but…I want you safe as well."

"I will do my best." His eyes were still grave, but she saw the relaxing of his body. "Thank you." She held his stare a moment longer, then broke it with a small smile. "I suppose I'd better start getting caught up on my work. I'm sure it must have accumulated quite badly."

"There is a fair amount. However, if you will allow me, Majesty, I would be honoured to assist you." The formal words no longer held the sting of anger. Esther smiled as he accompanied her down the hall to her office, and bent to her work with a light heart. The next few days were entirely occupied with catching up. There were piles of paperwork that had to be dealt with. There were also the questions from her councillors, the various reports she had to look into, and everything else she'd fallen behind in. Virgil and Mary both pitched in to help her, but there was still a great deal to be done, and not enough hours in the day to deal with it.

Father Tres reported in at least once a day. He and Mary worked together securing the Palace grounds. The two of them were working to secure any possible leaks in the Palace. Mary had found the one maid who had started the story that Esther was missing. She was young and prone to fits of anxiety. The two women conferred and decided to let her go. The second night, Ion came to see her, escorted by Virgil. "Good evening, Esther."

"Good evening." Esther smiled. "I hope you're doing well."

"I am. Father Nightroad and I are working on the Underground with Lord Walsh." He came forward and settled into a chair, and his smile was rueful. "Actually, it's mostly Father Nightroad who's working."

"Lord Fortuna has been assisting me in maintaining contact with Father Nightroad." Virgil took a seat as well. "The Father is currently working in some of our more secure sections of the Underground. He's assisting me with the software protections."

"I see. How is it going?"

"Quite well. I estimate that we'll be finished in half the time I originally suggested we might need." His eyes were dark, distant. "That man…I don't know how he does it. But he's even accessed the deepest sections. And his talents are incredible." Esther found herself remembering Carthage, and Istvan. In both locations, she'd seen Abel handle technology that had been lost for ages. Though he'd never indicated he's studied computers, he'd known the commands. She frowned, trying to recollect those incidents. He'd given some sort of pass…she remembered that from Istvan. An identification code that had allowed him to destroy the Star of Sorrow with a single command.

"Your Majesty?" Esther blinked, then realized that both men were staring at her.

"I'm sorry, I was just thinking a moment." She met Virgil's gaze. "Are things going all right with Father Nightroad? I realize he might be doing things a bit strangely but…is there something that concerns you?"

"That man has access to the core programming for the entire Ghetto. However…" Virgil's eyes were thoughtful. "I don't believe he has any ill intention. He's allowed me to look over the work he's doing, and duplicate it, and what he's done…is a great benefit. I believe there is no cause for concern. However, I'd like to continue to monitor him."

"Of course. I'd appreciate it if both of you would keep me informed of what's going on. And Lord Ion…" She hesitated. "Please tell Father Nightroad I send my greetings."

"I will. Would you like to me to pass on a request for him to come see you?"

"No…not right now." She blushed slightly. "I'm sure Father Nightroad is very busy." They spoke for a few minutes more, and then Esther returned to her paperwork, and Ion and Virgil left to return to the Ghetto. After that, the young Earl of Memphis came to visit frequently. He took to stopping in about every other night to speak with her. Esther enjoyed the visits. She found the friendly conversation soothing, and Ion's reassurances to be very helpful. But he and Virgil took great care to keep her up to date on what was happening. And as the time passed without incident, Esther began to relax a little. However, one thing continued to bother her. Abel. Since they'd arrived in Albion, she hadn't seen him. He did send messages, with Ion or Virgil, and he kept her up to date on his actions, but he never came and spoke with her. Despite Ion's friendship and warmth, she found she missed Abel's presence. The warm, reassuring friend and father figure she loved, the companion who had so often been behind her…she missed his being there.

Worse was the feeling that he was deliberately distancing himself from her, as he had before. And though she wanted to speak with him, she couldn't bring herself to go into the Ghetto. The memories of the last time she'd followed him there were too vivid. She was reluctant to bring them out again. So she left it alone, and let him work in peace. A month after her return, Virgil appeared in her office with a message. "Your Majesty…there is a call from the Empire for you. It was indicated as a private call."

"Oh?" Esther set her pen down. "Please, put it through."

"Yes, Your Majesty." He turned on the com panel on her desk, then straightened. "I will leave you to take your call. Please, feel free to contact me if you need something." Before she could even reply, he bowed and left the room. Seconds later, a familiar face appeared in the air above her desk. Esther smiled. "Good evening, Your Imperial Highness."

"Good evening." Seth smiled, and tapped one hand to the side of her face. "But Esther, you should know by now…it's just Seth."

"Yes, of course." Esther nodded. "I trust you're doing well."

"Pretty well. Things have been a lot quieter for me than they have for you." Seth grinned. "I heard you were back a while ago, but as I remember, it usually takes some time to get caught up, so I thought I'd give you a little time to settle back in."

"Thank you. I appreciate the courtesy." Esther smiled and tucked a stray strand of hair out of her face self-consciously. "There's a lot to be done, but I think I'm almost caught up again." She looked away. "Did you hear…about Father Nightroad?"

Seth nodded. "I did hear that Abel rescued you, and that he's currently in Albion, working on security of some sort." She paused. "How is he?"

"I'm not really sure." Esther felt a sad smile cross her face. "I haven't seen him since we arrived here. He's remained in the Underground. Ion…I mean the Earl of Memphis…has been kind enough to bring me reports, so I suppose he's all right, but he hasn't spoken to me."

"Oh brother." Seth sighed. "Have you gotten to talk to him at all?"

"I did speak to him a few times, on our journey to the Vatican. I was afraid he was angry with me but…he says it's not that. The one time I spoke to him, he would only tell me that he was…ashamed." She bit her lip. "And I haven't had a chance to speak with him since."

"Ah." Seth sighed. "Still the same old Abel." She settled back. "I was hoping he'd have relaxed a little by now."

"Please…I don't understand." Esther looked into the green eyes of the other girl. "If you don't mind…do you know something about Father Nightroad's condition? Is there something I can help with?"

"Well, I'm not really sure. It's really Abel's problem, you know." Seth sighed again. "But I think…I think Brother Abel is probably still pretty scared."

"Scared?" Esther considered. She remembered, he'd said something like that to Caterina. "But why?"

"Hmmm…I really ought to let Abel tell you that. But since he probably won't, I guess it wouldn't hurt to give you a general idea." Seth sat up straight. "I think I told you once, that Abel isn't my only brother."

"Yes. You mentioned there were two boys." That had been when Seth was pretending to be a tea seller, but she'd remembered it.

"Well, my other brother had a really bad accident once, and Abel…Abel wanted to save him. So we used a Crusnik fusion on him, like what the Cardinal Sforza used on Abel. But…something went wrong that time." Seth's voice went soft, and her eyes were dark with unhappiness. "We still don't know what happened, but he…my other brother…he went crazy. He even…killed someone very dear to Abel." Seth grimaced. "Abel…when I spoke with him before…he's afraid the same thing will happen to him." The green eyes met Esther's. "He's afraid he'll change like that." A small smile touched her mouth. "I really don't think it will happen. My brother Abel just isn't that kind of person. But he is the kind who would worry about that. So he's still afraid. Even after he's had months to recover Abel is…very concerned."

"I see. Is there anything I can do?"

Seth ran a hand through her short black hair. "I'm not sure. Really, what Abel needs is to be around people. He needs to allow himself some interaction, to reaffirm the connections he has. I really think you'd be good for him, but I don't know how you'll drag him out of his hole." That wry, rueful smile flashed across her face again. "Abel can be very stubborn."

"Yes, he can." Esther bowed her head. "Thank you for telling me about this. I'll do whatever I can, and I promise I'll let you know if anything happens."

"Thanks Esther." There was a noise off in the background. Seth blinked. "Ahh…it's time for my Council meeting. I gotta run. But it was good to speak with you, Esther."

"You as well." Esther smiled, and a moment later, the image on her desk winked out. Esther stared at the com panel for a few moments, then went back to the work she'd been doing. Seth's words remained in her mind over the next few days. Though she said nothing of it to Ion or Virgil, she considered it often. Finally, she decided to address her thoughts to the young Methuselah lord. Ion came the next night. The sat chatting for a few moments, and were enjoying a friendly silence, when Esther spoke. "I've been meaning to ask you…about Father Nightroad. Is he…does he talk to you often?"

"Well...I talk to him almost every night. But it's strange. He rarely ever meets with me. I've been staying with Lord Walsh mostly." Ion's eyes looked off into the distance. "When I travelled with him, he was like that, a little bit. He would speak to me, but he went off on his own a great deal. It's almost like…it's as if he was avoiding me somewhat. But I never asked him about it. After what happened…"

"I understand. I was just wondering." They spoke for a few more minutes and then Ion left again. Two hours later, Virgil came in to give a report on the Ghetto. "I believe the new security will be ready within the next three days, Your Majesty."

"I see. And what do you intend to do next?"

"With your permission, Vanessa and I would like to formally staff the safe houses and the Embassy. It would be useful to have ears on the surface and in the city. Also, considering we now have an Imperial Envoy in residence, I think it would be a good idea to have a place for him to reside, other than the informal rooms in the Palace and the Ghetto."

"That's an excellent idea. If you'd like to bring that up in Council tomorrow, I'll give you my full support. Have you spoken to Colonel Spencer about this?"

"I have not. I wished to know how you felt about it first. However, I will speak with her on the matter this evening."

"All right." She hesitated. "And what of Father Tres and Father Nightroad? I know Father Tres is working with Colonel Spencer on maintaining other security but…did you wish to request his services?"

"Not at this time. It's better if Vanessa's forces handle things for now. However, I'm not sure what we should do about Father Nightroad. His aid in the Ghetto is invaluable, however…"

"I understand. I actually have an idea. When you finish implementing the computer security…please tell him I requested he report to me."

"As you wish." Virgil bowed, and talk turned to other matters. Mary was in full agreement with establishing the safe houses. In her own words, the more trusted eyes they had in the city, the better. The next day, when the Council of Lords met, both she and Esther threw their full weight behind Virgil's request for assistance. The motion passed with no trouble. That evening, Vanessa came to Esther's office with a list of possible staff and security for the Embassy and the way-station houses. She and Colonel Spencer spent an hour or so discussing ways to check those assigned, both for allegiance and for possible tampering by outside forces. Tres also contributed his input, and even Virgil joined in with some practical suggestions. Ion offered to assist as well. He had experience with the manipulation techniques that Dietrich used, and it was agreed his knowledge would be valuable.

It was a very successful meeting, and Esther went to bed that night feeling relieved. She as looking forward to seeing her subjects from the Ghetto and Londinium get the chance to mingle. It was the only way to prove to people that Methuselah weren't monsters. Hopefully, it would ease tension between the races and pave the way for peace. The next morning, Esther woke, then stretched and went to the window. Looking through the glass, she found herself smiling. In the meeting, Mary had suggested making the staff partly human, and partly Methuselah. Surprisingly, she'd already discussed it with some of her officers, and found some volunteers. It appeared that during the reconstruction of the Palace, several of the Methuselah workers and human palace staff had found a chance to mingle and speak with each other. She smiled out at the clean unmarked front of the Palace. The work had been finished a few days prior. She hoped it was a good omen for what she planned to do.

She looked at it for a moment longer, then turned and began to get ready for the day. There was a great deal of work to be done regarding the project of the way-houses, and she wanted it done as soon as possible. She was finishing up some supply paperwork that evening when a soft knock on the door startled her. She looked up, a bit surprised when no one entered. Then she set her pen aside. "Enter." The door opened, and Abel walked into the room. He strode to the center of her office, then bowed. "Your Majesty. Lord Walsh informed me that you wished me to report to you upon completion of the software security."

"Yes. I did. Are you finished with your work, then?" Esther sat back, watching him as she spoke. He raised his head, but he didn't look at her. Instead he looked at something on the far wall. "I've completed most of it. The main systems are protected, and the civilian residence areas have new security in place. There are still more tests that could be run, but I believe it's fairly safe, Your Majesty."

"Thank you. But please Father, you needn't be so formal. After all, you were my partner before…and you are someone I consider a very dear friend. Please, have a seat."

"As you wish." He moved forward and settled into a seat, still not quite looking at her. In the light of the lamps, she saw the paleness of his face, and the tension in his frame. "Your Majesty…"

"Esther." She cut him off. "Please Father…I'd appreciate it if you'd call me by name. It just…it feels strange for you to address me so formally." He relaxed, just a fraction. "Very well, Miss Esther." He bowed his head slightly. "Is there anything else you needed to speak with me about?"

"Yes actually." Esther chewed on her lip thoughtfully for a moment, trying to frame her question. "Now that you've finished your work with Virgil, what do you plan to do?"

"I'm not sure. Patrol Londinium perhaps. I know Tres is working with your military advisor, and I've told them both everything I know about the Order. I suppose I will simply look for any clues I can find."

"I see." Esther thought a moment. "Actually Father, I have a request for you." Abel blinked and finally looked at her. "Yes?"

"Lord Walsh is starting a new project for me and I…" She paused, then smiled a little. "I was wondering if you would agree to take over his duty of watching over me in the evenings. To ease his workload a little. You'll still be able to consult with him, and with Father Tres and the Earl of Memphis. But I'd feel much safer, and I think Lord Walsh might feel better easier about his work as well." Abel stiffened. "Miss Esther…"

"Please Father. I think it would help a great deal. I know it would lighten Lord Walsh's workload. If you could work with him and Colonel Spencer…."

"Miss Esther…I'm not sure it is a wise decision." He sighed, then rose and went to the window. "Your court will certainly have something to say about it. And I…" he stopped. She stood, and moved to stand beside him. "I know. I spoke to Lady Caterina, and to Seth."

"Seth?" He blinked.

"Yes. She told me, when we first started holding conferences on the matter of the Alliance, that she was your sister. She also told me that you might be…unsettled. She asked me to make sure you weren't alone too much."

Abel sighed again. "Esther….I…"

"I know. And you don't have to stay up here the whole time. After all, the Count of Manchester and Colonel Spencer will both be working with me, and I'm sure the Earl of Memphis and Father Tres are also watching over me. but I…I miss having you by my side, Father." He looked out into the darkness. "Esther…I…I appreciate your confidence in me but…" His head bowed. "I don't have that confidence in myself, not yet. And even if I did…" he paused a moment. "I have to continue to pursue Rosenkreutz…and _him._"

"I know Father." She swallowed back the lump in her throat at the sudden coldness in his voice. "However, if you'd consent to take rooms here, and take guard duty…perhaps three to four nights a week. And then take the rest of the time to hunt the Order and take care of security matters. It would be a great help. Besides, it isn't…Father Nightroad, I think…I don't think it's good for you to be alone with this too much." She reached out, and laid a careful hand on his arm. Abel stiffened a moment, then sighed and relaxed. "You really have been talking to Seth, haven't you?" he looked out the window, lost in thought for a few moments. Finally, he turned to her and bowed, carefully. "Very well. I will…accept your request. If you'll work out with the others when you wish for me to take the watch, I'll take over then."

"And will you consent to take rooms here? After all, it makes a great deal more sense if you work and sleep here. You'll be right nearby in case of an emergency." She saw the tension in his face. "If you wish, I can ask for your rooms to be in the private wing of the palace. It's quieter there. You won't have to face as many people."

"I…thank you." His voice was soft. "That would probably be best."

"All right. I'll discuss it with Virgil later this evening." She smiled. "Thank you Father." He looked at her for a moment, his eyes shadowed behind his glasses. Then he bowed. "You're welcome. Is there anything further you need, Miss Esther?"

"No." He started to turn away, but she caught one sleeve, remembering a time when he had once greeted her after a long absence. "Father…" she smiled. "It's been a while, hasn't it? I look forward to working with you." He looked surprised for a moment, then she saw the memory in his gaze. Real amusement, the first she'd seen since their reunion, touched the winter blue eyes and curved the corner of his mouth into a faint smile. He looked again as she was used to him looking, bemused and slightly amused. And when he spoke, the darkness that clouded his tone had slipped away, yielding to the gentle amusement in that smile. "Yes. Same here." He bowed once more, and then slipped out the door. Virgil appeared an hour later, and Mary shortly after that. The two of them outlined a plan with the safe-houses. As Esther had predicted, it was going to take a lot of time, effort and supervision. Mary sighed. "It's going to be tough, handling all this and guard details." Esther nodded. "I have a solution, to help with that, actually. I thought…I thought you might be stretched a bit thin…so I asked Father Nightroad if he'd be willing to help with guarding me. He said he'd be willing to take shifts three or four nights a week."

"The Father…yes, he would be an excellent guard." Mary nodded thoughtfully. "Despite his appearance, he's quite talented. I did some research when he arrived here, and spoke with Father Tres. He said Father Nightroad had…unparalleled skills." Virgil nodded as well, and the three of them spent a few minutes discussing possible rotations of guards, as well as Palace quarters for Abel. She was a little surprised when neither of her advisors objected to housing Abel in what was supposed to be the Royal Wing, but Virgil only shrugged. "If he is to be your guard for the evenings, it only makes sense. He should be nearby, in case of emergency. I believe the room across the hall will be suitable. It is close enough for him to respond to your needs, and yet far enough away to maintain the expected standards of propriety." He turned his gaze to Esther. "Shall I have the servants arrange it?"

"Yes, please." Esther smiled. "I suppose I ought to get used to giving my own orders. But it still feels strange to me." Mary chuckled. "In this case, it's actually better if you let Lord Walsh or I give the commands. After all, it prevents odd rumors floating around, which there will be if the maids heard you requesting rooms for a priest, especially one you were known to be close to before." Esther flushed. She knew quite well what kinds of rumors Mary was referring to. "It's not like that. The Father is…very proper." Mary nodded. "Virgil and I are aware of that." She bowed. "Do not worry, Majesty. We won't allow any such rumor to be spread." Esther flushed again. "Thank you." They returned to their work. It was only later that Esther considered Mary's words again. Father Nightroad. She cared for him, very deeply, she knew that. He'd been her friend and her guardian for her years in the AX. She looked up to him, a great deal. She considered it. She did love him. But…she sighed. Seeing him die had been one of the worst moments of her life. Worse than when Bishop Laura had died. And it bothered her when he avoided her, as he had been doing. But she'd been raised in a church, and she knew that there were several different kinds of love. A daughter's love. A friend's love. A student's love for a gentle, supportive teacher. She sighed again, then decided to put the matter out of her mind. Things were already confused enough between the two of them. Besides…she remembered the haunted look in his eyes all too well.

And she remembered his grief, for the woman who had lain in the coffin in the ancient crypt, and the pain he had borne at the death of Sister Noelle. The sister had loved him, and he had certainly cared for her. With everything that had happened, now was not the time to burden him with these sorts of questions. The next night, Virgil appeared at her door with Abel in tow. Watching them walk in, Esther was struck by how similar the two men were. Business-like, dressed in their working clothes (a plain suit for Virgil and a priest's cassock for Abel). Both men came forward, Abel a step or so behind Virgil, then stopped and offered her a bow. "Good evening, Majesty."

"Good evening, Lord Walsh. And you as well Father Nightroad." Esther nodded back. Virgil straightened. "As we discussed, I will leave Father Nightroad here to guard you. If you have no duties for me to look into, then I will take my leave of you for the evening, Majesty. There are some matters in the Ghetto that Vanessa has asked me to help her attend to."

"Of course. I wish you the best of luck." She smiled. "You were also planning to start selecting the staff for the way-houses and the Embassy this evening, weren't you?"

"Yes Majesty." Virgil didn't quite smile, but she could tell he was looking forward to it. He wasn't really a people person, not with his quiet manner. And he certainly liked the machines and the activity of his underground city more than he liked court. But still, she knew he enjoyed spending time among his people, and the opportunity to offer them a chance to be out in Londinium openly, for the first time in centuries, had to be exciting him. She waved him away, and he bowed once more, then left the office in the quick stride she was learning to associate with an excited state of mind for him. Abel stood still in the center of the room. Esther offered him a smile, then gestured him to sit in one of the chairs. He settled into it willingly enough, but he still seemed ill at ease. Esther watched him for a few moments. "Is there something wrong, Father Nightroad?"

"Well, not particularly…it's just that…" Abel gave a sigh. "I feel rather useless, simply sitting here. I know that you asked for me to come and guard you, and I know it's a very important task..." he offered her a faint, sheepish grin. "But I do feel I should be doing something." She knew that feeling very well. Esther considered a moment, then hesitantly picked up a few folders off her desk. "Father…if you'd like something to do…" she held out the folders. "Because of the recent attacks, and the continuing unrest lately, Colonel Spencer has been collecting reports from the watch stations and security details around the city. We haven't found anything, other than the lead that took us to that house but…if you wanted to go through these…you might see something we haven't. I mean, you have more experience with this sort of thing, don't you?"

"I…well, yes, I suppose so. Abel blinked. "When I was working in the AX, this type of job was rather frequent. But are you sure you wouldn't rather leave that to the Colonel? I wouldn't like to offend her by interfering in her job after all."

"I'm sure Colonel Spencer will be more than happy with any help you can give her." Esther smiled. Abel nodded, a little hesitantly, then stood and took the folders from the desk. He settled back in his chair, and flipped open the first file. Ten minutes later, he was slouched in the seat, staring intently at the information on the page. His glasses were pushed in an absent-minded fashion up to bridge of his nose, and his face was still and calm. After a few moments he pulled a pen from somewhere in his cassock, and began to make note of things on a separate piece of paper. Esther smiled, remembering how often she'd seen him in that pose of concentration before. She turned back to her own work, and was gratified to note that Abel blinked and shot her a quick glance, then returned to reading. It wasn't much, but at least he was paying attention to his surroundings a little, which would keep Virgil and Mary from worrying too much. The evenings after that began to fall into a sort of pattern. Abel stayed with her three nights out of seven. Those nights, he settled in the chair, absorbed in the reports Colonel Spencer brought in and taking notes, while she did her own work. When she was ready to retire Abel would lay aside his own work, and escort her to her rooms. He would wait outside while she prepared for bed, then enter and check all the windows and doors for any signs of tampering or openings.

Then he bid her good night, and took his leave. He was very quiet, but one night Esther woke from a restless sleep, and saw the shadow of soundless footsteps in the hall, a comforting sign of his presence. Abel rarely appeared on the nights he didn't have duty. Nor was he often found in the halls during the daylight hours. That first week, Virgil reported that he returned to the Ghetto every dawn after his shift. However as the days went by, he began to spend a little time in his appointed rooms. Though he was still far quieter than she remembered, he was no longer so blatantly avoiding her. He spoke to her when he came to guard her, and when she ran across him in the hall, and his voice began to carry again the warmth and gentleness she remembered. Perhaps two weeks after he began guarding her, Ion came up to visit. Esther greeted him with her customary warmth. They chatted for a few minutes, and Esther asked how he was doing. Ion smiled. "Actually, it's gotten a bit better recently. I've gotten used to the Ghetto. But it's strange…Father Nightroad seems to have become more of his old self recently.

He's…smiling again, just a little." Esther's return grin was heart felt. "That's good to hear." Three weeks after Abel began working with Esther's files, Mary entered the office. Her face was composed, but her eyes were shining with suppressed excitement. She bowed to Esther. "Your Majesty, I have some information. But before I speak, my I request that you call Father Nightroad?"

Virgil rose from his seat. "Then he was correct?"

"He was." Mary smiled. Then she saw the confusion on Esther's face and bowed again. "My apologies, Majesty. Father Nightroad offered me some information last week, and I wished to tell him of the results."

"Of course. Lord Walsh, if you could call the Father." Esther smiled. "And Colonel Spencer…would you like to call for some tea? You look thirsty."

"Thank you, majesty." Mary stuck her head out the door and spoke to a guard, while Virgil used the communication system to call Abel. Twenty minutes later, Abel arrived in the office. He looked at Mary. "Colonel Spencer, I understand you had news for me?"

"Yes. I followed the notes you made, regarding gang activities and movements in the older districts. I wished to inform you personally that we managed to locate a small cell of Fleur du mal terrorists. They are currently in custody. Vanessa agreed to take them so I could bring you the news." She gave a small bow, the greeting of an equal. "It was good work you did, Father. I am most impressed."

"Well, thank you. I'm glad I was able to assist you then." He sighed. "I don't suppose you've any information from the men you caught yet?"

"No, Not yet. But we'll do our best."

"I see, Please keep me informed."

"Of course, Father. It's the least we can do." The conversation was interrupted by a light knock on the door, and a maid entered, pushing a small tea cart. Virgil stepped over and took the cart from her and the maid curtsied. "Do you need anything else, my lords?"

"No. We'll serve ourselves this evening. You may go." Virgil pulled the cart forward into the room. The maid curtsied again and left. Virgil set out the cups, then tilted the tea pot. "Tea, Your majesty?"

"Yes of course. Milk and a spoon of sugar." Virgil nodded and set it out, then brought her cup and placed it on the corner of the desk. "And you Father Nightroad?"

"Ah yes, please." He waited until Virgil poured the tea, then spoke hesitantly. "If you don't mind…milk and thirteen sugars." Virgil actually stopped, one hand over the cup. "My lord?"

Abel laughed and rubbed the back of his head, a sheepish expression on his face. "I know… it is rather odd. But I sometimes have an extreme urge for sugar, and I happen to like it in my tea, so…"

"As you wish." Virgil turned his attention back to the task of spooning the sugar without spilling tea all over the cart. Mary watched with an amused smile on her face. Finally, tea was served and settled. Virgil and Mary began discussing various considerations about the prisoners, and Abel joined in. He was mostly quiet, but seeing him standing there, sipping his tea (more sugar than tea) and speaking with the others, made Esther's heart fill with a quiet happiness. After so long, it felt like they had finally both come home.

**dragonwriter24cmf**** (AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **It's a long chapter again…but action heats up next chapter!.

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **That's all for now folks stay in tuned for chapter eight more action will be taking on from when we reach chapters 9, 10 and more onward soon we'll be entering quite soon one of favourite planed parts and scenarios within TBWC I made with **dragonwriter24cmf** But I am no telling until we reach that designated chapters. Until next time TTFN ^^


	8. Eight: Plan of Attack

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Hi everyone yet again another TBWC update , this chapter would have been up for mother's day weekend but like many I was busy, I received this chapter Friday night from good editor and partner in writing crime **dragonwriter24cmf**. But I have not gotten time to upload until now. Chapter nine from what my editor sent me as a little teaser and spoiler for me is 40% to 50% done at the moment we are only one more chapter away from getting into my current 7-8 chapter special scenario that will happen right after chapter nine [^.^]

I'm so excited about it I could almost burst![^.^] what writer doesn't have a favourite part, scenario or chapter[s] within their works they like the most of all in their the stories that makes it what it is, their favourite!. That's all I'm about to say for so prepare yourselves for more action to come within this chapter which been long over due since the last action packed update, be warned though this chapter might with it a few new surprises ad things added to the mix. Again I have to say thanks to all those whom are still supporting and commenting on TBWC and still are liking it, I am to pleased and happy after seven chapters go onto eight now that everyone is still tightly seated into reading this story.

So without much further or do, I bring you chapter eight enjoy, read an comment mon public [^.^] adios for now on amigos.

**DISCLAIMER:**All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to one of my editors and co-partners in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her own TB stories on which are awesome. Additional thanks to my second co-partner for also participating in helping with this story **KinReynard** check out her own TB story **'Devil His Due' **whom I'm her beta for when possible. When one of my co-partners/editors are unable to continue the other will take over both are involved with this fan fiction as time goes on with it's updates. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice:****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage Against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). ** In adttion to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shapeof or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Eight: Plan of Attack**

Esther sighed, staring at the paperwork on her desk. She'd finished daily business hours ago, and had decided to look into the criminal activity reports that Abel and Mary had been working with for the past month.

The result was depressing. There was more reported violence from each quarter of the city. Even the Underground was showing more unease, fed by rumors that appeared to have no source, and no reason for spreading.

Esther knew there were members of the Order in the city. Vanessa and Virgil had apprehended three during the way-house renovations. One had been posing as a repair-man, while trying to sabotage things. Another had come in off the street as a supply carrier, then tried to enter the Ghetto. The third had actually had the audacity to claim to be an Imperial inspector. That one had been immediately caught and taken to Ion, who claimed he had no idea who the man was, and had never seen or heard of him.

Colonel Spencer was working with the city forces to quell unrest in Londinium. At Esther's request, she'd taken a gentle hand with the city, allowing the policemen to make more of the arrests. To those who were simple working men incited to riot, she spoke calmly, and soon released them after giving them time to cool their heads. The instigators she kept under guard, as security for Esther. Abel, working through the paperwork on his guard hours, had taken to spending two of his off nights in the city, and two in the Ghetto. His help had netted them a half a dozen more ringleaders, some of whom bore the mark of the Fleur du Mal.

Esther sighed and buried her head in her hands. It wasn't enough. Nothing they'd discovered led back to Rosenkreutz, not directly. And of the dozen men they'd captured that they were certain tied back to the Order, none of them were talking. They were quick to spit insults, and in some cases, had given their name, but there was nothing else they would say. Mary, along with some of the Council, had advocated using stronger methods than simple questioning, but Esther and Virgil had voted against it. Though he wasn't permitted in the Council, and Mary was taking public credit for everything, it was Abel who pointed out how any sign of force, beyond arrest, would spark anger among the people. Mary respected both his words and Esther's feelings and only made the suggestion once. Esther was grateful for that. She'd seen the interrogation methods some of the rougher Vatican inquisitors used. She didn't think Mary was anywhere near that brutal, but the memories made her too ill to even consider applying similar methods. Besides, there was always the possibility that one or more of them were under Dietrich's control, which meant they weren't responsible for what they were doing.

No matter what they did, they couldn't seem to get any leads. Abel, she knew, was working on something, but he hadn't seen fit to reveal the details. Knowing him, he was trying to sort things out for himself before presenting the information. But all other leads had come up with nothing. Even Tres was having trouble. Esther sighed. She'd called a meeting of the group this evening, to go over things, but she wondered if it would do any good.

Two minutes later, there was a knock on her door. Virgil entered, followed by Mary, Vanessa, Tres, Abel and Ion. The small group greeted her, then seated themselves in a loose semi-circle around the desk. Virgil was the last to settle in. He waited until the others took their seats, then bowed to her. "Majesty."

"Good evening, everyone." Esther smiled, and ran a hand through her hair to straighten in. She looked down at the reports on her desk. "Thank you for coming." She sighed, then decided to get straight to the point. "I've been noticing a great deal more disturbance in the city lately, and I know you have as well. I thought we might discuss how much of this is related to the Order, and what we can do about it."

Mary spoke first. "It's not uncommon to have unrest in large cities." She leaned forward, her hands folded in front of her with a thoughtful expression on her face. "A part of the increase is simply the increase vigilance within the city grounds. Things that weren't reported before are turning up. However, it troubles me the number of rumors we're hearing on the streets. Everything from subtle slanders to outright lies. It's not uncommon for such things to happen, but there're too many instances where the source or the basis for the rumor just vanishes into thin air. And I've heard some disturbing stories. Some of the people I've spoken with say they heard things from a 'well-dressed gentleman, who looked and sounded important'.

Esther flinched. "You mean…one of the lords?"

"It's possible." Virgil spoke up. "However, it could also be someone who is simply very good at pretending to be a lord." His eyes were thoughtful. "It is not impossible for someone who attended school at a University to pretend to be an aristocrat. For that matter, a wealthy man of the merchant class can also do such." Mary looked at him. "Do you think that's what happened?"

"Possibly." Virgil looked at his notes. "I have heard very little dissatisfaction within the royal and noble circles. That does not mean there is none, however, it's rather low key. Too many of our nobility still remember the Queens actions during the attack on our city." He leafed through the files on hand, then stopped. "Our records of the Order members indicate that several of them are, or were, members of upper class. Von Lohengrin, for instance, is the name of a family of German nobility that disappeared recently. And the records from the Vatican also indicate that the man known as Isaac was once a student at our university."

"Do you think they're here, in this city then?" Esther felt her stomach clench.

"I think it is possible. However, if such is true, then there is virtually no way to track them." Virgil set the papers down, his face grave. "Well then, the best we can do is maintain a watch on the city." Mary sighed and settled back. "Father Tres, any suggestions?"

"Negative. The enemies' movements and current goals have not been verified. Therefore, there is not enough information to form an effective battle plan."

"I see." Esther paused, then turned to Abel. "Father Nightroad, do you have anything to add?"

"Well, as a matter of fact, I do have a few things. However, I'm afraid they aren't very helpful." He sighed. "We've managed to isolate the codes for Ghetto access, and we're trying to create a lockdown program that will prevent any other codes from gaining access. Unfortunately…" he leaned forward, his eyes dark and unfocused. "If we lock the system, then all they have to do is learn the codes. However, a system that gives us more freedom also gives them more room as well. But, I did find one more thing." He removed a few sheets of paper from his stack, and set them on the table. "Information on the Order of Rosenkreutz, and on the Fleur du Mal, which seems to be their hire of choice for operations." He pointed to the paper. "There's no specific correlation to anything on the Fleur du Mal…but all the major players from the Order are Germanic, or deep European at least. I've been looking into that. People with familiar ties, with common histories tend to work together." He pulled another paper from his pocket, and laid out the map of Londinium. There were a few spots circled in red.

"These places, they are all in the less reputable sections of town, but also where a great number of foreigners come to stay. I think the men we want are using those places to hide themselves. A needle in a haystack, if you will." He grimaced. "The problem is, you can't simply hold everyone with foreign connections as a possible terrorist. There are far too many innocents. I've tried to narrow down the search but…" Mary sighed. "People in the less well to do neighborhoods are extremely suspicious. Even if they have nothing really to hide, they may have friends they are protecting."

"Exactly." Abel sighed. "I am a priest, but I still met with a rather cold reception. One man even pulled weapon on me...I took off, I'm afraid."

"Well then, it's an impasse." Mary made a face at the table. "We can guess who they are, where they are, what they're trying to do…but we can't reach them."

"Then we should bring them to us." Ion spoke up. He leaned forward. "When you hunt prey that is otherwise hard to corner, you must offer them something to bring them into the open." His hand touched the map. "Our Empress used this technique recently, to flush out the traitors in Her court."

"Oh lord." Abel groaned. Esther knew how he felt. She, Ion and Abel had been the bait to draw the traitors out. She and Ion had fared worse than Abel, but even he had been wounded, burned in a final conflict with Dietrich, using Radu's body. Mary on the other hand, sat forward. "Exactly what did you have in mind, Earl of Memphis? I hope you are not suggesting we send Her Majesty onto the streets again."

"Not at all." Ion sat still. "What we need is to create enough interest to make it worth their while. For instance…Esther. You've been on the throne for about five, almost six months. Would it not be reasonable to celebrate such a thing?"

Virgil blinked. "Usually, rulers celebrate years rather than half years. However, given the turmoil of recent times…it might not be unreasonable. Especially given the changes her Majesty has brought." He looked at the map of Londinium. "That is also the time the new way-houses and the new Embassy should be ready to open. That would certainly be cause for celebration."

"Positive. However, there is no guarantee that the Order will mobilize for this." Tres spoke. "I estimate no more than a fifty percent chance that such an event will be significant enough for the Order to take action. And since, as my lord points out, the celebration of a half year is unusual, they may suspect a trap."

"I see. Do you perhaps have an idea as to how to increase the odds, Father Tres?"

"Positive. However, I will need to speak to Her Eminence, the Duchess of Milan, and to Her Imperial Majesty."

"To Lady Caterina and the Empress?" Esther blinked. "But why, Father Tres?"

"Your Majesty recently signed a treaty with Cardinal Sforza and with the Empire. However, if my information is correct, there has been no formal recognition of that event." Esther saw where he was going. "You think if we arranged something to formalize the signing of the treaty, that the Order would act."

"Positive. It is my calculation that the Order is seventy-eight percent more likely to attempt to prevent such an event than any other possible plan." Mary frowned. "I see your point. However you're asking us to jeopardize, not one, but three major rulers." She frowned. "The risk is too high."

"Negative. With proper precautions, I am certain we can maintain protection of the potential targets."

"He has a point." Esther spoke softly. "Besides, we're all at risk anyway. We were all targeted the day the original peace document was signed. In that case, wouldn't it help to unite our forces? If Lady Caterina and the Empress will agree."

"That's the other point. We don't know that either of them will agree to such a plan." Mary frowned. "Well then, I suppose the only thing we can do is call and ask them. Lord Walsh…would you be willing to place the call?"

Virgil sighed. "I'm not entirely sure I like this idea, however, if it is what Your Majesty wishes to attempt, then yes, I will call. Perhaps the Earl of Memphis would be willing to place the call to the Empire. I believe he might get a faster response." Ion rose from his seat. "Of course. I'll do that right away." Mary also stood. "Lord Walsh, I recommend you use the channel here, in Her Majesty's office. I'll take the Earl of Memphis to my office and use the communications channel there." Virgil nodded his head in agreement, as did Esther, and the two of them left. Virgil activated the console. Esther brushed her hair back and tried not to feel nervous. She'd called Caterina before, several times, and surely this was no different. She knew Caterina was well versed in battle tactics and strategy. But to ask her to put herself at risk….A soft sound distracted her.

She turned to see Abel, moving away from the desk. She stood and moved toward him. "Father Nightroad?"

He stopped, but didn't turn to her. "I thought perhaps I ought to take my leave. I don't have anything else to say, and this call…"

"But Father…" She hesitated. "You are going to help, aren't you? I mean, if Lady Caterina and Seth agree to this plan…"

"I will assist you, of course. But…" He sighed, leaning his head against the door, his hand touching the paneling. "I…I'd rather not speak to Caterina about it. And I…I'm not sure I want to be visible. After all, Caterina will have to bring some protection with her, as will the Empress. And I…" He stopped and his voice was soft when he spoke again. "I'm still not sure…"

She wanted to tell him it was all right, but she wasn't sure he'd believe her. She reached out, laid a hand gently on his wrist. "You don't have to speak to them if you don't want to, Father. But I'd like it if you would stay here, and at least listen. After all, you should know what our plans are. And if you feel you need to adjust them…you can tell Caterina and Seth then." After a moment, he gave a slight nod, and turned back to the office. Virgil was typing in the calling code, and Tres was simply watching. Esther knew both men had witnessed the exchange, but neither of them commented on it. The console came to life, revealing Caterina. For once, she wasn't dressed in the full regalia of a Cardinal. She looked as if she'd been relaxing. Esther flushed slightly. "Good evening, Lady Caterina. I'm sorry, did I disturb you?"

"It's no problem, I was simply taking an evening off. However, I don't mind speaking with you." Caterina took a sip of tea and set the cup down. "So, what is it you wished to speak to me about, Esther?"

"Well, it's about the order of Rosenkreutz." Esther stopped, putting her thoughts in order. "We haven't seen much of them lately but…there's evidence that they've been causing trouble in the city. Gang violence, and rumors being spread on the streets. We think we might have located some of their bases in the city, but we can't really get to them." Caterina sighed. "I know what you mean. We've been having similar troubles ourselves. Rome itself is fairly safe, between the Inquisitorial department and City Special Police however, beyond the walls of the city…things are getting rough." She tapped a set of papers on her desk. "I had the reports from Leon and Hugue last week. Leon's in Hispania at the moment, and he stumbled across some Fleur du Mal membership information. He says the recruitment has gotten higher, as has the violence.

And Hugue's so busy in the Amsterdam region that he's actually left off his personal crusades to still the troubles." That was big news. Hugue de Watteau was an invaluable agent, but he had issues with the Amsterdam Methuselah community. Some of them had once been hired to kill off his family, with the result that he'd been mutilated and left for dead, while his sister was abducted. He'd never forgiven the conspirators or his attackers. He'd been known to go off on tangents, whenever news came about one of the perpetrators. If the problems were serious enough to get him to set things aside, then they were getting pretty bad. Caterina sighed. "We've been looking into things, however, we can't seem to predict their next move."

"Yes. My advisors and I were just discussing that. Father Tres and the Earl of Memphis have come up with a plan we think might work." She laid out the idea for Caterina, and let Tres fill in the details. Caterina sat back in her chair, frowning thoughtfully. "It's risky, but it should work. Tres is right, they're far more likely to attack a peace conference than any other event. Have you spoken to the Empress yet?"

"The Earl of Memphis is speaking to her on the other line. We thought it would be more efficient this way."

"Of course. Well then, we'll wait to see what she has to say about it." Two minutes later, Ion and Mary came back into the room. Ion's face was flushed, Esther wasn't sure if it was embarrassment or pride. Mary entered behind him and spoke to Esther. "Her Imperial Majesty has agreed to the plan. If you would like, I can redirect the channel, and we can begin discussing the details."

"Of course, please do." Esther turned back. "I mean, if that's all right with you, Your Eminence."

"It's fine." Caterina smiled. "For something like this, I've no objections to being kept up a little longer." They spoke of simple things for a few minutes, chatting about weather and paperwork like old friends. Esther felt a faint surprise at that. She was used to thinking of Caterina as her superior, a rather awe-inspiring woman, not as a friend. And yet, since her ascension, the relationship had changed. Somewhere along the line, they had become equals, and companions in a common cause. It was an odd thought, but a comforting one. Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. She turned, as Ion re-entered the room. "Her Imperial Majesty would like to speak with you." He bowed toward the image on the terminal. "And with you, Your Eminence."

"That's good. Virgil?"

He nodded. "The call is on standby. I can connect the two channels from here." He made some adjustments, and a second image sprang into being beside the first. Esther saw Caterina make an adjustment to her own system, and then smile. The figure on screen returned the smile. "Good evening, Esther, Lady Caterina. It's good to hear from you." The person in the image was masked, but Esther had a feeling it was Seth, not Mirka Fortuna. There was something about the way she spoke, the tilt of the head, that was more like a child than an older woman. "So, Ion told me you have a plan for drawing out the Order."

"Yes. Did he tell you what we had discussed?"

"He did. And personally, I think it's a good idea. But are you two sure you want to do something like that? After all, it is a very risky endeavor."

"It is a risk. However, this is a war, however unofficial it may be. Risks are to be expected. And at the moment, we are achieving very little." Caterina sat back in her chair. "I'm quite willing to make the attempt, provided we take the necessary precautions." She looked off into the distance. "Besides, this could be advantageous for all of us as well. A public declaration of Alliance will give us a chance to see where people stand on the matter." Esther nodded. "I am in agreement with those thoughts as well."

"Well then. I guess we should decide where and when to hold this event." The Empress settled into her chair, leaning against the armrest. "To be honest, I think it would be better to hold the ceremonies in Albion. It's a neutral country, as we discussed in the original Alliance negotiations." Caterina nodded. Esther looked at Virgil standing by the console, and Mary who'd entered the room while she was speaking. "Lord Walsh, Colonel Spencer, can we handle that?"

Virgil nodded. "It would be possible at this time. However if you're willing to wait at least a month, we should have the Embassy for the Empire at least moderately functional by then. That would make it much easier."

"Well, there's certainly no trouble with that." The Empress chuckled. "It's going to take at least that long to get my court organized for the whole thing." There was a note of childish glee in her voice. "I haven't left my country, at least not openly, for a _very_ long time. This should create quite a stir." Caterina chuckled as well. "I know what you mean. While it's not unusual for me to make a progress, I suspect that this particular agenda will have the Vatican in an uproar." The small smile creased the corner of her mouth. "Peace with the Empire. Brother will certainly be up in arms." The smile faded. "In all honesty, I expect he'll insist on sending his Inquisitors with me. With orders to 'protect' me, of course."

"I know what you mean." Seth sighed. "I'll have to decide who I'm bringing as well. The Earl of Memphis is already there, but I'll probably have to bring some other guards."

"Indeed." Caterina gave a nod. "However, I suggest we retire this discussion for the evening. We all need to present the matter to our respective councils. Discussions of entourage and guard details can wait until we get the approval to go forward."

"I agree." Esther smiled. "Shall we agree to reconvene in two evenings then?"

"Better make it four." Seth sighed. "It'll take at least two for the fuss to die down in the Empire."

"I suspect I'll need a similar amount of time to counter Cardinal di Medici's paranoia." Caterina put her head in a hand for a moment. "Very well. I'll speak with you four nights from now." Esther smiled. The three of them went through the customary farewells, and signed off. Esther sat looking at the desk console after the images vanished. She was glad to be doing something, but still…. She was startled out of her thoughts by Virgil's concerned question. "Your Majesty, is something wrong?"

"I…well, I was just thinking. We have a plan but, is it really all right? I feel like I'm putting all of you at a terrible risk." She looked into up at him. "I hadn't really thought to ask you about it but…if this plan works, you'll all be placing your lives in jeopardy. And I don't think it's fair to ask you to do that, not without seeing how you feel." Vanessa snorted. "Our lives were already at risk, Majesty. I mean, if those bastards succeed then everything we've worked for is gonna go up in smoke. And I hate sneaking around, playing spy and waiting for stuff to happen. I'd rather have a straight up fight any day." Virgil sighed. "Vanessa, your language…" He stopped and the clear blue eyes caught Esther's. "Though I have to disagree with her manner of address, I believe I share my sister's feelings." He moved to stand in front of her. "I too, would rather bring them out into the open, even if it means I am at greater risk. It is far better to have your enemy in front of you, rather than in the shadows at your back." A slight smile touched his face.

"I assure you Majesty, that whatever happens, I do remember our conversation. And I will not fail you." He bowed. Vanessa stared at the two of them a moment, then shook her head. "I don't want to know." She turned to look at Mary. "Hey, Colonel Spencer, how about you?"

Mary sighed. "I don't like risking three rulers, particularly not Her Majesty. However, the strategy is sound, and I can't think of any better options. We will simply have to make sure that all three persons are adequately protected." She turned to look at Virgil. "Lord Walsh, if the ceremony proceeds as planned, I'd like to take that item out of storage again. It may come in handy."

"Of course." He bowed. Esther blinked. "I don't understand. Is there something I need to be aware of?"

Mary smiled. "Lord Walsh and I have been associates for a long time. At one point, he was kind enough to make something for me. I haven't used it in years, however, I think I'd like to have it with me." She bowed. "With Your Majesty's permission, I'd rather show it to you than try to explain."

"All right." She turned to look at the others, standing near the back wall. Ion looked fidgety, Tres looked as he always did, and Abel was standing with his back to the wall a faraway look on his face. She rose out of her chair and moved to stand in front of the three men. Abel blinked, and his eyes came to her. She bowed her head slightly. "I hope I can count on your support as well."

"Of course you can." Ion smiled. "The Empress may call me back to her entourage for this, however, I'll still do my best to protect you as well."

"Positive. My first priority is the Duchess of Milan, however, standing orders are to guard Your Majesty to the best of my ability." Her eyes came to Abel. His face was pale, but after a moment he straightened away from the wall and bowed. His head came up, and his eyes met hers. "Well, I did promise, didn't I? That I am on your side?" He offered her a very faint smile. She returned it warmly. "Of course, Father. Thank you." The next day, she presented the plan to the Council of Lords. As predicted, there was a huge fuss over the entire thing. Some lords objected to the idea of the Empress on their soil. Some thought the plan was too risky. Within thirty minutes of proposing it, Esther could understand quite well why Seth and Caterina wanted an extra two days. The chaos the suggestion created was absolutely amazing.

Finally, after two days, she got the Council to accept the idea. But there were conditions. First and foremost, that neither of the visiting groups would have a very large entourage. No more than six people in either group. Esther thought it ridiculous, but Mary said it was actually fair enough, and when she spoke with Ion, he reminded her that his original mission involved two people, and only she and Abel had returned with him. Seth and Caterina also took it in stride when she told them during their next conversation. Caterina only shrugged. "I'd rather expected as much. Fortunately, that leaves me room to accommodate my brother's request as well as my own preference." She considered. "Tres is already there, and Hugue is still on his mission. I need Havel to attend to affairs in my absence." She sighed. "Brother is insisting I bring two of his Inquisitors along. I'll probably have Brother Petros and Paula…they know Londinium and they're the steadiest and most reasonable of Brother's best fighters. From the AX, I'd like to bring Father Wordsworth, and Leon, if I may. They should already be known to your court."

"That sounds fine." Esther looked at Virgil, and he nodded. "Lord Walsh informs me that those choices will be perfectly all right." Seth sighed. "To be honest, there's not that many people I'd really want to bring with me on something like this." She sat back. "The Earl of Memphis is already there, and I'm afraid I'll need the Duchess of Moldova as my stand-in here. She's really the only person I trust in that capacity." She tapped a finger on the arm of her chair. "Baibars is a good man to have, but really, I need him to watch things while I'm away, and he'd probably make everyone nervous." She snickered a little, and Esther and Caterina both smiled. She was right after all. Baibars was a good fighter, and a perfect gentleman, but Esther could think of half a dozen people in her court who would be terrified of him on sight. Seth considered a moment more. "I think I'll ask the Earl of Memphis to join me when I arrive. Beyond that, I'll limit it to the Duchess of Kiev and a couple of my trusted personal servants."

"That sounds fine." Esther stopped. "I…well, this might be a delicate question but…what of Father Nightroad?" She flushed. "I know he's protecting me at the moment, but he was originally part of the AX, working for you, Lady Caterina. And I understood that you also have a connection to him, Empress." Seth pursed her lips and made a soft, discouraged noise, almost like a sigh. "Abel is a problem isn't he?"

Caterina sighed as well. "Technically, he's no longer a member of the AX, not unless I reinstate him. He's no longer officially under my control."

"And I certainly can't do anything with him. He's not my subject, and even if he were, I don't think he'd really listen to me."

"Your Majesty." Virgil spoke up. All three of them turned to look at him. Virgil bowed. "If I may…it would be wise perhaps to leave him on standby. We don't know for certain if this plan will work, beyond the actual formalization of the treaty signing. It is best, in uncertain times, to have a weapon or two that is hidden in case of need. I would recommend leaving Father Nightroad in a standby position."

"That's true." Esther thought. "I think he'd actually prefer that. He seemed very reluctant when I spoke with him about it."

"I'm not surprised. He still hasn't given me permission to reveal to the AX that he's alive. Though most of them know already, I don't believe Leon's been informed." Caterina sighed. "I know what you mean. I haven't told Astharoshe yet either." Seth nodded. "I'd say that Lord Walsh's plan is a fine idea. However, I would make one addition to it." Seth sat forward. "I can tell you from experience, you're going to be stretched a little thin, yourself. If you want to protect your people, then it's going to take a lot of resources. So if you can, keep Abel as your guard. He's a good one to have at your back."

"She's right." Caterina nodded. "All right. I'll tell him that. Thank you." They made a few more plans, and then went back to their separate tasks. She told Abel of their decision the next evening, when he arrived for guard duty. Abel heard her out, then nodded. "I agree. It is probably best for me to remain in the background at this time. However, if you have no objections, I would like to return to the Ghetto while they are here." He saw her confusion, and gave her a faint smile. "Miss Astha and I were friends, and Leon has been my partner more than once. I…I'm not sure how I can face them." He reached out, then stopped and withdrew again. "I assure you, if anything happens, I will do everything I can to protect you, Miss Esther."

"Of course Father. I'm counting on you." She offered him a smile. "I'll tell Lord Walsh and his sister what you intend." The formal preparations after that, including the greetings, formal discussions, and the actual ceremony for the signing, were tedious. Esther sat through them, and voiced her opinion when required, but these events really weren't her forte. Virgil and her official steward were far better at them, so she let them get on with it. Finally, after an additional three weeks of planning, everything was ready. The formal Embassy for the Empire was pronounced useable, and all the plans were in place. They'd decided to have both the Vatican and the Empire representatives arrive in the same evening. It had to be evening, for the sake of the Imperial servants, and everyone thought it better if the two were met at the same time, so there could be no claims of incorrect precedence. It was also a good time to see if they were going to have trouble with representatives of either party.

That night, Esther found herself waiting on the landing area. She could have waited in the Palace reception room while Virgil and Mary went to greet the guests, but she'd decided to come herself. After all, both of her guests were extremely important. They were also friends of hers. Esther sighed, and tried not to fidget with the fabric of the formal gown she wore. She would have preferred to wear something more casual, but appearances had to be maintained. Behind her, Virgil and Mary were also wearing full formal Court dress, though Mary had very conspicuously tied the hilt of her sword, an old symbol of peace. At Esther's right and left, Ion and Tres stood at full attention, also in dress uniform. They'd decided that since both men were already here to represent their countries, they would walk to meet the emissaries, and make formal introductions.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, they spotted the dark shapes in the sky. One came in from the East, the other from the south-east. Esther watched as both ships, the Empress' cruiser and the _Iron Maiden _drifted to the landing pads, then settled to the ground with a whir of cooling engines. Tres and Ion both marched up to stand just in front of the ships, as the doors opened and the ramp extended.

From the right hand ship, Caterina emerged, wearing her full robes of a Cardinal, as well as the tokens of her rank as Duchess of Milan. Behind her walked two men in the black of the AX uniform, followed by a man and a woman in the red, gray and gold of the Inquisitors department. From the other ship, a small gliding chair emerged, with a figure in green, gold and white seated on it, her face veiled. Beside the chair walked a tall, slender figure in whites and purples, and behind them walked two more figures, both in the plainer clothing that denoted a servant, rather than an ambassador or ruler. Both groups stopped in front of her. Esther bowed, along with her advisors. "Good evening. On behalf of the people of Albion, I would like to welcome you to my kingdom."

"Thank you." Ion stepped forward and bowed, then held out his hand. "Your Majesty, Queen Esther, please allow me to present Her Majesty, The Empress Augusta Veradica of the New Human Empire. And with her as her assistant, Lady Astharoshe Asran, the Duchess of Kiev." Astha bowed. The Empress offered her a nod. "Good evening Queen Esther. I look forward to my visit here, and to what we are about to do." The artificially enhanced voice still carried a trace of warmth and friendship in it, and Esther smiled. "I look forward to that as well." She turned slightly. "Welcome to Albion, Lady Astha. I hope we can be as good a host to you as you once were to me." Astha flushed slightly, then bowed. "Thank you for your kindness, Majesty. I am honored by your compliment." Esther turned to the Vatican group. She could see Petros and Paula were both tense, and Paula had one hand on her weapon, but neither of them looked as if they were about to start trouble. She met Caterina's eyes, and both women smiled before the Cardinal dipped her head in a nod of greeting. "Good evening, Your Highness."

"Good evening, Excellency." Esther smiled. "It's good to see you again."

"Indeed. I believe you already know my assistants, but for the sake of formalities, allow me to introduce you." She turned. "Father Leon de Garcias, and Father William Walter Wordsworth are accompanying me from the AX division." Both men bowed, but there was a glitter of mischief in Leon's face. Caterina gestured to the two standing behind them. "Also, I've brought Brother Petros and Sister Paula, from the Department of the Inquisition. They'll be serving as my guards and escorts."

"Good evening to all of you. Thank you for coming." Both the Inquisitors bowed as well, murmuring polite thank you's. Esther turned, gesturing to the two behind her. "I'd like to introduce all of you to my principal advisors. Lord Virgil Walsh, Count of Manchester, and Colonel Mary Spencer, Head of the Albion Army and the Palace guard." Both of them bowed politely to the group. Esther turned to face her fellow leaders. "Now then, I'm sure you've all had a tiring journey. My advisors and I have had some refreshments set up in the Palace. Please, feel free to join us. Or if you prefer, we have rooms ready for you." A half hour later, Esther joined the others in the reception room. Petros and Paula had elected to stand by the doors, but everyone else was within, sipping wine and nibbling on snacks. Leon looked up as she entered. "Hey, Red."

"Father Garcias. Your tone is not acceptable for addressing a member of a ruling family." Tres didn't frown, but you could hear the disapproval in that mechanical tone. Esther smiled. "Please, it's all right, Father Tres. I intended for this evening to be rather informal." She took a glass of wine. "Good evening, Father Leon."

"Hey. If we're gonna be informal…" Leon grinned, and draped an arm around her shoulders. "I swear, you get prettier every time I see you. Definitely still the second best woman in the world." He gave her his wolf grin. "Those clothes really suit you. I always said you looked good in dress up." Esther blushed. "Thank you." William stepped up beside her. "He is right, you know Esther. You really do look lovely." He bowed, flourishing his cane. "I trust you've been well since our last meeting."

"Yes. I've done very well. Thank you Father." William's kind smile helped her relax. She spotted Astha standing by the table, and walked over to join her. "Duchess of Kiev, it's been a while."

"Indeed it has, Your Majesty." Esther flushed. "There's no reason to be so formal. It's all right if you call me by name, you know. You aren't one of my subjects after all."

"I see." Astha relaxed a fraction. "In that case, I'd prefer it if you addressed me by my name as well, Lady Esther."

"All right." Esther blinked. "I'm sorry, but I'm not quite sure…I know your name is Astharoshe, but the Father…he called you just Astha." She blushed. "I'm afraid I don't know which you prefer."

"Astha is fine." Astha smiled, but there was a sadness to it. Esther winced. She'd forgotten that Astha wasn't one of the ones who knew Abel was still alive. The Methuselah noblewoman stared at the far wall for a moment. "It's strange. When I first met him, I hated it when he called me that. But now, I find I miss it." Esther wished she could tell Astha the truth. Or simply ask Virgil to take her to the Ghetto, where Abel was staying. But…whatever Abel's reasons for staying away, it wasn't her place to interfere in his affairs. She settled for offering the Duchess of Kiev a gentle smile of her own. "Astha it is then." The gathering lingered for a few more minutes, but Esther was tired, and it was obvious her guests felt the same way. She stifled a yawn, and found Caterina standing beside her. A rueful smile told her that the other woman understood exactly how she felt. "Lady Esther, I believe it's about time for me to seek my rest. However, the Empress and I were wondering if we could have a private word with you, before we retire for the evening."

"Of course." Esther followed Caterina to the far corner. She noticed that the Empress, Seth, had abandoned her gliding chair. She was leaning against the wall, still veiled. The others were maintaining a discreet distance. Even Leon was standing on the far side of the room, sipping his drink and talking in a low tone to the Professor. "Your Majesty?"

The young woman giggled. "Esther…you really ought to know this by now. My name is Seth." Esther smiled. "Of course. Seth. My apologies."

"It's all right." Though she couldn't see the other woman's face, she sensed the departure of merriment. "Before I leave for the evening, I was wondering…how is Abel?"

Caterina sighed. "I confess, I'm rather curious myself."

"He's all right." Esther looked down at her hands. "He…he said he wanted to stay in the Ghetto, unless something happens. He doesn't want to face some of the people here. Father Leon and Lady Astha especially." She looked up. "I imagine if you want to see him, Lord Walsh can arrange for you to visit the Underground."

"Huh. Well, I might take you up on that. However, I think I'll leave him alone for this evening. I guess I can wait one more day to see him again." Seth sighed. "This really is a bit of a nuisance though. I wish he'd just come out of hiding already."

"I'm sure he has his reasons." Caterina sighed. "Abel always has his reasons. The question is whether or not they're good ones."

"Yes." Esther felt a small smile touch her face. "It might not be much but…I had him assigned as my guard, for a few nights of each week. And lately, he's begun to smile again. He even had tea with me the other night."

"Well, that's good." There was relief in Seth's voice. "It's at least a start."

"Indeed." Caterina smiled as well. "And now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll retire for tonight. After all, the next few days will be very busy."

"You're right. I think I'll go rest as well." Seth straightened. "Night Esther."

"Good night. I will see both of you tomorrow evening." Esther waited while her guests and their entourages filed out the door. Leon tipped her a wink as he passed, and Astha smiled. Esther smiled back, then sought her own bed. She was too tired even to worry as Virgil and Mary escorted her to her rooms, and she stayed awake only long enough to change into her night clothes. The next evening was an informal meeting to go over the signing ceremony, and to do a last minute review of the treaty, to make sure everything was the way they wanted it. Esther wore her relaxed, informal clothing, and was relieved to see that everyone else was doing the same.

Caterina had a less ornate version of her Cardinal's robes, and Seth's clothing looked more like what she would have worn as a tea seller, though she still had a veil covering her face. Colonel Spencer had her working uniform, though the sword she carried was the same as the one she'd worn the night before, and Virgil was wearing a simple suit with his long jacket. They'd just finished dinner when Mary and Virgil both stiffened in their seats, identical looks of concern on their faces. Esther saw the communications unit on her wrist blinking red, and Virgil cocked his head, listening to something that Esther couldn't hear. Then Mary stood. "I beg your pardon. An alarm has been raised."

She strode to the door, but just before she reached it, there was a frantic knock on the other side. Esther stood as she jerked the door open, to reveal a young soldier with the marks of a courier and panic in his eyes. He saluted sharply. "Colonel Spencer! Your Majesty!"

"Yes. Report: Why has the alarm been raised?"

"There are…" The young man gulped. "There are monsters at the walls of the Palace. They're attacking…citizens, guards, everyone…" He took another deep breath. "They're fast, and masked…and they're way too strong! We can't stop them!"

"Pull yourself together!" Mary snapped the order out, and the young man stopped, took a deep breath, then pulled himself into attention stance. "All right. Have the reserve Palace troops mobilized?" The soldier nodded. "Very well, try to clear them from the walls. But make sure they don't get into the city." She turned. "Your Majesty, it appears I may be needed on the grounds."

"I…yes, of course." Mary turned, and was about to leave when Tres spoke up. "Colonel Mary Spencer." Mary turned as Tres addressed her. "It is inadvisable for you to leave at this time. There is risk to Her Majesty, the Queen of Albion." He turned to Caterina. "Duchess of Milan, I request permission to deploy. I believe my skills will be needed in the field of combat, and I calculate that my absence places you in less jeopardy than the Colonels."

"Very well. You may go, Father Tres." Caterina nodded. Tres left the room, drawing his guns as he went. "He's got a point. Earl of Memphis, you should also go." Seth looked at Ion. "In a time of crisis, it is important for allies to guard each other. Therefore, I am ordering you into the field as well."

"Your Majesty…are you sure you'll be safe?" Ion bowed. "I will be all right. Go, Earl of Memphis."

"As you command." Ion stood and buckled his sword. He gave Esther a long look. "Please stay safe, Your Majesty….Esther." Then he was gone, in the blurring flash that marked a Methuselah in haste mode. Esther sighed as Mary shut the door again. "I hope they'll be all right."

"It should be fine. Both Father Tres and the Earl of Memphis are skilled warriors." Mary sighed. "I'm more concerned with what will happen if these creatures that are attacking get into the city. It could create a riot." She started to step back to the table when a second frantic knock sounded. Mary whirled, just as the door slammed open to reveal another soldier. The man staggered inside, then pulled himself to attention. "Your Majesty…Colonel…there are attackers…"

"Calm yourself soldier. I'm already aware of the situation." Mary snapped out. The man fell silent. Then suddenly, an eerie smile curled his lips. "You know, I really don't think you are aware of the situation, just yet." The smile widened, and one hand flicked up in a lazy, insulting salute. "Good evening. And how are you doing, Esther? Or should I call you, Your Majesty, Queen Esther of Albion?" The words were a sneer. Esther went cold. "Dietrich." Mary didn't hesitate. Before the controlled soldier could move again, she tackled him, sending him to the floor with a knife at his throat. "Damn!" She pinned him. "How the hell did you get a hold of my sergeant?"

"Well, it's really quite simple you know." Dietrich grinned at her. He seemed unconcerned about the blade pressed against the man's throat. "But you know, that's not the real question, now is it? The real question is…how many more like this man are there?" One hand shifted. Mary moved as well, but not fast enough to stop the snap of the fingers. Seconds later, there was a cry from the hallway. The possessed man's insane smile widened. "See? I've just given the order for all of my possessed men to attack. Servants, soldiers…they can be anyone, and they'll attack and kill anyone else they meet. And I imagine my compatriot has already started his own sort of fun." The shadows in the door suddenly solidified, forming into a red-black demon that lunged for Mary. She ducked with a curse, pulling her blade free. In that instant, the man she held jerked. Mary snarled as she lost hold of him, rolling to avoid the demons attack. "Crap!"

"Duck!" Astha shouted, and her spear was already in her hands. Mary ducked, and a bolt of ionized energy slammed into the demon, vaporizing it on the spot. Dietrich's puppet lunged forward, a knife in hand, but Petros stepped in his path. "This mockery will not be tolerated!" His spear slammed into the man, throwing him backward into the wall. Petros followed, pinning the man to the floor and raising his staff once more. "In the name of the Holy Father, I will wipe your filthy existence off the face of this Earth!"

"Brother Petros, wait." Caterina spoke sharply. "That man is possessed by another. Do not take his life if there is any other choice." Petros scowled. "Very well." He stuck the man on the temple, just hard enough to knock him out. Then Paula was there, binding him with a length of wire she had pulled from somewhere on her person. Another cry echoed from the hallway. Esther stood. "The Palace staff…they're…"

"Your Majesty." Mary stood, re-sheathing her sword. "I understand your concern, but we must remain safe. We shouldn't leave this room." Esther whirled to face her. "Do you really expect me to stand here and listen as my people are attacked?" She flinched looking down at the bound man and at the ashy smear on the rug, all that was left of the shadow-demon. "I can't simply stay here. Besides, there's no guarantee of safety at this point."

"Red's kinda got a point." Leon folded his arms. "if your opponents can look like shadow, or like everyone else, then how are you going to know who to fight and who not to fight, huh?" He looked at the door. "I know it's not really my place…but I'm voting we take the fight to them. It's better if we can catch them fighting than waiting and hoping whoever comes looking for us ain't one of the bad guys." Virgil sighed. "Both points are valid." Esther stared at him, remembering. "Lord Walsh, the underground must be sealed."

"I understand. I've already called the order in. Vanessa should be mobilizing as we speak." His eyes were dark, and troubled. "What is it?"

"The order to fully seal the Ghetto can only be given by the master of the Underground. Vanessa will do what she can, but I am concerned."

"Then you should go." Esther stood, and looked at the people around her. "I am going to defend the Palace, with the rest of my people. Your Imperial Majesty, Lady Caterina…" She looked both of them in the eyes. "You should stay here. I will send more guards as I can. I thank you for the support you've offered me, but I really can't let you risk yourselves for my country. You're needed with your own people. Colonel Spencer…I'd like to ask you to come with me." She turned to face Virgil. "Lord Walsh…Please go and secure the Underground. I fear that if the enemy enters there, they will be impossible to trace, and we will all be in far greater danger." Virgil stared at her for a moment. His face was still, but she saw the concern and conflicting emotions in his eyes. His voice was tense when he spoke.

"Your Majesty, my place is at your side. However, if you truly wish me to do this…then I ask that you allow me to call someone to stand in my place."

"Of course. You did have someone standing by, did you not?" Virgil nodded, and touched the communications link he wore as a small earring. Just then, the door burst with a ringing crash. Half a dozen dark shapes poured into the room. Esther heard curses from all around her. She drew her gun and fired, striking one man across the chest. But it wasn't a fatal wound, and she could see from the glazed look in his eyes that he was too far under Dietrich's control. She jerked back, raised her pistol to fire again. Virgil was suddenly between her and the attacking force. His body crossed in front of her, just after her second shot was fired. He stepped into the fray, one elbow blocking her attacker, and his hand came up sharply. Esther saw something, glittering and liquid in the palm of his hand, and where it touched, the man gasped and his skin began to blister.

He reeled back, and Virgil hit him again with a kick, knocking him back. Both hands were shining with something, and his eyes were intense. He launched himself forward, spinning into the mass of attackers with the grace of a trained fighter. His next blow took out one of the shadow demons, just as Petros' spear and a bolt of energy pulverized the last two attackers. Virgil turned back to her. "Your Majesty, I have called for the reinforcements you requested. However, I advise that you and your guests move to a more secure location." Mary appeared beside him. "I'll take Her Majesty. You have your orders, Lord Walsh." Her eyes met his. "Can you open us a path, to start with? There's more coming, and I'd rather not be bottle-necked in here." A grim smile touched Virgil's face, and he lifted his hands away from his body. "I will open you that path, my lady." Esther turned to her guests. Astha had her spear, Petros and Paula were both holding weapons. Seth she saw had produced two knives, and was holding them with a practiced grip that Esther remembered from her time in the Empire. Even Caterina had pulled out a pistol.

"It appears that we are no longer safe here. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I'm afraid I'll have to ask all of you to come with me after all." Leon laughed, and she saw him hold up one hand, a silver circle spinning on his fingers. "All right. Then let's get this party started." He cocked his head at Astha. "Say, how about we make this interesting, lady? We'll see who can take on the most. Loser supplies a good bottle of wine for after the fun's over." Astha's feral grin was a match for his. "I'll take you up on that, Vatican priest…but you'd better have something good on hand. I warn you…I'm very hard to impress." Leon laughed. Seth smiled, and lifted a dagger. "We're with you, Esther." Esther turned to her two advisors. "We should leave. Colonel Spencer, is there a place you recommend we go?"

"Yes, Majesty. The central offices." Mary bowed, then turned to face the door, and drew her blade once more. "With your permission, I will lead you."

"Very well." Esther transferred her gaze to Virgil. "Lord Walsh, if you would be so kind." Virgil nodded and spun on his heel, just as another shadow form darkened the doorway. He threw both hands outward, and something dark left his hands in a splatter, to sizzle across the demon, and the door frame. Virgil didn't hesitate. He drove forward, slamming the smoking demon backward. "Quickly. Before the acid wears off." He turned to Mary. "I leave Her Majesty in your hands." Then he was gone. The hallways were in total chaos. Lights had been smashed at random intervals, leaving large sections in darkness while others were brightly lit. People were running about in reckless abandon. Some appeared panicked, some purposeful. Men and women hid in doorways, or lunged out of the darkness. More than once, they passed guards and servants fighting each other.

Esther realized after the first knot of struggling men that it was impossible to tell assailants from defenders. One man ran up to them shouting, "God save Her Majesty!" only to attempt to knife her a second later. She was fortunate that Seth was beside her. A slash of the short knife in her left hand disabled the man's knife hand, and Petros struck him on the head with his staff a second later. Their group organized quickly after that. Esther, Caterina and Seth were in the middle, a loose triangle watching each others backs. Petros and Paula were behind them. Leon, Astha and the Professor ranged to the sides. Leon had silver circles spinning on both hands, and the Professor had drawn a sword from the inside of his cane. Astha's spear was glowing, green light emanating from the crystal embedded in the tip. Esther had no idea what it was, but it was a powerful weapon. Colonel Spencer led them through the halls, her sword in her right hand. As they raced through the darkened hallways, Esther stared at the blade. Mary favored a saber, and this sword was no exception to that rule, but it was completely different from even the regular combat blade she wore.

The metal had the sheen of silver, but it was far, far harder than that. Esther knew that after the first shadow demon Mary cut down. Her sword went through it like soft butter, and cracked the column behind the demon. The sword was also glowing, bright electrical energy that Esther had never seen. She couldn't even figure out how Mary managed to hold onto that fire-lit blade, until she realized the hilt was wrapped in textured leather, and the hilt guard was protected on the underside. Shots fired in the darkened hallway jerked her attention back to her surroundings. She and the others ducked into a doorway. Mary cursed. "Damn! How many guards did that bastard manage to catch, anyway?"

"It's hard to say." Esther took a deep breath. "Dietrich is…very sly." She looked at the glimmering blade once again. "Colonel Spencer…your sword…." A brief smile touched Mary's face. "Virgil's gift to me, a long time ago. Silver titanium alloy, with an electro-magnetic charge on the blade, activated by drawing it from the sheath. He makes one of these for each successive Head of the Palace guard, as a friendship offering." She looked at Esther. "You should ask him to make one for you as well."

"I will." Esther sighed. The firing had died down. She started to stick her head around their makeshift protection, but Mary shook her head. The Colonel ducked out of the room. She took a few steps into the hallway, then gestured for the others to follow. Astha and Leon slipped out, then Esther and Seth and Caterina. Esther took two steps into the dark area when she felt something wrong. "Colonel Spencer!"

Mary whirled, as all around them the shadows began to move. They were hard to see, with the poor lighting, and in between the demons wove shapes that might or might not have been men, her own men. Esther gasped, fired at a dark shape, and ducked another. Seth ducked past her as both knives flashed. Esther found herself back to back with Caterina. All around, their body-guards fought, but the poor lighting made it hard. She saw Leon launch one of his weapons, and heard his curse as it missed, echoed by Petros a second later as he ducked the rebound.

Astha swore. In the darkness and close quarters, she could only use her spear in contact fighting. It was too risky to use the power of it's ionized blasts. Three dark shadows lunged for Esther she fired at one, and at a second, but they were too fast. She drew her knife, prepared to go down fighting. Just as the dark demons reached her, horizontal lightning flashed in front of her eyes. It slammed into the demons nearest her, blowing it apart and vaporizing it. Esther gasped and turned her head. Abel stood at the end of the hall. His face was dark, his silver hair standing around his head. Black wings extended from his back, and his whole body glowed faintly with electrical energy. He stopped only a moment, the blood-red eyes assessing the scene, then launched forward. Leon gasped. "Holy shit! What the hell is that?"

Mary swore, and Esther turned and saw her bracing to charge. She leapt in front of her advisor. "It's all right. It's just the reinforcements Lord Walsh sent." Abel blew through three more demons, and then he was at Esther and Caterina's side. He stepped beside them, dark wings spread protectively. "Are you injured?"

"No. We're all right." Esther looked up at him. "We need to quell the damage to the Castle though." Caterina moved forward. "Father Leon, Sister Paula. Now that reinforcements have arrived, fan out. Lady Esther…with your permission, shall I have my soldiers begin peacekeeping and clean up?" She offered Esther a wintery grin. "This is the sort of thing the AX and the Inquisition are very good at."

"Colonel Spencer?" Mary nodded, her face set in concentration. "I estimate the main attack was focused here. If we can break free, the central offices are just ahead." She looked up at Abel's dark form. "Lord Walsh sent you?"

"He did." Abel's hand tightened, and lightning ran up the wings. "Very well. Can you protect her Majesty and the others?"

"Yes." Abel nodded. He glanced down the hallway. "The central offices are that way correct?" Mary nodded. "Then…I suggest you duck. I'm going to make a pathway." Mary didn't hesitate. She whirled around. "Everyone down!"

She dropped to her knees. Esther and Caterina both went down as well. Esther found Seth right beside them, curled under Abel's wing like a child hiding from a thunderstorm. The Professor dropped as fast as they did. As lightning gathered around Abel's frame, Esther saw Leon curse and dive behind a column. Petros yanked Paula to the floor. Lightning erupted from Abel's body, a great crackling sheet of luminous fire that raced down the hallways. Demons howled as they were disintegrated. Esther noticed with a sick start that some of what she'd taken for flickering shadows of battle were in fact more demons. But once Abel's lightning found them, they crumbled to dust. Here and there, humans gasped and crumpled. Esther hoped Abel hadn't killed them, but there was no time to worry about it.

The lightning died. Abel hesitated, then extended his hand to her and Caterina. "Come. Caterina rose. "Father Leon, Sister Paula, I believe you have your orders." Paula looked to Petros. He gave her one sharp nod. Leon saluted Caterina with a wry smile. "As you say, Excellency." Dark eyes turned to Astha. "Don't think I forgot our bet, now. And you…" His gaze came to Abel's. "I find one scratch on Her Excellency or little red there, and I'll duplicate it tenfold on your hide, got that?"

"I understand." Abel nodded. Paula said nothing, but her eyes were sharp and questioning. Then she turned without a word and strode down one of the halls. Leon separated and went a different route. The rest of the battle for Buckingham Palace passed in a blur for Esther. She was conscious of dark shapes that rose around her group in waves, and that some of them were men and some were demons. She shot them, cut at them with the utility knife she had if they got too close. She was aware of Caterina, shooting and reloading beside her. At one point, she realized the Lady of Steel had Abel's gun, not her own, but it hardly mattered. She was aware of Seth, dancing in and out of the attackers with Astha at her side, silver blades weaving a net of steel around her slender frame. Somehow, in all the commotion, she hadn't lost her veil.

Esther supposed it was due to long practice. Around them, the Professor and Petros were also fighting, the professor with his sword-cane, and Petros with his spear. She winced as one particularly wild swing dug a crater into her wall, but he was pulverizing demons left and right, and she knew at least the walls could be repaired.

Mary was right in front of her, her sword slashing out with deadly accuracy. Shadow demons fell slashed in pieces, burned by the white fire of her blade, and humans fell stunned. But throughout the long fight in the dark hallways, Esther's main awareness was of Abel.

Abel stayed beside her, guarding her as closely as Astha guarded Seth. He helped everyone, but she was very aware of the dark wings that wrapped around her. When a group of possessed men lunged at her from a doorway, Abel yanked her close, his scythe appearing in his hands to lash out at the men. He'd cleared half of them before Mary even got into the group, the long blood-red whip near the blade lashing through the group with the force of a thunderbolt. Blood splattered across the walls, but the wounds appeared non-fatal. Mary stepped in and finished the rest of them quickly and efficiently, while Abel pulled Caterina and Esther behind him. Esther noted with detached amusement that Mary had adapted very quickly to the Crusnik. She and Abel worked so well together that they might have been partners for a long time. As they ducked into the offices, she caught sight of Astha, staring at the darkened face and red eyes. Then another group of demons attacked, and Esther was back on guard, trying to ignore the charred smell as Abel ripped through the attackers like a whirlwind and Petros lunged forward, shouting biblical quotes as he hammered into dark shapes.

Gradually, the tumult within the palace began to die down. The attacks became fewer and further between. Esther found herself pushed to the back of the room, with Seth and Caterina, as their loyal defenders stood in front of them. Seth gave an exaggerated sigh and settled on the edge of a desk. The Empress' clothing was splattered with things she'd rather not think about, and Esther realized with a start that she and Caterina looked little better. Then Seth sighed again, and sheathed one knife to run a hand over her face under the veil. "Whew. Well that certainly was an experience. I have to say, I didn't quite expect such a violent attack. But…your defenders are doing quite well."

"Indeed." Caterina brushed damp and stained blond hair back from her face. Her eyes, however, were on Abel, standing by the doorway. He was in front of the others, so that his lightning would be unimpeded. "And it appears as though Father Abel has learned how to handle his powers somewhat."

"He has indeed." Seth's tone was soft. "But then…he doesn't like to admit it, but Abel really is good at combat. He always was." Esther had no idea what to say. Fortunately she was spared by twin radio crackles from both Caterina and Colonel Spencer. Both women bent their heads to listen. A second later, there was another crackle, and Petros jerked a glove off and put a hand to his head. "Report." Mary looked up an instant later. "Lord Walsh reports that the Ghetto is completely sealed. He and the Underground Guard have begun intensive scouting, but so far it appears there was no infiltration of the Underground." Caterina nodded. "Father Tres just called in. They believe they've destroyed the last of the auto-jagers in the city. He and the Earl of Memphis are organizing search and destroy parties. However, I suspect they won't find anything."

"The Palace is ninety percent cleansed of the filth." Petros looked up. "Paula just reported in. They have cleaned out the adjacent wings and are working their way outward. Several soldiers and servants have joined them. She is placing them under protective custody for the time being."

"I see. That's very good." Esther smiled tiredly. "Tell them to meet back here when everything is done. We'll need to decide what to do about the mess then. And I suppose, we need to figure out what to do about the ceremony."

"Hmph." Seth snorted lightly. "We'll hold it as planned, of course. We might have to use a different room of the Palace, and maybe put up a few decorative hangings, but it'll be fine." Esther couldn't see her face, but she could hear the grin in the other's voice. "We'll show the Order how we do things."

"I agree with Her Imperial Majesty. It's imperative we hold the signing ceremony as planned. Especially after an event like this, people need hope that everything will be fine." Caterina smiled. "However, I suspect that no one will begrudge you an extra day to clean things up a bit. Lord knows, I could use some rest, myself."

"There is that." Seth settled against the desk. Movement caught Esther's eye. Abel was edging quietly toward the door. "Father?"

He stopped, but the dusky face was turned away from her. His voice was low and rough. "I thought perhaps I should go help with the clean-up." He stopped a moment. "It appears as though the fighting has ceased, for the most part."

"Even so, you shouldn't leave just yet." Caterina stepped forward. "Esther needs your protection." She moved to stand in front of him. "Do you intend to abandon her?"

"I…no. But…" Even from the side, Esther could see the consternation in his face, the way his hands tightened at his sides. Seth sighed. "You really ought to stay here. Besides…you'll startle people if you go out like that." She grinned at the tall figure of her older brother. Esther stepped forward and laid a gentle hand on his arm. "Please Father, stay here. I'm sure the others are managing. But if Colonel Spencer is needed…I'd rather not neglect the Palace guard, and your presence would be helpful."

"She's right." Mary leaned on the door. Abel looked into their faces, then sighed. "As you wish." The red eyes closed, and then, somehow, he changed, the dark winged form of the Crusnik shrinking inward, the skin paling, until he was Abel again. The long silver hair fell down his back and he absently reached behind him to tie it back, then put his glasses on. His hands were marked with the crosses she had seen once before. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw both Astha and Seth stiffen slightly. "But I'd rather remain in this form, if you don't mind."

"Not at all." Esther smiled, and she saw Caterina smile as well. Seth relaxed, and Astha settled back, though her eyes were dark. "Thank you Father."

**dragonwriter24cmf**** (AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES:**Another very long chapter…but I think it's worth it. There's just a lot going on, what with diplomacy and secrecy and such.

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Well that was quiet an interesting chapter if I do say so myself, a lot of people in action here. Humans and vampires alike. Now to make things more clear on some questions that might be hovering within your minds right now.

**[*] - **Catherina has Abel's revolver or gun that he used to use when he was with Ax and alive as such, for the time being since Abel has been presumed 'DEAD' by many whom have worked with in Ax and see him die or hisi body anyway. By his request that Catherina not reveal him to be alive just yet. Sooner or later Catherina will have her own personal or given made weapon at a later time and date when I see fit but right for a small temporary time being she is barrowing Abel's gun. "A girls gotta protect her self" and what about for when Catherina doesn't have Ax agent nor Tres around protect her, she's gotta take extra precisions. One can never be _**too **_careful.

So far right in TBWC and as when the chapters increase on few more selected people, human and vampire alike will know of Abel's Krusnick/Crusnick form. As you can see so far the only very few people to know about it are Catherina, William whom might have known more about the C. nano's then others depending what Abel might have wanted to disclosed, Peteros, Tres, Ion and Ester. Peteros has so far not disclose this information to his superiors from the anime tells and I want to keep as such for a time being. I figured with Abel having Ion tag along from anime's finale he must been shown Abel's other form not long after he's in traveling with him for while they are still trying to find Cain before they reunited with Esther.

Only Astharoshe and Leon got a look at Abel's Krusnick/Crusnick form and that s far Astharoshe is now aware that Abel is fact alive and well you can see some dark storm clouds hovering over out poor silver haired priest right now fro what about to happen next. Leon in next chapter is going to find out next about Abel being alive but that's all I am going to say for what will come within chapter nine.

**[*] - **Now for Mary's sword that she used it's something from what my editor created by Vigil, it seems that our good Count of Manchester has hidden talent into making 'present modern day lost technology' as I'll call it or something close to lost technology. This was a surprise for me to see within the chapter it's not entirely similar to what I originally had in mind for Mary's weapon in my own POV but it's something can work with.

**dragonwriter24cmf** based Mary's sword she using within the chapter and then onward from this link I gave her - http:/ www [dot] army [dash] technology [dot] come / contractors / manufacture / wkc / wkc5 [dot] html [dot]

Based what I originally wanted Mary to have a weapon.

**TAKE OUT THE BRAKETS AND SPACES AND YOU'LL SEE HOW THE LINK IS ORGINALLY. IF NOT THEN MESSAGE ME AND I WILL SEND A THE LINK BY VI EMAIL OR MESSAGE.**

According to the TB (manga mostly) Colonel Mary Spencer is a 'Master of the sword' so I wanted to give her something more of advantage that can act as a normal sword half the time and while at other times as weapon that can semi rival with lost technology of various degrees. As shown in chapter 8.

**[*] -** Seth AKA the empress is still veiled so not everyone whom has not seen her true identify before in the manga or anime in Byzantium from the palace knows what she really looks like. Also Seth used two different weapons from her anime and manga counter parts. Having small throwing blades/knifes or shurikens in the anime, while two small short swords possibly Kudachi's or Wakazi's, she'll be using a mix of both from time to time when combat calls for it. I assume all the Krusnick/Crusnick's being once dangerous military commanders and leaders from the **UNASF** ("United Nations Aero-Space Force.") in their own right with their enhanced intelligence, strength and slower aging rate must have been formidable fighters back in their hay day from Armageddon.

So far Seth has displayed from the anime and manga the most combat skill but I'm sure Abel and Cain are just as good as Seth they jus have yet to display it that is, hence Seth quoted from chapter 8 Abel always been good with fighting. We have seen Abel in action when it came to with standing blows, stabs and even slight speed from the anime/ manga but not as much as Seth.

**[*] - **Virgil's Methuselah ability/ or vampire power is not something I made up, it's what was shown in chapter 48 - **The King and I **Of the TB manga. The latest update they have made in English translation. Compared to his anime counter part we finally get to see him with an a ability similar to his sister's from pages 37 & 38 right here -

http:/www [dot] onemanga [dot] com / Trinity [underscore] Blood / 48 /

**TAKE OUT THE BRAKETS AND SPACES AND YOU'LL SEE HOW THE LINK IS ORGINALLY. IF NOT THEN MESSAGE ME AND I WILL SEND A THE LINK BY VI EMAIL OR MESSAGE.**

**dragonwriter24cmf** and I decided to add additionally before hand for Virgil seen in either chapters chapter 4 or 5 (I think?) to be good in martial arts or close hand to hand combat. With his Methuselah ability he cannot use it if it endangers Esther or any people he does not want to harm or kill, so close quarters for using his ability would be useless given the situation that is. Now is Vanessa's Methuselah ability in the manga the same as her anime counter part s or cooler?, we will just have to wait and see if that's the case.

Also in chapter 48 we also get a better picture in this chapter for Esther's real legitimate Father Prince Gilbert, her Mother Queen Victoria and most of all her Grandmother Queen Brigitte II. In her youthful days Queen Brigitte is partially a spitting image of Esther only she looks more serious looking, she might have had a similar attitude or personality to Cardinal Catherina to some degree but we can never be sure unless the manga further states and shows in flashbacks how Queen Brigitte II was like. Also like Esther from the anime she took throne at young age of fifteen. Coincidence?, who knows for sure but at least we get a better look at some of the mysteries less known faces of the family sadly Esther never go to know or knew for that matter when she was taken from Albion as a baby shortly after her father and Mother were assonated.


	9. Nine: Abel's Return

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **OK here's chapter nine is here ^^ one chapter away from my eighteen special chapters with the scenarios that will start after this one. Meaning we are coming _**very**_ close to favourite parts within **TBWC **thus far and it all happens within the next update. I also want to say thanks to the many readers and reviewers whom gave helpful and constructive advice for improving my wordings. I'll see to it at a later time to improve but as I said before about this form the beginning of TBWC I cannot please everything with every minor detail or mistake I make or it would take even longer to get the chapters uploaded and sent to me. Thanks guys for all of your support I very happy to always hear from your comments and emails about this story only thirty-one chapters left to go. So without further delay I bring you chapter nine enjoy and watch for chapter ten to be posted ASAP.

**DISCLAIMER:**All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to one of my editors and co-partners in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her own TB stories on which are awesome. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice:****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage Against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). ** In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Nine: ****Abel's Return**

Half an hour later, a knock sounded on the door. Mary tightened her grip on her sword, then opened it a crack. A second later she stepped back, allowing Virgil, Paula and Leon to enter the room. All three of them were smudged with ash, and stained with gore. Virgil had a long shallow cut on one cheek, and his jacket was missing. Leon had some slashes across the midriff, but none of them seemed too much the worse for wear. Paula wasn't scratched at all, but that wasn't really surprising.

Virgil made his way straight to her. "Your Majesty. The Ghetto has been secured, and appears not to have been infiltrated at this time. Between our new security measures and Vanessa's patrols, I believe it to be fairly safe. As to the Palace…" He sighed. "There is, of course, some damage to the interior. It will probably take several days for all of the walls to be patched up and the furnishings replaced. However, it appears the structure itself took no damage. The Palace is perfectly sound."

"I see. And what of our plans for the formalization of our treaty?"

Virgil frowned. "We may need an extra day to make sure the area is cleaned up. And rather than the main reception room, we may need to find an alternate location within the Palace. However, we will not need more than one day's delay, Your Majesty."

"Well, that's fine." Seth grinned. "I don't have a problem with a delay of one day. I'll make sure to call the Empire and let my subordinates know."

"Indeed. I'll let the Vatican know when I make my report later, tomorrow or this evening." Caterina sighed. "And now, if you don't mind, I'd like to go clean up and relax for the remainder of the evening."

"Of course." Esther could understand the feeling, in fact, she seconded it. She could feel the grime on her face and clothing, and the first thing she wanted was a hot bath, and a soothing cup of tea. She was just turning to ask Virgil if he could send for a maid when movement distracted her.

Father Leon was staring at Abel. The silver-haired priest was leaning against the wall, on the far side of the room from Astha. Since his transformation, he hadn't approached the blond Methuselah, nor had she approached him. He hadn't even looked in her direction. The marks upon his hands and face were fading, but still visible. As Caterina turned to leave the room, Leon broke away from the doorway.

"Hey, Father Four-Eyes, that really you?"

Abel started and jerked his eyes guiltily up to Leon's. "Hello, Father Leon."

"Hey, now what kind of greeting is that?" Leon stopped in front of him, a wolfish smirk on his face. He held out a hand.

Abel stared at him for a moment, then reached out to take it. Leon clasped his hand, then suddenly, he jerked the other man forward and punched him. Abel gasped and doubled over. Leon jerked him upright. "What the hell is going on? You're supposed to be dead." His eyes were hard, and a little angry. "I saw your body in that underground room myself, damn it. For the last six months, I've been busting my ass, trying to take care of things in your place, and now you just show up? What the hell is going on?" He released Abel's collar again, then stood over him as the silver-haired priest staggered backward to lean against the wall. "Exactly how long have you been running around?"

"I…well…actually…" Abel pushed himself slowly upright, one arm wrapped around his stomach. "Actually, I…Caterina revived me two days after I fell. It's rather a long story, but…"

Leon seized him again. "You've been okay all this time? Why didn't I hear about that?" The anger that had been slowly fading out of the dark eyes returned, in full force.

"Well…I…I asked Caterina not to tell anyone. I didn't…I couldn't…I'm sorry Leon. I just couldn't tell you." Abel's eyes were apologetic.

"You bastard. All this time I was…you son of a…" Leon cursed, then abruptly threw Abel backward across the room. He staggered backward, then crashed to the floor with a gasp. There was a dull thud as his head hit the floor, and he winced.

Astha pushed away from her wall and walked over to the man lying on the floor. Her eyes were opaque, but something in the way she was walking made Esther tense inside. She stopped, standing over Abel's prone form.

"Hello, tovarish."

Abel blinked hazily up at her. "Miss Astha…good evening." He looked away from her eyes. "I well…I suppose it's a little late…but…" He stammered to a halt as she extended a hand to him. "Thank you."

Astha hauled him up from the floor. Then, quick as lightning, she turned and slammed him into the wall, pinning him by his collar. Abel gasped, as the air left his lungs. His head cracked against the wall, and he winced again, involuntary tears in his eyes. He blinked at the woman holding him. "Astha?"

Her voice was low and rough when she spoke, her eyes dark with anger, and with hurt. "Mind telling me what the hell is going on? What happened? I heard that you were dead in Londinium six months ago. And then…what the hell did you do? I saw you…your appearance earlier. What the hell were you doing, Nightroad?"

"Ah well, that's really a rather long story. Lady Caterina had me revived but…well, I'm afraid a lot of things happened. I'd rather not go into them all at the moment." Abel shrugged, a sheepish look on his face. "And as for what you saw earlier…well…" The faint smile died.

"Enough." Astha cut him off impatiently, tightening her grip on his collar. Her eyes bored into his, and when she spoke again, the anger in her voice was overlaid with hurt. "For the past six months I mourned you. I thought…I thought I had lost my second tovarish. I grieved for your passing. I don't know if you can even comprehend how I felt. And now…I find you were alive the whole time. And you never bothered to contact me." Her grip tightened again. Abel made a strangled noise as the twisting collar cut off his airway.

"I thought we were partners. I thought you trusted me." She stared at him a moment more, then dropped him to the floor. Abel collapsed, gasping.

Leon moved over to her. He'd been watching the whole scene from his position across the room. Now he stopped by her side. "You know this guy?"

"I thought I did, once." Astha turned away.

"Hmmph. Well, it sounds like you're as pissed at him as I am." Leon jerked a thumb at Abel, who was struggling to stand up, one hand still pressed to his throat. "You know, whenever I get irritated at this bastard, I just punch him." He grinned, then caught Abel by one shoulder. "Normally, Four Eyes, I'd even consider giving you a fighting chance. But you've gone and upset a pretty lady, and I just can't have that." His grin widened dangerously as he cocked a fist.

"What?" Abel's eyes widened. "Leon, wait a moment!" He ducked as the other man took a swing at him. "Wait a moment! It's not what you think! Really!"

"Isn't it?" Astha caught him by the collar. "Then how would you explain it?" Her eyes were hot with temper. "You left us in the dark. Even though we were partners, even though you know what that meant to me…I think he's got the right idea." She threw him backward, a step, then backhanded him, hard. Abel staggered backward, his eyes watering. "I'd say you deserve whatever you get, priest. And I'm rather inclined to help him give it to you." Abel crashed into the wall, with Astha and Leon shoulder to shoulder in front of him.

Caterina had stopped and turned to watch. Esther moved with Seth to stand beside her, watching with wide eyes. "Shouldn't we stop them?"

Caterina raised one eyebrow. "And exactly how would we do that?" She sighed. "The truth is, those two have every right to be upset with him. It's probably better if we simply let them work it out themselves."

Seth stretched. "Personally, I'm inclined to simply watch." She turned her face to Esther. "You don't have to worry. It's not like either of them will really hurt him. Besides, I rather think it will do Abel some good." She sighed. "He's a good man, but Abel needs to learn that there are people who worry about him. He's much too inclined to sacrifice himself, or to disappear when he thinks he's in trouble. He needs to learn that there are people who worry for him, who don't want to be left behind." Her voice was melancholy. "Really, I suppose it's too much to hope he'll figure it out just from this but…maybe he'll learn a little something."

Caterina nodded. "A wise point."

"Oh. I see." Esther considered. When it was put like that, she could understand why neither of the others felt like doing anything. She found herself recalling all the times when Abel had left her behind, the anger and helplessness she'd felt. "You're right."

Caterina sighed. "If he survives this, we'll have to decide what to do with him tomorrow. It's obvious he can't continue working the way he has, especially not if he's protecting you. But I vote we save that discussion for later, when we're all a little clearer headed."

"Yes of course." Esther nodded.

Abel ducked as Leon threw another punch at him. "Really! Both of you…it's not…really, this isn't necessary. I can explain…" His words were muffled by the hand over his face, trying to staunch the blood trickling from a split lip and a bloody nose. His other hand was pressed to the back of his head, which hurt. Abel blinked, trying to remember how many times he'd encountered a wall or the floor in the past five minutes.

"Nah. You're wrong about that." Leon caught one shoulder and gave him a wolf's grin. "It really is necessary. See, this makes me feel a whole lot better." Abel tried to break away, but he wasn't fast enough. Leon's punch hit him in the gut, doubling him over and knocking him to the floor. He looked up to see Astha's face, bearing an identical grin.

Astha hauled him up by the collar. "He's right, priest. I do feel better." She clenched both fists into his collar and jerked him closer. "And don't think I'm letting you off the hook this lightly." The grin dropped into a glare. "You should be glad I don't want to mess up Her Majesty's Palace, or I might consider going after you with my spear."

"Astha, wait a moment. I really can explain…" Abel held up his hands.

"I already gave you that chance." Astha hit him upside the head again, sending him staggering right into Leon's grip.

Abel gasped, shaking his head, then ducked sideways, just in time. Leon took another swing at him. He dodged. "Really, you two…it isn't…"

"It isn't what?" Astha seized him and shoved him backward into a wall once again, tangling his collar in a choke-hold as she pinned him. "You keep saying that, but I don't think I've heard one convincing explanation yet."

"Astha. Please, let me go." Abel gasped. With her grip as tight as it was, he couldn't breathe. "Astha…" Something changed in his eyes, concern and fear suddenly replacing the befuddled, dazed look he had. "Astha…"

Leon moved up beside her. "Hey, if you choke him unconscious, it's not gonna be as much fun. Besides, he keeps babbling all this nonsense. Maybe we oughta let him talk for a minute…" He grinned and cracked his knuckles. "I'm actually kinda curious to see what kind of lame excuse he can come up with. Usually, he just gives me another reason to smack him for being an idiot."

Astha considered, then dropped Abel. The silver-haired man fell to the ground, coughing. "Start talking."

Abel gasped. He clenched one hand over his mouth, his other hand tightened into a fist. Slowly, he pushed himself upward, and staggered dizzily sideways, until his shoulders could lean against the wall. He stood there, his head down, breathing heavily.

"Hey. I thought you were going to explain, priest." Astha reached out to grab his shoulder, but Abel knocked her hand aside, then jerked away. He stumbled sideways, until he crashed into a corner. He stood there with his back to them, still breathing hard. Astha blinked. This wasn't Abel's normal behavior at all. "Hey…"

"Both of you stop. Please, just stop it." Abel spoke quietly, but there was a hint of desperation in his tone. "Please…I just…I need a minute."

"What the hell's going on?" Leon blinked at Abel's back. "Come on Four Eyes, you can't tell me you're out already."

"It's…I'll be all right." Abel sighed, then turned, leaning his back against the wall. "I'm sorry. I just…I was afraid I was going to lose control for a minute." He sighed again. Then his eyes opened and met Astha's. He offered her a tired and rather hazy smile. "I'm sorry."

"Whatever. I'm still waiting for an explanation. Why the hell didn't you contact me?" Astha folded her arms.

"Because I…well I simply couldn't face you." Abel sighed. "You said to me earlier, that you thought I trusted you. And I do."

"Obviously not." The pain was back Astha's voice. She started to turn away.

"That's not true. Astha…" Abel reached forward, caught her sleeve in one hand. She stopped, but didn't face him. "Please, hear me out. I…it's not that I don't trust you. It's…it's me I don't trust."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I…you said, you saw me earlier. That form…what you saw…that power allowed me to be revived." Abel's voice was quiet. He released her, and his head bowed. "But it's not…it's not fully stable, yet. I can't…I can't be sure of my control. And I can't…I can't always control it. That's why…that's why I couldn't contact you. I was afraid. I didn't want you to see…I didn't want to risk having you see me, not like that."

"Why? Were you afraid I'd run?" Astha jerked him upright.

"No." Abel looked into her eyes, and his own were filled with regret and pain. "I was afraid you wouldn't…and that I would unintentionally hurt you." He looked away. "I'm…Astha, I'm sorry I hurt you so badly. But I couldn't take a chance…not with that." A sad smile touched his face. "I suppose it seems like a hollow excuse but…it's the truth. Please, believe me, I didn't want to hurt you. And I…regret this. But I…" He sighed again. "You may not believe me, and I don't blame you, but I…I truly did want to remain as your partner. That's why I didn't want to risk exposing you to that."

Astha stared at him for a moment. Then she released him. Abel sank against the wall. One hand absently blotted the blood from his mouth and chin, then rubbed the back of his head. His eyes though, remained fixed on hers, and there was sorrow and shame in them.

Leon blinked. "Okay, back up. What the hell are you talking about, Four Eyes?"

Abel gave him a confused stare. Then a wistful smile appeared on his face. "That's right. You didn't know. You've never…you've never seen it before, have you?" He met Leon's eyes. "Haven't you ever wondered? About my codename?"

"Yeah. Crusnik. What about it?"

"Well, that was what you saw, this evening. I joined you in the hall, actually."

Leon's eyes widened. "Wait a second…that fanged guy with the lightning was you?"

"Well, yes. I'm afraid it was." Abel offered him a sheepish grin.

"What the…" Leon grabbed him. "When the hell did you develop that?" He glared. "Is this something that happened when Caterina saved you?"

"Well, yes and no. I've…that power is one I gained long before I met you. However…Caterina used it to save me and since then…I'm afraid it's gotten rather more problematic."

"If you've had it all this time, then why the hell haven't I ever seen it?" Leon glared.

"Well, it's because…well, I never went on a mission with you that required me to use those powers. And…" Abel's head bowed. "I didn't want…I don't want people to see that side of me. If possible, I would like to avoid using that. I didn't want to expose you…to that monstrous side of me."

Leon glared at him. "You idiot!" he sighed. "Damn…you really are a hopeless pain in the ass, Four Eyes." His gripped tightened. "I guess you would frighten the ladies away, so I'll let it slide this one time…but if I find you've been keeping any more secrets like that I'll tack your skinny ass to the nearest wall. Got it?" Without waiting for an answer, he shoved Abel into the wall, hard enough for his head to crack against it, then dropped him and turned away.

Abel took a deep breath, and rubbed the back of his head. "Ouch. Really…" He started as a hand came to rest on his shoulder. He looked up into Astha's dark eyes. "Miss Astha?"

She sighed. "You really did mean it, didn't you? Damn it, priest…." She sighed again. "I suppose I can forgive you this time. However, tovarish…." She pinned him with a hard stare. "If you ever do anything like that again…" A sudden dangerous smile touched her face, and her grip tightened. "I'll chase you down and hammer you into the ground myself, and give whatever's left of you to my cat to play with." The smile widened. "Do I make myself perfectly clear, Father Abel Nightroad?"

"Yes perfectly." Abel held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I'll be sure to remember this conversation."

"Idiot. You'd better make sure you do." Astha sighed again, then let go of his shoulder. "I'm going to escort my Empress to wherever she wants to go. And then I'm going to go to bed. You'd better still be around when I wake up." She turned and walked away towards the waiting Empress.

Esther let out a relieved sigh as Astha strode up to them and bowed. "My apologies, Your Highness. I'm afraid I got involved in a personal matter. I'm sorry if I inconvenienced you."

Seth laughed. "It's quite all right. Father Nightroad is a rather exasperating individual. I understand. However, I think it's time to retire for the evening. It's getting close to dawn, and I for one have had quite enough excitement."

"Yes of course." Astha straightened.

Seth turned. "I'll see you later. Esther. Be sure to get some rest."

"Indeed." Caterina sighed. "I believe I'll retire as well."

At her words, Sister Paula stepped forward. "We'll be happy to escort you, Cardinal Sforza. However, I would ask your permission to report in, and give my formal report as soon as possible."

"Of course. Brother will be anxious to hear what's been going on." Caterina sighed. "Very well. You and Brother Petros make your report. Father Leon can escort me, I'm sure."

Esther blinked. "If it's not too much trouble…" She turned to Mary. "Colonel Spencer, if you could escort the Cardinal as well. Father Nightroad and Lord Walsh can take me to my rooms."

"As you wish, Majesty." Mary turned, and bowed to Caterina. "If you will come with me, Excellency?" Caterina nodded, and the two of them disappeared through the door after Seth, with Leon only a few steps behind.

Esther turned to look at Virgil. "Lord Walsh, if there's nothing that needs to be taken care of, I believe I'd like a hot bath, some tea and then…I think I'd like to retire for the night."

"Of course." Virgil bowed. "I'll call one of the staff right away." He stepped through the door, and returned a few minutes later. "Your maids are taking care of the bath and your rooms. And the kitchen staff is putting something together for you. It should be ready shortly. Shall we escort you to your chambers?"

"Yes." Esther turned. Abel was still leaning against the wall. "Father Nightroad, are you all right?"

"What?" Abel blinked at her, then straightened. "Oh yes, I'm fine. I was just lost in thought for a minute there. Were you ready to go?"

"Yes." Virgil nodded to him. "I would appreciate it if you would assist me with escorting her Majesty to her chambers." He looked at the two Inquisitors, still standing in the room, then addressed Petros. "My lord, there is a communications panel on the desk there, if you wish to use it to contact Rome. If you'll excuse me, I'll return, or send someone to lead you to your own rooms when you are ready." With that he bowed, and held the door open for Esther.

"Good night." Esther gave the Inquisitors both a nod of farewell, then headed for her own rooms, Abel and Virgil right behind her.

Petros watched as Abel followed Esther out the door. He turned, and saw Paula staring at the door with a deeper than usual frown on her face. "Something concerns you?"

"That man…Father Nightroad." She turned to look at him. "One of us should be monitoring him."

Petros scowled and leaned against the wall. "I see no reason to concern ourselves with Father Nightroad. Nor do I see any reason to trouble the Cardinal di Medici over him."

"Petros!" Paula stared at him. "Surely you cannot believe that. That man was pronounced dead in this very building six and a half months ago. You verified his death yourself. Therefore, for him to be here…" Her head turned, to look at the door. "It must either have been a devious trick, or witchcraft. Either way it must be reported."

Petros let his scowl deepen. "The duty of the Inquisitorial department is to report heretics who act against the benefit of His Holiness, or the Sacred Church. At present I have no evidence that Father Nightroad has done anything of the kind. However this has come about, it appears as though he is currently under the control of the Queen of Albion, and of the Duchess of Milan. Therefore, I see no reason to report him at this time."

Paula turned to face him. "Petros…" Her expression hardened. "Even if what you say is true…that man is presumed dead by the Church. If he is truly alive, then he has lied to the Vatican. For a priest sworn to it's service, that is heresy. And if he lives because of some foul witchcraft…" Her hand tightened on her weapons. "It is our duty to bring him before the Inquisition for questioning."

"I disagree." Petros sighed irritably. "In truth, I met with Father Nightroad over a month ago, and was informed both of his condition, and of the exact circumstances surrounding his death and revival. It was my decision at that time to leave him alone to pursue his current path." His eyes went to the door. "That man is on a mission given by God. Only a miracle of the Lord's will could have brought him back. Therefore, I choose to respect what is God's will."

"You cannot be sure of that." Paula bowed. "With all respect, Petros, you and I both know of the powers that man possesses. We even witnessed their use this evening. And it has long been rumored that if he bears the form of an angel in that other guise, he is one of the fallen."

Petros looked away. "Perhaps. But the truth of God's angels, fallen or not, is not a matter for mere mortals to decide." He turned his head to meet her eyes once more. "However, I do know this. That man gave his last ten years to the service of the Sacred Church, in duties far more dangerous than even I have committed to. More, I know that six and a half months ago, he gave his life in the defense of his faith, and in an attempt to save His Holiness from the Order of Rosenkreutz. And I know that even now, after his return, he has continued to serve against the enemies of God."

Paula made no reply, but after a moment she looked away. Petros sighed and continued. "If we report him now, he will be taken before the Inquisition. And he will face the full force of the Cardinal di Medici's interrogation. To bring him to that, after all he has done and suffered on behalf of our Holy Order…I find it dishonorable." His shoulders tensed, thinking of what Abel would endure in a trial at the Cardinal's hands.

Cardinal di Medici's dislike of his sister and her subordinates was well known, and his dislike of Abel was greater than most. At best, the other man would be imprisoned for weeks, while the Order worked their will. More likely though, he would be bound and tortured. He would be subjected to truth serum, and suffer severe physical and mental abuse while Francesco sought information from him. Though Abel Nightroad was a strong man, there was no guarantee that even he could survive such treatment, much less with his mind intact. And Petros did not want to know what would happen, if such torment were inflicted upon him, especially after what he had confessed at the tomb the night they had first faced each other. He sought for the words to explain it to his subordinate.

"It is possible such a course of action could cause him to release his powers within the Vatican. I have no wish to clean up such a mess. Nor do I see any point in making the man a martyr a second time."

"I see." Paula sighed, and relaxed, just a fraction. "And what do you propose we do? Surely you do not recommend we simply leave him unobserved. The Department should keep an eye on him."

"I wish to wait, to see what will happen now. It may be, having come so openly into the light, that he will return to Cardinal Sforza. If so, he will be her responsibility, but he will also be a part of the church again, and subject to the rules of our order. He may also decide to remain with the Albion Queen, in which case he is their concern, and none of ours, unless he specifically does something the Church deems a grave offense."

Paula nodded. "And what will you do, if your falsehood is discovered, Petros? Or if he turns out to be a heretic after all?"

Petros growled. "If he is truly a heretic, then when I discover proof, I will hunt him and destroy him myself. As for what will happen when His Excellency discovers Nightroad's presence…I will deal with that when the situation arises. I am fully prepared to make my apologies to both his Holiness and His Excellency when the time comes, and to face the consequences of my actions."

Paula considered him a moment. "Very well, my lord." She bowed. "With your permission, now that we've cleared this up, I will report in." Petros nodded, and she went to the panel that Virgil had indicated. Moments later, it came to life, revealing the Cardinal di Medici's scowling face.

"Well?" Francesco's tone was hard, but no more so than usual.

"My lord, there has been an incident." Paula bowed, then snapped into attention. "This evening, Buckingham Palace was attacked by the Order of Rosenkreutz."

"And Caterina?" Francesco's scowl deepened. He had little love for his sister, as both Inquisitors knew, but this was also a matter of honor. With two of his best warriors at the scene, it would be a huge embarrassment if the Duchess of Milan had taken harm.

"She is safe. We were assisted by the AX, along with special guards from both Albion and the Empire. Aside from damage to the Palace itself and some civilian casualties, everyone emerged unharmed."

Francesco scowled. "A pity the Empress could not be disposed of in the fray. However, no matter. This Alliance will show its weakness soon enough. In the meantime, remain on guard at all times. The honor of the Vatican must be preserved."

"Yes, my lord." Paula gave a few more details of the report. Though she mentioned Lord Walsh's powers, and commented on Colonel Spencer's blade, she made no more mention of Abel in her report.

Finally, the report was concluded. Paula waited until Francesco signed off, then turned off the console. She turned to regard her superior. "I hope you know what you're doing, Brother Petros."

"I as well." He growled. "However, now is not the time to be concerned with such matters. We must attend to Her Grace."

"Indeed. I will see if Lord Walsh has returned yet." She opened the door, to find a young man in a guards uniform standing outside.

The young man bowed immediately. "Lord Walsh sent me to escort you to your quarters."

"Very well." Petros stepped forward, his war spear in his hand. "You will lead us to the Cardinal Sforza, that we may ascertain that she is safe. Then you may escort us to our rooms."

"Yes sir." The soldier bowed once more, then turned and strode down the hall, the two Inquisitors right behind.

Esther woke the next morning, feeling almost like her usual self. She had a new assortment of bruises and cuts, but she had to admit that the hot bath and the deep nights sleep had gone a long way to restoring her. Not to mention a note had arrived from Sister Kate about the time she'd been preparing for bed. It had been accompanied by one of her special tea blends. Virgil had mixed it for her, and the soothing blend of herbs and honey had soothed her tired mind and body even more than the hot bath had. She smiled. Maybe she could convince Kate to leave her some recipes for her tea, or some pre-made packets of some of the more relaxing blends.

Esther sighed, then stretched and maneuvered herself out of bed. She had work to do. There were repairs to authorize, plans to make, and issues to deal with. She had no doubt that her Court would be in a flurry of panic over last night's incident. Though Mary and Virgil had probably already spent hours attempting to calm people, she needed to get out there and ease their fears. She sighed, then selected one of her nicer outfits from her wardrobe.

She was just finished dressing, and letting the maid help with her hair when a knock startled her. The young woman attending her opened it to find Virgil standing on the threshold. The Count bowed, then stepped forward. "Good morning, Your Majesty. Did you rest well?"

"I did, thank you." Esther smiled. "The tea you made for me was a great help."

"I am glad to hear that. I fear you have a trying day ahead of you."

"Yes. I suspected as much." She sighed. "How bad is it?"

Virgil frowned slightly. "The damage to Buckingham Palace is not severe. It can be repaired by skilled masons. I hope you'll forgive our liberties, but the Palace steward and I have already ordered renovations to begin. As for the status of the Palace inhabitants…" He sighed. "We have over two dozen members of the Palace staff and guard under custody, on suspicion of being controlled by this mysterious Puppet Master. And regrettably, there have been a few casualties. I would estimate about a dozen. Colonel Spencer has the list. The rest of the people are frightened, and on edge."

"I see. Well then, it's my job to put them at ease, isn't it?" She stood up, resolutely pulling her dress straight. "I'll get started right away."

"As you wish, Majesty." He paused. "On another note, your guests have requested to share the evening meal with you. They have also requested the presence of Father Nightroad at dinner as well. I believe they have some things they would like to discuss with both of you."

"I see. Tell them I'd be honored to have supper with them. And if you could, have someone inform Father Nightroad. He…do you know where he is?" She remembered her last fight standing beside Abel, how he'd gone off on his own.

"As a matter of fact, I believe he's in his room across the hall, resting." Virgil's face was solemn, and his voice was softer when he spoke. "From what I saw, he must have used a great deal of energy. I thought to let him rest for the day."

"It's all right. If you'll give him the message…" She smiled, remembering other times she'd been with Abel. "I'm sure he'll be hungry when he wakes, so the invitation to dinner will probably do him good."

"As you wish." Virgil bowed once more, and the two of them went to begin their work for the day.

The Palace was in sad shape. As Esther walked through the halls to the main meeting room, she saw the signs of conflict everywhere. There were cracks in the walls, places where decorations had been destroyed or ripped free. As they passed the offices, she saw scorched places, where Abel's lightning had passed. Stains that looked like dried blood splattered the walls and floor, arcing up several feet in some places. The castle maids and cleaners were already hard at work, but still the damage showed. Esther winced at the damage.

Then a young maid looked up and spotted her. To her surprise, the young woman offered her a proud smile, then saluted her, one hand still holding a dirty rag. Others noticed the gesture, and all along the length of the hall, Esther saw people coming into attention, saluting her with grim smiles and determined looks on their faces. Esther smiled and returned the gesture, then set her shoulders, determined not to let her people down. The day passed in a flurry of meetings and paperwork. First she had to reassure all the nobles and members of the Council that she was perfectly all right, and that her guards had done an excellent job of shielding her.

Then she had to reassure them that their guests were also all right, and had not taken offense, and that the ceremonies would go forward. Finally, she got them all calmed. Then she took time to roam the halls of the Palace, speaking to the servants. She reassured them as well, and thanked them for their hard work and their courage. She snatched a quick lunch after that, then returned to her office to deal with the paperwork that the entire mess had generated. Mary came by with a casualty list later that afternoon. She also gave a report on the prisoners, all of whom were injured. Most of them were sporting physical wounds from one of the weapons.

However some had no mark on them. What they did have was massively aching bodies, and remarkably clear heads. It appeared that all of those had one thing in common. They were the ones who'd been struck by Abel's lightning, and knocked out. Esther made note of the information, and promised she'd think about it. Then she turned back to her work, setting the casualty list in front of her, with a note to write condolence letters to the families, and to make sure a fitting memorial was held. Even if some of them had been taken by Dietrich and turned against her, they all deserved proper recognition. Evening was falling when a knock on the door broke her concentration. She set aside her pen, and massaged her aching fingers, then spoke.

"Enter."

Abel came through the door. He looked much better than he had when she'd last seen him the night before. The cuts on his lip were entirely healed, as was his nose, and the bruises were gone. The ease with which he moved into the room indicated that the damage to his ribs from Leon's punches was also gone. He came forward to the middle of the room, then stopped with a faint smile on his face. "Good evening, Miss Esther."

"Good evening, Father." Esther returned the smile. "Did you rest well?"

"I did, actually." His smile turned sheepish. "In fact, I'm afraid I slept most of the day away. Lord Walsh came and woke me just a little while ago. He asked me to escort you to dinner…"

"Oh, yes." Esther rose from her seat. Her stomach chose that moment to growl. Abel smiled with mild amusement, and Esther blushed. "It would seem it's time for dinner. However Father, I was hoping you'd join us. Lady Caterina and Seth will be there as well. We were hoping you'd eat with us."

Abel twitched. "Well, I suppose…I suppose I may as well." He smiled lightly and offered her his arm and bowed, like a court gentleman would. "Shall we go, Your Majesty?"

"Thank you Father." Esther smiled and took his hand.

Caterina and Seth were already there when she and Abel arrived. Both looked better than they had the night before. Seth was still wearing her veil. But she'd dressed in clean garments, as had Caterina. The lady Cardinal was wearing another set of her casual robes, with her hair pulled back. There was a faint bruise on the back of one hand, but otherwise she seemed fine. Both of them turned when she and Abel entered.

"Good evening."

"Good evening. I hope both of you managed to get some rest and relaxation." Esther smiled at her two guests as the four of them settled around the small dining table she'd decided to use this evening. Seth sat at her right, and Caterina at her left. Abel sat across from her, his eyes downcast. He seemed ill at ease. She wondered if it was simply eating in the presence of so many officials, though they were all people he knew well, or if was because he'd guessed why they wanted him here.

"I slept very well, thank you." Caterina smiled, and took a sip of the wine that the servants brought in, sitting back slightly as the staff began to set plates on the table and serve the food from the dishes. Though Esther had decreed this would be an informal supper, the servants were still required to make sure the guest had all they wanted. There was a roast, as well as potatoes, carrots and a green salad. Wine and water were both poured, and a small slice of chocolate cheesecake was set out as dessert by each plate.

"Same here. I was out like a light. Although, Cardinal you're going to have to tell me what that Sister of yours puts in her tea. It was simply amazing." Seth reached out and took a drink of water under her veil.

"Ah yes. You both received the gift I asked Sister Kate to send you? Her teas are very relaxing." Caterina smiled. "I believe that one was lemongrass and honey, with some chamomile, and perhaps a little peppermint. But you'll have to ask Kate. Those recipes are her precious secret."

"Well, it was wonderful. I was hoping to ask her to give me some of her recipes or some tea packets before you return to the Vatican. And thank you for sending them to us. It was really very helpful." Esther smiled.

Caterina's lips quirked. "You're quite welcome."

The last servant finished with his duties, then bowed and slipped out the door. Esther caught sight of the guards outside the door, but then it shut, leaving them to eat in peace.

Seth heaved a sigh, and reached up to remove her veil, revealing the fourteen year old face framed with short black hair. "Ah, that's a relief." She set it aside, and gave Esther and Caterina a quirky grin. "It's kind of necessary sometimes but still, wearing that thing all the time is troublesome. And even though I can eat around it, I'd rather not have to. Mirka does it so much more gracefully."

She sighed and stretched, then turned to look at Abel. A grin touched the corner of her mouth. "Well Abel, I see that recent events haven't curtailed your appetite any."

Abel flushed. He had easily twice as much food on his plate as the rest of them, including five slices of roast. "Well, that's just the way things are, I suppose."

"Indeed." Caterina took a bite of roast, chewed daintily and then swallowed. "Speaking of the way things are, Abel, exactly what do you intend to do now?"

Abel looked up from his plate and swallowed the bite of salad in his mouth rather quickly. "I beg your pardon?"

Seth snorted. "Really Abel, you can't be that dense." The Empress sighed. "You're in a bit of a mess now, you know."

"Exactly. It was bad enough when one or two common soldiers saw you. But now you've been seen by two high-ranking Inquisitors, as well as Father Leon and Lady Astharoshe. And who knows how many other servants in Albion." Caterina sighed. "Face it Abel. You can no longer hide in the shadows. Something has to be done."

Abel sighed. He had been eating, but now he stopped and nudged a piece of roast with his fork. "I'm not sure…"

"Hmm. Well you'd better think of something." Caterina took a sip of wine. "That you were seen poses a problem. But that you were seen while using your powers is far more alarming." She sighed again. "It's only fortunate that you waited until we were behind closed doors before you returned to normal. Otherwise I suspect the Palace would be in a panic."

Abel winced. "Well yes, I did think of that. But really, there wasn't time to do anything else."

"That's not the point, Abel." Seth set her fork down. "The point is…what are we going to do with you? Even if you simply go wandering off again, they'll know to look for you."

"She's right. And without someone to back you, you're no better than a vigilante. No matter how good your work is, we'll still have a responsibility to curtail your activities." Caterina considered the wine in her cup for a moment, then looked Abel square in the eyes. "I spoke with Petros this afternoon. At the moment, he's convinced Paula to hold off reporting you. But it was a very near thing. Brother almost found out about you last night." Abel flinched, and his lips compressed in a frown.

Caterina saw it. She held the winter blue eyes with her own. "Brother Petros also informs me that how long he can protect you depends largely on what you do next. Without formal protection, the Inquisition will hunt you down as a potential menace."

Abel sighed and took a drink of water. "I realize your concerns but…" His eyes met those of his former superior, then looked away. "I still…"

"Agh!" Seth growled, then abruptly pushed back her chair and stalked around the table to stand next to her brother. Abel blinked as she caught his collar and jerked his face around. "You know, Abel, I'm very fond of you. But seriously, you are far too thick headed and stubborn for your own good." She poked him in the forehead. "Think about it. I'm going to go finish my dinner now, and you'd better not be making all these lame excuses when I get done."

She let go. Abel stared at her. "Seth…"

"I said we'll deal with you after dinner." Seth stalked back around to her chair. Just before she settled into her seat, her emerald eyes caught her brothers. "But you know…if you insist on being alone…do you really think you can protect us, if you never give us time to know if anything is wrong?" She settled down into her chair, and picked up her fork again.

Esther and Caterina shared a look of bemusement, then bent to their own plates. The rest of dinner was a silent affair. When Esther looked at Abel he was eating again, but his face was still and tense, and he didn't eat with his normal enthusiasm. In fact, he looked as if he was trying to prolong the meal as long as possible.

Finally, the last bite of food was cleared away. Esther summoned servants to clean way the plates, and the four of them moved to the adjourning sitting room, still carrying glasses. Esther had water, the others had wine. As they settled into the chairs, Seth fixed her brother with a steely look. "Well, Abel?"

Abel sighed. "I really don't know. I…I have to follow _him_. You know that." His gaze came up to lock with his sister's. "You knew, when you told me, that I would."

"I did." Seth sighed. "I won't deny you that Abel, and it's not like I can really stop you, especially not now. But still…" She smiled sadly at him. "I just wish you'd let people help you."

"Indeed." Caterina set her glass on the small low table by her chair. "At this point, it will cause far more trouble for you to be without sanction than it will for you to be seen again. So…that leaves us with three choices."

"And what did you think those were?" Abel blinked at her.

"One: Return to the AX." Abel opened his mouth to protest, and Caterina pinned him with a glare. "I didn't ask you to return to Rome. You of all people know that I have agents who are almost never in the Vatican. Father Hugue only returns twice a year at most, unless there's an emergency. And Father Leon is more often in jail. Only the Professor and Vaclav are consistently in Rome. It would be little trouble to declare that I hired a new AX agent and asked him to remain in Albion. Especially given the situation here."

Seth nodded. "And your other suggestions, Lady Caterina?"

"That he return to the Empire with you, as a guard and envoy from the Methuselah population here in Albion. Or that he remain here, officially serving as Esther's guard. He could possibly even be granted a small title in either case, to enable him to move within the court."

Abel sighed, looking at the glass held between his fingers. "I can't."

Seth bit her lip. "Abel…"

"It's not what you think." Abel looked at her with a tired smile. "But…entering the court of either the Empire or Albion would be…troublesome at best." His fingers fiddled with the glass, but his eyes were lost in the distance. "I've been an envoy to both courts as a member of the Vatican. It's not unusual for the Vatican to employ nobility, I suppose, but it rare for that nobility to be a simple priest, unless one has a troubled past. And beyond my connection to the Vatican…I am an unknown. Completely. What story would you tell the nobles of either court?"

Esther considered. "You've been a very close friend to me. And you've certainly earned a place, with as much as you've helped us." She looked at her own glass. "I imagine Lord Walsh and Colonel Spencer would be very happy to sponsor you…"

"Which would raise the question of why. I have no family ties to either of them." Abel swallowed. "Either way there would be far too many people asking questions about my past. And if anyone were to discover the truth…or even part of the truth…" He abruptly stopped, then drained his glass.

"Hmm. You do have a point there." Seth sighed. "Really Abel…you are far too much trouble."

"Well, you can still be assigned as a special guard." Caterina frowned at the figure before her.

"But then I will have no freedom to move. And I must…" Abel's eyes met hers. "I have to be able to fight. If I find word of him…I will leave. I cannot do that if I am bound in one place."

"Then return to the AX. I'll post you on duty as my representative in Albion, on special assignment, with orders to deal with the problem of Rosenkreutz as best you can. Caterina frowned at him. "Really, Abel, you need the support."

Abel sighed again. "I know…"

"Hmmph. I for one will feel much better if you're at least with the Vatican." Seth hopped off her chair and moved to Abel's side. One hand touched his face, and Seth smiled grimly at his expression. "You know Abel, your face is really transparent. You were thinking about what would happen if something goes wrong with you, weren't you?"

"Eh?" Abel blinked, then a slow blush stained his cheeks "Well yes." He turned his eyes away from them. "It still…last night, when Astha and Leon confronted me, there was a moment when I wasn't sure…"

"Well you were still running on adrenalin. Besides…" there was a faint note of glee in Seth's voice. "You were getting pretty thoroughly thrashed there. But seriously Abel…" She hesitated, and her voice was softer and entirely serious when she spoke. "You know, you may be trying to protect us, but we're actually safer if you're with us. If something goes wrong, I'd like to know in time to be able to do something about it. Isn't it better if we have some warning?"

"That didn't help the last time." Abel's jaw was tight, his face pale.

"We didn't know it could happen, then. And neither of us wanted to believe it. But it doesn't matter." Seth's voice went sharp. "Abel…you aren't him. You never were." Her hand tightened on his jacket collar, and her head bowed. "You idiot…do you honestly think I wouldn't know? I've known ever since the beginning what you were thinking and feeling. Everyone did. Even when you try to hide it, you…Abel…"

Genuine distress touched Abel's face, and then he smiled ruefully. One hand came up, and wrapped lightly around Seth's shoulders. "I'm sorry."

"Idiot." Seth's free hand balled into a fist and she looked into his eyes. "Don't apologize. Just say you'll stay this time."

"Hmmph." Abel smiled slightly. "You know, I think I've had this conversation before." His eyes shifted, met Esther's, sharing a memory of a time when she had scolded him just like this. Then they shifted to Caterina's. "I suppose you're both going to agree with her."

"Of course." Caterina looked at the Empress still held loosely in Abel's grip, then rubbed her forehead. "Someday, you're going to have to explain to me what I just witnessed. For now though…do I take it you will finally be sensible and agree to stay? With one of us?"

"Yes. I…" He gently released his sister, and freed himself from her grip, then rose and moved to the chair where Caterina was reclining. Then he knelt, bending his long frame so that his bowed head was at the height of her knee. "Lady Caterina, I humbly request that you permit me to return to the AX, to serve once again in your campaign against the Order of Rosenkreutz. I also request that you allow me to serve as your envoy here in Albion."

Caterina smiled at him. "There's no need to go that far." She reached out and touched his shoulder. "I'll need to reinstate you, of course, but you should know by now Abel…" The steely eyes softened. "You are always welcome, old friend."

Abel lifted his head. "Yes, yes, I know." He sighed, but the slight smile still touched his face. "You've been very persistent this time, Lady Caterina." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I…thank you."

"Excuse me, Lady Caterina?" Esther spoke up hesitantly from her seat as Abel rose from his knees. "I…I actually have a favor to request."

"Of course. Please." Caterina turned her gaze to meet Esther's.

"I'd like to be reinstated, along with Father Nightroad, if I may. I know you asked for me to stay in the inactive reserves but…" Esther blushed. "Well, with everything that's been happening here…"

"Well it'd give you the backing of the Vatican, that's for sure." Seth had stolen Abel's chair, and was perched in it with her feet tucked under her, looking very comfortable. "It could be rather handy."

"Indeed, and it would give Father Nightroad a partner here, within the area." Caterina considered. "However, I do have some concerns about bringing you back into the active roster. After all, you have a country to run."

"I know, but if my assignment is to monitor things here…well I'll be doing that anyway, so…" Esther tucked her hair back behind her ears. Her voice dropped some when she spoke again. "We're already in danger, it appears. This might make us a little safer."

"I see." Caterina considered for a moment. "I'd like to speak to your advisors beforehand. However, if Colonel Spencer and Lord Walsh agree to it, I'm willing to reactivate you. In fact, it will provide cover for Abel as well. I can simply tell Brother I enlisted one of your more talented guards."

Seth gave an amused chuckle. "Well then, assuming we can get their permission, what is it that you'd need to do?"

"Not much." Caterina folded her hands in front of her. "I'd need a small chapel or church, which I assume are on the grounds."

"Of course. We have a chapel in one wing. It isn't very big, because it was meant for the private use of the monarch, but…" Esther stopped.

"That would be fine. Beyond that…" Caterina considered. "Well actually it's not really needed, but I'd like to have the Inquisitors and my own AX members as witnesses. That way if something does go wrong, there will be someone who can vouch for both of you."

"Sounds good." Seth stretched. "Then there's no reason why Abel can't come back tonight, is there? After all, the sooner the better."

"Tonight?" Abel blinked. "Don't you think that's rushing a bit?"

"No. I don't. The rest of us have duties to attend to after tonight. And really, you do as well." Seth grinned and stood. "Besides, my dear brother, I learned a long time ago that it's better not to give you a chance to go wandering off. You are entirely too inclined to disappear when something bothers you."

"That is true, Abel." Caterina stared at him, then transferred her gaze to the Empress. "I beg your pardon, but I did hear you correctly just now?" The grey eyes returned to Abel. "I believe you called Father Nightroad 'brother'."

"Umm…well, actually…." Abel flushed. "You did hear her correctly." Caterina raised one eyebrow and gave him a cool look, and his flush deepened. "It's not like I meant to keep it a secret, but really…"

"Abel…" Caterina sighed, and put her head in her hands. "Honestly…the things you do…you were planning to tell me at some point, weren't you?" She raised her eyes to meet his and there was exasperation in her gaze. "When I think of all the trouble I had arranging an audience with the Empire…"

"Well, you can't fault Abel too much for that." Seth grinned. "I don't think he actually knew I was on the throne at the time. He wandered off just before that happened." She shot her brother a look. "And after that I didn't talk to him, so he probably wasn't sure. But…you can thank him anyway. After you and he helped Astharoshe on the matter of Enderle, I knew I was going to have to contact you, if only to make sure he wasn't doing anything foolish."

"You knew then?" Abel's voice was soft. "That Astha…"

"That Astharoshe found you and became your partner? I did. But I couldn't risk blowing my cover too early by contacting you, and I wasn't sure on what terms you were with the Vatican." Seth tapped a finger to her lips. "You're not allowed to be cross with me on this one, Abel. After all, _you_ were the one who didn't keep in contact."

Abel blinked. "Really…now how can you…I mean…" He spluttered to a stop, looking back and forth between the two women. Seth was staring at him solemnly. Caterina was still giving him that quizzical look, one eyebrow raised. Esther hid a grin behind her hand. This was so typical of the Father Nightroad she knew.

"Enough, Abel." Caterina finally put a halt to his attempts to rationalize the situation. She rose from her seat. "If we're going to reinstate you and Esther, then we need to begin arrangements now. I'm going to go speak to Brother Petros and the rest of the AX team. I'll need to make sure that we have all our stories straight before we return to the Vatican. Lady Esther if you would please speak with your advisors."

"Of course." Esther rose as well.

"As for you, Father Nightroad…" Caterina turned a cool gaze back to the silver-haired man still standing in the center of the room. "I'm sure you and the Empress must have a great deal to discuss. Perhaps you should stay here and speak with her while Esther and I go arrange things."

"Umm, yes. Of course." Abel looked at the youthful figure at his side, and the puzzled, harassed look on his face softened. "We haven't really had that much time to catch up yet, have we?"

"Nope." Seth smiled at him, then turned to look at Caterina. "Thank you for loaning him to me. I promise…" A mischievous grin touched her face. "I won't upset him too much before you come back for him."

Abel stared at her. "Seth…" Caterina and Esther left before they heard any more.

Virgil and Mary were both in Mary's office when Esther opened the door. Both of them looked up with identical expression of surprise. Virgil rose from his chair. "Your Majesty…"

Esther smiled sheepishly. "I apologize. I know I should have called you before I just started wandering the castle, especially after what happened…" She drew the door closed behind her. "I did have the guards escort me."

Virgil relaxed with a small sigh, but his eyes drifted over the air behind her. "I am rather surprised to see that Father Nightroad isn't with you."

"Yes, well…he was detained. The Empress wished to speak with him, and so…" She stopped. "Actually, there's something I need to talk to both of you about, right now."

"I see." Virgil pulled out the chair he'd been sitting in and bowed. Esther took a seat. "May I ask what this concerns, Your Majesty?"

"Well, it concerns myself and Father Nightroad. He decided to return to the AX after all. Lady Caterina would like to reinstate him this evening, if it's possible. But also…I asked to be reinstated as well." She outlined the basics of the conversation for her two advisors, giving her reasons and the others, as well as what she and Caterina had planned.

When she stopped, Mary nodded thoughtfully. "It is a sound idea. I do not tend to favor alliances however, in times like this…" Her eyes came up to Esther's. "I trust that Cardinal Sforza will remember that you are still queen of Albion."

"Yes, of course. She's already said as much."

"Well then. I see no problems with the arrangement. Lord Walsh?" Virgil shook his head.

"Your Majesty, you said Cardinal Sforza wished to take care of these arrangements tonight?"

"Yes. She's asked if she could use the Monarch's Chapel for this evening."

Virgil nodded. "I will go make the preparations. The chapel should be useable within the hour." He bowed once and then went out the door.

Esther watched him go, then stood herself. "Colonel Spencer, if it's not too much trouble, would you be willing to escort me back to the dining area? Father Nightroad is still there, but I told Lady Caterina we would meet there when arrangements were made."

Mary stood at once. "Of course, Highness." She held the door for Esther, than strode down the halls a pace behind her. They were halfway there when Mary spoke. "You Majesty, subject to the Cardinal's agreement, would you mind if Lord Walsh and I were present for your reinstatement? Though I don't think Cardinal Sforza will do anything incorrect, we'd both feel better if we knew what that entailed."

"Well, we can certainly ask her. But I don't think she'll mind."

As they neared the door, Esther heard the sound of voices. To her surprise, she could clearly hear Caterina's voice. "It sounds like she's already back from speaking with her people."

They entered to find Caterina settled on one chair, Seth on another, and Abel perched on a stool. Abel looked flushed, and Caterina looked amused. Seth had replaced her veil, but when she spoke there was suppressed laughter. "Welcome back, Lady Esther. And Colonel Spencer, good evening."

Mary bowed. "Good evening to you, Your Highness. And to you, Your Excellency." She turned to fully face Caterina. "Her Majesty informed us that you requested permission to reinstate both her and Father Nightroad?"

"I did. I am aware of her duties as a monarch. Should they conflict in any way with her duties as an AX operative, Abel can take over her responsibilities. Despite his appearance, I assure you he's well able for the task."

"Now really, you act as if I'm unreliable, but you know…" Abel stuttered to a halt as she shot him another look.

Mary's lips twitched. "I believe you. Lord Walsh has gone to make preparations in the Monarch's Chapel. He'll come inform us when it's ready. In the meantime, is there anything you need?"

Caterina shook her head. "Not at this time. However, I do ask that the members of my party be escorted to the chapel when it's ready. I've asked them to stand as witnesses. And I'd appreciate it if you and Lord Walsh would also witness for us."

Now a real smile curved Mary's mouth. "Of course. I'd be honored."

Seth rose from her seat. "I think I'll catch up on some business I need to attend to." She turned her veiled face to the man who sat beside her. "I'll talk to you later Abel." Her head turned slightly toward Caterina. "Shall I send Astharoshe by after you've finished with him?"

"That seems like a fine idea." Caterina rose gracefully, and offered the Empress a bow. "I wish you a good evening, Your Highness." Seth returned the bow with a nod of her head, then exited the room, with a guard escorting her.

Half an hour later, Virgil appeared to tell them the chapel was ready, and that Caterina's assistants and companions were awaiting them. Esther nodded, and the five of them walked through the quiet, night-darkened halls to the Monarchs Chapel.

It was a small room, with an altar and a chancel rail, and a few seats. A large ornate cross was mounted just behind the altar, and an open Bible had been laid reverently on top. The room was only about twelve feet to a side, and had never been meant to hold more than a dozen people. With six people inside it looked a bit crowded. Esther sighed, but there was nothing to be done about it.

Caterina went forward first, to kneel at the altar in prayer and to sanctify the work. Esther and Abel both moved to stand behind her, about three feet back, while Virgil and Mary joined the small group standing along the walls. Esther noticed that all the AX members were wearing dress uniforms. Petros and Paula however, were not. They also weren't wearing visible weapons, which made her feel a little better.

After a moment, Caterina rose and turned to face them. "Lady Esther."

Esther moved forward to kneel before the Cardinal. She bowed her head as Caterina made the sign of the cross. The actual ceremony took almost no time, much to Esther's relief. She'd already taken the vows necessary for service to the church, and she'd already had them modified for her assumption to the throne. Caterina simply acknowledged that she was returned to the active roster, said a quick blessing, and bid her rise. Esther bowed her head once more in acknowledgement, then stood and moved to take her place with the others.

Abel's ceremony took a little longer. Though he'd taken most of his vows in service to the church, he'd also been taken out of the ranks. More than that, as he and Caterina spoke, Esther became aware that the Cardinal was being very careful. She swore him in with his name, but she placed much more emphasis on his position than his name. She swore him as a servant to the church, then as a guard for the Church interest in Albion, and their shield against Rosenkreutz. She noticed Petros and Paula both listening intently to the words. Esther had a feeling the Inquisitors were storing everything in memory for later. She bit her lip. Hopefully, they meant it to help Abel.

Finally, Abel's ceremony was over. He rose. Esther looked up at a small clock on the wall. She was a little surprised to find that less than an hour had passed. She was startled out of her thoughts by Leon's voice in her ear.

"Hey Red, welcome back." She looked up into the dusky face. Leon grinned and gave her a thumbs up. "Listen, me and the others got together and planned a little reception for you and Four Eyes. Just a little welcome back thing, no big deal. You up for it?" He grinned at Virgil and Mary. "I mean, if your chaperones will let you."

Mary smiled at her. "I see no harm in it. At least you'll be well guarded. Lord Walsh and I can take care of the business for the evening."

"Are you sure?" Esther smiled uncertainly. "I mean, I don't wish to make you feel I'm shirking my duties…"

"Your Majesty has done admirable work today. Besides…" Virgil pulled a watch from the pocket of his jacket. "It is about the time you usually retire for the evening. Therefore I see now reason for anyone to expect more work from you this evening. And what remains to be done is related only to the ceremonies tomorrow and the plans afterward. Those things can be handled by the staff. However, the forging of good relations away from the negotiations table is something only Your Majesty can do." He bowed. "I too recommend you join your guests."

Esther smiled. "Thank you." She turned her face back to the dark-haired man at her side. "It appears I'm free this evening."

"Great." Leon grinned. "Well, I'll go ahead with you, and the Professor can collect Four Eyes from Her Excellency there." Esther almost protested, but he grinned and put a finger on her lips, speaking softly. "We haven't told Four Eyes, about this yet, but it's kind of a celebration that he survived. I may be pissed that he hid out so long, but it isn't often we get one back, ya know?"

"Of course." Esther nodded and allowed Leon to lead her from the room.

Caterina held Abel back as Esther left the room. "Father Wordsworth?" The Professor turned. "I'd like to speak with you and Father Nightroad privately for a moment, if you don't mind."

"Certainly." William stepped forward.

Abel blinked at both of them. "You know…you just appointed me as Esther's guard, and I can't really watch her like this."

"Father Leon has her well taken care of. In the meantime…" Caterina fixed him with a stern gaze. "I want you to go with the Professor, Abel, and let him look you over."

Abel's face paled. "Caterina…"

"Let him check you. You've been worried all this time about the changes in your body, have you not?" Abel shut his mouth, still pale. "You know the Professor can help you. And if you've managed to control yourself thus far, then you ought to be able to handle a simple physical."

"You just said that I was doing fine." Abel's voice was tense. "Do you really think this is necessary, Caterina?"

"Yes. Because whether you like the idea or not, it will ease your fears, will it not? After all, the Professor can tell you for certain what may or may not be happening. And if there is something to be concerned about, he may have some idea what to do." She reached up and brushed her hand across one side of his jaw. "I confess, it will ease my fears as well."

Her hand reached up a little further, to brush lightly across his forehead. Abel flinched slightly. "Did you think I didn't see them, Abel?"

He sighed. "You know what they are." He took his glasses off with an absent-minded gesture, then looked in her eyes. "Those marks…"

"I know very well how you must think of them. But the fact they appear on your body troubles me, as does the fact that they do not fade as easily as your other form. Please Abel…allow this." Caterina's face was solemn, but there was a hint of pain in her eyes.

Abel sighed again. "Very well. I trust my rooms here in this wing will suffice?"

"Well, they'll certainly do all right, I suppose, but I'd be happier if I had access to some machines to really look at you. I understand the Underground facilities are quite good."

"No." Abel's frame tensed, and there was something almost like anger, or fear in his voice. His winter blue eyes shifted to the Professors, and his gaze was hard as stone.

"No. I will not…I'm not going down there to have you run tests on me. If you must, we can consider it at some future date, on board the Iron Maiden. But not…not in the Underground labs." His voice dropped to a whisper, the tension in it knife-sharp.

"Not if God himself were to ask that of me."

"As you wish, old friend." The Professor reached out, and laid a careful hand on Abel's shoulder. The muscles under the cloth were hard as rocks. William sighed.

"I'm only trying to help you, my friend. You know that. If this is truly against your will, then I won't force you to it."

Some of the tension went out of Abel's frame. "I know." He sighed and when he spoke again, his voice was a little lighter, with a hint of self-mockery in it. "I suppose you both must think me rather foolish, but…"

"I'll confess I don't understand your reasons, however, I'm not sure I think you're behaving foolishly." The Professor offered him a smile. "After all, you've had a lot happen to you. It's only natural you'd have some rather drastic reactions at times." Abel relaxed a little more and gave him a wan smile. "That's the spirit. Now then, the sooner we get started, the sooner we can have this over with."

Caterina smiled. "You two go ahead. I believe I'd like to see if I can speak with the Empress some more this evening. She seems to be quite a remarkable individual." Without waiting for a reply, she left the two of them. Petros and Paula went with her.

Abel was silent as he led the Professor to his rooms. William, for his part, took no notice. He simply took in his surroundings with a calm, casual air. As Abel stopped by his door, William made a thoughtful sound.

"Right across from the Queen's room? It's a bit unusual, but I suppose it's very practical."

Abel nodded, but he waited until they were in the room before he spoke. "Lord Walsh and Colonel Spencer thought it would be easier for me to keep watch over Miss Esther if I were here. And Esther…" A small smile touched his face. "She was trying to help me. She knew I didn't want to deal with too many people…"

"So she gave you rooms in the private wing of the Palace. That's very like her." William puffed his pipe thoughtfully, then knocked it out on an ashtray. "Well then, shall we get down to business?"

Abel nodded and, after a moment's hesitation, stripped off the upper half of his cassock, to reveal the smooth, pale skin of his chest and shoulders. William rolled up his sleeves and looked him over with a critical eye.

"Hmm…well it appears you've not lost any of your muscle tone recently." He ran careful hands over the muscles of the biceps, tapped knuckles on the solid abdomen muscles.

"Solid as ever…though how you do it with the amount of food you put away…" He offered Abel a brief smile. One side of Abel's mouth quirked upward, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

Working quickly, the Professor took his temperature, his pulse and his blood pressure, then ran him through a quick battery of tests on his reaction times, eyesight, and general health. He also ran through a quick series of mental health tests, gauging memory and thought processes. Finally, he settled Abel back on the bed. "Now then, I'll just need to measure your heartbeat and lungs. Sit still now." He touched the other man's chest gently with a stethoscope.

Abel jerked rigid, and his hands suddenly tensed into fists. "Professor…" He was starting to hyperventilate and both men felt the surge of static energy in the air.

William immediately backed away. "All right. Just relax a moment."

Abel took several deep breaths. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize." William sighed. "Actually, it's more my fault than yours. After seeing that wound…I ought to have guessed you'd react like this if someone touched you there." He moved nearer. "Why don't I start around your back instead? Perhaps it will go a little easier if you have time to feel what I'm doing."

Abel nodded, a tense short jerk of his head. His shoulders relaxed just a fraction. "All right." After a second, he felt the cold metal of the stethoscope pressed firmly against his upper back. The Professor's strong voice spoke from his shoulder.

"All right, breathe deep." He inhaled, exhaled. The cold spot moved. "Again."

They went through several repetitions. Then one hand came to rest lightly on his shoulder. "I'd like to try taking your heartbeat again. Do you think you can handle it?"

"I…yes. Perhaps." Abel felt his shoulders stiffen a little.

"Well, you can take my other hand if you need to." William smiled. "That way you'll know I can't do anything to you."

"I…I'm all right." Abel took a deep breath as the metal settled against his chest. He shuddered once, then forced himself to relax.

"That's good. That's very good." The Professor frowned, then studied a pocket watch. "The rate's a little fast, even for you, but I suppose that's to be expected." He drew the metal away.

"It seems you're in very good condition over all. Physically, you're in as good a health as I've ever known you to be. Mentally…well, there are some rather obvious signs of trauma, but your memory seems unimpaired, and you're actually doing somewhat better than I'd expect under the circumstances." A faint grin quirked his mouth.

"To be honest I thought you might take my arm off when I checked your heart rate."

Abel nodded. "I was worried for a second there as well." He sighed. "Are we done?"

"Well, I do have one more thing." William held up a thin needle, and a vial. "I need to take a blood sample. Actually, I'd like to get one with the nano-machines active…however…"

Abel blanched again. "They're always active now."

"Well then. It should be fairly simple." He stepped forward. The other man jerked away from him.

"Professor, you know…I really don't like needles."

"Well yes." He sighed. "You can't tell me you're going to make a fuss this time? Honestly Abel, we've been through this a hundred times. I know you don't like them, but still…if you want me to have an accurate idea of what's going on in your blood, I need to take a sample."

"I know. But I…" Abel shivered.

"You don't have to watch me take the sample. And I promise you, you'll barely feel a thing. It's just a slight pinch." He stepped forward again.

"Professor, please…" Abel stepped back again. Then he held out a hand. "Give me the vial."

William sighed. "You know you're being entirely unreasonable about this." He waved the equipment in Abel's direction. "Seriously, my friend, you know I'll respect your wishes about how to deal with it."

"That isn't the point." Abel's tall frame shivered again and it wasn't from cold, though he was still stripped to the waist. The silver head bowed. "I understand the necessity of the request but…please. I'm asking you to respect my wishes in this. I just…I can't let that needle near me."

William sighed. "Well then, exactly how do you propose we handle the situation? I can't fully analyze your condition without a sample, and you insist on being stubborn about the matter." He sighed again. "Will you at least tell me why?"

"I have some…some bad memories. They've been worse than usual lately." Abel managed a ghost of a smile. "And when I consider what the Inquisition would do to me if Petros didn't cover for me…"

His friend grinned. "Well, that is a rather troubling thought, I'll grant you. Still…how shall we deal with this?"

"Just give me the vial, and I'll give you your sample." Abel held out one hand. After a moment of hesitation, the Professor leaned forward and dropped the small tubes into his palm.

Abel closed his eyes, and something went through him. William tensed, feeling a sudden surge of static in the air. Then he watched as the man before him unscrewed the top of the container, and carefully drew one suddenly sharp nail across his wrist. Blood welled out, dripping into the small glass tubes in his hand. When both were four fifths full, the bleeding stopped. The Crusnik priest's hands capped the vials, and the feeling of electricity in the air faded away. Abel held out the now filled containers.

"I trust that will be sufficient."

"Indeed it will." The Professor's face was troubled. "That's not a comforting thing to watch, my friend. To see you so casually hurt yourself…" He looked at the now-healed wrist.

"I apologize." Abel's eyes were sheepish, and ashamed. "But I…I simply…"

William shook his head. "We'll say no more about it. It's all right. You did what you felt you had to." He stowed the cylinders away, and picked up his pipe again. "Well then, since we got that out of the way, you'd better be getting dressed."

"Eh?" Abel blinked. He had one arm already partially threaded through his cassock sleeve. His friend gave him a sideways smile.

"There's somewhere I need to take you. After all, isn't it your responsibility to take care of Lady Esther?" A mischievous glint entered his eyes. "She left with that reprobate Leon quite some time ago."

Abel flinched. "Good Lord. You're right." He shrugged into his jacket, then winced. "I have no idea where they could be."

"Well, as it just so happens, I believe I overheard Leon mentioning a destination." He struck a match to his pipe. "Shall we go see if we can apprehend them?" Abel nodded.

The halls were quiet when the two of them left the rooms. The Professor stopped one guard and asked a quick low question that Abel didn't quite hear. Then he turned and began striding down the halls.

"I believe we need to go this way." The two men wandered out through the halls, until they came to a small set of double doors. "Ah, this should be the place."

Abel blinked. "One of the reading rooms? Now why on Earth would Leon…?"

"Never mind all that. Shall we go in?" William grinned and turned the door handle, then grabbed Abel's arm and pulled him forward. "Come on, Abel."

"HOORAY!" The sound wasn't loud, but it was certainly enthusiastic. Abel stumbled to a stop, blinking at the small group of faces before him.

"Ummm…Professor, what is going on here?" He looked back at the man behind him, who calmly walked forward and took a glass from Leon.

"What? Oh, you mean this?" The Professor turned, then saluted the startled priest with his glass. "This, my friend, is what is commonly known as a 'welcome home' party." His smile gentled a little at Abel's obvious confusion. "It's rare to get one of our own back, so we thought a little celebration was in order."

"Ummm, well…thank you." Abel swallowed. He blinked again. "Miss Astha? And Ion…"

Astha snorted. "We aren't AX, but we have an interest in your life, priest. Lady Caterina suggested we attend. And I, for one, am not going to pass up a good drink."

Ion simply smiled. "Welcome back, Father Nightroad. It's good to see you finally returning to be amongst friends."

"Positive." Abel started as Tres spoke. The android priest didn't say anything further, and he wasn't drinking, but somehow his presence made Abel relax a little.

Leon sighed, then marched forward and threw an arm around Abel's shoulders. "Quit stalling, Four Eyes. Get over here and have a drink." He tilted his own glass back and swallowed the contents, then picked up a bottle and filled the cup again. "Here ya go."

Abel flushed. "Well, um, Leon…"

"Ah, come on. Sister Red's already had hers." One hand gestured.

Abel turned his head to see Esther smiling at him. "Miss Esther…"

"Welcome back, Father." She raised her glass slightly. "It's good to see you've returned."

Abel smiled, then carefully took a glass as well. "And you too, Miss Esther. I'm glad to be working with you again." He raised his cup in a toast. "To both our returns, then?" The rest of the company followed suit, saluting the two of them.

Though it wasn't a loud party, the company didn't seem to want to break up. There wasn't much conversation going on, but it didn't really matter. The companionship was enough. After a few minutes talking to the Professor, Esther moved to join Abel standing by the table and watching the small group of people with distant eyes. "Father, are you all right?"

"What…oh yes, of course." Abel shook himself back to reality. "It's simply…well to be honest I didn't think I'd ever be standing here again. I thought…I thought I might have lost this. It's a very strange feeling, to step back into my life like this." He lifted one hand, and stared at it thoughtfully. "But Lady Caterina wanted me to return, and the Professor says it's all right, so…"

"Was that why she held you back after the ceremony?"

"Yes. She wanted the Professor to make sure I was all right. There's still a few things we need to check…but it appears everything is fine for the moment." He smiled at her.

"I'm glad." Esther returned the smile with one of her own.

"Hey, hey…don't go hoggin all Red's attention, Four Eyes." Leon strolled up and wrapped a friendly arm across Esther's shoulders. He'd been drinking fairly steadily over the evening, and though he wasn't visibly drunk, there was a wicked gleam is his eyes. "I don't care if she does like that bad-boy other image of yours."

Abel stared at him, his frame suddenly tense. "Leon…it's not like that." His voice was soft.

"Yeah? Maybe not. What I wanna know is…how come you never mentioned it, and who all knows about this." Leon took another swallow from his glass, then turned his head. "Hey, Professor, I got a question for you."

Abel flinched. "Leon…"

William had already turned around. "Yes?"

"Did you know about Four Eyes here?" Leon jerked a thumb in Abel's direction. "I mean, did you know he could transform into something like whatever he was last night?" Abel grimaced and put a hand to his face.

"Of course." The Professor took a sip of his wine. "I'm somewhat responsible for him after all. Caterina explained his condition to me early on, the same day she assigned me to make sure he stayed stable and healthy."

"Seriously?" Leon turned to Tres. "What about you, Gunslinger?"

"Positive. Father Nightroad's condition is known to me. It is part of standing orders to ensure that his powers remain within acceptable parameters on given missions and to ensure that the Crusnik function properly. 6.5 months ago, primary mission orders included the restart of the Crusnik, in an attempt to repair the damage to Father Nightroad during the altercation in the Londinium Underground."

"What the hell?" Leon turned to frown at Abel. Then he looked down at Esther. "Don't tell me, you know about this joker as well."

Esther blushed. "I did. But Father Nightroad…he did ask me not to bring it up."

"Dammit." Leon snarled in frustration. "Am I the only one in the entire AX who didn't know about you?" He shot a glare in Abel's direction.

"Um, well no." Abel flushed. "I don't think Gypsy Queen or Black Widow have ever been informed…and I'd like to keep it that way, thank you."

"Noelle didn't know either. And I'm not sure Sword Dancer does." William frowned in consideration. "Hugue is observant enough in battle to have seen you, but the two of you work so rarely together that I'm not sure he would have ever been around."

"Well, if you don't mind my saying so, there's something I'd like to know." Astha stepped forward to join the group. Her fierce gaze pinned Abel where he stood. "Tell me, partner…what exactly was that?" She held his gaze. "I saw you transform, and I've seen some of the things that you can do. But I don't understand what you became, or why you feel the need to keep it a secret. What is it that you have to hide?" Her gaze slipped to the Professor, and to Tres in the corner.

"Why do both of them say they were assigned to make sure you were stable? And last night…you said you were afraid you'd hurt me. Why?"

"Miss Astha…" Abel's face went pale.

"Hey, you owe the lady some answers. Come to think of it, I'd like some as well." Leon frowned at the silver-haired priest before him.

"Yes, well…about that…" Abel sighed, and looked at the glass he'd set on the table. Absently, he lifted it, then drained the contents with a single drink. "Professor, if you'd be so kind…" A small, sad smile touched his face. "They're right. I do owe them a few explanations. But I think I'm going to need a little help." The other man said nothing, but silently refilled the glass.

Abel took another drink, then turned to face Astha and Leon. "You wanted to know about the Crusnik. The Crusnik…they're a…well I suppose you could say they are my darker side. They exist within me." Bitterness and pain touched his face. "That form you saw…that other me…that is what happens…" His head bowed. "That is what happens when I must yield control of my body to them. That form…" He stopped, and drained his wine glass again.

Esther felt a surge of sympathy for him. The pain in his voice was no less evident then it had been in Carthage, when he had confessed to her. She laid a hand on his arm.

"It's all right, Father." She smiled into the stricken blue eyes, hoping he'd remember what else she'd said. _I'm not afraid of you._

"Thank you." His own response was barely audible to her, but he did look back up into Astha's face. "The Crusnik…when I transform into that…I…I have certain powers. I can generate lightning. I heal…impossibly fast and impossibly well. Even wounds no Methuselah could heal. I can regenerate in almost any circumstance. I can produce the scythe you saw me use…and the wings you saw. And even…even like this, when they are mostly dormant…I will heal. And I am strong, if I choose to be."

Astha considered. "That explains the bridge incident." She sighed. "I wondered how in hell you managed to move around, after that shot hit you. But you…"

"I was already healing. I would have healed faster, but I…I didn't want to let any more of them be active. I couldn't." His eyes left hers.

"Why?" Astha finished her drink, and looked at him. "What is it you're trying to hide from me priest?"

"Well…" He sighed. "Have you ever thought about the food chain?"

"What?" Leon blinked. "What are you talking about?"

"Simply…something like this. Animals eat plants. Humans eat animals. And Methuselah…require human blood, or a reasonable substitute for it. The Aqua Vitae. Isn't that correct?" Astha nodded. "Well then, do you ever consider the possibility that there might be something…something that needs a Methuselah's blood?" His eyes would no longer meet hers.

"I've never heard of anything like that."

"No. It's a very well kept secret. But in Venice, there at the bridge…I…" A bitter smile crossed his face. "I had to suppress them down to nearly zero activity. Otherwise…I would have hurt you." The blue eyes met Astha's, full of pain and self-disgust.

"That…that is the price of a Crusnik. I need…just as Methuselah need blood or the pills they take, I need Methuselah blood. And that…that is what I am. What _that _is. That's what you wanted to know, that I didn't want to tell you." He looked away, anguish in his face.

Awkward silence fell. Then Ion stepped forward, to look Abel in the eyes. "This thing…what you're talking about…" He held the winter-blue gaze with his own. "That was why you were reluctant to include me in your journey. And why you insisted on battling alone, all these months? You were protecting me from yourself, were you not?"

Abel swallowed hard, nodded once. "I had to try."

"And you went into battle even so." Ion smiled. "I'm rather surprised. I would have thought I would have realized. But all that time, you managed to keep me from realizing, what my presence was doing to you."

"It's not quite as bad as he makes it sound." The Professor spoke up, pipe in hand. The friendly brown eyes met Astha's. "It's true, he does occasionally need blood. However, unless he happens to be in pitched combat, in a circumstance where he's using a great deal of power, there are other ways around it." He caught Abel's eyes. "If you're going to tell them things, you ought to tell the whole truth. There are ways to protect you."

Abel sighed. "I can…stave off the issue, as long as I eat enough. But…it requires a huge amount of food to compensate, and I have a tendency towards low blood sugar." He smiled wanly at Leon. "You asked me once, how I could stand thirteen sugars in my tea. Well, that's also a part of the Crusnik. If I don't want to feed, then I need rather a large amount of sugar and solid food."

"I see. Well that sure as hell explains a lot. So your body's all screwed up cause of that, is it?" Leon gave him a predatory grin, "Well then…that's not a problem. I don't know why you made such a big deal about it."

"He's right, priest. If it's that simple, then why the hell are you so worried?"

"Because I can't always control it. You have to understand…the Crusnik are…they're like the Methuselah Bascillus. But they're much more…aware, and violent. I can't always…" He bit his lip.

"You mean you suffer the Thirst, as we do, and that it is difficult for you." Astha pinned him with a stare.

"Something like that." Abel nodded. "I try, but…"

"Enough." Astha drained her glass, and then caught Abel's collar in a strong, but very careful grip. "I understand well enough, Priest." She locked eyes with him again. "And I understand why you kept this a secret. I'm assuming that your resurrection had something to do with this Crusnik?"

"Yes. Caterina…she asked Tres to give me a second infusion of the Crusnik, and force a fusion." He swallowed. "I can activate them up to a certain percentage. What Caterina did…it forced a one hundred percent activation, and fused the Crusnik to my body, to my blood. And it…revived me. But…it was rather difficult to control." He swallowed again, hi face tense. "I…had to give my body completely to them. There was only the barest fraction of myself. After a while, I regained some semblance of control but…I couldn't be sure. That's why…"

"You were learning to control your powers." Astha sighed. "I understand that. Do you think we Methuselah never have problems when we Awaken?" She glared at him. "You only had to tell me that, partner." Then the glare softened. "But I suppose I understand this time why you didn't." She looked away. "Just promise me, now that I know…that you won't try to hide from me again. We're partners, Abel Nightroad, and I don't want to worry that you aren't telling me things like that."

"Miss Astha…" Abel's eyes widened, surprise replacing the haunted look. "It doesn't…"

"Hell…I agree with the lady." Leon dropped an arm in a loose choke-hold about his neck. "It sure as hell is weird, seeing you with fangs and shit, but in the end, I don't guess it matters much." He grinned his wolf's grin. "You're still gonna be Father Four Eyes in the end. And if that ever changes, it'll just give me an excuse to kick your scrawny ass, now won't it?"

"I…" Abel stared at him, then all the others. Astha was simply watching him. Ion's eyes were bright with determination, and admiration plain as day. Esther and the Professor were smiling at him, support and friendship in their eyes.

Abel could feel the tears of relief stinging his eyes. He broke away from Leon, and turned back to the table to fill his glass, trying to cover his emotion. "Really…it isn't that simple."

"I think you have it wrong, my friend." The Professor spoke from beside him, and Abel found a handkerchief being pressed into his hand, hidden by their stance. "It really is that simple. You're our friend and our comrade. That's really all there is to it."

Abel brushed the tears away, and a tremulous smile took over his face. "I see. As simple as that, is it?" He filled the glass, then turned back to the group. His eyes touched each face, and as they met hers, Esther saw the gratitude and joy reflected clearly in them. Then Abel raised his glass. "Thank you. Thank you all very much." He lifted his glass a little higher. "To partners and friends."

"To partners and friends." Everyone joined the toast. Then Leon walked up to Abel's side. "Welcome back, Four Eyes." He clapped Abel on the back.

Caught off guard, Abel stumbled, and narrowly missed spilling his wine down the front of his cassock and Esther's dress. He turned back to the other man with indignation in his eyes. "Really, Leon! you have to be more careful…I nearly spilled my drink!"

"Yeah?" The bigger man gave him a sharp grin over the rim of his own glass. "I guess that just means you aren't as bad as you thought." He snickered.

"Wha…?" The bemused look on Abel's face was hilarious. Esther bit back a snicker, and saw the Professor trying to hide a smile behind his pipe. Then Abel flushed, and a sheepish look spread over his face. "Well I suppose so, but really…"

It was too much. The entire group broke into laughter, except for Tres. Abel flushed harder, but after a moment, his lips curved upward, and he joined them.


	10. FAQ Notice 01

**FAQ **- Frequently Asked Questions Notice #1

_Dear readers and fans of TBWC,_

_**smcandy**____here folks____Authoress/Writer of __**Trinity Blood War Continuum**__._

_We seem to have been getting a lot of notices and questions on a few items, so there are just a couple things we'd like to clear up:_

_Boring nuisancy crap out of the way first:_

**First of all**: It isn't over yet! Not by a long shot. There have been some hints that people thought it was, but I promise, it isn't. We've done the outlines…and this story has at least 31 more chapters to go. More if we decide to split chapters on our outline, or add more notices or anything like that. And we're already considering and writing up ideas for a sequel, which may or may not be in production when we finally hit the last chapter here. So…for those of you lamenting the untimely death of a story…it isn't dead. It simply suffers the occasional lapses that happen to writers with other things to do, like work and house chores. And we don't write a cliff-hanger every time, though I'll take it into consideration if clean endings scare you.

**Second**: We've gotten a lot of comments on run-together dialogue paragraphs…or grammar and spelling mistakes. We're not ignoring them. But, please take the following into consideration: **First of all**…we're using two different types of technology here. And though they are, maybe 90 percent compatible, that last 10 gets us sometimes. Seriously. And it drives us nuts too. We're working to fix it. But sometimes we think we got it, and then we re-read and it didn't come out. If we ever nail the issue, then we'll try a repost and see if it's better. **Second of all**…Not everyone learned American English, and not every computer knows it either. We will do the best we can with spelling and grammar, but there's going to be a conflict of dialect sometimes, and sometimes…well even the best make mistakes. Especially when tired. When we catch them we'll fix them. Please be patient.

In a slightly skewed impression of Tres "I am human, not machine…I am incapable of perfection." A sad truth, but a real one.

**Third:** We do post Author Notes. Well, sometimes. Almost all the time. And we do try to include really important info in them. So pretty please, read them. Even if you'd rather just skip to the fun stuff. Some of it will be explanations…and some of it might be spoilers. And if you skip them, you'll never know what you missed. And it might be really cool.

**Okay…now on to the fun stuff and the stuff you REALLY wanted to know:**

**First:** Abel's Crusnik form. You may have noticed some little additions. Like red-black crosses that appear and take a while to fade. These are kind of a take off from Lilith. Look in the manga and anime, she has those weird tattoos. Since by anime cannon Abel now has her nano-machines, we figured it was gonna show a little. But yes, he does still turn that weird blue black, and yes he still has glowing red eyes and his hair does still stand on end. And if he hits 100% he is still going to turn completely black with those weird lightning bolt things glowing all over him. The markings are a side effect of Lilith's nano's and the fact that they've evolved a bit, since they fused into his blood. There are pictures…and we can give you sites if you really wanna see what we mean.

**[*] - **Just email us, me or **dragonwriter24cmf **and we will send you the links by email or message when we can.

**Second: **Seth. Yep, she is still veiled, because it wouldn't do if everybody knew what she really looked like just yet. And yeah, she is being careful not to display her powers. But don't worry, Abel won't hog all the time as a Crusnik. Seth will get around to exposing her powers. And her face. She's just a little shy…sort of. More like she just doesn't wanna mess with it. As for her non-Crusnik weapons: I pulled them straight from the Manga and Anime. She likes things she can throw, because being short she needs the better range, and in hand to hand, knives just suit her.

**Third: **Combat stuff for our Crunsiks, especially Abel. These guys were all military. Plus they were all meant to be the 'prefect' humans. So they all had to be pretty athletic and darned good at hand to hand and other forms of combat. And for those wondering about Seth's comment that 'Abel was always good at fighting' in Chapter 8, please remember that Abel has a history of being the most violent tempered of the four crusnisk/krusnik's. Plus, he was head of security. We've only seen him in reactive fighting, responding to things (usually someone actually hitting him) but his reflexes are good, and he and Cain are both better than Seth. He hasn't showed it much yet, but he will later. Him and Cain both. We intend for both of them to show some real fighting form later on.

**Fourth:** Crusiks. With the fusion happening, it stands to reason that things will be weird. Let's face it, those things are a little nuts already. But we also threw in a monkey wrench and decided that with fusion comes evolution. After all, they've linked with their user's minds and bodies, right? So…the deeper link will cause adaptations, and effects never before seen. Abel is the one who has changed the most radically since his first transformation on Mars, but all of them will show signs of evolution. Seth too. What's going to happen…not telling you that yet.

**Fifth:** Mary's sword. For those of you wondering where in cannon we pulled that, the truth is, we didn't. We just decided that Mary needed a little extra weaponry, being one of the few normal humans in the bunch. The anime and manga indicates she was a sword-master, so that's what we gave her. With a few extra touches, such as the electrifying blade. We figured the extra edge (pun intended) was exactly the kind of thing she'd like. It just came out of thin air, and we hope you like, cause she's going to use it in the future. As for why Virgil made it…well, it seemed a little unlikely that she'd just find or inherit Lost Technology, but the Walshs have a genius with that kind of thing.

**Sixth: **Virgils powers. We didn't make them up. Especially not the acid. That shows in the latest chapter of the manga posted online. It's called the King and I, it's chapter 48 and you can find it at Mangafox. Look near the end of the chapter. He melted the street. As for hand to hand, well, someone that responsible is not likely to throw acid around when his monarch and allies are close by. It's dangerous. He doesn't seem to carry a weapon, so…we figured he's just a really good martial artist. He did consider attacking his sister bare-handed in the anime, even though she had a gun. Which is suicidal, unless you're just that good. He probably is.

_Okay for now this all I am going to add and confirm for long ass __FAQ__ notice, that's pretty much all we have for now. Chapter 10 is in production, baring a nervous breakdown on the part of the writer or editor. We'll have it up as soon as possible, but life is hectic at the moment. Pretty please be patient. We promise to update soon._

_Thanks for taking the time to read this everyone and please continue to bring on your support of TBWC. __Take care and rest assured chapter 10 is being worked on and will be on it__'__s way for uploading ASAP._

_Sincerely____- __**smcandy**_


	11. Ten Part 01: Celebrations & Confessions

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Helloes again everyone ^^. I apologize for such a _**long **_and _delayed_ update in chapter 10, allot of things have been happening or have happened with my editor **dragonwriter24cmf** whom just back from last weekend from a sci-fi writers convention. The delay for chapter ten's production was on a semi halt while she was away while still **miraculously **working on the chapter somewhat complicated rather not go into discussion on it.

_Anyways _now after finally receiving this chapter from her last night which was spelled checked over many a few times by her and read slowly by me until there wee hours of this morning. I have to worn you this chapter is over four hundred words long so it will be split into to parts to make ti nice and even. I rather not have readers eyes and tongues popping and rolling out their sockets sand mouths. Also this chapter in particular is one of few chapter within **TBWC** that _will_ have a song inserted into it but not entirely all the lyrics so it's not counted an song fiction this story just to make things clear.

Also be warned more obvious romance and lots of drama some disappointment on the way just to warn you so girls get the tissues out, now onward with chapter 10. Enjoy ^.^

**DISCLAIMER:**All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her own TB stories on which are awesome. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice:****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage Against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). ** In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Ten - Part 01: ****Celebrations and Confessions**

The next evening was the formal signing of the treaty. Technically, it wasn't a big ceremony, but still, Esther couldn't help the butterflies in her stomach. She went through morning Council, and did her work as usual, but her mind was only half on the task. The other half was focused on the events of the upcoming evening.

Around mid-afternoon, Virgil appeared in the doorway. "Your Majesty. It's time for you to begin preparations for this evening."

"Of course." Esther laid her pen aside and stood, brushing her hair away from her face with a nervous gesture. She looked at Virgil, still attired in his plain working suit. "You should probably be getting ready as well."

"Indeed." Virgil held the door open. "I intend to finish with my own preparations while you complete yours, Majesty. If you have no objections, Father Nightroad will be your guard for this time."

"Of course." Esther ducked her head, hoping Virgil wouldn't see the faint blush across her face. For some reason, the thought of Abel guarding her while she got dressed was… somewhat embarrassing. She sighed, and tried to shove the thought from her mind. Abel was a gentleman, and always had been. Though he'd occasionally commented on her physical appearance, he'd never taken any sort of liberty with her. So there was no reason to be embarrassed.

Virgil left her with her maids. Esther took a moment to stretch the knots from her shoulders, before she went to review the gown that had been chosen for her. Her maids had excellent taste. This was a white and gold creation, with full sleeves and a high collar. Dark red and black embroidery, with some gold, emphasized and highlighted the colors of the outfit, and brought out her red hair and eyes. Like all formal gowns, it looked rather stiff and uncomfortable, but there was no doubt it was beautiful, and would look good on her. Esther approved it, then went to the other room, where her maids were finishing filling the bath tub. One young woman helped her out of her outfit, and brushed her hair out, while another laid out towels and soap.

The water was the perfect temperature. Aware of the importance of the evening, Esther permitted her maids to help her wash. She usually preferred washing alone, but this evening called for special treatment. So she let one maid wash out her hair with the floral smelling shampoo, then pin it up. Another maid took over to help wash her back. She soaped and rinsed Esther's back, and then strong fingers went to work, gently massaging the knots out of her shoulders. Esther nearly fainted at the relief, it felt so good.

Once she was clean, her maids helped her out and let her dry off. Esther relaxed on a low couch, while the same maid carefully worked the knots out of her lower back. Another trimmed her nails to an even length, and filed them smooth. Though she could have had them painted, it wasn't the sort of thing Esther was used to, so she left them plain. Finally, the maids let her up, and offered her a soft robe, and she returned to the other room to dress.

Abel was standing in her room when she emerged. He was standing by the window, where his keen hearing would detect anything amiss. He looked up when she entered, then abruptly blushed and turned to face the window. "My apologies, Miss Esther. I…"

"It's all right Father. You were doing your job. I understand." Esther was glad he couldn't see the blush turning her own cheeks crimson. She was very glad for the thick robe she wore. It was big enough that she wasn't really indecent. She flushed harder, remembering that he had, on occasion, seen her in far less. The dress she'd worn for her first operation in Carthage, for one. That dress had been…well, she'd bought it off a local bordello, and it had been made for girls with a specific kind of life in mind. "It's really all right."

"Yes, well, I didn't intend to be here when you…Perhaps I should wait outside." The back of his neck and ears almost matched her hair. It was easy to see, against his silver ponytail. Despite his words, he made no move to leave. After a moment, Esther realized why. He'd have to turn around and she was still standing in the doorway.

"It's all right Father. I'll only be a minute." One of her maids moved forward to pick up her clothing, and then all of them moved her into the bathroom again. She was still blushing as she stepped into her undergarments, and allowed the maids to help her into her dress. As one woman fastened the back of it, another held out her shoes, and the third smoothed the creases and adjusted the fit. Esther let them, her mind still on Abel. She was very embarrassed that he'd seen her, but she couldn't help wondering what he thought of her. Whether he thought she was pretty. She knew he thought Lady Caterina was beautiful, and he'd once called the Cardinal cute. But Esther couldn't remember if he'd ever mentioned her appearance.

Finally she was dressed. All that remained was to put her coronet on, her jewelry, and perhaps a little bit of makeup. She let the maids adjust her dress one final time, then stepped back through to the main room.

Abel was still facing the window, his back turned towards the door. She saw him shift as she opened the door, though he made no move to turn. "Miss Esther?"

"It's all right now Father."

Abel turned. The blue eyes behind the glasses widened with surprise, and what she thought might be appreciation. "Miss Esther…" His eyes drifted over her, and he smiled, the wonderful bright smile she remembered. "You look absolutely stunning."

A faint blush rose to her cheeks, and she looked down. "Thank you." The dress was still stiff and somewhat uncomfortable, but it was suddenly well worth it, to see that look of admiration in his eyes. "I still need to put my jewelry and make-up on but…I'm glad you like it."

"Hmmm. Well personally, I don't think you need any make-up at all, though as I recall, you do look very cute in lipstick." His smile was bright, friendly. He took a few steps forward toward the small dressing table. "If your maids don't mind, I'd be honored…" He bowed slightly, holding out one hand.

"Thank you." Esther moved forward and settled at the dressing table. From the corner of her eye, she spotted her maids moving backward, out of the way. She sat down before the mirror, and Abel carefully picked up her brush. Light gentle strokes combed the damp hair back from her face.

He left her bangs simply brushed back and to the sides, then carefully pinned the rest of her shoulder-length hair up. "There. What do you think?"

Esther looked at it "It looks very nice. Where did you learn to do that, Father?"

"Well, I do have to manage my hair. But besides that…I sometimes…well let's just say it's not the first time." There was a flash of sadness in his eyes, deep and painful, but he covered it with a smile a second later. "Do you know what jewelry you wanted to wear? I'm afraid I don't know much about makeup, but I do know how to do that."

"Oh, yes." Esther leaned forward and selected a pair of ruby and gold earrings, and a necklace with her seal on it. She also drew out her state ring. The crown she was to wear had been laid out well in advance. "I was thinking of wearing these."

"All right." She slipped the ring on her own finger, as Abel gently lifted the earrings and slipped them into her ears. For a man who was frequently called a klutz by his colleagues, he had very deft hands. His fingers, as they brushed her ears and across her neckline, were warm and rough with faint calluses, but oddly soft and gentle.

Esther watched his face in the mirror as he picked up the necklace and moved behind her to slip it over her head and around her neck. Standing as close as he was, she could feel the warmth of him, his physical warmth every bit as soothing as the warmth of his gentle spirit. She watched the expression of absent-minded concentration on his face as he slipped the necklace into place and fastened the catch. "Father Nightroad?"

"Hmmm?" He blinked, looking up so their reflected gazes met. "Did I not get it quite right?"

"No, it's not that." Esther considered his reflection, unsure what to say. She settled for something neutral. "I was wondering…will you be at the ceremony tonight?"

"Ah, no. I'm afraid not." Abel smiled, a touch of wryness in his face. "Lord Walsh and Colonel Spencer will escort you this evening. I had actually planned to take a shift watching the Underground, so Lord Walsh and his sister could both attend."

"I see." She looked down. "But this…it's your accomplishment too, Father. Isn't this…isn't this something you worked for, that you wanted? I mean…you were the one who made this possible. It really feels like you ought to be there."

Abel went still behind her, and his hands dropped to his sides. She turned her head, to see the strange, wistful smile on his face. He looked into her eyes, and the smile brightened, just a little. "It's very kind of you to say, Miss Esther, but…" He sighed, then looked away. "Really, this is something you and Seth and Lady Caterina did on your own. Even though I was an envoy to the Empire…I really didn't do that much at all. You three did all the work."

"That's not true." Esther looked away from the blue eyes, the complex tangle of emotions in his gaze. "Father, you were the one who taught us that peace might be possible. If it weren't for you…none of this could have happened. You deserve some sort of recognition for that, for everything you've done. For all of us."

One hand came up to touch her shoulder. She looked up to find him smiling, affection in the blue eyes. "Thank you, Miss Esther. Truly. But…" His hand clasped her shoulder gently. "Tonight is to honor you, and Seth and Caterina. And the fact that this is happening, that you have done this…is all I could have ever asked. To know that this peace treaty will be formally signed tonight…that's really all I want." An honest grin quirked the corner of his mouth. "Besides, if I were there to be recognized, Cardinal di Medici would hear about it. And then I would get in trouble, wouldn't I? So it's really best this way."

Esther stared at him. "Father Nightroad…"

"It's all right Esther." He smiled into her eyes one more time, then reached past her to lift the golden coronet from the table. "It's almost time. Here, let me just put this on for you." He lifted the circlet carefully, and set it gently on her head, with an expression of seriousness that would have looked perfect at a coronation. There was reverence in his eyes as he gently set the crown upon her brow and straightened it, then brushed her hair back slightly out of her face. "There."

Esther blinked, taken aback by the sudden solemnity of his gaze. She was even more surprised when he knelt before her, bending his knee as if he were a knight. "Your Majesty."

"Father." She reached out. "That's really not necessary…please, you shouldn't bow your head like that."

"I'm sorry." Abel rose again, looking her in the face. "It's just that I'm supposed to be serving with you, and I've never really acknowledged your new status. It seemed, well, rather disrespectful. But I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

"I…well, I'm afraid I'm just not used to it. That's all." Esther blushed. "It's all right Father. Thank you for the courtesy, but you really don't have to do things like that. After all, we've worked together a long time."

"As you wish." He smiled, and the warmth of it cleared away the solemn stillness. "I think it's about time. Lord Walsh and Colonel Spencer should be waiting near the hall." He held out a hand, bowing slightly, like a man offering his hand to a lady. "Miss Esther, I'd be honored if you'd allow me to escort you."

"Of course Father." She gave him her hand and he took it with a grace that would have made any courtier proud. It struck her, rather suddenly, that she couldn't recall ever having seen or heard anyone telling Abel about court protocol. And yet, his manners were excellent. And he spoke the language flawlessly, with no trace of Italian accent. She also remembered that he seemed to know his way around Londinium and Albion very well. It was odd, the way he simply seemed to fit in. Perhaps the Professor had taught him something.

She shook the thoughts away. She could ask Abel about it later, but right now she had a treaty signing to attend to. She needed to focus on that, not the possible identity and past of the man at her side. Abel looked at her, a puzzled expression in his eyes, and she smiled at him and let him lead her down the hallway, towards the formal Banquet room.

Virgil and Mary met them at the entrance to the Hall. Both of them were in formal outfits. Behind them, Vanessa stood, wearing her uniform as the Captain of the Underground Royal Guards, with her family crest pinned to one shoulder, opposite her rank. As Esther approached, all three bowed. "Your Majesty."

"Good evening." Esther gave a nod of her head. "Is everything ready?"

"Yes. Everything is prepared. I was informed moments ago that the other two parties will arrive soon." Virgil smoothed his uniform.

"Well them, I suppose I should get to my post." Abel sighed, then bowed to Esther. "Your Majesty, with your permission, I shall take my leave of you now. Lord Walsh will escort you from here."

"I understand Father Nightroad. I wish you a good evening." She wanted to command him to stay, but she couldn't quite bring herself to do so. For one thing, she knew there would be questions that neither of them could answer. For another, he'd been right about Cardinal di Medici.

"I wish you a good evening as well." He bowed to her once more, inclined his head to each of the waiting nobles, then turned and strode down the hall, his cassock flowing around him.

Virgil sighed, watching him walk away. "That man…" He shook his head, but didn't finish the thought. Instead, he turned to Esther. "Your Majesty." He bowed his head, and held out his arm, much as Abel had done. "May I?"

Esther nodded, and put her hand on his arm, while Mary and Vanessa settled in behind them as an honor guard. As soon as they were situated, Virgil nodded to the servants on either side, and the doors to the Banquet Hall were opened.

It was an enormous room, yards wide with a high arched ceiling. It was designed to be used for grand Court feasts, accommodating hundreds of people. It wasn't full, but there were plenty of onlookers tonight. Esther felt a twinge of nervousness as she stared at all the faces of the nobility, gathered around. She swallowed back her fear and stepped forward. She wasn't about to let her nerves get the better of her now. She stepped onto the carpet, aware of Virgil at her side. His solid, comforting presence was very reassuring.

The Banquet Hall had actually been designed with multiple entrances, so no one door would get too jammed with people. To avoid questions of precedence and protocol, the three women had agreed to enter simultaneously, through different doors. The large dais near the front of the room was set with a table and three chairs. Esther moved toward it, watching from the corner of her eyes as Seth and Caterina came down two aisles from the side doors. Caterina was wearing the brilliant red robes of her Cardinal's office, over a formal dress with her family insignia embroidered on it. Seth, of course, was wearing emerald green and gold, with a pale golden veil covering her face. Esther couldn't help but wonder how the Empress felt, in the midst of all these people who, at one time, had been her sworn enemies. But however she felt, her steps toward the dais were quick and confident.

Esther arrived at the foot of the dais, and Virgil carefully handed her up the steps. The entourage for the other two stayed at the foot of the steps. Ion and Astha looked the very picture of nobility in their blue and purple outfits. On the other side, both the Professor and Brother Petros stood side by side, in their formal uniforms. Esther noted that, while he did have on the Inquisition robes, they were open, exposing the simple formal uniform of a minor noble of Italy. The Professor wore his AX uniform, of course, but he'd embellished it with an Albion crest. Then they were at the top of the dais, and Esther turned her attention to the ceremony.

All three women faced each other, each standing beside an ornate chair. They bowed to each other, and then settled into the chairs, around the table. Virgil, standing just behind Esther, moved around to the open side of the table and bowed to all three of them. "Your Majesties. Lady Cardinal."

From there the ceremony was fairly simple. There were four sets of the treaty, bound and lying on the table. Virgil took the topmost one, and began to read the terms of the treaty aloud. There wasn't a sound in the room as he spoke, his clear firm tones ringing through the hall. Esther sat and listened, paying attention to the wording. Though she didn't think there was anything she wanted to change, she knew better than to let her attention waver.

The reading took over an hour, but finally, Virgil lowered the volume in his hands. "Your Majesties have heard the terms of the treaty, as written by our royal scribes. Do any of you have any alterations you wish to make?"

All three shook their heads. Virgil bowed. At his bow, one noble from each entourage ascended the platform, to take one copy of the treaty and lay it before the respective rulers. Astha stepped forward for the Empire, as the senior envoy. Professor Wordsworth stepped forward for Caterina. And from behind Esther, Colonel Spencer came forward to represent Albion. Each one received a copy of the transcribed document, and laid it before their rulers with a bow. Esther swallowed as Mary bowed before her, opening the document to the last page. She took a deep breath, then wrote her formal address over the first line of the page. Mary held a stick of sealing wax, softened by a small lighter for her, and Esther pressed the imprint of her royal seal into the paper just beside her name.

All three of the nobles bowed again, and then the copies of the treaty were lifted in reverent hands and carried around the table. The second time, Esther smiled as Astha held out a stick of emerald sealing wax for her, stamping her signet ring into it. The third, the Professor gave her another crimson seal. As she removed her ring for the third time, he leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Well done, Your Majesty."

Esther flushed, the last of her unease disappearing in the warmth of his compliment. She watched as all three copies were returned to Virgil, who took them with a bow and laid them carefully to the side. Then he opened the fourth volume again, and carefully scrawled his own signature, signing himself as a noble witness to the whole thing. Colonel Spencer, Astha, and Professor Wordsworth did the same, and then descended the dais. From there, the remaining three moved forward and also signed as witnesses. Esther thought Petros might be scowling a little more than usual, but he still wrote his name down. And then it was done. Esther was glad she was sitting, because she could feel her knees going weak with relief.

Virgil took all four copies, then stepped carefully to the side of the dais, looking out over the crowd. The room was dead silent, and Esther wasn't even sure the assembled nobles were breathing. "My Lords and Ladies…it is done. We have peace."

The room erupted in uproar. The shouting was so loud, Esther could barely take the noise. She couldn't tell what anyone was saying but it certainly sounded enthusiastic. That was good.

Seth sat back in her chair with a sigh. "Finally, that's over with." Esther couldn't see her face, but she sensed the other ruler turning in her direction. "Well Esther, I bet you're relieved too."

"I am." Esther smiled.

"Hmmm…I am too." Seth stretched carefully. "Say, when all the ruckus dies down, shall we get some drinks and talk a bit? There's some night left."

"That sounds like a fine idea." Caterina smiled. "I could certainly use a drink. I wasn't sure this was going to go through."

Just over an hour later, the three of them met in one of the informal parlor rooms. All three had changed into loose, relaxing robes, though Seth went veiled as always. She was leaning into a chair when Esther arrived. "That was certainly impressive, Esther."

"Thank you." Esther smiled, as the three of them collected their drinks. "I trust you are all staying for the celebrations, in three days time?"

"Well I certainly intend to." Seth brushed her veil back so Esther could see the grin on her face. "I haven't had a party in a while. Besides, you said it was going to be a masquerade?"

"Yes. They're very popular among the court this year. Lord Walsh and Colonel Spencer are a little concerned about security, but we'll have plenty of protections in place. And all of us will be unmasked when not on the floor."

"That sounds good. Although…" Seth touched a finger to her lips. "If you don't mind terribly, I'd like to bring Mirka in as my stand in. She looks so much more regal than I do, and she's really good at that sort of thing."

"I see. And where will you be?" Esther blinked.

"On the floor of course. My maids are both nobility, but if I send one back to the Empire when Mirka comes, then no one will notice. I'll just be another pretty girl in the crowd, you know?" Seth grinned. "It really would work out."

Esther nodded. "I have no objections. Lady Caterina?"

"I see no problems." Caterina considered. "I suspect, given the quiet around here and the fact that we've successfully repulsed the Orders attack, my two Inquisitors will want to return to the Vatican as well. Petros spoke of it earlier today. He wishes to return to protect His Holiness."

"Is that all right?" Esther blinked.

"Of course. I'll still have Father Wordsworth and Father Garcias. And Gunslinger will still be on patrol. So it should be fairly safe. And of course, Abel is here as well."

"That's true." Seth smiled. "Speaking of which, I didn't see my dear brother this evening."

"No. Father Nightroad…he took guard duty for Lord Walsh and Lady Vanessa." Esther smiled softly.

Seth sighed. "He really should have been there. This whole thing is really his idea, even if he won't take credit for it."

"I did try to tell him that, but he said he couldn't risk word of it getting back to the Cardinal di Medici. Besides, he…he said that the treaty itself was reward enough for him, and that tonight was for us to celebrate, not him."

"Well, he has a point about my brother, however…" Caterina sighed. "He always was one to avoid notice where he could."

"No kidding. Well, I hope he at least shows up to the party. Abel needs a little fun in his life. He's way too serious, really." Seth scowled at her cup.

"I…I don't know if he was planning to attend. I forgot to ask him." Esther blushed.

"Hmmm. Well we'll just have to make sure he does come." Seth grinned. "After all, if nothing else, he should be there to look after you and Caterina."

"There is that." Caterina smiled as well. The three of them talked of minor things for a while, and then they retired for the evening.

The next few days passed in a blur. It was mostly routine work, but the excitement of the upcoming masquerade filled the palace. Even the servants were enjoying the prospect of celebration. Esther had decreed that food and drink would be set aside for them as well. They'd have to work that night, but Esther knew they were planning to take shifts so everyone could have fun.

Even more excitement was generated by the news that there would be music from the Empire, as well as traditional songs from Albion. That had been Seth's idea. The request to introduce celebration music from the Empire, as a symbol of peace, had been the perfect cover for bringing Mirka to Albion. One of Seth's chosen hand-maids had returned to the Empire with the message, and Mirka had come back, bearing a huge selection of musical scores. The following day, Esther had seen Seth, wearing informal servant's attire and walking with the veiled 'Empress'. She looked happy, and Esther rather envied her the freedom to step away from her crown so easily.

The day of the masquerade, Esther found herself setting her work aside early. She knew she should try to finish everything, but she couldn't keep her mind on business. She was too tense with excitement and nerves. She'd never been to a ball before, and the prospect was both wonderful and slightly nerve-wracking. She was looking forward to the music, the excitement, and the colors, but…. She sighed, looking at her hands on the desk. She'd never danced before in her life. Being able to dance gracefully was something a noble, especially a Queen, was expected to know, and she'd been receiving lessons for some time. Her instructor was a good one, and she'd had a chance to have Virgil as her partner once or twice. However, her duties had made the lessons fairly infrequent, and she'd certainly never danced in a crowd, or with anyone other than her instructor or Virgil. Despite her teacher's assurances that she learned well and had graceful steps, she wasn't at all sure of her ability.

Esther sighed again, the realized she'd been sitting, staring at the desk doing nothing, for almost ten minutes. She looked at the papers for a moment more, then set them aside in a neat pile. There was no point in sitting and brooding.

Virgil was working by the window, but he looked up as she set her papers aside. "Your Majesty?"

Esther smiled ruefully. "It seems I'm not getting much done this afternoon. I was thinking of taking a walk or something."

Virgil nodded and rose from his seat. "That is understandable." He considered the wall clock across from her desk. "If I may be so bold, you may wish to rest before this evening. After all, the masquerade will continue till midnight, and I suspect the celebration shall last until dawn. A rest might be beneficial for Your Majesty."

"I hadn't thought of that." Esther blinked. "Do you think it's really all right?"

"Of course, Your Majesty." Virgil smiled. "Actually, your grandmother would also take a day off, sometimes, for a court function. It was not often, however there is no harm in a ruler taking a holiday."

"Thank you." Esther rose. "I think I'll do that then."

"As you wish. Shall I escort you to your rooms?"

"Yes. Thank you." Esther smiled at him. Virgil bowed, and held the door open, the faint smile still on his lips. "It is my honor."

As they approached her room, Esther found her eyes sliding to the door across the hall from hers. Abel's room. The door was shut, and she couldn't hear any sounds to indicate whether or not the room was occupied. She considered knocking on the door, but she couldn't quite bring herself to. She wasn't at all sure what she would say if he did answer. She sighed, then entered her own room and shut the door behind her. She thought a moment, then unlaced the working dress she wore, shrugged into a robe, and flopped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. Her thoughts, though, weren't on rest.

She hadn't seen much of Abel since the signing of the treaties. Not that he was avoiding her, really. She'd seen him on the night he'd had guard duty for her, and he'd been cheerful, and friendly. There was a hint of reserve in his actions, and in his tone, but overall he'd been the same Father Nightroad she remembered. And last night, she'd run across him in the hall and been greeted with a friendly, "Good evening, Miss Esther!" and a quick smile.

Despite the fact that he worked with her, she found she missed him. She missed the days when they'd been partners, when she'd woken to see him nearby, and stood side by side with him. Days when she'd fallen asleep, with him nearby. Not just across the hall, but just across a campfire, or sprawled on the floor of a room while she took the bed. She was aware, too, of the distance caused by her new rank. He wasn't one to worry about it much, but in public, he had to be cautious, as did she. There was that faint reserve in his eyes and voice, when there were others present, besides those who knew him.

Esther blinked at the ceiling. _When did I start thinking about Father Nightroad so much? _He'd been by her side for over a year before her ascension. But there was no getting around it. Since his death, she'd been thinking about him a great deal. And since his return…she couldn't shake the feeling that her emotions towards him had changed. She cared for him, but she was no longer sure it was the simple affection for a mentor. Affection, yes, but she wasn't sure it was as simple as that anymore. She hadn't been sure of that since his death.

His death. Esther thought about it. She hadn't considered it much, but when he'd died, the light had dropped out of her world. It had only been her memories of his gentle words… '_I am your friend'_…that had gotten her moving again. The thought of losing him hurt, even now. She knew he was alive and well, but the thought of him leaving, the thought of him being hurt or possibly killed again…it made her feel almost ill.

Esther threw one arm over her eyes. _I can't…I love Father Nightroad, but I can't…it can't be like that, can it? The Father…he's been with me through so much. And I've seen things, things he didn't want me to see, things I never thought I'd see from him. I wanted…when I came to the Vatican I wanted to know who he was. I still don't know very much, but I'm beginning to understand. He hides a lot, but…the Crusnik, his powers, his sister…all those things are a part of something very complex for him. I still don't understand him much at all, but…I feel like I'm beginning to. And I want…I want to understand. I want to know what causes him pain, so I can ease it. I want to know how to make him smile. But still…it can't be…._

Esther bit her lip, then rolled over onto her side and tried to think of something else. She did care for Abel, and she knew it, but still….She sighed and closed her eyes. She'd think about it later. She was still thinking that when she dropped into a doze.

Her maids came and woke her about an hour before sunset. Two of them helped her through her bath, while the third laid out her gown for the evening. After she'd had a nice long soak, the maids helped her into her outfit, carefully adjusting the folds of the fabric. One maid slipped her dancing slippers, new and made to match, onto her feet. The other brushed her hair and slipped a small golden circlet in place. As Esther rose, the third maid handed her the mask she would wear for the evening. Esther smiled, and thanked all of them. Then she turned, moving towards the large mirror set in the bathroom.

Her dress for this evening wasn't one of the stiff court dresses that she wore for formal occasions. The fabric was loose, flowing, designed to move freely in a spirited dance, and flow elegantly in a slow one. For color, Esther had chosen a deep blue, a shade between royal blue and cornflower blue. The dress was sleeveless, to give her arms more room, the shoulders were short golden straps, formed like brooches to match the gold that accented the hem. In addition to the gown, a long light-weight cloak had been attached at the shoulders, in a lighter sky blue. It fell down from her shoulders and across her back, before stopping at mid-calf. The hem of the cloak was also decorated with gold. For jewelry, she wore a broad bracelet on one wrist, and a golden tiara, set with a few small sapphires. The headband arched gently over her hair, curving softly over her head above the ears, rather than around her head like a crown. One maid offered her a golden necklace, with a teardrop diamond about the size of her thumb. After a moment, Esther nodded, and the maid fastened it around her neck. That was all. No identifying rank markings. No royal emblems. With her mask in place, in the middle of the dance floor, she'd be almost indistinguishable from most of the ladies there.

Esther looked down at the mask she was holding. It was deep blue, to match her dress, and decorated with a delicate tracing of golden vines and flowers done in needlepoint. She ran a hand over the smooth silken front, then turned towards the door. The sun was setting, and the masquerade would be due to start soon.

Virgil met her outside her door. He was wearing mostly black, as usual, but his typical suit shirt had been exchanged for a satin one, a light gold that came close to matching his long blond hair. The dark pants were lightly embroidered with grey, and the jacket was marked with silver and pale gold embroidery as well. Like Esther, he wore nothing that might have hinted at his rank, or his family identity. He had a mask, which matched his outfit, dangling by it's strap behind him. As Esther emerged, his eyes widened, and then he bowed. "Your Majesty."

"Lord Walsh. You look very nice this evening."

He straightened, and held out an arm with a hint of a smile. "Thank you, your Majesty." His eyes trailed over her outfit. "If it's not too forward of me…" He inclined his head. "You look lovely."

"Thank you." She smiled, and took his arm. She couldn't help glancing at Abel's door as they passed it, but it was still shut. She sighed. Knowing Abel, he probably wouldn't be at the masquerade, but he might come. He sometimes appeared at celebrations to pick up a good meal. Or maybe Seth could convince him to come.

When she arrived at the door, Mary was already waiting, with Caterina and Mirka, who was posing as the Empress. Both the visiting women were dressed in their own ball attire. Mirka had chosen a flowing, well-embroidered gown of lavender and white and silver, while Caterina wore a dress of scarlet, gold and white. Caterina was bare-headed, for once, allowing her golden hair to flow freely around her shoulders and down her back. Mirka was wearing a hat, to support the veil, but it was a much smaller one than she would have worn for court. Both women held masks. Mirka's was a silver half-mask, to cover the upper half of her face, decorated with glittering pink flowers at the eyeholes and golden vines across the rest of it. Caterina, on the other hand, had a filigree mask, gold shading to red, that would rest across her eyes and nose.

Caterina looked over Esther's dress and nodded appreciatively. "That dress becomes you, Lady Esther."

"Thank you." Esther blushed. "You look gorgeous, as always. Both of you."

Mirka laughed behind her veil. "You needn't be so modest. You're quite lovely. And you have a very graceful carriage." One hand reached out and took Esther's. "I've had a lot of experience in court. I can assure you, with absolute certainty, that if you walked unannounced into a court anywhere, no one would question you belonged." There was a hint of a giggle in her voice. "And of course, they never toss out the cute ones. And you are adorable. Just like Ion." There was no hiding the laughter in her voice as Esther flushed darker. "Speaking of Ion…" Her head turned slightly.

Esther turned. Ion and the Professor were coming up the hall toward them. The Professor had removed his priests garb in favor of a stylish costume, also in black, and a plain black mask with a tracing of gold on it. Though it was plainer than most costumes, it suited him and lent him dignity, in contrast to the mischief in his eyes.

Ion on the other hand….the young Earl of Memphis had opted for a costume of black and gold and red, with just a hint of white at the collar. His shirt was white, covered by a wine red jacket that went well with the dark pants and polished boots. Golden thread lined the seams and curled red and gold flames across his cuffs. At his throat hung a thin black half-mask, the top of which was decorated with red-gold flames like a wild sort of crown. The colors of his outfit highlighted his golden hair and caught the light in his golden-amber eyes.

Esther tried hard to keep her jaw from dropping. She'd seen Ion in formal wear before, but that had been Imperial garments. This was…impressive. She was saved from saying something utterly inane by Mirka, who stepped across the hall in two quick strides and threw her arms around his shoulders. "My, Ion! You look absolutely dashing! And to think you pouted at me when I told you those colors were just your thing!" She turned to Virgil, standing by the door. "Don't you think he looks the very picture of stylish nobility, Lord Walsh?"

"Grandmother…" Ion flushed almost as red as his jacket. But he fell silent after that. Esther didn't blame him. She knew very well that the best way to encourage Mirka's teasing was to raise a protest. Virgil shifted. Like Mary, he was well aware that Mirka was the double for the Empress, so he didn't raise an eyebrow at Ion's words. He was, however, definitely trying to choose his words. "His Excellency is very well attired. And the colors do suit you quite well, my lord."

Caterina chuckled. "Ever the diplomat, Lord Walsh." She turned to the Earl of Memphis. "But you do look excellent."

"Thank you, Lady Caterina." Ion bowed slightly.

There was sound from the other side of the door, and Mary straightened to attention. She wasn't in costume, just her formal dress uniform, with a little extra frills. She was, after all, technically on guard duty. While she intended to mingle with the guests this evening, her main focus was to keep an eye on the party. But now she bowed to the six of them. "I believe it is time for your entrance."

"Thank you." Esther swallowed. By rules of protocol, she went first, as the hostess. Then Mirka, in Seth's place, then Caterina. She swallowed again, as Virgil held out his arm, in formal court fashion. Behind her, Ion stood beside his grandmother, holding her forearm in a practiced grip, and the Professor smiled and bowed to Lady Caterina. She hesitantly laid her hand on Virgil's arm, and took a deep breath, steeling herself as Mary opened the doors.

The room was filled with people, in all manner of costumes. Light glittered on jewelry, on beadwork and metallic threads. Seeing the magnificent crowd, Esther almost hesitated. But Virgil was beside her, his grip relaxed and reassuring, and as he bowed his head to her and stepped forward, she did as well. The two of them moved out into the room, across the red carpet that had been especially set out for this occasion. Courtiers moved out of her way as she passed, bowing or curtseying. She heard Caterina and Mirka behind her, but it didn't do much for her nerves as she passed among the silent throng.

She was almost to the Royal Dais when a loud wolf whistle split the air. Her head turned involuntarily, startled at the sound. To the right of the aisle, a tall man with broad shoulders and dark hair was wearing a matador costume from Hispania, complete with a black, beaded mask. His shirt was open lower than was normal though, exposing just a hint of a well-muscled chest. As was tradition, the white shirt was loose and flowing, the broad red sash at the waist pulled tight, and the dark pants so well fitted they were just short of too tight. The black boots were polished, but still looked to have seen some serious wear. Esther looked up, and the dark-haired matador grinned under the frame of his mask and gave her a thumbs up.

His companion was a tall woman in a black and red affair to match the matador. The top of her dress was…form-fitting, to say the least, but the skirt swirled about her ankles in a way that suggested it would flow very nicely with music. She was wearing a more delicate mask, black with red embroidery and a single rose on one side. Esther's heart jumped as she recognized the distinctive hair of the young woman. Blond with a single streak of red at the center, brushed to the right. _That's Lady Astharoshe_. Her eyes shifted to the matador again as she walked past him._ And is that…is that Father Leon?_

The woman caught her gaze and nodded slightly as she passed. Esther smiled, heartened by the sight of her two friends and companions in the crowd. Then she was at the dais. Virgil handed her courteously up, then stood beside her throne, as Caterina and Mirka joined her. Both women settled into their chairs, their escorts by their sides. Esther looked out over the crowd. She was glad, looking at the masked faces, that she didn't have to give a speech to the assembled nobles. This was a party after all. And if she gave any speech at all, it would be after the unmasking at midnight. She turned her head to nod to the man at her side. "If you would be so kind, Lord Walsh."

He bowed his head once, then strode to the front of the dais. "My Lords and Ladies, it is my pleasure to officially open this ball, held in honor of Her Majesty Esther, Her Majesty Augusta Veradica, and Her Grace Cardinal Sforza. If you would care to assemble on the floor, the musicians will begin the first song in a moment." He bowed as a cheer rose from the crowd, then turned back to Esther. "Would my lady care to dance?" He smiled. "It is not required, but it is tradition that the hostess opens the ball, and dances the first dance of the evening."

"Oh." Esther considered. She felt nervous just thinking about it. Then she set the mask on her face, tied in back, and laid her hand in his. "If you'll be so good as to partner me, my lord."

"As you wish." She rose, and he led her to the floor amidst the dancers. As she descended, she saw the band and singers making final adjustments to instruments and positions, and quietly holding a last minute conference over music. Somehow, as she took a place on the floor, she wasn't surprised to find Ion and Mirka beside them, their masks also in place.

Lord Walsh had his mask attached to his forehead, though she understood he wasn't planning to wear it while he was her escort. It was part of the security they had both agreed to. He bowed, from the waist, and held out his hands. "My lady."

Esther stepped forward, and took his hands carefully. She'd never done this before in an actual ball-gown, and it felt slightly different. But Virgil only took her left hand in his right, and laid his left gracefully on her waist, poised for the first movement. There was a sudden flair of violins and horns from the musicians, and powerful melody that seemed to compel everyone in the room to move at once. Esther recognized the song as a very old one, though she couldn't remember the name. It was still one Virgil had taught her to dance to. She stepped with him as he swept her smoothly into the long line of dancers, whirling her around in a waltzing circle step.

_**Masquerade! Paper faces on Parade!**_

_**Masquerade, hide your face so the world will never find you!**_

Singers, united in tune, abruptly burst into a full volume chorus, melding with the tone of the instruments, and yet, just enough different to be heard clearly. Esther was amazed that she could even hear them as they began, but she had to admit, the song was definitely suited to this event.

_**Masquerade, every face and every shade **_

_**Masquerade, look around there's another mask behind you.**_

Virgil spun her around again, in the circling waltz step. She looked past his arm, spotted golden masks, green masks, blue masks, white masks…every color she could think of. She saw the flash of Ion's flame mask, and someone to her other side was wearing what she thought was a white clown, but there was no time to look properly as her partner swept her through the dance steps. Even trying made her feel slightly dizzy.

With Virgil as her partner, they whirled into a smaller set of dancers. The waltzing step spun them in a complicated circle. Then the music broke. Esther, with the rest if the women in her set, stopped. Virgil bowed courteously, as did the rest of the men, and handed Esther off smoothly to her next partner for another round.

_**Masquerade! Green and yellow, spinning reds**_

_**Masquerade, take your fill and let the spectacle astound you!**_

To Esther's surprise, her next partner was Ion. The Earl of Memphis took her hand firmly in his as they stepped into the motions of the dance. Beneath the glittering half-mask, Ion was smiling. They stepped into the pattern with the rest of the dancers. Ion's style was different from Virgil's but, as they stepped through the circle, Esther could tell he was an excellent dancer. He was also almost exactly her height and size, and the stances to match him felt natural. As Ion led her through the complicated pattern of movements, she found herself relaxing.

The pace slowed a little as they spun through the set. Esther was feeling a little flushed, but Ion seemed perfectly comfortable. Then the pace picked up again. Esther found herself handed to another partner. A man in a matador's costume who smiled and whispered roguishly. "May I, senorita?"

Leon didn't give her a chance to respond, and neither did the music. Both swept her off her feet into the crowd of elegant dancers. But despite being twice her size, Leon evidently knew how to dance well, because he matched her steps almost perfectly. And his grin was infectious. Then they reached the exchange point, and Virgil swept back to claim her again.

_**Masquerade! Burning glances, turning heads**_

_**Masquerade, stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you!**_

The music was winding down now. Esther felt Virgil's steps slowing, the pace of the dance decreasing. The dancers sang out one last chorus.

_**Masquerade! Grinning yellows, spinning reds**_

_**Masquerade, let the spectacle astound you!**_

There was one last burst of triumphant music, and then the song cut off. Right on cue, Virgil stopped, facing her directly, and bowed, just as the last note faded into the air.

There was silence for a moment, and then a cheer of delight from the crowd of dancers. Esther discovered, rather abruptly, that her group was in the center of the floor, surrounded by the nobles of her court, who were all clapping and smiling. She flushed, glad the mask hid her embarrassment. She looked, to see Leon grinning and giving her a thumbs up gesture, and Ion applauding with everyone else. Mirka was also applauding, with a smile on her face that indicated she had mischief on her mind.

Finally, the applause quieted. There were two sharp raps on the floor, and a voice called out, announcing another dance. Virgil stepped forward. "Will you dance, my lady?"

Esther flushed again. "No. I think…I think I'd like a rest, and perhaps…a drink?"

Virgil bowed his head. "As you wish." He held out his arm for her, and led her back to the thrones. As they went, Esther reached up and pulled her mask away, grateful for the cooler air on her heated face. Caterina was settled still on her seat, smiling with cool amusement. As Virgil settled Esther into her chair and went to get her drink, Caterina spoke. "You dance well."

'Thank you." Esther's blush deepened again. "It was my first dance. I wasn't sure how I would do, since I haven't been raised to this sort of thing, but…"

Caterina smiled. "Well, I was raised in this sort of environment, and I can assure you, you dance very well."

"Will you be dancing, lady Caterina?" Esther looked at the woman at her side. She really couldn't picture Caterina as a dancer, but she was a Duchess as well as a Cardinal.

"Perhaps later." Caterina shifted, arranged her dress so it hung in it's usual elegant folds. "I prefer the slow dances, myself."

"I see." Esther was distracted by Virgil's return, bearing a glass of fruit juice for her. She looked up at the tall figure by her side. "Lord Walsh, you needn't wait on me all night. Please, feel free to enjoy yourself."

He hesitated. "As your escort…and your guard, I should remain beside you."

Esther smiled. "It's all right." She indicated Mary, standing behind her and off to the side. "Colonel Spencer is watching me. Besides, this is a good chance for you to relax as well. I want you to have some fun. Please, feel free to dance. If I need you, I can ask someone to find you for me, or I can seek you on the floor."

He considered a moment longer, then bowed. "Thank you, my lady."

Esther settled back and watched the crowd on the floor, moving in a complicated pattern. She recognized the dance, a dance meant to include the whole floor, but she was just as glad to be sitting out. She spotted a flash of flame, and a delicate lavender and silver sparkle. This time however, they appeared to be nowhere near each other. A few more moments allowed her to spot Leon. He was one of the bigger people here. She thought she saw Astha as well, but wasn't sure. From there, she moved on to looking at random faces, trying to guess the identities. She would have looked for Vanessa, but she knew Virgil's sister wasn't on the floor. The younger of the Walsh siblings had declared that she didn't really care for dancing. She'd rather be in the Ghetto. Virgil and Esther had both authorized a quiet informal celebration more to her liking down there, and given enough funds for it to include any of the inhabitants who cared to come.

Esther scanned the crowd again. She felt restless, and after a moment, she realized why. Of all the people she could see, there were two missing. None of the figures had Seth's slender, child-like build and black hair. And there was no tall silver-haired man in the crowd either, not even lurking around the buffet tables at both sides of the hall. Esther sighed. She hadn't really expected Abel to show up, be she had hoped he might. She settled back into her chair to get her breath back. But as she watched the dancers under the lights, she couldn't help wondering where the Empress and her brother were.

Abel was sitting in his room, relaxing. He'd borrowed a book out of the Palace library, and was slouched loosely in a chair, the book open in front of him. He wasn't really focused on it though, because his mind kept wandering. To the masquerade, which he'd been invited to, and to the Underground. And of course, to Esther, and Cain, and everything else.

A knock at the door startled him from his thoughts. He blinked, then set the book aside. It was probably just a maid but still, courtesy never hurt. "Enter."

Seth flounced in, wearing an emerald green and gold costume, and a frown on her face. "So, this is where you were hiding."

"Seth?" Abel blinked again. "I thought you were attending the masquerade this evening." He glanced a clock on his wall. "You know, I think it's started already."

"Of course it has. But I didn't see you anywhere nearby, and I thought you might be avoiding it. So I came to look for you." Seth sighed. "Honestly Abel…"

Abel made a face. "I'm really not all that fond of crowds, you know. Besides…" He didn't get any further, because Seth turned and laid a finger across his lips.

"Hush. I already know all your excuses. But really, you need to get out more, and it wouldn't hurt you to relax a bit."

Abel sighed and looked away. "I know. But…while he's out there…"

"Abel!" There was genuine distress in Seth's tone. He turned to see her standing there, her face tense with unhappiness. "Can you not lay it aside even for one night?" She looked away, but her voice was no less tense when she spoke a moment later. "I understand you Abel. But…" She turned back to him, laid a hand gently on his face. "If you keep on like this, you'll only wear yourself out. Even you have to take a break sometimes."

"Ah…" Abel attempted a smile. "Well I was sitting and reading when you came in."

Seth made a sound suspiciously like a snort. "That might be what you call relaxing, but still…there's a perfectly good party going on, and you're not there. Even though I know there's a lot of people who'd like to see you there. And anyway…aren't you supposed to be a guard for Esther and Caterina?"

Abel swallowed. "Well, yes…but they both have their own guards already, and in a crowd like that…"

Seth poked him in the chest. "That doesn't change the fact that _you_, brother dear, are being lazy and shirking your duty. You know, Esther's not any more comfortable with crowds and dancing than you are, and you've had lots more time to learn."

Abel flushed, and made a face. "Well, be that as it may…there are still a few problems.

Seth sighed. "Like what?"

"Well, I don't exactly have anyone to attend with. And it's not proper to show up without an escort to something like this." Abel sighed. "I suppose I could, but…then every woman in the place would be…well, it's just not a good idea. And I…well, being out there…if someone sees me and realizes…"

"Abel." She poked him again. "The whole point of a masquerade is to _not_ recognize people. That's why everyone wears masks, and you know it. Honestly, you're just being silly. If that's the best you can do…" She sighed and turned her back on him. "You know…I don't exactly have an escort either. Ion's taking Mirka, which is only proper, and Astha accepted an invitation from that tall, muscular guy. The one built like Baibars."

Abel blinked. "Astha and Leon? Good Lord. I hope they don't kill each other. Astha is…very proper and Leon isn't at all."

Seth laughed. "I know what you mean. But that isn't the point." She turned, looking him in the face with the barest hint of a pout. "The point is, I don't exactly have anyone to take me to the dance, and I was rather hoping my older brother would be a gentleman and come with me."

Abel made a face. "Now really…." Then he sighed. "You know…when you put it like that…" He looked down at his cassock. "Unfortunately, unless you intended for me to go as a priest of some kind, I haven't really got anything to wear. I can't afford fancy dress clothes at the moment."

Seth stared at him. "So…if you had a costume, you'd go with me?"

"Well, I suppose…." He looked into her eyes. A small rueful smile touched his mouth. "If I had a costume, then yes, I might consider taking you." He rose from the bed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"If that's the case…" Seth grinned up at him suddenly. One hand latched onto his arm and she started pulling him to the door. "Come with me, Abel."

"Seth…what on earth…" Abel was too startled to resist as she dragged him down the hall. Out of courtesy, all the guests had been housed in the Royal wing, with women on one side of the hall and men on the other. Seth marched straight to her room, and dragged Abel inside. "Seth, what's going on?"

She grinned and rocked back on her heels, then moved to a large wardrobe. "I thought you might be a bit stubborn, and I figured you wouldn't have anything, so I asked Mirka to get a few things for me." She opened the door and waved at a set of hangars. "So, what do you think?"

Abel blinked. Then he turned red. "Seth…you can't possibly…" He stared at it. "Honestly, how can you even know if that fits?"

"Well, your build hasn't changed at all in 900 years, any more than mine has." Seth grinned. "But it was a little simpler than that. After all, when you came to the Empire, you had to buy garments to wear, and Astha lent you some at one point. I just got her to tell me what you wore, and double checked the size."

"You…Seth, that really is unfair of you." He sighed. "I'll admit that it does look…appropriate. But honestly…" He flushed again. "I'll look completely ridiculous in something like that."

"Not really. You'll look quite fashionable." Seth sighed. "Honestly Abel, if you'd just make a few adjustments, you could probably have every lady of the court throwing themselves at you."

"I'd rather not, thank you." Abel stared at her, then back at the garments.

"Will you at least try it on?" Seth sighed. "I did have it brought all the way from the Empire for you, and that's not exactly easy."

"Well…" Abel eyed the garments a few moments more, then sighed. A small smile touched his face. "You are right. I suppose I should at least try them on, since you went to all the effort. And…" He moved over to stand beside her, and gave her a gentle hug. "I did promise, didn't I? That if I had something, I would take you to the dance." He eyed the outfit and sighed one more time. "Although…does it have to have…the ruffles?"

"It's fine. Besides…it doesn't really look that bad." Seth grinned. "Trust me brother, once we get you all dressed up, you'll be surprised." She gave him another smile, then tweaked the glasses from the end of his nose. "You should hurry and change, you know."

"Fine. I'm stealing your bathroom for a moment then." Abel gathered the outfit into his arms, made one more face at it, and then closed the doors and began to undo his cassock. He was half tempted to get 'stuck' in the blasted robes, but he had promised.

**(AN) ****dragonwriter24cmf:** The song used in this chapter 'Masquerade (song)' © of Andrew Lloyd Webber from the 2004 version film Phantom of the Opera.

**(AN) smcandy: ** The masquerade ball down Esther is wear within this part can be shown in full view from my **deviantart** Trinity Blood gallery. **dragonwriter24cmf**based the gown from my digital doll art located at this link to view.

**[*] -** http:/ smcandy [dot] deviantart [dot] com / art / Queen - Esther - Doll - Ball -Gown - 138271111

**TAKE OUT THE BRAKETS AND SPACES AND YOU'LL SEE HOW THE LINK WORKS ORGINALLY. IF NOT THEN MESSAGE ME AND I WILL SEND YOU THE LINK BY VIA EMAIL OR MESSAGE.**

Also again be aware all **TBWC** readers and fans out there before asking _**"Huh where the rest?" **_that chapter 10 chapter is four hundred words long so it will be split into to **two** parts this is part one to make the parts nice and even. Also to avoid of not having your eyes and tongues popping and rolling out their socket and mouths.

Let me know what you think so far. Part 2 will be posted either later on today or sometime when I can I wanna see how you like what has been given to you thus far before I post the past of it.


	12. Writers Notice 1

**Authoress/Writer Notice #1**

_To __readers and fans of TBWC,_

_**smcandy**____here Authoress/Writer of __**Trinity Blood War Continuum**__._

Sorry everyone to all whom added me to their alerts, I'm sure you asking WTF is with all the notices and updates with chapters that are already there within your inboxes.

I seemed to have made a **H.U.G.E.** mistake while I was updating and uploading chapter 10. I had to re-upload the **TBWC** chapters 1-9 again because I _**so**_ stupidly and tiredly deleted them by sheer accident. I haven't gotten much sleep from when I was proof reading chapter 10.

This happened when I was uploading chapter 10 part one on my account just a while ago this AM. If you want to be bothered re-reviewing any chapter that you liked or care for more then others you may do so at your own choice.

Just thought I'd clear this up before uploading later on chapter 10 part 2, to exclude any more confusion as to why the previous chapters have been re-uploaded. So forgive the link you already have gotten and read for the chapters before chapter 10 part 1 came up. By now or later the chapters from 1-9 should be in right chorological order if not then please **notify** me threw review of this notice ASAP and I will fix them later when I can. All I suggest you can do if they are not in order yet is to wait and come back later to the **TBWC fiction **link and see I am sure they will be order now since it takes 30 minutes for nay chapter uploaded or replaced to be fully showing the more correct newer version ok.

If not then I will have to delete TBWC and re-upload the chapters again thus losing all the awesome and sweet comments and reviews you guys have been giving me so far from pain in the but this mishap.

Again I'm really sorry I hope I go them all right in order now to will be another long night before I re-organize them. I also the titles change to they also should be in right order soon.

Thanks for taking the time to read this everyone and please continue to bring on your support of TBWC. Take care and rest assured chapter 10 is being worked on and will be on it's way for uploading ASAP.

_Sincerely____- __**smcandy**_


	13. Ten Pt 02: Celebrations and Confessions

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Apologizes for the cut off in part one in chapter but as explain at in my AN from the top and I believe bottom of the pages, this chapter as a **WHOLE** is 400 words long. It's been split by half the math isn't hard so I am sure all of you awesome ^.^ **TBWC** fans are aware of what that leaves for part two.

Thankies to all whom the reviewed part one, reason why part two is posted so soon this time is because my good editor **dragonwriter24cmf** thinks I should have uploaded both parts when they were done but I wanted to see how many of you wanted to responded and commented to part one. I'm sure a lot of you were wanting to throw virtual veggies and fruits at me for leaving it off where it was so I'm doing this at **dragonwriter24cmf**request until chapter 11 ins completed. So rejoice a weekly update as long promised has come lets hope this can happen more often in the near future with the remaining 30 chapters to go.

Now onward with part two ^.^

**DISCLAIMER:**All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by the late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to one of my editors and co-partners in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her own TB stories on which are awesome. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice:****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage Against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). ** In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Ten - Part 02: ****Celebrations and Confessions**

The dancing had settled down a bit. Esther gazed out over the floor from her seat, sipping on her wine. The tune was one of the slow, stately ones. She watched Caterina and the Professor dancing together, their casual stances those of old friends. Her eyes flitted over the crowd. She couldn't see Astha or Leon, but in a crowd of this size she wasn't surprised. Over on the far side, she spotted someone she thought looked like Virgil, dancing with someone else. She smiled, glad to see her advisor relaxing. She knew he was likely keeping an eye on her as well, but it was good for him to have time to unwind and socialize with the rest of the nobles.

Esther shifted a little in her seat. She'd just about recovered from her last turn around the floor. She'd been asked to dance several times by various men. She'd danced with the Professor for two or three dances, and Leon for one. She'd also let Virgil take her out onto the floor once or twice.

She could have danced every dance if she wanted. There was no shortage of men willing to be her partner. But…Esther sighed. She had so little experience. Virgil and the others had been quite good about teaching her, and the dances she hadn't known, there had been someone nearby to coach her. When Leon had asked her to join a reel, she'd been hesitant, until Caterina showed her the steps. And she had no doubt that any partner she accepted would be more than willing to assist her as well. But still…she wasn't used to this. The crowds, the noise, the dancing…she didn't feel comfortable with dancing with a stranger, outside of a group dance. She enjoyed the dancing, but the thought of trying to work through the steps with a stranger made her uncomfortable. So she settled for dancing with her old friends and the men she knew, and watching the rest of the time.

Esther took another sip of wine. She had to admit, it was nice to sit out. She was fairly active, but the whirl of activity on a dance floor could take your breath away. She was content to be able to sit and relax between dances, regaining her energy. In fact, as she thought about it, there was really only one thing truly making her unhappy.

She flicked her gaze up to the large clock on the wall. It was about nine. The masquerade had been going for almost two hours, and still, there were two figures she'd yet to see any sign of. She hadn't seen any child-like woman with black hair, nor any tall men with silver.

Esther sighed. She knew it was too much to hope that Abel would come, but she thought Seth would at least be here. While it was always possible that the youthful Empress was simply staying in the background, she would have liked to be able to speak with her. Seth had a humorous way of looking at things. And, more than likely, the other woman could have told her where Abel was, since he wasn't here.

"Esther?" Esther blinked, startled out of her thoughts. Ion was standing in front of her.

She recovered quickly and smiled at him. "Lord Ion."

"Is everything all right?" He tilted his head, and the bright eyes behind the mask were concerned. "You seemed…a little unhappy."

Esther flushed. "No, no…not at all. I was just thinking and watching the dancers, I suppose. There's no need to be concerned." She smiled. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

"I am. We have Court balls at home, but it's not quite like this." The Earl of Memphis smiled. "But actually…I was wondering if you'd care to dance the next dance with me." He held out his hand and bowed slightly.

"I'd like that." Esther smiled and set her glass on a small tray to the side, then stood. As they moved down the dais steps to the floor, she pulled her blue satin mask back over her face.

The two of them moved to a clear spot on the floor, just as the first notes of the song began. It was an Imperial song, not one Esther knew, but Ion smiled. "Don't worry, it's a very simple song. Just follow my lead." He stepped slowly back and sideways, and Esther followed him, letting him lead as they stepped out a very simple pattern, similar to the waltz step and only a little more complicated.

The rhythm was easy, the song slow. Esther found herself relaxing, and the song didn't make her at all out of breath. She smiled. "You're a very good dancer, Excellency." The she blushed. "I'm sorry, it's a habit."

"It's quite all right." Ions voice was soft, almost laughing. "You can call me whatever you like." He paused, then spoke in a softer, more serious tone. "But you know, you're really a good dancer too. And you look very beautiful."

Esther flushed again, this time out of pleasure. "Well, I'm not so sure about that. I mean, I don't know much about dancing, and…"

"You're very graceful. You move well." Ion's voice cut through her denial. "I mean that." He smiled. "And that outfit…I…you look stunning. Beautiful. You remind me of the sky around the Dome on a clear day, glimmering and radiant. Enough to take my breath away."

Esther wondered if her ears could possibly get any redder. "Thank you." She looked at the slender figure in black and flame costume. "You look very handsome as well." Her eyes drifted over the costume, the embroidered flames. "It suits you."

"Grandmother picked out my outfit." Ion was blushing slightly. "I wasn't sure…I mean, this isn't the sort of thing…"

Esther smiled. "It really does suit you. You have a very warm personality, and the flames bring out your eyes and hair. It's quite handsome."

"Thank you, Esther. I'm glad you like it." He was smiling now too. The rest of the dance was spent simply concentrating on the steps. But Ion was a very good partner, and he held her like she was porcelain. Esther enjoyed it, and she was almost sorry when the song ended.

As the last notes died away, Ion released her shoulder, though not her hand, and bowed. "Thank you." He straightened. "Will you dance the next one?"

"I'm not sure…" She wasn't out of breath, but they hadn't announced the next song yet. Besides, she was feeling a little dry-mouthed, and warm. She looked at Ion, standing and waiting patiently. She considered going back to her seat, but…she was enjoying his company. "Actually, I think I'd like that."

Ion smiled. He opened his mouth, but just then, there was a noise from the doorway. In fact there was a rather large commotion from the entry to the ball room. Esther and Ion exchanged a look, and then both of them moved toward the Dais. Neither of them were tall enough to see past the crowd, and Esther really didn't feel like fighting her way through the dancers, most of whom were also trying to see what was causing the fuss. They reached the steps and went half-way up, then stopped and turned. Esther felt her breath catch in her throat.

Near the door, making their way towards the floor with graceful steps, were two figures. Esther stared at them in wonder. As a child, she'd heard fairy tales, stories of magical beings, of special people. Even in a church, one heard fairy tales as bedtime stories every now and then. She heard stories of the powerful Lord of the Fey, and his Lady, but she'd never thought to witness anything to match the glittering pictures in her daydreams. But watching the two moving towards the center of the floor, it was the only thing she could think of. The dark-garbed Lord of magic, and his glittering Lady by his side.

The shorter of the two dancers wore an emerald green costume, sparkling with golden and silver threads, a pair of small fairy wings attached to the back of the dress. The dress itself was mid-length, but hung in graceful flowing folds, the random sparkles on it catching the light like flickers of magic. Delicate green slippers covered her feet. The upper portion of the dress was form fitting, not tight but accenting her spare frame. The sleeves also fit closely, until about mid-elbow, where they flared out in a delicate sweep that seemed to mirror the wings upon her back. Silver and gold, and what looked like slender ribbons, threaded the sleeves and the bodice and made delicate patterns. The collar was a square, modest, with a silver vine curling around it. Above that, her half-mask was also emerald green, with silver vines curling away from the eye holes, tied with a slender silver cord that ran through the tousled black hair, creating an image of carefully tamed wildness.

Beside her, Ion blinked. "Her Majesty?"

Esther's heart jumped. Now that Ion had spoken, she recognized the black hair, and slight figure. _But then…the one who's with her must be…_. Her eyes turned to Seth's companion.

He was at least a foot taller than she was, and his costume was every bit as impressive and fantastic. Dark grey pants and well polished calf-length boots. Silver touched the seams of the pants above the boot tops, highlighting the man's narrow hips. He wasn't wearing a belt. Instead a slender silver sash bound his waist, tied in some fashion she couldn't see because there were no visible ends. Above that, the man wore a blue shirt. It was a few shades lighter than cobalt, something like a sea blue, but deep and rich, and the material shone under the light like satin. It was high-collared, tied at the throat with a matching ruffled cravat. The cuffs of the shirt were gathered into ruffled pleats about his wrists, before vanishing into the sleeve of the jacket he wore. The jacket was black, but sewn with metallic threads so that it glittered subtly, gold and silver and metallic blue, with hints of green. It was open in front, fitted close to show broad shoulders and a trim frame. The collar swept up and back, a dark wing that framed the curve of the narrow jaw, and drew attention to the black mask with it's silver and blue embroidery. The rest of the face was framed in a waterfall of silver hair. It fell down his back, away from his face. As the man turned, Esther saw the dark band tied just below his shoulders, allowing the shining silver strands to flow loosely, without getting in his face. She stared at the man as he moved with a sort of careless grace to the center of the floor. _Is that…Father Nightroad_

Both dancers moved arrived at the center of the floor, just as the musicians began the first notes of the next song. The man, Esther was sure it _was_ Abel, bowed with a courtier's grace, then swept his partner into the steps. Other dancers, too startled by their sudden appearance to heed the music, moved out of the way. The dance was a moderate waltz, not too fast. To Esther's surprise, Abel seemed to know every step quite as well as any noble there. Even she could tell he was leading, as was proper, and there was no hesitation in his steps as he and Seth glided across the clear section of floor. He spun her around, graceful and elegant. Esther watched, her heart pounding as her eyes followed the silver-haired dancer across the floor.

Abruptly, she realized Ion was still beside her. She flushed. "I beg your pardon. You asked me to dance this with you, but..."

"It's all right." Ion smiled. "We can dance the next one, right?" His head turned slightly, back to watch the dancers. "That man…is that Father Nightroad?"

"I think so." Esther hoped he couldn't hear the thumping of her heart. "I can't think of anyone else she might be dancing with, or who has hair that color."

"You're right. It's strange though." Ion's voice held a thoughtful quality. "I've seen him in all sorts of conditions, and I know he's only clumsy sometimes but…I didn't know he could move like that. He's very graceful, very dignified."

"Yes. He is." Esther watched as Abel spun Seth under his arm, before sweeping her back into his grip. She knew exactly what Ion meant. She'd seen Abel in a number of situations, and had wondered if that stumbling, absent-minded pose was really just a mask. Seeing him on the floor, dancing with his sister to a song she hadn't even been aware he'd known, reminded her of how little she actually knew about him. It also reminded her of her earlier thoughts concerning him. She clenched one hand, suddenly aware of her conflicting emotions.

Together she and Ion watched as Abel and Seth danced together. Finally, the song came to an end. Abel and Seth stopped right on the last note. The silver-haired dancer held his partner for a moment as the last note died away, then bowed over her hand, not in the normal manner of a gentleman, but in an antique gesture that Esther only recognized because Virgil sometimes used it as well.

The crowd burst into applause, and Esther was only too willing to add her clapping to theirs. Beside her, Ion was also clapping his hands together, and from off to the left, she heard a wolf whistle of appreciation. She grinned, recognizing Leon's tone and wondering if he had also recognized the silver-haired dancer.

Finally, the applause died down, and the musicians announced the next song. The rest of the dancers, now recovered from their shock, took their places on the floor. Ion smiled and held out a hand. "Shall we dance?"

"Of course." Esther smiled and stepped onto the floor with him. The first notes sounded, a moderately paced reel. The dancers sorted into groups and began the steps, keeping time within the circle of their partners.

Esther felt herself relax again. She knew the reel well enough, and Ion was a courteous partner. He handed her off to another gentleman she didn't recognize, equally courteous. The second dancer wasn't quite as skilled as Ion was, but Esther didn't mind. A flash of silver and gold caught her eye. She turned her head slightly, and felt her eyes widen.

In a nearby circle, Abel was dancing alongside a gold and scarlet form Esther recognized as Lady Caterina's. They moved together in perfect time. As the two figures turned in the steps of the reel, she caught sight of the expressions underneath the masks. Caterina looked amused, and her partner's mouth was turned upward in a sheepish grin that Esther knew only too well. _Father…_

She forced her mind back to the dance steps again as they came around the turn to hand off to a new partner. Her current partner bowed, to be replaced by a golden figure she knew well, who tipped up his mask deliberately to show the pale eyes. "Lord Walsh."

"My lady." He bowed courteously as they began the steps. "You appeared distracted. Are you all right?"

"Oh." Esther blushed. "I'm sorry. I was just a little surprised. I mean…those two…"

"It was a rather dramatic entrance for such an unassuming man. However, I have to say, his costume suits him." Virgil's voice was mostly expressionless, but Esther thought it held a faint note of approval.

"Then…you think it's Father Nightroad as well?" Esther blushed. "I…I wasn't sure…It looked like him, but I don't know all the nobles that well yet."

"I think it highly likely." Virgil smiled. "I was informed an hour ago that neither Abel Nightroad nor Lady Seth had put in an appearance. Somehow, she does strike me as the type to have arranged this sort of thing." He bowed his head slightly. "Shall I inform them that you wish to speak with them?"

"No. It won't be necessary." Esther shook her head and lowered her eyes. "I'm just glad they came."

He bowed his head again. "As you wish." Then it was time to change partners again.

They went through three more circles before Ion finally claimed her again. By then, the reel had gotten much livelier. Esther was forced to focus on the steps as she and Ion whirled through the finally set of circles and came to a halt.

Ion was laughing, but even he had a slight sheen of perspiration on his brow. However, he took no notice of it, he simply bowed to her. "Esther, did you enjoy it?"

"Yes!" She smiled at him, trying to control her breathing.

Ion looked at her. "Are you all right? You look a little flushed."

She smiled and shook her head. "I'm just a little winded."

"Well then, how about I take you back to your seat, and I can get you something to drink?" He extended his hand politely.

"Thank you. I'd appreciate that." Esther placed her hand in his, relaxing as he lead her to the dais. Once at her chair, she settled down and gratefully removed her mask from her face, allowing cooler air to wash over it. Ion strode back down the stairs, but Esther didn't watch him. Instead, she found her eyes being drawn to the dance floor, looking for one man in particular.

She spotted Abel near the right side of the hall, still on the dance floor. This time his partner was a woman in a familiar black and red costume. Esther watched them, struck again by the court grace of his movements.

_Father…you…you fit so well. I wonder where he learned to dance like that? _Her eyes followed his movements. _I don't know. Who taught him how to dance, or how he learned court protocol. Was it Lady Caterina, or the Professor, in those ten years before I joined? Why is it that he knows his way around the Underground, even the places Virgil can't go? Why does he speak the language here, just the way they do, and yet he also speaks the Imperial tongue just as fluently? There's so much I don't know about him. And yet…and yet…watching him makes my heart beat just a little faster. Being near him makes me feel warm, safe. Losing him, having him leave, it makes me feel cold inside. But why…how can I feel this way about him?_

"Esther?" Ion's voice broke into her thoughts. "Is everything all right?"

"Of course. I was just thinking. It's all right." Esther offered him a smile and took the cup from his hands. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Ion grinned and raised his own glass.

The next hour or so passed in a blur for Esther. Ion was called away to dance with Mirka. Esther shared another dance with the Professor, then decided to walk over to the buffet tables for a snack. She hadn't eaten much throughout the evening, and the exercise was making her hungry.

"So, Esther, are you having a good time?" A familiar, youthful voice sounded at her elbow, and she turned to come face to face with a young woman in a glittering green fairy costume.

"Oh. Seth." She smiled. "Yes. I'm having a very good time. But I was afraid for a while that you'd decided not to attend." She turned back to the floor. "I see you got Father Nightroad to come as well."

"Well, I certainly didn't plan on missing a party like this one." Seth grinned underneath her mask. "And as for Abel…well I guess you could say I bullied him a little. But I think it was a good thing. He was very stiff when we got here, but he seems to be relaxing and enjoying himself now." She gestured to a glittering black figure on the floor. "And it's good to see he hasn't forgotten much."

"I was wondering…would you by chance happen to know where he learned to dance?"

"Abel?" Seth smiled. "He sort of…taught himself, a very long time ago. But as to how and who and why…well that's something you'll have to get him to tell you himself. He'd only be upset if I told you that sort of thing." She tapped a finger to her lips. "You should dance with him Esther, and ask him yourself."

Esther flushed and looked down at the empty plate she held. "Well, I'm not that good a dancer yet, and…"

"It's not like Abel will be upset if you do." Seth grinned. "Abel's a really good dancer, but he almost never asks someone to dance with him. He's too shy."

Just then, the song came to an end. When the next song was announced, Seth straightened. "Say, Esther, this one involves groups of six." She stretched slightly. "Looks like Abel has Astharoshe, but her escort is there too, so I guess Abel will have to be a gentleman. But hey, there's the Earl of Memphis." She turned and grinned. "What do you say? We'll grab my brother and the Count and make a proper group of it."

"I…well…" Esther tried to think up a good protest, but Seth pulled her forward. Halfway across the floor, she caught the slight figure in the black and flame colored outfit. Ion made a startled noise, but no protest. They arrived at next to Abel just as the sets were being formed.

Too startled to protest, Esther found herself swept up in the music by Ion. It wasn't a song she knew, and she concentrated on watching Seth and Astha as they took the turns. Ion helped, whispering soft instructions where no one else could hear. The music changed tempo, and with it, the partners changed as well.

Ester found herself paired with a dark haired matador. Leon gave her a roguish grin. "Well, senorita? Are you having fun?"

"I…yes, I am." Esther returned the smile, feeling herself relax. The second set was easier, now that she knew the steps, and Leon was a graceful partner for all their difference in size. She heard the tempo change but somehow, she was so caught in the rhythm that she didn't quite realize what it meant. Then Leon bowed over her hand, and spun her…right into the grip of a silver-haired man in a black and silver mask, who caught her gently as the third set began.

Esther stiffened, her heart suddenly pounding. Fortunately, she knew the steps, more or less, and the rhythm was still singing in her blood. She let the music carry her along, still surprised by the fact that she was _dancing_ with Abel.

Blue eyes, met hers from behind the black and silver mask, gentle and kind in an expression she knew well. His grip was careful, but firm, and even through the gloves he wore, his hands were startlingly warm. He led her through the turns of the music his steps light and graceful. And he matched her pace well. Esther could feel her jaw threatening to drop. This close, the costume looked even more stunning on him. And though she'd been watching him off and on throughout the evening, it hadn't occurred to her that he really was an excellent dancer. But the skill he showed leading her was on par with Ion's at the very least. Esther stared at him, watching as the light caught in unbound silver hair, and glittered subtly off the jacket he wore. She only came to herself when she nearly stepped on his toes. Then she flushed, and forced herself to concentrate on the proper steps.

Finally, the song wound down. Abel took her through one last step and turn, then slowed and stopped. He stood a moment, then released his grip and took one hand, bowing his head over it. "Thank you, my lady."

Esther flushed. "Oh, it was…thank you, Father."

Abel chuckled. "You found me out already?" He straightened, took a step closer, and she could see mischief in his eyes. "Are you doing well, Miss Esther?"

"I…yes. It's been a lovely evening." Her surprise was beginning to fade, listening to his voice. His tone was warm and friendly, with just a hint of laughter to it. That was the voice she remembered. She heard the musicians announce the next song, but really couldn't hear what they said. She looked up at Abel. "Father…would you dance with me again?"

Esther felt her ears turn scarlet. That wasn't what she'd meant to say…but she did want to dance with him again. She almost hoped he would make an excuse not to, but he only smiled and held out his hand, bowing again. "If you wish, my lady." His eyes met hers. "I'm afraid I didn't quite catch the next song though, so we may have to improvise."

"It's all right." She set her hand in his. A part of her was shocked, too startled to believe that she'd asked him, but the warmth that flowed through her as he took her hand and pulled her into his arms erased her fears. She smiled up at him, her heart pounding, but happy.

The first strains of the song began, with a soft bell-like sound. Esther blinked as Abel made a soft sound. "I'm sorry, I don't think I know this one."

"Ah. It's all right." Abel stepped carefully back. "It's not a song that really has any set dance routine." He drew her into something almost like a waltz, matching the tempo of the music.

"Father? You know this song?" Esther blinked up at him.

A rueful grin touched his face, but his eyes were far away. "It's one of Seth's favorites." His voice was soft. "I really don't know why she'd want it played here, but…she used to love this song."

She was surprised by the faraway, nostalgic look in his eyes. A gentle look of love, with a hint of sorrow. "Did you like it as well?"

"Eh?" His eyes came back to her, and she saw his ears turn pink. "I…well, honestly, I'm not sure. I just used to sing it for her, part of it anyway. It was…" his eyes went far away again, and his voice was softer when he spoke. "It was a lullaby of sorts, for when she was sad."

"Oh." Esther looked up into his face. "Would you…" She felt herself blushing, but she still felt like asking. "Would you sing it for me, Father?"

"Eh?" This time his eyes were startled, and she saw the tips of his ears go from pink to crimson. He even stumbled a little. "Well…you know…I'm not sure I remember the words, and my voice isn't that good anymore. It's been years…"

"It's all right." Esther smiled into his face, reassured by his presence. "You don't have to if you don't want to Father." She looked down. "I was just curious. I've never heard it before. But if you feel uncomfortable, it's not necessary."

"Ah…" Abel seemed like he was going to say something, but firm tenor voice from the music stage interrupted.

_**There's such a sad love, deep in your eyes**_

_**A kind of pale jewel, opened and closed within your eyes**_

The voice was smooth, and filled the hall, and the words were beautiful. But as the singer voiced the next line, Esther's ears caught a different sound. A second voice, so soft it was barely audible, joined the first.

_**I'll place the sky within your eyes**_

She looked up. Abel wasn't quite looking at her anymore and his face, what she could see of it, was red. But as the second verse started, she saw his lips move. And a second tenor, quiet but beautiful even at that volume, joined the first.

_**There's such a fooled heart, beating so fast**_

_**In search of new dreams, a love that will last**_

_**Within your heart**_

_**I'll place the moon within your heart**_

Abel's dance steps didn't falter any. If she hadn't been standing with him, within the circle of his arms, she would never have heard him, he was so soft.

_**As the pain sweeps through, makes no sense for you**_

_**Every thrill is gone, wasn't too much fun at all**_

_**But I'll be there for you**_

_**As the world falls down.**_

Esther felt her heart start pounding. She knew it was simply the lyrics of the song, but the words evoked a tide of memories. Memories of loving kindness, of the man who had pledged to stand beside her. She could remember the feelings those words invoked. She stared up into his averted face, feeling her heart beating incredibly fast.

_**I'll paint you mornings of gold, **_

_**I'll spin you Valentine evenings**_

_**Though we're strangers till now,**_

_**We're choosing the pathway to the stars**_

_**I'll leave my love, between the stars**_

Esther flushed. That last verse…it wasn't the same. She looked back into Abel's face, wondering if he felt the music affecting him the way she did. She couldn't see it in his expression, but there was a sort of live-wire energy that seemed to be racing between them. His hands were still gentle, but if anything, they'd gotten warmer. Though perhaps that was only the heat of his embarrassment.

_**As the pain sweeps through, makes no sense for you**_

_**Every thrill is gone, wasn't too much fun at all**_

_**But I'll be there for you**_

_**As the world falls down**_

The song continued, but Abel stopped. He swallowed once. "Ah…I don't remember the rest of it." His voice was only slightly louder than it had been when he'd been singing, almost as if he were talking to himself. Esther doubted he'd really forgotten it but then, that he'd even gone this far was more than she'd expected. She smiled. "Thank you, Father."

The song wound down about a minute later. Abel followed the beat, and stopped, then gently removed his hand from her waist. "Miss Esther?"

"I think I'd like to return to my seat now, if you don't mind. I'm a little winded."

"All right." He took her arm, courteous as a gentleman, and carefully, led her through the crowd back to the dais. "May I get you anything?" He smiled at her. "I'm rather thirsty myself."

"It's all right. I'm fine." Esther smiled at him. "Besides, you should probably go find your sister and see how she's doing. You are her escort after all."

"That is true." He bowed over her hand. "Very well, Miss Esther. I will speak with you later." He turned, and made his way across the floor, heading for the tables. Esther watched him go, her mind whirling. She was so pre-occupied, she didn't notice anything else until a hand touched her shoulder. "My Lady?"

She looked up, startled, into Virgil's concerned gaze. "Lord Walsh." She realized she was still wearing her mask, and reached up to remove it. "I'm sorry, I was thinking about something."

"I noticed. Are you well?"

"Yes, of course. I'm sorry if I concerned you, but I really am fine." She smiled and looked back over the crowded hall. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

"I am." There was a definite sense of contentment in Virgil's tone. "And you, Lady?"

"Oh. Yes." Esther looked down. "I was just thinking…how nice it all is, and how supportive everyone's been for me." She looked back into his eyes. "That's all. There's really nothing to be concerned over."

"As you wish." Virgil bowed to her, and backed away. Esther looked back over the dance floor, her thoughts still spinning.

Almost automatically, her eyes searched for a familiar form. His form. Finally, she spotted Abel, standing by one of the tables. He was turned away from her. Though it was a little difficult to see, because of the crowd, she thought she spotted a flash of green and gold next to him. She smiled. He was probably talking to his sister after all.

Esther continued to stare at the black and silver form. It startled her, how content it made her just to watch him, to see him standing there in the midst of the crowd. Equally startling was the way her heart was pounding, just looking at him. The memory of that soft voice, singing those words, made her heart beat faster. Almost unconsciously, she clenched her hands together, remembering his warm, gentle grip.

_Father…_ Esther watched him as he moved back onto the floor, with Seth recognizable now at his elbow. _I've always cared for him. Ever since that day at Saint Matthias church. And I…I know those feelings have gotten stronger in the time I've known him. I don't want him to leave me. I…when he died, I couldn't stand it. And all that time he was missing, it felt like…it felt like there was a piece of my heart missing too. But still…it can't be…I can't be…I thought it was just because he was my partner, my friend and guardian, but…I…. _She watched him dance, and the words, almost unbidden, drifted through her mind. _I love you. Father. I really…love you._

Esther blushed, realizing what she was thinking. Abel was…far older than she was. She knew that. He'd seen things she'd never imagined, knew more than she'd learn in two lifetimes. She already knew he was close to Caterina and to Lady Astha. And yet, as much as she wanted to deny the words, they felt right for her. Somewhere along the way, during their time together, her feelings had gone far beyond affection for a partner, or fondness for a mentor. She wondered when it had happened. On the voyage from Istvan? Or during their time in Carthage, when she had been willing to go through fire and hell, just because he was there? Or in the Empire, when he'd been their rock of strength, guarding them all with his life? Had she known it when she knelt by his coffin, or when he rose again, filling her with mingled joy and concern for him? She didn't know. Now that she was thinking of it, she couldn't tell.

It didn't matter. However it had happened…it didn't matter. She looked back at the glittering figure in the floor, currently taking his sister through a fast-paced couples dance. _Should I tell him?_ She wasn't sure how he'd take the news. The last person to confess feelings for him had been Sister Noelle, after all, and he had taken her death terribly hard. And yet…now that she knew, now that she thought she did love him…she wanted to tell him. She wanted to know what he'd say. Besides….

Abel might leave. If word came of the Contra Mundi, he'd return to his terrible, solitary battle. If duty called, he'd walk into the night alone, to protect them. And she suddenly found she couldn't bear the thought of watching him walk away without at least giving him that. She bowed her head.

The clock chimed. Esther looked up, startled from her thoughts. It was already eleven o clock. In one hour, the unmasking would be held. She ran her hands over her mask. Of course, everyone already knew who she was, and she knew who her friends were. But still, the thought gave her a thrill of anticipation. Even though she knew who Abel was, she wanted to see his face. His expression….

"Well, you look like you have a lot on your mind." Esther blinked. Professor Wordsworth was standing on the steps in front of her, a smile on his face. As she looked up, he held out a hand. "Will you join me for a dance? It's a slow one, and it might help soothe your thoughts."

"I…yes." Esther fit her mask back on, and took his hand. He led her down to the floor, and into the quiet slow dance that was playing.

They settled into the steps, and Esther let her mind drift with the music. She was starting to relax when the Professor interrupted her. "That's better. Now then, care to tell me what's on your mind?"

She looked up at him, startled. "Professor?"

He chuckled. "It's fairly obvious you were thinking about something very important up there. I thought it might help if you had someone to discuss it with, but if you don't want to, that's fine."

"No…it's not that I don't want to discuss it, it's just…" Esther bit her lip. "I just realized…there's something I wanted to tell Father Nightroad, but I don't know how to say it. And I…I want very much to see his face at the end of the masquerade…to see him smile, without the mask on."

"I see. Something important you wanted to say to Abel, something precious that you don't want to let any barriers between you?" The Professor's voice was soft, thoughtful. "Well, it's no wonder you were thinking so hard about it. However, I think I have an idea to help you with that."

"Professor?" She looked up, truly surprised.

He chuckled again. "It's easier to keep track of Abel down here on the floor, at least for me. How about this? I'll be your escort for the rest of the hour, and then, I'll make sure you get to Abel."

"Oh…thank you, that's very kind but…what about Lady Caterina?"

"Lady Caterina is quite capable of handling herself in this arena, you know." He smiled. "Trust me, I'm sure she'll understand. Actually, it's a good opportunity for her to make new contacts, so it's better if I'm not always at her side."

"I see. Well, thank you." She blushed, then looked down. "But I still…what I want to tell Father Nightroad…I'm not sure how to say it."

"With Abel? It's probably best to simply say it bluntly." Esther blinked at him, met his amused eyes. "Come now, you've seen that for yourself. Abel simply doesn't understand subtle. Or rather, he tries not to. So, if you'd like my advice, Lady Esther, simply say what you need to say to him."

"You're right." Esther felt her shoulders relax. "I'll do that, Professor. Thank you."

"There's no need to thank me." The song was winding down. "Now then, since we've settled that, may I get you a drink?"

The rest of the hour seemed to pass in a daze for Esther. She drank the glass of juice that the Professor gave her. He asked her to dance twice more, and once, she partnered Ion again, but she wasn't truly aware of it. She kept thinking about Abel.

Finally, the last dance before the unmasking arrived. Esther was leaning against the wall, when voice spoke from beside her. "My Lady? Will you dance with me?"

She turned. Abel was beside her, holding out his hand. She blushed. "Of course." She laid a hand in his. "How did you…?"

There was a soft laugh from the man beside her. "Well, traditionally, one dances the last dance of the evening with someone who is not their escort, so they can unmask a stranger. But besides that, the Professor suggested I take you." He took her hand. "Shall we?"

The dance was a moderately paced one. Normally, Esther would have been concentrating on the steps, but it all felt so surreal. She was content to let Abel guide her along the floor, while she watched him, her heart pounding. The dance slowed, came to a stop…and as the last notes died away, the clock began too chime. Midnight. Her partner smiled, warm and inviting. "Well, would my lady care to guess, or shall I simply remove the mask?"

"Father…Nightroad." Esther returned that smile, and reached up to carefully remove the black and silver traced mask.

"Lady Esther." Abel's laughing smile broke across his face, smoothing away the lines she was so used to seeing, lines of care and sorrow. His hands reached up, and gently, very gently, loosened the cord that held her mask in place. Warm fingers brushed her jaw as he lowered the mask to hang around her neck. Then his smile widened, rueful and amused, and he bowed over her hand. "Well, Miss Esther, it seems you guessed correctly."

"Father." She felt amusement relax her shoulders.

"Hmm…" He reached up, and brushed a stray tendril of hair out of his eyes. Beyond him, the musicians were getting ready to start another round of dancing. Around them, people were laughing, their masks discarded and hanging from their shoulders, or draped over lamps and tables and chairs. Abel eyed the throng. "Well, since you guessed my identity, I believe you're entitled to another dance, Miss Esther."

"I see. Actually…" Esther looked to her left. As with most ballrooms, this one had large windows, opening to the garden. She looked back at the man beside her. "Actually, Father, it's rather warm in here. I think I'd like to go out to the gardens for a bit, to cool off. And I was wondering, if you'd be willing to escort me."

"Hmm…It is rather stuffy in here, isn't it?" He smiled and held out his arm. "If that's what you'd like, Miss Esther, it would be my honor."

"Thank you, Father."

Quietly, the two of them moved towards the large windows, then to the glass doors. Esther gave a sigh of relief as Abel carefully, gently escorted her through the doors into the cool night air, swinging the glass almost shut behind them. "That's better."

It was, too. She hadn't realized, until she left it, that the lights and the noise had been giving her something of a headache. And it was much cooler. Esther stood for a moment, enjoying the gentle breeze and letting her body relax. She turned, to find Abel beside her, also enjoying the air, and fanning himself lightly with his mask. Out away from the harsh lights, she could see the fine sheen of perspiration on his brow. "It's a lovely night out."

"Yes it is." Abel smiled ruefully again. "I'm not really all that fond of crowds. I promised Seth I'd take her, but really…I'm afraid balls aren't my strong point."

"In that case, why don't we stay out here for a while?" Esther looked over the garden. "That's right Father…you like gardens, don't you? And you've never really seen the ones here at the Palace, right? Why don't I show you around?"

"Well, that's very kind of you, but…we shouldn't go too far." Abel sounded slightly hesitant.

"It's all right, Father. After all, you're with me. And I'm sure there are guards somewhere around here." She took his arm, and began to lead him forward.

"Well, if you're really sure…" Abel let her lead him off the steps and down into the delicate sculptured shrubs. "I suppose it won't hurt, just for a while." He took two smooth strides, caught up with her, and looped his arm gently through hers.

They wandered the garden in companionable silence, looking at the plants. Finally, they wound up in the rose garden, with Esther pointing out her favorite blooms to him. Abel smiled, expressing his agreement, or commenting on other roses he was fond of, but as they neared the far end, he stopped and turned back. "Miss Esther…it truly is lovely, but we should probably be getting back now."

Esther stopped, her heart pounding. She turned and looked at the tall, slender form outlined in the light of the double moons. She bit her lip. She was almost afraid to shatter the gentle mood between them, but…she was a queen, and he was in the service of the Vatican. He'd said himself that he would leave, if they had word of Rosencreutz. This was the best opportunity she had.

"Miss Esther?" Abel's gentle voice, full of concern for her, broke her out of her thoughts.

"It's all right Father." She forced a smile to the surface for him. "You're probably right. We should be heading back soon but…before we go…Father, the truth is, there's something I wanted to say to you."

"Miss Esther?" He moved forward, laid gentle hands on her shoulders. He started to speak again, but she put a hand on his lips, stilling his words.

"Please, Father Nightroad, please, just listen for a minute, okay?" He nodded, and suddenly, she was too nervous to continue looking into those gentle blue eyes. She turned away, hiding her face from him.

"The truth is, Father…there's something I wanted to tell you. I didn't realize it until recently but…you're very important to me. When I thought you were angry with me…I felt so lost. And when you're not by my side…I feel like something's missing. I don't know why, but…I just…"

"Miss Esther?" Abel's voice sounded faintly alarmed. "Are you…?"

"I…Father…I think…you're someone very special to me, Father. And I…I don't want you to leave. I want…you promised you were on my side, and that means…so much to me." She finally turned, to look into his eyes. "I want you to stay with me." She couldn't stop the words now, felt herself blushing and looked away again. "I…Father, I love you."

Silence fell between them, a silence so deep that even the soft wind in the rose bushes seemed far too loud. Esther could feel the tension in the air. She was about to say something, anything to break that unbearable silence, when Abel's voice came from the darkness beside her. "I'm sorry."

"Father?" She turned, to find him looking away from her, his head bowed. Even in just the moonlight, she could see the sudden pain in his stance, and his voice was the one he'd used months ago, when they'd spoken on the road to the Vatican. She took a step forward, and laid a hand on his arm. "Father, what…?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Esther." He took her hand gently, and drew it away from his arm, putting distance between them. His eyes came back to meet hers, and the sadness in them nearly took her breath away. "I'm truly sorry. I…I'm honored…that you would say this to me…that you care so much, however…" He looked away. "I'm afraid I can't return your sentiments."

His words hit like ice water, turning her numb. "Father…"

"Esther, please…" He looked at her hand in his, then laid his other hand gently on her shoulder. "I will always consider you a very special friend. And I will always care for you, very much, as your friend. But…I…what you ask of me, it just isn't possible."

The cold spread, chilling her heart, and forming ice cubes in her stomach. "Why? Why do you say that?" She took a step back. "Is it because you…don't really feel that way?" She bit her lip, embarrassment and hurt rushing to the surface.

"Esther, please…you know it can't work. I…" Abel's voice roughened. "I am…I am a…"

"You're not a monster!" Her gaze snapped back up to his. "I've already told you, I'm not afraid of you. I know…" She bit her lip again. "I know…that you have Crusnik. And that you're not yourself when you change sometimes, but that…that doesn't mean you're a monster."

"It isn't that simple." Abel's voice was ragged, but surprisingly calm next to hers. "Esther…it isn't just the Crusnik. I…my past…Esther, I truly am a monster. I've done things…terrible things. And I…I can't wash that away." His eyes met hers for a single moment, and she caught a glimpse of a terrible labyrinth of pain and memory in his eyes. "I've never told you…you have no idea what I'm capable of, what sins I've committed. The Crusnik, is only a part of that. And if you knew the whole truth…I…" His head bowed. "I can't…I don't want you to ever see that part of me. That disgusting darkness inside my soul."

"I don't care about that, Father." She moved forward, caught his sleeve. "I…if that's what's making you afraid to be near someone, then tell me. You can tell me. I don't…I don't care what you've done in your past. I will forgive you, and I will never see you as a monster. You shouldn't say things like that."

"But it's the truth." He took her hand, drew it from his arm once again. "Esther…I…can't take that risk."

She felt his rejection, and all at once, anger moved through her, a sort of burning rage that was still numbing in it's way, but far more violent. She jerked her hand from his. "How can you say things like that?" Her hands clenched into fists. "I…you keep saying I can't care for you, that you don't have feelings because you're a monster, but you won't tell me why. You…you say you're on my side, that we're partners, and yet…you won't tell me anything. Why? Do you still…do you still not trust me?"

"It's not that." Abel's head was bowed, but he raised it to meet her eyes. "I…Esther…I can't forgive myself…not for my sins." He withdrew one hand, looked at the back of it. "You asked me once, what those marks on my hands were. The truth is…the truth is, they are the symbol of my greatest shame." He looked away. "I…if I were to tell you…if I tell you this…I once betrayed my greatest love, because of this. And I…because of my sins, Lilith died. And I…I must bear that forever. I will…forever mourn what I let happen to her. I can't…I can't pretend that isn't true."

"That's not…" Esther felt that harsh, anguished rage rise through her. She struggled to control it, but the hurt of his rejection was just too much. "That's not fair, Father. To say you can't care for someone for something like that…why do you have to be like that? Why are you…always pushing me away, because of the past, and never letting me make my own decisions? Even when you died…." She clenched her jaw, seeing her words bite into him. "Why? I know you cared for her, and Noelle too, but…that's not fair, Father."

"I'm sorry, Esther. But that…that is the truth. I…I know it isn't what you want and I'm sorry, but…"

Her hand snapped out, almost of it's own accord, and the loud crack of it's connection with his jaw shattered the night air. Abel actually staggered a little, his head jerking to the left and backward as her slap connected. "Esther…"

"Stop apologizing." She stood in front of him, her whole body rigid in hurt anger. "You always say you're sorry, that you're my friend, that you're on my side, but at the same time, you always hide things. You won't even tell me things. I had to find out about the Crusnik by nearly getting killed. And I had to find out you were really alive by nearly having your _brother_ kill me. I was…I was almost raped because I was trying to find you, because you wouldn't even let lady Caterina and your own sister tell me how to talk to you. And then… if you're going to be like this…if all you can say is 'I'm sorry' and lame excuses, even after all that…" She saw him wince as her words struck him, and angrily jerked her face away from him. "I wish…if it's going to be like this, then I wish I'd never met you, Father Nightroad!"

She felt hot tears in her eyes, hurt and rage swirling through her. She clenched her fists and her jaw, trying to still the emotions that raged in her heart. She wanted Abel to protest, to say something, anything. She looked up to see pain in his eyes, but when he finally spoke, his voice was still calm. "I see." He smiled sadly. "I…well, I can't really say I blame you for feeling that way. And I suppose, it'd probably be best if you didn't know me. I…" He looked away. "Please, Esther…I…I want to be your friend. I…I wish I could tell you more but…it's too dangerous. And…I know you don't want to hear this but…I can't…I don't want you to see the darkness. Please, I know you're angry with me, but…this is truly for the best. It's better…it's better if you don't try to care for a monster like me."

Hurt filled her eyes with tears. "Damn it, Father…" She bit her lip, but the words locked in her throat suddenly refused to be held back. "I…I hate this. Father…I…if you have to be like this…if you think this is okay…I…I hate you."

She saw him wince again, and open his mouth, but suddenly, it was too much. She turned from him and ran, blindly out of the garden. She felt her mask drop from her hand, but she didn't care. She just wanted to leave him behind, to go somewhere where he wouldn't follow her. She heard him call her name, but she simply kept going. Hot tears blurred her vision, but she didn't care. She just kept running, running away from him.

Abruptly, something dark loomed in her path. There was no time to stop, she crashed into a short, slender figure with a cry. She would have fallen, but gentle hands caught her. "Esther?"

Esther stopped. She knew that voice. She dashed the tears from her face, and looked up into Ion's eyes. "Ion…"

"Esther, what's wrong?" Ion's hands tightened gently on her arms. "We realized you weren't in the ballroom and the Count of Manchester asked me to come look for you…" His eyes took in her tear-stained face. "Esther, did something happen? Did someone hurt you? I thought Father Nightroad was with you…"

At the mention of Abel's name, Esther bit her lip, and a fresh wave of tears threatened her. Ion's eyes widened. "Esther? What did I say? What happened?"

She clutched his shirt, barely aware of what she was doing. "I…Father Nightroad and I…we had a disagreement." Which was an understatement. "I…" Sobs choked her, and she held onto Ion more tightly. "I…"

"It's all right. You don't have to tell me." Ion's warm arms wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her to his chest to comfort her. "It's all right. If you need to cry, it's fine. I won't ask you any more."

"Thank you." Esther relaxed in his embrace.

"It's all right. I'm on your side, after all. You once said that to me, remember?"

He was trying to cheer her up, but the words made her stiffen. "Don't." She felt his freeze, shocked by her tone, and tried to soften the blow. "I'm sorry. I just…Father Nightroad used to say that. But now…I…"

She didn't mean to tell him about their quarrel, but it spilled out of her. "I…I care about him, but he never tells me anything. He won't let me get close to him. He won't even tell me why. I…I hate this."

"Esther…" Ions voice sounded confused, even pained. Then he stopped. "I understand. I won't ask anything more of you."

They stood for a while, Esther leaning against his warm strength. Finally her tears began to dry. There was still a lump in her throat, and her chest was aching, but she felt calmer. The anger was subsiding into numbness again. She wiped away the tears, and looked up to meet Ion's concerned gaze. "Thank you, Excellency."

"You're welcome." He touched her face, and offered her a handkerchief. "I…I'm always willing to help you. You're very important to me, Esther, and I don't like to see you in pain."

"I…" The words caught Esther totally by surprise. "Excellency…" She flushed.

She'd said those words to Abel. And he'd been unable to respond, which was why she'd gotten angry. Now…Ion was saying those words to her. And she already knew that she couldn't ever see him as more than a close friend. She looked into his eyes, saw the gentle warmth and love there. She remembered all the times he'd spoken to her, in the Empire and on the journey to the Vatican, and felt a sick feeling wash through her.

Ion cared for her. Though he hadn't spoken as rashly as she'd done with Abel, she could see the emotions in his eyes. And she…she couldn't return it. Anguish washed through her, with a sick sense of betrayal, though whether she felt she betrayed Ion or Abel, she wasn't sure. With a cry, she broke away from Ion. She didn't even give him a chance to say anything…simply bolted into the darkness away from him. A renewed torrent of regret and anguish flooded through her, renewing the tears in her eyes.

She wasn't paying attention to where she was going, she simply fled, traveling down the garden paths. A part of her knew she should just return to the masquerade, but she couldn't bear to. She didn't want to face all those people like this. So she kept running.

Walls loomed up in front of her, and she stopped short, out of breath with her eyes stinging. She looked up. In front of her was a small enclosure. After a moment, she recognized it. At the end of the Royal wing was a small, almost disconnected building, known as the Queens Retreat. It was a place for female rulers or consorts to go when they needed privacy beyond what the Royal wing offered.

Esther rubbed her eyes, then fumbled at her belt for her key ring, the one she kept at all times. Right now, she needed that privacy. It was the work of the moment, and then she was inside. She turned, slipped the lock back into place, then staggered forward in the dimness until her legs impacted a soft seat. She felt her way to the chair, then collapsed into it, her mind overflowing with grief and pain.

She loved Abel, but despite everything, he still didn't trust her with his past, or with his heart. A lump lodged in her throat as she remembered striking him, the red welt on his jaw, and how he'd stood there and take it from her. The lump tightened, forcing fresh tears to her eyes, as she recalled his words. As she recalled his gentleness, even in the face of her rage. And she'd said she hated him, then gone running to Ion, hurting both of them. With a low sob, Esther hunched forward, weeping as her heart broke again. She buried her face in her arms, trying to shut out the world._ Your Excellency…Father…_.

**(AN) smcandy: **The song used in this of part two 'As the World Falls Down' © of David Bowie and Labyrinth Movie.


	14. Eleven: Taken Captive

**(AN) smcandy & dragonwriter24cmf** **AUTHOR'S NOTES: **_Hi again everyone. We apologize for the agonizing delay._

**smcandy AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Sadly **dragonwriter24cmf's** hard drive crashed from just a few weeks ago back in July. Chapter 11 would have and _should_ have been uploaded sooner but it seems some sort of fate power above human existence is preventing us from getting this story updated to you more frequently. Trust me both me and **dragonwriter24cmf **were in frustration semi tears when her hard drive decided to RIP on her forever she got a new from what I am told but still it's something that are gonan try an prevent from happening in delaying us again next time. Having my editor to re-type the chapter while in the middle of moving was also a pain the ass for my editor to accomplish somewhat she finds her editing job more relaxing then what other more realistic actives sometimes she has to do in way as her get away from her all for a little while.

Can't say blame her, I feel the same. Anyway chapter eleven here so no more stressing out or wondering **WTH **happened. I also wanna thank and acknowledge all the latest reviews and comments from TBW fans new and old that have subscribed to this story or are still having fun reading it. Thanks guys it means a lot to me and my editor for all your awesome comments. So without much more chatter read and enjoy everyone until next time.

**DISCLAIMER:**All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to one of my editors and co-partners in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her own TB stories on which are awesome. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice:****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage Against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). ** In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Eleven - Taken Captive**

Abel remained where he was after Esther fled, staring at the roses but not seeing them. His jaw ached, but he made no move to tend to his bruised face. His thoughts were on his argument with Esther. A glitter of light made him turn his head, and he spotted her mask lying on the path only a few feet away. He reached down, picked it up, and carefully brushed the dirt away from it, a sad smile on his face.

He hadn't meant to hurt her. Her declaration had startled him so much that he'd simply said what he felt. Abel bit his lip, bowing his head at the surge of sorrow. Everything he'd said was correct, and he knew in his heart that what he'd told Esther was right. She couldn't love him, for all those reasons and more. But even so…

It was the same as it had been with Noelle. He'd known, when Noelle confessed, that they could never be more than friends. He'd tried so hard to say it gently, but even so…he'd hurt her terribly and he knew it. And the situation with Esther was worse in some ways. Noelle hadn't known of his terrible other half, of the monster he transformed into when he fought. Esther did know, at least part of the truth, and had said she wasn't afraid of him. That she loved him even with that. But it didn't change things. Abel swallowed hard, remembering her last words to him. Remembering how she'd rejected his words and run from him crying. "I'm sorry, Miss Esther…truly sorry."

"Father Nightroad?" A youthful voice, one he recognized, interrupted his thoughts. He looked up to see a slender figure standing at the entrance to the rose garden.

"Ah. Earl of Memphis. What brings you out?" He tried to muster his usual tones, and failed, but managed something that sounded polite at least.

"The Count of Manchester asked me to locate you and Esther, when we realized you weren't inside." Ion moved forward, and his voice was surprisingly serious.

"Ah…well, that might be…" Abel winced, hoping Ion wouldn't notice it. "I'm afraid Esther and I split up, and I don't know precisely where she went. We had a bit of a disagreement, and…."

"I know." Ions voice cut through his words, low and intense. "I saw Esther, just a few minutes ago." With shocking speed, the young man lunged forward and seized Abel by the collar, jerking him downward. "What did you say to her?"

"Eh?" Abel blinked at the hard anger in Ion's eyes.

"What did you say to Esther?" Ion glared at him, eyes hot and fangs grinding together. "What did you say to upset her so much?" He shoved Abel backward, the force of his push sending the older man tumbling to the ground, then stood over him, his fists clenched. "You…I thought you were her friend."

"Well…I…" Abel couldn't figure out what to say to the youth, and Ion gave him no time.

"Esther…Esther was really hurt by you, Father. She was crying. She wouldn't even let me comfort her. She was so upset she ran away from me, and she couldn't stop weeping. You really hurt her feelings."

Abel flinched. "I…well…" He bit his lip. "I know…but I…what she wants of me…I couldn't."

"How dare you?" Ion's voice was tight. "After all Esther's been through with you, after all she's done for you…how dare you treat her so callously? All this time, she's been by your side. She was there for you, even when you died. She even came to find you, and risked herself to help you. How can you just shove her away like that?"

Abel sighed, looking away from his angry companion. "I…it's not that simple. It's not that I meant to shove her away, though…" A sad smile touched his face. "I understand why she probably feels that way right now. But I…"

"Apologize." Ion moved forward and caught his jacket. "Apologize to her for what you said." He dropped Abel back into the dirt.

Abel sighed. "I…well, I suppose I do owe her that but…I don't think she wants to hear an apology from me just now."

"Don't you dare try to brush it off like that!" Ion grabbed him, jerked him upright so hard his jaw clicked shut. "After how bad you hurt her, the least you can do is apologize. Say you're sorry, and mean it, and say it until it helps." His glare could have blistered paint at a yard. "I don't care if you have to grovel and beg for forgiveness. For the way you upset her, you deserve it. Apologize to her."

Abel stared at the nobleman in surprise. He knew Ion cared deeply for Esther, and was extremely protective of her, but he'd never imagined this kind of fury. He looked away from Ion's anger, suddenly ashamed of his actions. "I…was it that bad?"

Ion turned away from him. "She wouldn't stop crying. I couldn't…I couldn't even comfort her. She was so devastated that everything I said only hurt her worse. Because of what you said to her. She just kept crying, and then she ran away from me." Blazing eyes met Abel's. "All she'd tell me was that you pushed her away. That she cared for you, and all you did was shove her away…after all she's done for you…"

Abel winced, and another wave of sorrow and shame scorched through him. "I…I didn't mean to make her feel that way, honestly. I just…" He bowed his head. "I can't give her what she asked of me." Ion made no move, and Abel sighed again, then carefully picked himself up off the ground. He winced at the pain of new bruises, and a bitter smile crossed his lips for a moment. "I…am truly sorry I hurt her."

"I'm not the one you should say that to." Ion's voice was hard.

"Yes. You're right." Abel sighed, looking up at the small second moon hanging in the sky. "Even if she doesn't want to hear it from me…even if I've earned her anger and her hatred…you're right. I owe her an apology. Even a bit of groveling." The sardonic smile touched his face again. "Earl of Memphis, I do realize you're rather angry with me, but if you could kindly point me in the direction Lady Esther went…I doubt she went back to the ball in that state, but…"

"She didn't." Ion's shoulders relaxed, just a fraction. Though there was still anger in his tones, it was masked with civility. "When she left…I think she ran further into the gardens."

"Further into the gardens?" Abel blinked, feeling his stomach clench in a gut reaction of unease that had nothing to do with confronting Esther again. He blinked, trying to understand what had disturbed him. As he considered the quiet garden, the answer came and he stiffened. "Earl of Memphis…did you see any guards on your way here?"

Ion blinked. "No. There are all guarding the perimeter, and the area around the ballroom. That was part of why Lord Walsh sent me to look for you and Esther." Abel winced. "Why?"

Abel's voice was soft, but intense with sudden concern. "If Esther ran into the gardens…and if the guards are near the ballroom and we're here, then…"

"She's alone. And she's unprotected." Ion caught Abel's urgency, and the reason for it. "Then…Esther's vulnerable right now."

"Yes." Abel's gaze flickered through the moonlit expanse. "Ion…make a quick sweep through the area and see if you can locate her. I'll return to the ball and inform the others, to search for her. If you find her…"

"I won't leave her side." Ion nodded. He looked over the gardens. "You should hurry Father." Then he was gone, with the faint shimmer that marked a Methuselah moving into haste mode.

Abel bit his lip, then turned and began to run towards the Palace, and the glowing lights that marked the celebration. He stopped at the terrace, to brush dust from his clothing and catch his breath. Despite the hour, there were plenty of guests still in attendance, and he didn't want to alarm anyone unnecessarily. He was just about to enter when a voice spoke from the shadows. "You seem to be in something of a hurry, Abel."

Abel winced as Seth came forward into the light, her eyes glittering with suppressed amusement. "I know you took Esther out to the gardens, and the Earl of Memphis went after you, but still…"

"Seth, please." Abel interrupted her teasing. "I…now is not the time. I need you to help me find Miss Astha, and Leon, as well as Lord Walsh and Colonel Spencer."

Seth blinked, and her smile died. "Abel…did something happen?"

"Yes." Abel felt himself flush. "I…Esther and I had a disagreement, and parted company. And I'm not entirely sure where she went. But there aren't any guards on the grounds."

"That's a problem." Seth made a face.

"Yes. I've sent the Earl of Memphis to look for her, but…it's a big area to search. We need to get the others."

"You're right." Seth moved away from the wall. "I'll go find Astha and her escort. You take care of the Count of Manchester and Colonel Spencer." She grinned briefly. "It'll be much less suspicious if you go and talk to them. After all, you already work with them both."

Abel nodded, and the two of them entered the hall. Abel spotted Mary, leaning against the wall by the doors, her eyes scanning the crowd. A moment later, he spotted Virgil, standing close to the dais. He took a deep breath, then began to thread his way through the crowd towards the other man.

Virgil was talking to one of the other Albion lords when Abel approached. He didn't end his conversation, but a quick flick of his eyes registered Abel's presence, and a moment later, he carefully disengaged himself from his peer. "Father Nightroad?"

"Lord Walsh." Abel inclined his head. "I was wondering if I might impose on you for a moment. I'm afraid I have a request to make of you, regarding Her Majesty." He hesitated, looking through the crowd. "I'd be very much obliged if you'd meet me out on the terrace in about ten minutes."

The words were variations on ones Virgil had probably heard at least a hundred times tonight, but the man's eyes said he knew that it wasn't the same. He nodded. "Very well." Then he turned and walked away.

Abel sighed, then made his way over to the tall uniformed figure by the wall. "Colonel Spencer."

She gave him a nod of the head in reply, but didn't look away from her task. "Father Nightroad."

He hated to tell her that he'd lost her monarch, but there was no help for it. "Colonel, I was hoping you'd join me out on the terrace for a moment."

Now her eyes flicked towards him. "I'm honored, but I trust you are aware that I'm on duty at the moment."

"I am. However, this concerns the safety of Her Majesty." He sighed.

"I see." Mary pushed off from the wall and straightened her uniform. "Have you informed Lord Walsh?"

"Yes. He's agreed to meet us there." Abel looked back through the crowd of dancers, but didn't see Virgil's black and gold form anywhere. Mary nodded, and the two of them made their way to the open garden doors.

True to Abel's request, Virgil was already waiting, along with Astha, Leon and Seth. As Abel stepped through the doors, Leon fixed him with a sharp look. "Hey, mind telling me what this is all about?"

Abel sighed. "Well, I…I brought Esther outside from some fresh air, but I'm afraid we had an argument, and she left my side. And now I'm not sure where she is. It may be of no concern, but if she happened to go somewhere were the guards are unavailable to watch over her…"

"You're saying you left Sister Red unprotected?" Leon glare was dagger sharp.

Abel flushed. "It wasn't intentional. I've already sent the Earl of Memphis to look for her, with order to stay with her if he finds her. Hopefully, he'll have located Esther by now."

"Unfortunately, I'm afraid I haven't." Ion appeared out of the night, stepping out of haste mode with his hair in disarray and concern on his youthful features. "I looked through the gardens, but I didn't see or hear her anywhere."

"Then we must assume that Her Majesty is at risk, and make an attempt to locate her." Virgil's face was troubled. He glanced inside. "It would be best if we could accomplish this without disturbing those who are gathered here."

Mary nodded. "I'll call a couple of the more discreet guards and servants to assist with the search. In the meantime, we should inform Lady Caterina and Her Imperial Majesty."

"I've thought of that, actually." Seth moved forward. "I told Mirka, and she agreed to pass the word to Cardinal Sforza." She and Mary exchanged glances, with a slight nod of appreciation for the mutual caution.

"Very well." Virgil's eyes slipped over the group. "Colonel Spencer and I will begin a search of the Castle, in hopes that Her Majesty has simply retired for the night. I would appreciate it if the rest of you would begin searching the grounds." He gestured. "Father Leon, Lady Astha, if you would, begin searching in the paths that lead to the main gate and the courtyard. Lord Fortuna, Lady Seth, if you could, please direct your search back towards the Royal gardens. And Father Nightroad…" His gaze caught Abel's. Abel flushed, hot with shame, but there was no condemnation in the lord's gaze, only consideration. "Father Nightroad, I'd like you to retrace your steps, see if you can find any trace of Her Majesty, or any likely place she might have gone."

Everyone nodded. Virgil considered the darkness, then pulled a watch from a pocket. "If we have not located Her Majesty within that time, then I recommend meeting here in three hours. It will take at least that long to search the Palace."

"Roger." Leon flicked the man a salute, then turned to Astha. "Well then, senora, shall we get going?" The two of them disappeared into the night.

Virgil turned and went back into the castle, Colonel Spencer at his side. Ion shot Abel one last dagger-sharp glare, then hurried off into the night, with Seth at his side.

Abel sighed, looking out over the moonlit gardens. He hoped Esther was all right, that one of the others would find her. He bit his lip, sorrow and concern filling him at the thought of the young woman alone and unprotected. _Miss Esther…_. He shook his head, then hurried out into the dark forest of hedges, seeking information as to where she'd gone.

They'd been searching for about half an hour, moving through the bushes. Seth took one look back, but Abel was well out of view. Hopefully, out of earshot as well. She turned back to her companion. "That was quite a glare you gave my brother back there."

Ion stiffened, but didn't turn to face her. "This is all his fault. He…he said something to hurt Esther's feelings, and upset her. Because of him, Esther may be in danger." His tone was rough with anger. "After everything…how could he say something careless and upset her like this?"

"Hmmm." Seth bit her lip, considering. "Well, I won't deny Abel might have done something stupid. He's like that sometimes." An ironic smile twitched across her lips for a moment. "And sometimes, he is fairly careless. But…you know he'd never deliberately hurt anyone, Esther least of all."

"That may be true. However, it doesn't excuse what he did." Ion's tone was unyielding, and Seth sighed.

"That may be true, but…Earl of Memphis…there are other things to consider." Startled by the use of his title, Ion turned to face her. Seth fixed him with a stern look, to make sure she had his attention, then looked back over the gardens. "My brother may be an idiot sometimes but…that's because he's human too. And things have been rather hard for Abel lately, you know?" She met his eyes, saw the reluctant acknowledgement of that truth. "No matter what he did, I'm pretty sure he feels bad about it. But…with everything that's happened to him lately, even brother Abel's going to make some mistakes. And there's no point in making it harder on him."

"But…he hurt her, and now he's put Esther in danger."

"We don't know that yet." Seth looked over the gardens. "She might simply have gone back to her rooms, you know. But either way, there's no point in being angry now. You should save that for when we find something wrong, if we do. Besides…" She moved forward, to tap him lightly on the chest. "If you show Esther an angry face when you see her, that'll only upset her more, now won't it?"

Ion swallowed. "You are correct, my lady." He bowed his head. "I apologize for my temper."

"Good." Seth stepped away. "Now let's see if we can find Esther."

They passed another hour in searching, with no sign of the red-haired young woman. Seth knew time was growing short, that they'd have to return to the rendezvous point soon, but she kept moving forward. She was just about to call Ion when a dark shape loomed up out of the night.

Seth stopped. A few yards away, a small building stood. It wasn't much bigger than a modest cottage, of sorts, but here in the gardens, it offered shelter and privacy. An ideal place to go if you were feeling out of sorts. She called out. "Ion!"

The young noble joined her within a moment. "My lady."

She gestured to the building, and both of them moved toward it. Close up, she could see the thin line of the connecting hallway to the Palace, the Royal wing. She stepped forward and tried the door. "Hmmm…It's locked."

Ion shifted. "Do you think Esther might be in there?"

Seth sighed. "I'm not sure. The door is shut though...I don't suppose you can pick the lock?"

Ion flushed. "No. Father Nightroad could, but…"

"Abel isn't here. And I suppose it's not so much a question of whether or not we could break in. It's a question of whether or not Esther could enter." She bit her lip, then drew the young noble forward. "Here. Go ahead and call out to her."

Ion laid one hand on the door knob, then tapped lightly on the frame. "Esther? Esther, are you in there?" He tapped a little harder, spoke a little louder. "Esther?"

There was no response from within. Ion frowned, and laid his ear against the door for a moment. Then he shook his head. "I can't hear anything inside."

Seth sighed. "Then she's probably not in there. But it was a good try." She looked back over the gardens. "Come on, we still have a few more minutes to search before we have to head back." Ion nodded, and the two of them moved further into the moonlit hedges.

An hour later, the search crews reconvened. Virgil and Mary were last to arrive, the concern on their faces showing their lack of success. Virgil's gaze swept the assembled group. "Have you found any trace of her?"

Leon shook his head. "Nah. We went as far as we could, back that way…" He gestured with one thumb. "But there wasn't a sign of her."

Virgil sighed. "We've looked in every room of the Palace we can access, and it appears that Her Majesty has not re-entered the building. We even checked the Queens, Sanctuary, which connects to the gardens, with no success."

"Is that the small building, the one that's barely connected to the Royal Wing?" Seth blinked. "We looked there as well, but it was locked, and we didn't get any response when we tried the door."

"I see." Virgil's gaze came to rest on the silver-haired man standing quietly to one side. "Father Nightroad?"

Abel shook his head. "I'm sorry." He didn't lift his eyes far enough to meet the lords. "I haven't found a trace of Esther, I'm afraid."

"Very well." Walsh stared out into the darkening landscape. "I've spoken with Father Tres, and he reports he's seen no one go out of the grounds, and found no traces of anyone leaving. Therefore, our next option is to search the Palace grounds, starting with the main gardens here." His gaze touched the assembled group. "In light of the hour, and the approach of dawn, I will not further impose upon you."

Astha shrugged. "I don't mind searching a little longer. Esther's a good woman." Seth and Ion nodded their agreement.

Leon grinned. "Hey, Red's a part of my team again, after all. I can't just go to bed wondering what happened, now can I?"

Virgil bowed. "Thank you." He paused for thought, his eyes dark and serious. "Father Nightroad, please join Lord Fortuna and Lady Seth. Return in the direction previously searched and expand outward. Lady Astha, Father Leon, please do the same. Colonel Spencer and I will take the center section of the gardens."

"Understood." Abel flinched slightly, but when he met Ion's gaze, the young Methuselah simply caught his eyes with a level stare, then turned. "Father Nightroad, are you coming?"

"Oh. Yes, of course." Abel hurried after his companions, surprised and relieved that the young man had regained his composure. Hopefully, Esther had also regained her calm.

Abel bit his lip, feeling his stomach clench. He wasn't sure what he'd say to Esther if they did find her. Then he sighed, and put the thought from his mind. Hopefully, she'd be calm enough to hear his apology, but there would be time enough to worry about that when she was safe.

Esther lay curled up on the seat, her eyes closed. She'd finally stopped crying, but she didn't really want to get up. She buried her face in the cushion of the arm, trying to blot out the world around her, but it was no good. She knew she needed to be getting back. After a moment more, she sighed and sat up.

There wasn't a mirror, not that she could see, but she didn't need one to know she looked…unwell. Her eyes were red and irritated from crying, her face felt sticky with tears, and perspiration from her run through the gardens. She ran a hand through her hair, trying to straighten it, and her fingers encountered the tiara. She pulled it off, the weight of it simply too much for her to handle right now. She stared down at the golden circle, trying to control a fresh wave of tears. Though a part of her wanted to weep some more, to sob until she could no longer breathe, she knew that she needed to return, to let someone know where she was.

They were looking for her. She'd heard Virgil, at the door to the room, calling for her, and Ion, at the door she'd come through. She really needed to go and let them know she was all right. But still, she didn't want to face them. She ran a hand over her face, wincing at the puffy, swollen feel of her eyes. She didn't want Virgil to see her in this state, he'd only be worried. And as for Ion…she remembered the young lord's soft voice calling at the door, but all she'd been able to do was curl up tighter and refuse to answer him. She couldn't answer him right then, didn't want to see him.

Esther's fist clenched, and she bit her lip hard to stave off the sobs trying to explode from her aching chest. She couldn't imagine facing Ion again, not after she'd run from him. She didn't know how to deal with the feelings he'd expressed for her, especially not in light of what she'd said to Abel.

Abel…he was probably searching with the others, but even if he wasn't, she'd have to see him the next time he took a shift at guarding her. Despite her best intentions, Esther felt a sob break free, and a fresh set of tears trickled down her cheek. The mere thought of Abel made her chest hurt, and her head pound. She choked back the tears, staring at her fisted hands with watery eyes.

She didn't know what to say to him. His rejection still hurt her, but she was also aware of a sense of shame at her own reactions. Even though he'd hurt her feelings, to say that she hated him had been cruel. And even though she was devastated by his shutting her out, that had been no reason to strike him. She felt herself flush with shame at the memory of her hand striking his jaw, the way he'd made no move to counter her, or even block the blow. Angry and hurt as she felt, she didn't have the right to do that to him. She bit her lip, feeling simultaneous anger and shame and hurt, uncertain how to deal with it, or Abel. She knew she should apologize to him, for what she'd done, but she was too hurt to even try.

Finally, she sighed, and gently brushed the tears away. Her head hurt, her chest hurt, and she only wanted this night to end. She glanced through the dim room to the door on the far side. She could go to her rooms, and plead a headache. One of the maids could seek out Virgil, and tell him where she was, and that she felt unwell and had decided to retire for the night. She knew he'd leave her alone. Hopefully, in the morning she'd feel better, and better able to cope with the situation. Perhaps she could persuade him, or Lady Caterina and Seth, to find something to occupy Abel for a few days, until she had more of a chance to regain her equilibrium.

Esther brushed her hand across her face one more time, then stood and moved towards the doors. She was halfway there when something seized her from behind. A powerful grip seized her waist, pinning her arms in place, while another hand reached around to cover her mouth and nose with a pad of cloth.

Shock made her freeze for a second, but then she gasped, nearly gagging as a sickly sweet smell hit her nose. She struggled, but the grip holding her was far too strong for her to break. She fought, trying to kick, trying to hit, trying to jerk her head back away from the cloth over her face, but it didn't help. Her assailant only pinned her tighter. Worse, her frantic struggles made her inhale more deeply, and the sickening scent began to overwhelm her. She felt suddenly dizzy, sick, and unable to keep her eyes open. She jerked her head back, but whoever it was only tightened their grip once more. She held her breath, her head swimming as she tried to find a way out, but it was no use. Her lungs burned, and she inhaled again in desperation. Another wave of scent crashed over her, leaving her weak. She dimly felt herself go slack, her muscles no longer responding to her command, and then her vision went black.

Esther regained consciousness slowly. The first thing she was aware of was the pounding in her head, and the weakness she felt. Then her mind began to clear, a little, and she began to take stock of her surroundings.

She was lying on something slightly yielding, but mostly hard. And there was a vibration to the floor, to the space around her that felt…like a ship. Like an airship in motion. The realization sent a bolt of adrenalin through her system, and she jerked upright, eyes wide open.

The movement sent a wave of pain through her head. She blinked, startled, and put a hand to her temple, wincing as she looked around. She was in a small room, dimly lit, and perhaps seven feet across. There were no furnishings, nothing except the door, the grate for air, and the thing she was lying on, which turned out to be a rough pile of blankets, heaped together.

The pain was fading. Esther took the opportunity to push herself to her feet, and reach around to the small of her back for the lightweight knife she usually kept with her.

It wasn't there. Where a small, silver, two-inch blade should have rested along her spine, there was nothing there. Esther bit her lip, feeling fear go through her. Bad enough that she'd apparently been taken, but if they'd taken her weapons…she turned, irrationally hoping it had simply fallen into the blankets or something like that. At the same time, her hand drifted to her hip, to where she normally concealed a small belt knife.

A low chuckle sounded from behind her. "I'm afraid you're not going to find those weapons. I have them safely with me."

Esther spun around. A man stood behind her, smiling sardonically. She hadn't heard the door open, hadn't seen him enter. He was just suddenly there. Esther stared at him, eyes taking in the long black hair, which swept almost to his knees, and the dark, cold eyes. He was wearing a black uniform, with white trim, that she recognized all too well. "Rosenkreutz."

He chuckled again. "Very good, Your Majesty."

She bit her lip, and blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "You…how did you get inside the Palace grounds? We drove you away."

He laughed. "Oh, certainly. But then, that was the point." A dangerous gleam lit his eyes. "After all, after such a major assault, particularly one that ended in failure, who would suspect we'd pull such a minor operation as this?" He shrugged. "It's really rather simple."

There was something familiar about him. Something about the sardonic smile, the way he spoke. Almost unconsciously, Esther found herself taking a step backward. "Who are you?"

"Of course. Allow me to introduce myself." The man swept her a mocking half bow. "Isaac Fernando von Kampfer, Order of Rosenkreutz. Court rank: magus. My title: Panzer Magio. Commonly known as Wizard, or Magician." Esther flinched. She knew that name by hearsay, from reports on incidents others had been involved with. His smile widened, cold cruelty drifting over his features.

"I'd say it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, but then…we've already met, haven't we?" A cold chuckle parted his lips. "One might even say we were friends, in a manner of speaking."

Esther bit her lip. "I would never be friends with someone like you!"

"Is that so? But I understand you befriended Dietrich, didn't you?" The curve of his lips turned mocking. "However, I assure you, it's not a lie. But perhaps you'll understand better like this.

His entire body seemed to blur, as if a cloud had come between them. When his features cleared, Esther felt herself reel with shock. Standing before her was a short haired man with neat spectacles and a patient expression, wearing a neat suit. It was the face of a man she'd met a handful of times, and considered an invaluable ally. "You're…."

A ghost of the dark grin crossed his features. "Isaac Butler, at your service." The smile widened, and the features shifted back to the ones she'd just seen. "I take that appearance when I'm serving My Lord in public. Such a useful disguise. Though I never imagined it would come in quite so handy." He stepped forward, until he seized her chin. "Who could have guessed? Thanks to that little disguise, I managed to catch the Queen of Albion herself."

"You bastard!" Esther could feel herself shaking, combined shock and anger.

"Oh, do settle down." An expression that was almost boredom crossed his face. "Really, it doesn't suit you. Besides…" That cruel smirk touched his mouth again. "It really is your fault. If you'd told someone…like Lord Walsh or that fool Wordsworth, you might have realized who I was."

Anger surged again, stiffening her spine. "Let go of me!" Esther jerked back, slapping his hand aside in a reflex reaction. He laughed, but released her. "What do you want with me?"

"Nothing, really." He shrugged. "But My Lord requested your presence, therefore, I intend to bring you to him."

Esther felt ice in her stomach. "Your Lord…"

"Of course. You've already guessed, haven't you?" Dark laughter in his eyes. "The Contra Mundi, Enemy of the World."

Esther tensed. Her eyes drifted to the door, almost of their own volition. She looked back at the man before her. She didn't know whether he was human or Methuselah, or how strong he was. She didn't know what kind of powers he wielded, though the things she'd heard indicated he was a formidable opponent.

He chuckled again. "I wouldn't try it." Esther flinched, looked back at him, and saw the dark laughter in his eyes. "You were thinking you might try to escape, weren't you?" He moved forward, that dark liquid grace she didn't see until it was too late, and then he'd stopped only inches away. "Trust me, you don't have a chance. And even if you did manage to pass me…" Something cold touched his face. "You'd have to deal with my compatriot. He's currently steering this ship, but I'm sure Dietrich would be happy to come take care of you."

Esther felt herself freeze. "Dietrich…"

"Of course." Isaac's smile, mocking and cool, came back to his face. "You know, you really ought to have made a more thorough search for him. It might have saved you this predicament. But then again…" He shrugged. "Well, one can't really predict everything." He bowed once more. "I do apologize for the rough quarters, Majesty. However, I can assure you, there should be a more suitable chamber for you when we arrive. Until then, I suggest you simply sit and enjoy the ride."

Esther's jaw clenched. "You won't get away with this."

"Well, we'll see about that. But if you're counting on being able to save yourself, I wouldn't waste your time. And if you're hoping that those friends of yours from the AX will rescue you…" A smirk widened that perpetual smile. "Well, that really is a futile hope. After all, they've been searching for us for ten years, and they've still not managed to find our quarters. It's slightly embarrassing. Especially that Father of yours." He shrugged again. "As I've said, you might as well sit back and enjoy the ride." His head cocked, listening to or sensing something she didn't. "It seems my presence is required. Until we see each other again."

He bowed one last time, then was out the door so quickly Esther barely registered the movement. In fact, she hadn't even had time to react when she heard the lock click into place.

For a long moment, Esther sat stunned, her mind whirling with emotions and thoughts. The fact that Isaac Butler, a man she'd trusted her life and well being to numerous times, was a member of Rosenkreutz shook her to her core. In many ways, it was the same as Dietrich's betrayal. Worse still, she was a prisoner. There were no windows, and there was no way for her to tell anything beyond the fact she was still moving. She had no weapons, and no means of contacting any of her comrades.

The Contra Mundi wanted her. The thought sent a shiver up her spine. Why? He'd been behind previous attempts on her life. She shivered again, remembering the scene of a few months ago, at the hands of the Fleur du Mal. They'd said then that the Contra Mundi wanted her dead. So had Dietrich. So why, why was she a captive now? She bit her lip, fear creeping into her mind. _Father…_

The word hit her like a bolt of lightning, and left almost as sharp a pain. She bit her lip, remembering again the words she'd spoken, and what she'd done to the man she was now hoping would rescue her. She'd said she hated him. She'd even hit him. Even though he'd always come for her in the past, she'd well and truly hurt him this time. There was no reason for her to come to her rescue again, not after what she'd done.

A man she thought a friend was her enemy, and had betrayed her. And she had hurt and betrayed the one man who'd truly been her friend and stood beside her through everything. The thoughts brought a lump to her throat, made her chest hurt with anger and sorrow. She blinked back the tears and clenched her fists, determined not to give in to her emotions, not here where her enemies held her captive. To distract herself, she began looking around the small room, looking for opportunities or things she could use. Kampfer was right, she couldn't depend on anyone to save her.

She was so pre-occupied with her plans and her emotions that she didn't see the curl of white mist begin drifting from the overhead vent. Then a whiff of sweet scent, too sweet, drifted past her nose. Esther gasped, recognizing the smell, and slapped a hand over her mouth and nose, trying to hold her breath. She lunged for the door, jerking at the handle.

It was locked. Esther heaved at it, but the handle didn't budge an inch, and the door was far too solid for her to do anything. Half angry, half terrified, she began pounding at the door, her eyes desperately darting over her cell, looking for a means of escape. Between the danger of confronting Dietrich and Kampfer, and the risk of being drugged unconscious again, she'd take her chances with Dietrich. She shoved at the door again, cursing in her mind that the hinges were on the outside.

Her lungs were burning from the lack of air. As hard as she tried to avoid it, she found herself taking deep gasping breaths, and even the cloth of her skirt couldn't filter out that sickening sweet smell. She tried to keep her breathing shallow, to hold it back, but it didn't help. She began to feel light-headed, dizzy. She bit her lip, clenched her fists until her nails cut into her palms, trying desperately to maintain consciousness. It was no use. She felt herself slide down the door, too weak and uncoordinated to remain upright. Her vision began to go grey, and she felt the hem of her dress slip from fingers too numb to hold on any longer.

She made one last desperate effort, reaching up weakly for the handle, but her fingers fell short. She collapsed, helpless to prevent it as her mind slid slowly into darkness. As she passed out, one last thought flittered across her drug confused thoughts. _Father…Nightroad…_.

Abel sighed, and rubbed one hand across his eyes. Dawn had begun to lighten the sky several minutes ago, and they were still searching for Esther. Ion and Seth had returned inside some time ago to avoid exposure, and both Virgil and Mary had duties to attend to. He stood at the edge of the formal gardens and took a deep breath, trying to let the cool morning air soothe his concerns.

They'd still found no sign of Esther. Abel bit his lip. He didn't think Esther was the type to avoid them, but still…His hand clenched into a fist as he remembered their last conversation, wondering if she was avoiding him. But deep in his mind, he felt a nagging sense of unease.

"Hey! Four Eyes!" Leon's shout interrupted his thoughts. Abel looked up to see the tall, muscular form, still in its matador's costume, coming up the graveled path. "You all done?"

"I…yes. There was no sign of her the way we went." Abel sighed.

"Hmmph. We didn't see any tracks either. And since it's dawn, I guess that just leaves you and me to search the private royal gardens, huh?" Leon sighed and rubbed his forehead, looking as tired as Abel felt. "Damn, Four Eyes, what'd you say to her anyway?"

Abel winced. "I really don't think it matters." He looked towards the royal wings. "We should probably get busy searching."

"Yeah. Still…if you did something stupid, I swear I'm gonna knock you into next week."

Abel grinned weakly. "Well, at this point, I probably deserve it but…I think you ought to wait until we've located Miss Esther."

"Yeah." Leon snorted again. "Well, let's get going." Together the two men moved off.

As they approached the gardens, Abel spotted the Queens Sanctuary, marking the dividing path between the Royal Gardens and the Palace Gardens. As he moved past it, something, a feel of something not quite right, touched his senses. He stopped. "Leon."

The other man turned. "Yeah?"

Abel shook his head, then moved forward toward the small building. "I know the others said they checked the Sanctuary already, but…" He paused. Then he moved forward, and touched the door handle.

The door swung open a fraction of an inch under his gentle touch, and Abel felt his sense of foreboding sharpen. Behind him, Leon made a soft noise. "Hey, I thought those kids said the door was locked."

"They did. We should probably check inside." Abel pushed the door open further. "Hmm...It doesn't appear to have been much disturbed, but…" He moved further in.

Leon followed him, then moved to a chair. "Well, someone's been sitting here recently, look at the dent in these cushions."

Abel nodded. He started to turn, and a glint of gold caught his eyes, lying on the ground near the second door. He moved forward and scooped the object up with one free hand. "Leon."

The other man came over. "Hey, isn't that Red's tiara?"

"It is." Abel turned it over in his hands. "But if she was here…"

"Hah…she probably just didn't hear the searchers earlier." Leon looked around. "This is a pretty decent way to run, and if she was upset and tired, she probably just didn't answer."

Abel nodded. "True…" His gaze slipped around the small enclosure. "But she's obviously not here now…"

Leon snorted. "She probably got up and went to the gardens for a stroll. One thing about Esther, she's kinda fond of gardens. She's probably sitting on a bench out there…" He jerked his head towards the open door. "Just relaxing."

A small smile touched Abel's face. "Well, that is true. She does like gardens." He smiled wanly at the other man. "Shall we see if we can find her then?"

"Yeah." The two of them moved out into the gardens again, and Abel shut the door behind him. "So, how are we gonna do this?"

"Well, we should probably check the area close to the Palace first, then move outward." Abel frowned. "She might be in one of the nearer arbors."

"Right." Leon considered, then jerked a thumb down one path. "Tell you what, I'll go this way, down the main path. You start tracing the further paths, and call me if you spot anything." He tapped the communications link Virgil had supplied them with earlier.

"Right." Abel nodded, and started down the paths. Out of sight of Leon, he let the faint smile drop from his face. One hand lifted, to stare at the tiara he still held loosely in his fingers.

It was possible Leon was right, that Esther had simply fallen asleep and then decided to go for a walk to clear her mind. It was something she'd done in the AX, when she was troubled. And after their conversation…Abel bit his lip. Though he didn't want to admit it to the others, he feared that he'd hurt her so badly she was avoiding him. That she was ignoring the searchers in order to avoid seeing him again. It wasn't the way Esther usually handled things, but he'd seen her avoid him before, when he'd truly upset her. He sighed, remembering that their last argument had been similar, and had also revolved around the darkness of his past. He considered. Perhaps it would be better, if he found her, to simply call Leon and have the other man come get her.

The next few hours of searching brought them no luck. There was no sign of the red-haired queen in any of the nearby gardens. Abel and Leon met again, then moved out, searching the outermost gardens.

The outer gardens were more like a series of meadows, or small glades, each made slightly differently. They were places for where the monarch could go for amusement, a picnic lunch, or a game of some sort. Or even simply to sit in the grass and think. Abel took the path to the furthest of the clearings, while Leon started with the one closest to the public gardens.

The first two glades were perfectly normal, shining with morning dew. And unfortunately, with no sign of Esther. Abel sighed, then moved onward. But as he neared the edge of the third such garden, shock made him stop and stare.

The glade in question was meant to be a moderately sized meadow, but it looked as if a fire had caught it. The trees were untouched, save for a little scorching on the ones closest in, but the grass looked as if it had been caught in a brushfire, a fire so intense that the center areas had been scorched to bare rock, and nearly fused to glass. Abel stared at it. Something about the burn pattern felt familiar, and that sense of familiarity sent a warning tingle of unease through him. He touched his communicator. "Leon. I've found something." He gave the other man his location, then turned back to stare at the devastated landscape.

After a moment, Abel moved into the clearing, circling slowly around the burned earth. The nagging sense of unease, of awareness grew stronger in his mind. He let his eyes sweep over the charred area, fixing the configuration in his mind. Two charred circles, close enough together that the outer edges had burned into each other. The centers of the circles were the worst, the part that looked almost glassy, as if the very rock had nearly been fused.

Leon came stalking into the clearing a moment later. He stopped, and released a whistle of surprise. "Damn. What the hell happened here? Someone light a bonfire?"

Abel shook his head absently. "There shouldn't be any fires here. This is part of the Royal gardens. And no one from the Palace would be so reckless. Besides…the heat was too strong. Look at this."

Leon nodded. "I hear you." He moved forward, staring at the burn patterns with the absent-minded professionalism of the soldier he'd once been. "Actually, if I didn't know better, I'd almost say there was s ship launched from here."

Abel started, a sudden bolt of fear crashing through him as he snapped his head around. "What…what did you just say?"

Leon cocked an eyebrow at him. "I said it looks like a ship launching site." He shook his head. "But it'd have to be pretty small, and I don't recognize the pattern." He shook his head. "Not military, and I can't think of anything else…Hey, Four Eyes, what are you doing?"

Abel ignored him. He spun back to the burned areas and strode forward, to fall to his knees near the circles Leon's words were pounding in his head. _Something small…not immediately recognizable as a military craft, but with thruster capability._ His gaze swept over the burned circles again. He ripped the glove off one hand, and laid his palm against the charred soil. _Still warm._ His eyes took in the configuration once more, and fear froze his gut. _No. Dear Lord, please…not this. It can't be…_

Abel stood slowly, then moved towards the edge of the burned spot, no longer noticing his companion. _There was one type of aircraft…but…three of those are accounted for, and the fourth…dear Lord…please…_. He circled the scorched ground, eyes looking over it frantically. _There used to be…on the landing support, there was always that one spot…_.

A mark in the grass caught his eyes. He fell to his knees, running a hand over the indentation in the ground, and his heart turned to ice within him. _No…Esther…Dear Lord…no._ He doubled over, under a force of anguish so great it was a knife to the heart. "Esther…"

"Hey, Four Eyes! Snap out of it!" Leon knelt beside him and seized his shoulders. "Come on, talk to me." Underneath the warrior's usual exasperation, there was real concern and fear. "You look like you've seen a ghost. What the hell's gotten into you."

"They have her." Abel raised agonized eyes to Leon's face. "The ship…"

"Hey. We don't know for sure it is a ship."

"It is." Abel's voice was far away, shock temporarily distancing him. "I…I recognize it, but it's not surprising you wouldn't. There were only four of that design made, and one was lost beneath the ocean near Italy. But this one…it belongs to _him._" Abel's eyes met Leon's and his hands clenched in the dirt. "Leon…they have Esther! The order of Rosenkreutz…the Contra Mundi…they've taken her." He bit his lip, and Leon saw a bead of blood appear at the corner of his mouth. "Esther…."

Leon flinched at the anguish in that voice. He seized the thin shoulders and shook Abel roughly. "Hey, Four Eyes, now's not the time to go all crazy on me." Abel looked up at him. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Abel's voice was soft, full of pain, and Leon felt a crackle of static across the sleeves.

He shook the other man once more. "Hey, keep it together." He waited until Abel's eyes met his again. "If you're really sure about this, then we've gotta let everyone know, immediately. After that we can figure out what to do. But it's not gonna help anyone if you lose it right now. Got that?"

Abel nodded. "All right." He stood, breaking free of Leon's grasp, and walked out of the clearing, towards the Palace without a backwards glance.

Leon winced. He could see the lines of Abel's back, the deep pain in the way the man moved. He'd only once seen Abel like this. "Damn." Then he rose, brushed the dirt from his outfit, and followed his compatriot.

It took almost two hours to notify everyone and arrange a meeting. For convenience for the Methuselah, the meeting was held in Seth's room. By the time Virgil and Mary arrived, everyone else had gathered. Abel moved to the back of the room, a silent shadow with a stricken look on his face.

Virgil and Mary entered a few moments after Caterina. Both of them had worried expressions. As soon as the door shut behind her Mary turned to Leon. "You have news?"

Leon turned to look at Abel, but the silver-haired priest remained as he was, silent. Leon sighed. "Yeah. Unfortunately, it's not good. We found a burned out clearing in one of the further royal enclosures. Father Nightroad believes it was a ship, operated by the Order of Rosenkreutz." He scowled. "Specifically, he identified it as a ship that may belong to the Contra Mundi."

Caterina spun to face her subordinate. "Abel…are you sure of this?"

"Yes." The word was barely above a whisper. "I…it's the same ship, the same as the one you saw… that night…" He trailed off.

Seth made a face. "Then…the Contra Mundi has Esther."

"We must assume so." Mary frowned, and Virgil went white. "Damn…how could this have happened?"

Leon shrugged. "This was pretty well planned. I had a little talk with Gunslinger while we were waiting, and he says he saw no signs of a ship, at any time."

"Then they were watching us somehow. They coordinated everything."

"Exactly. This wasn't a haphazard mission." Leon folded his arms. "We have to assume they've taken her somewhere."

Silence fell, as everyone considered the implications. Then without warning, Ion whirled and rounded on Abel. Before anyone could stop him, the young Methuselah lord moved forward, and the back of his hand struck Abel hard, across the mouth, drawing blood from a split lip. "This is your fault."

Abel didn't respond. He didn't even reach up to wipe the blood from his face. He simply looked at the younger man, standing in silence as Ion spoke.

"You…because of you, Esther is in danger. She'd never have been placed at risk if you hadn't been so careless. And now…" Ion's fist clenched. "Now the Order has her. She could be…" He broke off, then seized Abel's jacket. "Well? What have you got to say for yourself?"

Abel refused to look at him. "I'm sorry." Anguish filled his eyes. "You're right, it is my fault. I'm sorry."

"Is that the best you can do?" Ion's face was nearly scarlet with rage. "Esther…Esther's been taken, and you're the man responsible for endangering her! How can you simply stand there like this! Don't you even care, or are you too cold-hearted? You…" Ion raised a hand again, but a sharp voice cut across his tirade.

"Earl of Memphis, that is enough." The voice of the Empress cut through Ion's anger. "Such a display is unseemly. Control yourself."

Ion's fist clenched, but he slowly lowered his hand. After a moment, he turned away from the silent figure, back to the others, and bowed stiffly. "You're right. I apologize for my outburst."

Seth sighed. "Well, I guess we have to assume the worst at this point. Do we have any idea where they might have gone?"

Leon shrugged. "I've no idea."

Seth frowned. "Well then, it looks like we're going to have to search the hard way. At this point, we should probably return to the Empire and begin searching from there. I doubt they'll have taken her into that area but…" She turned to the veiled figure nearby.

"I believe you are correct." Mirka nodded. "Count of Manchester, Colonel Spencer, can you see that the arrangements are made for our return to the Empire?"

Virgil nodded. "Of course. I'll see to them as soon as the meetings over."

"Very well." Mirka turned her head. "Earl of Memphis, Duchess of Kiev...begin packing our belongings for the return journey. We will leave as soon as preparations are made."

Both nobles bowed. Astha cast one concerned look across the room at her partner, but she said nothing. She simply left. The look Ion gave Abel was pure venom. He started to speak, then closed his mouth and made his exit.

Caterina sighed. "Your Majesty has an excellent point." She turned. "Professor, Leon….please inform Sister Kate, and begin preparations for our departure as well."

Leon gave her a mock salute. The Professor nodded. "As you wish." He turned, moved to the silent figure in the corner. "We'll get her back, Abel." Abel didn't reply. After a moment the Professor sighed and left.

After the Ax members left, Caterina sighed again, then turned to Virgil and Mary. "Do you have a definite plan here?"

Mary made an exasperated noise. "Unfortunately, there are no solutions to contain this problem. Sooner or later, the Council at least will realize the truth. Our best option at the moment is for Virgil and me to take authority and initiate damage control. We'll put it out that an unexpected event has occurred, and called Her Majesty away from the country for a time. That should minimize panic and confusion."

"And the fact that both Her Imperial Majesty and I are leaving right away will help support that theory." Caterina nodded. "Very well, I'll send a similar message. In the meantime, we must form a plan to locate Esther." She frowned. "Unfortunately, if they've taken her to their base, it will be difficult. In ten years, I've never located even one major base of operations, let alone the main headquarters."

Seth made a face. "I uncovered one major base a few years ago. But it was taken down before I could mount any serious action." She sighed. "And I've certainly never discovered the headquarters."

"Indeed." Mary scowled. "I'd appreciate any support or suggestions you may have." She pursed her lips in thought. "I'll have some of my better undercover officers search around Londinium and Albion, in hopes they've remained in the country. Virgil, if you could ask Vanessa to do the same in the Underground."

The blond man nodded. "I will also begin searching our satellite footage for and sign of the ship that took Her Majesty." He sighed. "If they avoided the sentries, they may have avoided the satellite cameras as well."

Mary frowned again. "Do we have any parameters we can use for the search? It would be helpful if we knew what we were looking for."

"I can give you that." Abel spoke softly. He hadn't moved from his position, and he refused to look up. "I…Lord Walsh, in the files I had placed under encryption, there was a file on flight vehicles. Enter that folder, and look for the section about the RMOC command long distance scout craft. The information is there."

Virgil nodded. "The RMOC command long distance scout? You're sure, Father?"

"Yes." Abel's head bowed again. "I'll give you the codes for entering the system."

"As you wish, my lord." Virgil bowed his head once more.

"That sounds like a good idea." Seth shifted. "I think I have a similar file in the Empire. When I return, we can contact you and see if we have the same information." She glanced at the woman masquerading as the Empress. "I think it's best from there if we send out the envoys, and some of the Yenceri to initiate a search on the ground."

"I agree." Mirka spoke softly. "We can contact Baibars while en-route, and begin preparations."

Caterina nodded. "I'll do the same with the AX agents. Sister Kate can notify my agents in the field to make this the top priority. For a matter this important, we may even be able to enlist the help of the Department of Inquisition." She turned. "Abel…"

"I will return to Rome with you." Abel's voice was soft. Blue eyes, anguished and dark with emotion, rose to meet hers. "I have to speak to Brother Petros, and you'll need the information I have."

"Abel…" Caterina hesitated. "I'm sure they can use your assistance in Albion as well…"

"Lord Walsh can access the information he needs off of the sealed files in the Underground." Abel's face was almost emotionless, but there was a world of torment raging in his eyes, and an expression that resembled madness. He turned to face Virgil. "I can give you those passwords now, if you need them."

Virgil bowed his head. "I believe I have other concerns to see to at the moment. However, if you provide me with the information before your departure, my lord, that will be sufficient."

Mary nodded. "We need to start taking care of the situation, now." She bowed. "I will meet with you before your departure, Your Majesty, Your Excellency. Please let me know if there is anything you require."

Virgil nodded. "I too must go attend to my duties." He turned to Abel. "Father Nightroad, I will descend into the Ghetto this afternoon. If you will give me your information then, I will begin search proceedings."

"I understand." Abel's eyes met the Albion lord's for a moment. "I'm sorry."

Virgil sighed. "I believe we must share the blame equally, Father Nightroad. If you will excuse me."

Both Albion nobles left, and Mirka also excused herself. No sooner had she left the apartment, then Seth whirled to her brother. "Abel, are you serious about this?"

Caterina nodded. "If it's the support of the Inquisition your after, I can relay your request myself…"

"No." Abel's voice was soft, but firm. "The Vatican doesn't have all the information that is stored here or in the Empire. You'll need my assistance."

"If it's information, Abel, I can handle that." Seth moved forward and took her brother's arm. "Abel…if you go there…you're supposed to be dead, remember?"

"She's right." Caterina took a step forward as well. "Abel…you know what my brother will do. There's no need to risk yourself. If Francesco gets a hold of you…"

"It's fine." Abel's blue eyes caught hers once more, and the anguish in them was enough to render her nearly breathless. She was suddenly reminded of when he'd almost quit the AX, after the incident in Barcelona. "I need Brother Petros to assist me. He has the best information networks. After that, I don't really care what Cardinal di Medici does with me." The lines of pain deepened in his face, and his voice dropped to a near whisper. "It's my fault. Esther…the fact that she was taken….Ion is right. All of this is because of what I said to her…and now…Cain has her."

Seth caught his arm again. "Abel, it's not all your fault. Even if you said something careless, it's obvious they were planning this. Who knows what they would have done if this hadn't happened. But you know Cain…if they were planning this…if he gave them that ship to use…then it can't be all your fault. You don't have to…"

"I still hurt her." Abel looked down at his sister. "I still…I caused her pain, and placed her in danger. I swore to protect her, and now…" He stopped, and Seth saw him swallow hard. "I…" The silver head bowed. Then he broke free of her grasp and moved toward the door. "I'll see you when you're ready to leave." He was gone before either woman could stop him.

Caterina and Seth shared a look of concern, then Seth turned to the door. "This could be a problem." She took a deep breath, shaken by Abel's bleak mood. "I haven't seen Abel like that in a long time. Not since Lilith."

"I know what you mean." Caterina's eyes were dark with concern. "I've only seen him like this once, when the Order leveled Barcelona and killed Sister Noelle." She sighed. "Sister Noelle and Abel were very fond of each other…he was devastated by her death."

Seth's eyes met hers. "You think there's something else going on?"

Caterina shook her head. "I don't know. I only know that this behavior…it's dangerous. For Abel himself more than any other."

Seth nodded. "I know. But we're not going to be able to stop him. When he's like this…there's really nothing we can do except watch over him." She sighed. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave him to you for now. With things like this, I need to be in the Empire, to handle the search."

"I understand. I'll do my best." Caterina nodded once, just as a sharp crackle sounded from her earpiece. She listened a moment. "It seems Sister Kate has been informed of our departure plans. I'm afraid I need to go."

"I need to get ready as well." Seth sighed. "Take care of him, please. I don't know what happened between him and Esther, but…"

"I'll watch over him as well as I can." Caterina bowed once more to the slender figure of the Empress, then exited. As she shut the door, however, confidence gave way to concern. _Abel…did Esther tell you the same thing Noelle did? Is that why…_. She knew Abel's fears of his condition, of the ongoing struggle between himself and his brother would make him reluctant to admit to any feelings beyond friendship. _Have you once again…lost someone, only to realize how precious they are to you?_ She bit her lip. _I pray then, that we find Esther quickly, and unharmed, for your sake as well as hers. Abel…_

**(AN) smcandy: **I'm also gonna be attending for my fifth year in row the annual OTAKUTHON anime convention that will happen in another day. So hopefully when I get back and all chapter 12 will be ready by the end of the month of not soon. Until then take care until chapter 12 everyone ^^


	15. Twelve: In Enemy Hands

**DISCLAIMER:**All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to one of my editors and co-partners in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her own TB stories on which are awesome. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice:****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage Against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). ** In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Twelve ****- In Enemy Hands**

By dusk, both ships were ready for departure. When Caterina arrived, Abel was already on the docking port with Lord Walsh. The slender Albion lord was holding a small records cube in one hand, and Abel's face was still unreadable. As Caterina watched, he turned away from the other man, and walked silently to the edge of the Iron Maidens loading and boarding ramp. There he stood, a silent shadow, anguish radiating from his body.

The others arrived minutes later. Farewells were exchanged in a quick quiet manner. Ion refused to even look at the motionless figure by the dock. He said a quiet goodbye to Caterina and Tres, then strode up the ramp without a word to the man he'd worked with for six months, and trusted with his life for almost a year.

Astha did go over to speak to the silver haired priest, but he made no response, and the Methuselah woman returned to the group with a troubled expression on her face. The look in her eyes was enough to make Leon reach out and lay a hand on her arm. "Don't worry, senorita, we'll keep an eye on him."

Caterina nodded. "I promise, we'll watch over him."

Astha bit her lip, her face calm but her eyes disturbed. She bowed, and spoke a quiet farewell, then vanished up the ramp almost as quickly as Ion had.

A hand touched Caterina's arm, and she turned to find Seth looking at her. She bowed. "Farewell. I trust we'll keep in touch?"

"Of course. I'll probably have to go back in disguise, but…I have every intention of handling this matter myself." She looked at the man standing by Caterina's ship, and bit her lip. "Please, take care of Abel for me. In a mood like this…he could so easily let himself be destroyed. I…" She stopped.

Caterina bowed her head once more, then touched her arm. "I promise, I'll do everything in my power to protect him."

"Thank you." Seth smiled, a weak smile but genuine. "It's good to know Abel has someone like you on his side in all this."

Caterina nodded. "Do you want to speak to him?"

Seth considered, then shook her head. "I can't. Abel…he won't hear me right now. There's nothing I can say to him that will ease his pain. And I'm afraid…if I even touch him, I may break what control he has left." One hand fisted. "I can't reach Abel when he's like this." She looked at Caterina, and the Cardinal saw the deep pain in her eyes. "That's why I need you to take care of him. You pulled my brother from his 900 year mourning. You may be able to help him now."

"I'll do my best." The two women stared at each other for a few moments more, and then Seth broke away, and walked to her own ship. Mirka had already gone up the ramp, and as soon as the Empress had boarded, the door closed. A loud rumble alerted them to the ignition of the engines, and seconds later the ship was gone, into the night sky. Caterina watched the burning trail, then turned to board her own ship.

Leon was already moving. He stepped forward, toward the silent figure on the platform. "Yo, Four Eyes…"

Abel didn't answer. He simply turned away from Leon's hand and walked into the ship, disappearing into the depths before anyone could even call out to him. Leon muttered a curse and started to follow him, but Caterina held out her hand. "It's all right, Father Garcias. Leave him alone for now."

Leon scowled. "Damn it, he's going all crazy on us again." He sighed and raked a hand through his dark unruly hair. "Honestly, I understand he's upset, we all are, but hell…"

"It's Abel." William spoke quietly. "This sort of thing…it's much harder for him than for us, Leon. Even you should understand that."

"Yeah, I get it. What I wanna know is why the hell that is."

"We all do. But that's something Abel will have to tell us, and I don't think right now's the time to be asking about that."

"Yeah, fine." Leon made another frustrated noise. "Whatever. Let's just get this show on the road, before he decides to do something stupid." No one else could find anything to say to that, and they boarded the ship as quickly as possible.

Just before she boarded, Caterina turned to Virgil, still standing on the dock. "We'll do our best."

"I know, My Lady." Virgil bowed. "I only hope we come in time." Caterina nodded, and ascended the ramp. Within minutes, the Iron Maiden was in the air, headed for Rome at top speed.

The journey wasn't a long one, only a matter of one night's travel. Despite her worries for Esther, Caterina would almost have preferred it to be longer. The journey to the Empire would take a few days, even with the fastest ship they had. But she was more concerned about Abel. Throughout the entire trip, he avoided his colleagues. Only Sister Kate could even find him, and she reported that he wasn't speaking to her. He simply walked away. Caterina had hoped to speak with him, to discuss how they would handle his appearance at the Vatican, but he was non-responsive. She chewed a lip in concern, then finally resigned herself to a quick prayer for the best. She whispered a prayer that the Lord was watching, and then settled herself down to the business of arranging an emergency meeting of the Papal Council as soon as the ship landed.

By the time the Iron Maiden settled at the Vatican, she'd received reports that all of the Cardinals in the city, as well as most of the arch-bishops and bishops that could be found were assembled. She sighed, noting that Francesco would also be there. _This could become troublesome, very easily. If he takes Abel into custody…_. She shook the thought away grimly. They'd have to deal with it as the situation came up.

Abel was waiting with the rest of her AX members at the door. He was standing distant from them, and from the disgruntled look on Leon's face, he still wasn't speaking to anyone. He head was bowed, but his eyes, what she could see behind the spectacles, were still dark with anguish. She sighed and looked to her other three operatives. "Dandelion, I want you to check in with Vaclav. Get his information and start making plans for searching beyond the Vatican. Professor, I want you to look through your inventions, everything you can think of, for anything that might assist us in locating Rosenkreutz or Her Majesty. When you finish that, join Dandelion and Know Faith. Father Tres, I want you to hook into Sister Kate's mainframe and take a look at her monitors, see if you spot anything unusual. If not, I want you to access the Vatican satellite network and see if we've managed to pick up anything." She handed him a card. "This will grant you the needed authorization."

Tres nodded, but William looked troubled. "You should have someone with you."

"I will go with her." Abel spoke. "I will attend Lady Caterina at the meeting."

William frowned. "Abel…you know it isn't safe for either of you. Why don't you help Havel, and Leon can go with Her Eminence?"

Abel's dark eyes came up to his. "No. I need to speak to Petros, and I will not wait." He didn't give William time to respond. He simply turned without another word and strode down the ramp, towards the main building.

Leon bit back a curse. William watched Abel go with worried eyes, then turned to Caterina. "Are you sure you wouldn't like one of us to go with you? This situation could get rather dangerous, very quickly."

"I'm afraid there's no help for it." Caterina sighed. "We'll have to deal with things as they happen." She turned her head slightly. "Sister Kate." The holographic form of the young woman shimmered into view beside her. "Assist Gunslinger with his search, and send out a call to Gypsy Queen and Sword Dancer. Inform them of the current situation and form a plan for them to commence on-site search for any clues. I fear our enemies may have moved Her Majesty into foreign territory, and those two are the best placed to begin searching."

"Yes, Your Eminence." Kate bowed once and flickered out of sight. Caterina turned, gave her agent's one quick nod, then followed after Abel's slender form.

She caught him just as he crossed the threshold of the Vatican Administration and Council building. He didn't say a word as she passed him, just fell into step behind her. She took a deep breath, said one more quick prayer that things would turn out, if not well, then at least not disastrously, and flung open the doors to the central meeting room.

The Council was already gathered, with Alessandro installed in his throne, fidgeting nervously with his robes. Caterina stepped forward to the edge of the dais, and bowed her head. "Holiness." She turned to regard the others. "Your Excellencies, thank you for coming this evening."

"Indeed. And what exactly led you to call this emergency meeting, Caterina?" Francesco rose from his seat. His face was set in a frown of annoyance, though he wasn't actively angry. "To convene the Council at this hour…I hope you have a good reason."

"I do." Caterina met her brother's eyes. She hated his condescending attitude, but at least he was focusing on her, not the man she knew still followed behind her. "I fear a grave emergency has arisen. The Queen of Albion was taken from Buckingham Palace this past evening, and I fear the worst. We've been called upon to assist our allies in locating her."

"Esther?" Alessandro looked up with wide eyes. "You mean…Esther got taken? Is it…" He faltered. "Is it a very bad situation, do you think? I mean…if she was kidnapped…"

"I fear she _was_ kidnapped Holiness. Furthermore, I have reason to believe that the ones who took Her Majesty from the Palace belonged to the same group who assisted Arch-Bishop D'Este in the Silent Noise incidents, as well as the attack upon Londinium more recently." She bowed her head. "I fear the Order of Rosenkreutz is at work, and without Her Majesty, we could easily find ourselves in dire circumstances."

Francesco snorted. "Perhaps Albion would be in dire circumstances. However, I fail to see why you called a full Council for such a matter."

Caterina met her brother's eyes again, holding him with her gaze. "Albion is now our ally against Rosenkreutz, and they have requested our assistance. Refusing them now would damage our relations with them permanently, and possibly our other alliances as well. Without help, the Order will tear us apart. You've seen what they can do, Francesco. Do you honestly believe that we can afford to ignore this?"

"Perhaps not. However…I find it curious that you should have identified the Order as being her assailants, and yet you failed to stop her from being taken." A cold sneer touched his face. "According to my information, you had three agents with you, and the Albion Army. I'd like to hear your explanation of how exactly this transpired, Caterina." His eyes were dark, challenging.

Caterina winced. She knew where this was going, and it wasn't good. However, it also couldn't be helped. "Unfortunately, none of my agents happened to see the abduction taking place. I'm afraid her disappearance wasn't discovered until later." She thought hard, and chose a carefully edited version of events. "Her Majesty was feeling a little out of sorts during the festivities, and took leave of her guards. We thought she had retired, until her advisors reported she hadn't returned to her rooms. We located signs of her abduction during the search to locate her."

"I see." Francesco's sneer was back. "In that case, how do you know that the Order of Rosenkretuz is behind her abduction? What evidence can you provide that she was taken at all, let alone that she was abducted by that particular organization?"

It was a valid question. Caterina knew it, and she could hear from the murmurs around the room that most of the other officials were aware of that fact as well. She also knew that the information she had was sketchy at best. She started to frame a reply, when a soft hoarse voice spoke from behind her. "I can assure you, Your Excellency, Holiness, that the Order was behind the abduction of the Queen of Albion."

Abel moved forward to stand before the assembled Council. His face was pale, even for him, and there was a strange light in his eyes. He bowed to Alessandro, then straightened. "Holiness, I saw the ignition patterns and the landing patterns of the ship that took Her Majesty. And I can assure you, without a doubt, that the ship belongs to the leader of the Order of Rosenkreutz." He bowed his head. "I apologize for being so forward, but…I'm afraid I need to ask for the help of your Department of Inquisition."

Francesco exploded out of his seat. "Caterina, what is the meaning of this?" He turned, fury in his eyes. "This man…"

"Father Nightroad?" Alessandro stared at the priest before him. "But I...I heard…in Londinium…I heard that you…" He faltered.

"I demand an explanation." Francesco's face was red with fury. "This man was reported dead in Londinium almost seven months ago." He whirled to face his sister. "Caterina, what are you trying to do?"

Caterina started to speak. She'd planned to tell the Council that she'd had Abel's death faked, in order to give him more freedom of movement. She'd planned to tell them Abel had been acting on her orders. She knew that it would cause trouble, but at least he'd be safe. But Abel didn't give her a chance.

He moved forward a step further and bowed his head. "I do apologize. However, I'm afraid lady Caterina isn't responsible for this." He looked up and met Francesco's gaze. "During the incident in Londnium seven months ago I was…very badly injured. I encountered the leader of the Order and that encounter…" He swallowed, then bowed his head to the Pope. "It is true, Holiness, that I fell in the Londinium Underground. However, I have…certain powers, and I…well, I recovered, I suppose you could say. Lady Caterina did send an agent to verify my condition, however, I'm afraid I…well, I left." He swallowed again, and his gaze returned to Francesco. "I…chose not to report my condition to the Vatican. I was attempting to track the Order on my own. During my wanderings, Lady Caterina discovered my status and attempted to bring me back to the Vatican. I'm afraid I refused to return. But after this incident…" A small bitter smile touched his face. "I fear I have no choice."

"Enough!" Francesco's face was crimson. He stared at Abel for a moment, then whirled to face his younger brother. "Holiness, this man was reported dead by two Inquisitors and several of Caterina's own agents. Despite what he says, it's inconceivable for that many people to have been deceived. And no matter what _may_ have happened, he has confessed to deserting his position in the Vatican. I demand he be taken into custody." He turned to glare at Caterina. "I also recommend that Cardinal Sforza be taken into custody as well."

"I…well, is that really necessary?" There was distress in Alessandro's face. "I mean…well, he said he was just trying to stop the people who attacked us. And Sister…I mean…it's not as if they've done anything wrong, have they?"

"Abel Nightroad was announced dead." Francesco was almost shouting. "At best, he stands guilty of having deliberately lied to his own superior and abandoned the Vatican, possibly betrayed us. However, given the circumstances, we would be well within our authorization to arrest him on charges of witchcraft of the foulest kind. He must be locked away, for the safety of the Vatican. And as for lady Caterina…I find it difficult to believe that this man worked alone. If he truly is her prisoner, then why did he appear with her, instead of in chains, as he belongs?" He shot his sister a poisonous glance.

"Forgive me for interrupting but…" Abel face the Pope. "I…when Caterina took me into custody, I gave her my word I would come quietly, if I could be permitted to attend this meeting. I…I need the help of the Department of Inquisition."

"Silence!" Francesco's voice thundered through the meeting chamber. "You are in no position to make requests." He turned back to the throne. "Holiness, I insist you allow me to arrest this man. Regardless of what he says, there are too many questions he has not answered. It's not safe to allow him to walk free, even if Caterina has let her emotions get in the way of her judgment."

Caterina, bit her lip. "Brother…" She was about to argue, when Abel spoke softly.

"It's all right, Miss Caterina. I know you were going to try and protect me, but…it's really not necessary. After all, you're needed to help find Her Majesty." He turned, a small, smile on his face, terrible against the shadows in his eyes. "It's all right. I know you wanted to protect me, to protect my condition, but…" He shrugged.

Caterina bit the inside of her cheek harder. Abel had just removed the last chance she had to defend him, and they both knew it. Now anything she said would be taken as an effort to safeguard her employee, and her friend. She'd meant to protect him and leave him free to do what he needed to, but he'd moved to save her instead. She raised her eyes to meet his. "Abel…"

"Enough." Francesco's sharp voice cut through her words, through anything she might have said. "Holiness, we must have your decision on this matter. I request this man be taken into custody, and given a full interrogation. We cannot trust anything he says until then."

"Well…I don't really think it's that bad. I mean, I suppose there are some unanswered questions, but…well, I don't think he's hurt anything, has he? And if Esther's gone missing…shouldn't we be looking for her?" Alessandro toyed with his staff.

"Holiness, until we question this man, we can't know if he's done anything harmful or not." Francesco faced the boy Pope. "I understand you may be concerned for Her Majesty, considering that she was once a member of this church, and a friend of yours. However, given this man's past, and what he has admitted to, how can we even trust his word that the Order of Rosenkreutz was behind her kidnapping?"

Abel stiffened. "Holiness…"

"Silence!" Francesco's voice cut through Abel's. "Your Holiness."

"I…well, I guess you do have a valid point. I mean…I don't think he's lying, but…I guess…maybe we should make sure. Unless…Sister, did you want to say something?" The young Pope looked at her.

What she wanted was to refute Francesco's argument. But even she knew that his points were valid in the eyes of the church. And if Abel had already gone out of his way to protect her, she couldn't afford to waste his effort. She sighed. "With all due respect, Holiness, I believe that this neither the time nor place to conduct such an interrogation. And I would like to step forward and state that I have every faith in Father Nightroad. However, given that I suspect many of our fellow Council members may share His Excellency's views…" She swept the room with her eyes, noting the expressions, the ones that showed evident agreement, and the ones that didn't. "If this Council truly wishes to place Father Nightroad in custody of the Inquisition, then I have no choice but to yield to their request. I only ask that we be permitted to begin our search for the Queen of Albion, and that I be permitted to access the resources of the Inquisition during our investigation. I shall, of course, keep both you and His Excellency informed."

Alessandro sat back. "That seems fair. I mean…Esther is a member of our church, so…I think that's all right. Isn't it, Brother?" Huge brown eyes turned to Francesco.

The Cardinal made a disgusted face. "Very well. I will lend you the power of the Inquisition. However, before that…" He turned to face the silver-haired man standing by Caterina's side. "Abel Nightroad, you are hereby under arrest, on charges of heresy, treason, and possible witchcraft. You are to be placed in custody, to undergo a full Interrogation, after which your sentence will be decided."

Abel went nearly ice-white. Caterina saw him stiffen, and understood the cause only too well. They both knew what a full interrogation would mean. And Caterina had no doubts what Francesco would consider an appropriate sentence. He'd always been suspicious of Abel's powers, and he'd use this opportunity to consign Abel to the Inquisition dungeons and laboratories. They'd take him apart, on Francesco's orders.

Abel started to move forward, started to say something, but a tall blue-haired knight emerged from the shadows near the wall. Petros moved forward with a few quick steps, and seized Abel's arm. "Holiness, Your Excellency…" He bowed. "I request permission to take custody of Father Nightroad. I know of him, and his…powers." The word emerged with a growl. "I do not know how he managed to do this, and to deceive me concerning his condition in Londinium, but I intend to find out. I ask your permission to take charge of him."

Alessandro blinked. "Brother Petros? I thought…you and Father Nightroad…

didn't you work together?"

"That is precisely why I wish to take charge of him." Petros scowled. "I do not know what transpired in Londinium. However, if we were deceived as to Father Nightroad's condition, then it is my responsibility as the Chief Inquisitor of that mission to determine the facts." His grip tightened.

"Oh…I see. Well then…I guess that makes sense." He looked at Francesco. "That seems reasonable, doesn't it?"

"Very well. Escort him to Interrogation."

Abel stiffened again, started to speak, but Petros tightened his grip again and caught his other arm. "Don't say a word, and don't even think of resisting. Unless you want another scene like our meeting in Carthage."

Abel went pale, then relaxed and bowed his head. He said nothing as Petros fastened cuffs about his wrists and led him from the room. Caterina watched him go, but she made no protest. As the two men disappeared she turned back to the men on the dais. "Since we've covered that…I suggest we turn to how we can help our allies." Her voice was calm, but her heart was pounding with nerves. _Abel…._

Abel stayed silent as Petros and four of his knights escorted him to the dungeons of the Inquisition. He didn't protest or struggle as they shoved him down the darkened corridors. Finally, Petros stopped at one door. He seized Abel's arm, then turned to his knights. "Wait here."

The knights stiffened. "Bureau Director…"

"I have some personal questions for this man." Petros growled the words out, then fixed his men with a glare. "You are not to enter unless I specifically order. Understood?"

The look in his eyes brought all three men to attention. "Yes sir!"

Petros nodded, then jerked the door open and pushed Abel into the interrogation chamber, slamming the door behind him. Abel stumbled a step or two into the room, then stopped. He waited until Petros stepped closer, then spoke softly. "Brother Petros." He raised his head, anguished blue eyes catching his companions angry ones. "Are you my interrogator then?"

Petros growled, then leaned against a wall. "That is my intention at this time."

"I see." A brief, bitter smile touched Abel's face. "Well then, there's not much more I can tell you about my…about my death, or my return but…" He swallowed hard. "If you must…if you must torture me, or use truth serum, I understand. I won't resist you, but…please…"

"Quiet." Petros scowled at the man in front of him. He waited until Abel stopped, then moved forward. "Why did you come here?" He took another step, and seized Abel's cassock in an iron grip. "Three months ago you asked me to protect you and I agreed. I witnessed your swearing into the AX, on the condition that you would remain in Albion, to guard the Queen."

"I know." Abel turned his head away. "Well, I…that was the plan but…"

"Speak up." Petros growled the words out. "I have no time to waste."

"Esther was taken." Pain and guilt filled Abel's eyes. "She…we had an argument, and she left my side. The Order of Rosenkreutz kidnapped her. I…I believe she's been taken by the Enemy of the World." His eyes came to Petros' for a brief moment, and then his head bowed. "I…I know what ship they used, and it's not in the Vatican files. But I can give you the information."

"Indeed." Petros scowled, then tightened his grip, forcing Abel's gaze to meet his. "You mean to tell me that you came here for that."

"Yes." Abel's voice was soft. "The Albion government has already begun searching but…the Inquisition has more extensive contacts and information networks. That's why…even if it means I must be held prisoner…even if I must undergo Cardinal di Medici's interrogation…I had to speak with you." He swallowed. "I need you to help with the search. Please, Brother Petros…I…"

"Quiet." Petros released Abel, his eyes dark and troubled. He looked away from the bound priest, frowning in consideration. After a moment, he spoke. "Very well. I will deal with you."

Abel blinked. "What?"

"I will deal with you." Petros shifted, his voice low. "First of all, I need answers. Provide them, and we'll talk from there."

"I see." Abel slumped against the wall. "And…your orders?"

"My orders are to conduct an interrogation." Petros scowled. "How I attend to that is my affair." He waited a moment, then spoke again. "Cardinal Sforza stated that none of her people saw the Queen's disappearance. Yet you say you can give me information on the vehicle."

"Yes." Abel's head bowed. "I found the burn-off from the vehicle's launch. I recognize the pattern." He swallowed. "That ship…it belongs to the man who…injured…me in Londinium." His hands shifted, moving towards his chest for a moment, before he stilled the gesture. "I know the ship. I…" He stopped, swallowed. "I've seen it before." He took a deep breath. "Do you remember the catacombs where we met?" He waited for Petros' nod. "Down there…there's a chamber, with a ship. That ship…it's like the one that took Miss Esther."

Petros made a growling noise. "Why would such a ship be within the Vatican?"

Abel swallowed again. "I…can't answer that. Please…I know that's not an answer you want, but please…"

"Very well." Petros frowned. His eyes were fixed on Abel's body. He moved forward, suddenly, and placed one hand over the cross that hung in the center of Abel's chest.

Abel went rigid, white and trembling. "Petros…please…don't do that."

"That wound. I want the truth. I checked your body myself in Londinium, and found no signs of life." Petros scowled at the other man, but he moved his hand away.

"No. You wouldn't." Abel was pale. He backed away from the Inquisitor, leaning against the wall. "I…I died, in a way. But…that…" He bit his lip, then spoke softly. "The Crusnik can survive for a time on subconscious electrical activity. I…died, there. But I…they…maintained a low level power. Cardinal Sforza sent Tres to…well, it's rather like giving a normal man CPR, or something like that. I don't know precisely how it works."

"I see. You told Cardinal di Medici you faked your death."

A pained smile touched Abel's face. "Well, it's a little difficult to explain, and I don't think His Excellency would be satisfied with that response." His eyes came to Petros. "I know…it is a rather vague response. But there's…nothing else I can tell you."

"And the man who inflicted your wounds? You said he was like you."

Abel flinched. "He is. He is…very much like me. But I…I'd rather not discuss that, Brother Petros." His eyes came up to Petros' face. "I'm sorry, but I…that's not something I'm willing to talk about right now." He looked away. "If you…insist on trying to find that out…I told you I wouldn't resist if you..."

"Quiet." Petros frowned at Abel for a moment, then looked away. He moved forward, until he was leaning against the wall next to Abel, and spoke softly. "I have no intention of torturing you." He snorted. "I've seen what happens when you are pressed beyond your limits. I have no intention of endangering the Vatican in such a fashion. Besides…." A grim smile touched his face. "You are not a man who can be forced to speak. I've seen it before. There are men who can not be broken by physical torment. And I can do nothing to you that isn't already in your eyes."

Abel started. Petros favored him with a small smile, then leaned back. "At the moment, I am to be your chief interrogator. However, the Cardinal may send a secondary team to question you. If someone else comes, can you maintain control of yourself?"

"I…yes, I think so. As long as the damage isn't too severe."

"And truth serum?"

A smile touched Abel's face, brief and ironic. "Do you have some with you?" Petros nodded. "If you'll give me an injection, then it should be all right. I can metabolize it very quickly. And it won't work twice. Well, the side effects, probably, but I can…fight it."

"Very well. I will make a deal with you, Father Nightroad." Petros faced the other man. "Remain here, and endure the interrogation until you can be released, if it's possible. Do not fight. In return, I will help you with your attempts to locate the Queen of Albion."

"Help me?" Abel blinked.

"Yes." Petros looked away. "I will carry your messages to Cardinal Sforza, and whoever else you wish, and I will direct my department in the search for Lady Esther."

"I see." Abel slumped back against the wall. "Very well." He paused a moment, then spoke again. "Caterina can lead you to the ship in the Underground. You should…probably start there. Tres can give you more information about the ignition markings, and tell you what he's done so far."

"I see. Then I have one more piece of business." Petros stepped forward, and roughly pulled Abel's shackled wrists up. There were a number of ring-bolts in the chamber, and he fastened Abel to one at shoulder height in the wall. Before the other man could say anything, he removed a small hypodermic from his uniform, and injected the contents roughly into Abel's shoulder. As the silver haired man gasped and went rigid, Petros moved back. "Truth serum."

Abel shuddered, sweat beading on the pale face. He managed one short, jerky nod, then fell against the wall. Petros waited a minute more, then spoke. "Your name."

"Abel…Nightroad…" The priest knelt against the wall, his hands chained above his head.

Petros frowned. "That ship, beneath the Vatican. Why is it there?"

Abel shuddered again. "I…placed it there. It was…it was hers." His hands were clenched into fists.

Petros blinked. "Whose?"

"Lilith's. The woman…in the coffin." Abel shuddered again, agony in his eyes. "She…died…fighting the…Contra Mundi."

"The same man who injured you?"

"Yes…" Abel was shaking violently, and sweating visibly.

Petros frowned. "Who is he? Why do you refuse to talk about him?"

"I…can't." Abel shuddered once more, then fell against the wall. "I…can not…talk about that man." His head dropped against the wall. He seemed almost unconscious, but his tremors were decreasing. Then he opened weary blue eyes. "I'm sorry Petros, but I…please trust me with this, for now."

Petros frowned. That had been far too coherent for a man under truth serum. "Nightroad?"

"It's metabolized now." Abel sighed.

"Very well. Then I have one more question." He fished a folded piece of paper from within his uniform. "During our investigation of Rosenkreutz, several times my men arrived at suspicious locations only to find the place destroyed." He knelt in front of the other man, and held up the paper. "These are the locations. Were you there?"

Abel blinked hazily up at the paper, then nodded. "Yes. I was there." He let his head fall back. "Tres has the information we recovered from each location. He can tell you what we know."

"Very well. I will begin my investigation." Petros stood, then began to move to the door. He stopped with his hand on the handle. "However Nightroad, if I find you've played me for a fool…"

"I know." Abel nodded.

"As long as you understand." Petros flung the door open roughly, and slammed it behind him. He eyed the men still standing there. "Remain on guard here. I have work to do." Then he strode towards the doors to the upper levels. As he passed into the sunlight, he frowned. It worried him, what Abel wasn't telling him. Then he shook the thoughts away. Whatever it was, he'd find out sooner or later. Besides, his instincts said it wasn't a problem yet. He mounted the top step to the upper areas then turned down the hall towards the Cardinal's offices. There was a lot to be done.

Esther woke slowly. Her head was pounding. Her first thought was that she'd never had such a headache. After a moment, memories began to filter back. Memories of the man she'd thought was a trusted ally. With a sharp gasp, she sat bolt upright.

The pain in her head was phenomenal. Esther winced and cradled her aching skull in her hands. Even with her eyes shut and her body curled in a ball, something felt different. She bit her lip, trying to focus through the pain. Then it hit her. She was lying on something soft and yielding, far different from the pile of blankets Kampfer had left her on before. And the soft background hum, the constant vibration of ship engines, was gone. She opened her eyes and looked around.

The room she was in was easily a match in size for her room in Buckingham Palace. She was settled on a bed, situated in a small alcove. Near the center of the room she spotted a couch and table. She sat up carefully and looked through the draped curtains. There were bookshelves along one side, and a modestly sized desk at one wall. There were no windows she could see, but the room was set up to be well illuminated by lamps, and a rather large overhead light fixture. There was a small door, near the desk. Esther stumbled out of the bed, noting it was a fair size, and almost further off the ground than she could rest comfortably. She staggered over to the door, and opened it to reveal a luxurious bathroom, with both a shower and a deep tub. A shiver went through her as she surveyed the counter that held the sink. There were several bottles of soaps and such lined up neatly on the counter, and a small brush, the handle sporting the Albion royal colors.

Esther shivered again and closed the door, taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart. She'd guessed they'd planned her abduction carefully, but the thought they might have planned to hold her captive frightened her almost more than a threat of death. She turned, trying to still her fears in by the process of observation.

The desk held plenty of pens and paper, neatly laid out. The books, as she manoeuvred over to one set of shelves, were well maintained and spanned a variety of topics. There was even a Bible on the shelf. Another small door stood by her bed, and a dressing table. The dressing table contained more brushes and an elegant selection of jewellery. The door, when she opened it, led into a closet, complete with a small set of drawers for undergarments and socks, and a wide selection of dresses, shoes and accessories. Esther felt a cold feeling settle into her stomach as she realized that everything was her size. _Dietrich…_. Dietrich knew her clothing size, after all, he'd helped her get disguises in Istvan.

The slight creak of the door alerted her. Esther whirled around.

Kampfer smiled sardonically, and set the tray he was carrying on the table. "Well, well, you did wake up after all. I was beginning to wonder if I made the dosage too strong this time." The faint smile turned mocking. He bowed, an imitation of the gesture he used as Isaac Butler, and gestured toward the table. "I've brought you some food." He held out a glass of liquid. "You've probably got quite a headache, Majesty. I suggest you drink this."

"As if I'd trust anything you give me, you bastard." She would have knocked the glass from his hand, but she knew she'd have to move closer to him.

He laughed. "Oh, don't worry. It's not drugged. After all, I can hardly present you to my Master full of drugs. This is simply to clear away the effects of the chloroform gas I gave you." Esther stayed where she was. Kampfer shrugged and set the cup on the table. "If you don't want it, I'm hardly going to force you. But I recommend you eat and drink and change your clothing."

Esther gritted her teeth. "You…"

She didn't see him move. One moment, he was standing by the table. Then suddenly he was beside her, seizing her arm in an iron grip. Esther jerked backward, but she might as well have tried to move the Vatican barehanded. "Let go of me!"

"Oh, I will. Just as soon as I have what I need." He turned her arm around so the inside of the elbow was facing him. "Mein Herr wants to see you as soon as possible. But I can't allow the possibility that there's anything in your system that might damage him, or cause an instability in his system. So, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you for a blood sample."

He didn't give her a chance to respond, to fight or do anything else. He slipped a band around her arm, held her, and then withdrew a needle from a pocket of his uniform and stuck it expertly into her arm. Esther gasped. Kampfer ignored her, and attached a small vial to the needle, then watched critically as it filled. When the vial was full, he slipped the needle free. "There. All done." He smiled sardonically. "You really are a good patient Your Majesty." He pocketed the vial. "I'll return for you later. I recommend you eat." He vanished soundlessly through the door before Esther even had a chance to blink.

As soon as the door closed, Esther sank to the ground. She was shaking inside. She rubbed the inside of her arm, grimacing at faint sting of the needle mark. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she didn't know how long it had been since her last meal. She looked at the tray on the table, then shuddered again. She didn't trust anything on the tray. It made her skin crawl to think of all the times that she'd let Isaac Butler feed her and help her. She felt sick and shaky. She closed her eyes, trying not to let the tears of frustration and anger at the betrayal escape.

"Sitting on the floor? Now Esther, that's really not like you." The cold, drawling voice jerked her head up.

"Dietrich." She rose to her feet, staring at the auburn hair and brown eyes.

"Hello Esther." Dietrich smiled. "How have you been? I haven't seen you face-to-face since…well, since that little incident in the Londinium Underground. But I've heard so much about you." He moved forward, lifting a hand. "The Queen of Albion. Quite impressive, for a girl who grew up in a convent." His smile widened. "But then, you always were like that. That's one of the things I love about you."

Esther bit her lip. "Don't you dare say something like that to me." She glared at him. "What do you want?"

Dietrich slouched against the wall. "Isaac wanted to make sure you'd eat. He seemed concerned that you didn't want to take proper care of yourself. And we can't have that, not since Mein Herr has taken an interest in you."

Esther stiffened. "I'd rather die than trust anything either of you gave me."

"Well, I thought you might say that." Dietrich's smile turned cold. "That's why I decided to use whatever methods I can." He held up one hand, and something glittered between his fingers. "Perhaps you'd like to play dolls again?"

Esther stepped back reflexively. "Don't you dare come near me."

"Oh, I won't. As long as you behave and do what you're told to." Dietrich gestured. "I don't mind simply standing here Esther, but you do have to eat."

"How can you possibly think I'd take anything you gave me?" Esther drew herself up.

"Well, if you're concerned about it being drugged, I suppose I can relieve that particular fear." He shrugged and strode over to the table. "There's really no problem." He lifted a piece of fruit from the tray and bit into it. "See, there's really nothing wrong with it."

Esther's stomach growled again. Deitrich favored her with an ironic glance. "You really should eat Esther. After all, if you don't, you won't have the strength to do anything, now will you?"

Esther glared at him, but she moved forward toward the table. Still keeping her eyes on the slender figure, she poured a glass of juice and took a swallow. Then she slammed the glass down. "I won't eat another bite while you're in here."

Dietrich leered at her. "Temper, temper Esther. That's no way for a lady to behave."

"Get out, Dietrich." Esther held his gaze.

"There's no need to be so fierce." He smiled lazily. "I'll leave, if that's what you want. But Isaac or I will return in about an hour. I expect you to have eaten. Otherwise, we might have to take action." He grinned, and turned to the door. Just before he left, he turned, favouring her with a dark smile. "Bye, bye Esther. I love you."

The door clicked closed. Esther shivered again. She looked at the food. The smell of roast meat and vegetables made her stomach growl. She still didn't trust either man but she knew that, despite his joking tone, that Dietrich was serious. He would come back, and he would force her to eat.

Esther swallowed hard, then forced herself to eat a bite of the bread. It was good, soft and warm. She chewed, swallowed, then forced herself to take another bite. She was somewhat relieved that the last of her headache disappeared as she ate.

Finally, the food was gone. Esther settled back. She shivered, then bit her lip. She was still wearing the blue dress she'd worn at the ball. It was covered with dirt, and she felt filthy and oily. She rubbed her arms, then crossed to the bathroom door and opened it. She considered it a moment, then turned back to the door near the bed. Stepping into the closet, she selected a neutral gown and carried it into the bathroom.

Half an hour later she was clean and dressed in the gown. She settled back at the table, and nibbled a piece of an apple she'd left before. Her headache was gone, she was clean and she felt much better. But…she looked around the room again and suppressed a shudder. _Where am I?_ There were no windows in her apartment, she couldn't even see the landscape outside. She looked around the apartment again. She was relieved to be alive, but she still felt frightened. _The Contra Mundi…the man who killed Father Nightroad. What does he want with me? And why now?_ She recalled how, only two months prior, he'd told the Fleur du Mal to kill her.

She was still trying to sort things out when the door creaked. She jumped off the seat she'd settled into, reaching reflexively for her knife, only to encounter nothing.

Kampfer laughed. "I'm afraid I confiscated all your weapons. I wouldn't want you causing an incident while you're with Mein Herr." His eyes drifted over her. "Well, you do clean up nicely. I'm quite impressed, Majesty." He bowed. "I've been ordered to bring you before my lord. I'd appreciate it if you'd come with me."

She wanted to refuse, wanted to try and knock him out, but she already knew she couldn't overpower him, and the indulgent smile on his face told her he knew it too. The best thing she could do now was wait and gather information. She bit her lip, then straightened her back, forcing an expression of defiance onto her face. "Very well."

"Right this way." Kampfer waited for her to pass him, then closed the door. He bowed once more, then led her down the hall.

She'd considered trying to break away from him during the trek, but as she followed him, her heart sank. There were no windows. As they turned into a main corridor, Esther spotted a dark, bulky form. She shivered as she recognized the form of an Autojager.

Kampfer noticed. "Our guards. Dietrich's quite gifted with making them. It's really rather remarkable, isn't it?"

Esther stiffened her spine. She refused to say anything to give the man satisfaction. Kampfer watched her for a moment, then shrugged. "Well, I suppose it might not be quite to your taste. But we find them quite effective. And you should know, they have orders to prevent your escape. Still, this is no time for sight-seeing. Please, follow me." He continued on down the hall.

They took one more turn, and Kampfer stopped by a door. He opened it, and gestured for her to enter. "Mein Herr awaits you."

Esther stepped cautiously through the door. Her body was tense, her heart pounding and her nerves screaming. She wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go. She clenched her fists, wishing she had at least a knife to hand. Gritting her teeth, she moved forward, determined to meet her enemy with her head held high.

The room was empty. There was some furniture, a high-backed chair, a few smaller ones, and a couple couches. There were a few small end-tables as well. But there was no one waiting for her. All she saw was the furniture, and a doorway to another room, with a computer panel nearby.

Kampfer stepped past her. "It appears Mein Herr isn't awake yet. You should have a seat and wait for him." He moved toward the computer panel and began to tinker with the display.

Esther watched him for a few minutes. He seemed fully engrossed in his work, whatever it was. She cleared her throat loudly, and got no response. He was busy reading the dials, and focused completely on the console in front of him. She moved forward, even bumped into a chair on purpose. The chair clattered to the floor, but Kampfer didn't even turn around.

Esther bit her lip, considering her options. The hall was guarded, and she didn't know the layout of this place at all. She was aware that Kampfer might simply be playing with her, that this could be some sort of trap, but still…this might be her best chance to escape. She edged toward the door. Kampfer seemed oblivious to her presence, working at the console. Esther cast him one more apprehensive look, then turned and bolted into the next room. She dashed through the door, then stopped, blinking in confusion.

The room was even larger than the one beyond. There were two doors on the right side, and a bed to one side. There were also large, latticed windows on the far wall, shuttered closed. But despite her urgency to escape, Esther's attention was caught by what lay in the center of the room.

Most of the room was filled with a huge chamber. It looked like an indoor pool, or a vat, and it was easily twice the size of the Royal Baths. The sides were metal, and there appeared to be a computer console embedded in the side, with blinking green lights. Esther moved forward cautiously. A small set of steps led up one side. Even though she was shaking with fear, and knew she needed to run, her curiosity led her towards the vat.

She hesitated at the steps, then moved carefully up them. One step, then two. She climbed the third step, and found herself looking into the chamber. Staring into the depths, she frowned, confused.

The container was full of, not water, but an inky black substance. It rippled eerily, making the hair stand up on the back of her neck as she looked at it. She reached out one hand, then stopped. Every nerve in her body screamed against touching that odd liquid. She was just about to turn away when movement caught her eye. Half entranced, half terrified, she turned back.

Something was moving within the black depths. She couldn't see it clearly, but it looked vaguely human-sized. Esther frowned. _Is there…something…or someone…in there?_ She leaned over, trying to see clearly.

A hand erupted from the tank, startling a gasp from her. She jerked backward, stifling a scream of shock, and barely missed falling down the steps. She recovered her balance and moved back, trying not to scream.

The hand was joined by a second one, and a man emerged from the tank. Esther gasped and leapt backward to the floor, her heart pounding. He seemed to take no notice as he shook long blond hair out of his eyes. Esther felt her pulse crashing in her ears as she stared at the pale features, the blond hair and blue eyes. _This man…_

Instinct made her back away as the man came down the stairs. She felt as if her heart was going to jump out of her chest. She turned to bolt, but a strong hand clamped on her shoulder. "Well then…what's this?" The hand pulled her around, forcing her to turn to face him. A faintly amused smile touched his face. "And what would a lady be doing in my chamber?"

The odd grin sparked a memory. Esther stared at him, and felt her mind freeze in shock. "You…" _Contra Mundi._

The smile widened. "Ah yes. You're Esther aren't you? Abel's friend. I asked Isaac to bring you to me."

Esther bit her lip and tried to bring her emotions under control. But his hand on her shoulder reminded her far too much of how he'd touched Abel, just before he'd killed him. She looked desperately for something to focus on, to take her mind off her fear. It was difficult to see anything else with him so close in front of her. She tried to focus on his face, and it was only then she realized: he was wearing nothing, not even a towel around his waist. She gasped, her cheeks turning crimson. "Let go of me."

"Are you afraid?" The mild smile touched his eyes, giving him an almost impish look that would have relaxed her if she hadn't been so terrified. "You know, if a girl enters a man's chambers…"

"I didn't know!" Esther flushed, anger rising to her defense. "You had that man bring me here, and he didn't tell me anything." She looked away from him, her ears burning. "And I'm not scared of you, but if you're going to demand people visit you, you really should put some clothes on."

Her voice was shaking slightly, and she fought to steady it. Swallowing hard, she forced herself to meet the blue eyes.

There was no change in his expression, but he tilted his head. "I suppose you're right." His gaze slipped beyond her. "Isaac."

Kampfer appeared in the doorway. "Mein Herr."

The Contra Mundi smiled indulgently. "You're getting sloppy, Isaac."

"My apologies, Mein Herr." Isaac bowed.

"Oh well." The blond man shrugged and released Esther's shoulder. "Take her out into the main rooms. I'll join you in a minute."

"Yes, Mein Herr." Isaac straightened. "Do you need any assistance?"

"No. Not right now." The blond man flexed his hand experimentally. "Everything seems to be fine at the moment." He waved a negligent hand.

"As you wish." Isaac seized Esther's arm in a firm grip, and led her from the room.

Back in the main room, Esther settled onto one of the smaller chairs, her mind whirling with apprehension and questions. _That tank…what is that? And he…that man…can that really be Cain? The man I met in the street? I know…Kampfer, Butler…he said Cain was his master but I thought…he seemed so different when I met him the first time. He was nothing like the man who killed Father Nightroad…how?_ She shivered, remembering the sea blue eyes.

"Well, you seem to be a bit upset." Kampfer spoke sardonically. He gave her cold, amused look. "Did you like my lord's bedchamber?"

"You…" Esther shot him a glare.

Kampfer laughed. "I told you to stay here." He moved forward. "I would have been very upset if you'd injured Mein Herr, however..."

"It's fine. There's no reason to be upset, Isaac." Esther turned towards the doorway, and shivered.

He was wearing dark pants, and a white over-robe with a red border, a simpler version of the outfit he'd worn while attacking Londinium. He'd even put on a pair of black boots. The high white collar, bordered with a red stripe that went down the front seam of his shirt was eerily reminiscent of a Vatican clerical outfit. Esther shivered. The hair was longer than she remembered, but the eyes were the same. Sea blue, with faint amusement and nothing else within them. The eyes of the man who'd killed Abel.

A faint smile touched his lips. "Well then, does this meet with your demands?" He held out his hands. "You'll have to excuse me. Ever since Abel and I had our last disagreement, I've been sleeping in there."

"You…and Father Nightroad…"

"Yes." A glimmer of what might have been genuine fondness crossed his lips. "Abel and I…we had quite an argument. He did a fair amount of damage. But Isaac fixed me up a regenerative tank to rest in and now it's better."

"That tank…"

"That's where I rest, thanks to Abel." He held up one hand. "After what he did to me, I have to have somewhere to regenerate my body." He looked up at the dark-haired man standing behind him. "You can go, Isaac. Everything's working well."

"As you wish, Mein Herr." Isaac bowed. "Is there anything you need?"

"Hmm." Cain tilted his head sideways. "Oh. Of course. Tell Melchior to come here in about half an hour, and to bring that toy of his that he likes so much."

"As you command." Isaac nodded once, then vanished through the door.

"There now. We can talk a little better." He shrugged, and settled into the high backed chair, propping one ankle on the opposing knee and tilting his head. "Isaac's a good servant, but he's a little difficult to deal with. He's always trying to keep an eye on me."

"You…" Esther rose from her chair. "You…you're the Contra Mundi." Anger and fear mixed in her veins. "What do you want with me?"

"Well, it's very simple, my dear." He leaned his cheek on one hand. "I want to know your connection to my dear brother, Abel."

Esther's stomach clenched. "Father…Nightroad? Why do you…?"

"Abel is my brother." The empty smile widened a fraction, and a flicker of amused affection touched his face. "He and I…we used to share everything. But he's changed a bit." He rose from the seat, shifting in a languid, restless movement. "He used to be so temperamental, but he's calmed down a great deal." He moved suddenly, coming to stand beside Esther before she realized he was moving. One hand came up to brush her face lightly. "Abel seems really attached to you. I thought I'd like to know your relationship to my dear brother."

"Stop saying that!" Esther jerked backward, her hand coming up to block his. "How can you even think to call him that, after you killed him?"

"Well, it really was Abel's fault that I hit him." He shrugged. "He really should know better than to get in the way of something I want. But he went and destroyed the rocket controls." He looked at her. "Anyway, it really was only fair. After all, Abel tried to kill me before." He sent a bored glance toward the other room. "Thanks to Abel, I still have to sleep in that tank." He smiled again. "But you know, I'm not really angry with him." He took a step toward her again. "We have that in common, don't we? We both care for Abel."

"You…you tried to…"

"I tried to join with him." He sighed a little. "Abel and I…we're really the exact same person, you know. But Abel had such a temper. He's really interesting when he's angry."

"Father Nightroad is nothing like you!" Esther spit the words out. "You…how many people did you kill attacking my city? Father Nightroad would never do anything like that."

The Contra Mundi stared at her a moment. Then the smile widened and he chuckled lightly. "You really don't know Abel well at all." He took two quick steps forward and seized her chin with one hand. "Abel really is rather temperamental. He's got a lot of destructive power when he gets mad." The amusement was back in his eyes. "Dietrich said you've already seen that, though. But I assure you, Abel and I really are a lot alike." He tilted his head, looking at her with curious eyes. "Hasn't he ever told you about it?"

Esther backed away. "I don't know what you mean."

He chuckled again. "Abel…he really is quite destructive. He's calmed down a lot, but he's done a lot of killing too. He's probably destroyed more cities than I have, really."

'_I've never told you what I'm capable of…the terrible sins I've committed.' _Abel's words in the garden sounded in her mind. Esther bit her lip, a wash of conflicting emotions in her heart. She forced herself to meet the blue eyes. "I don't believe you." She'd meant it to sound defiant, but the rush of hurt, fear and anger made her voice weaker than she wanted it to be.

"Well, we'll have plenty of time to discuss it." He offered her a vacant smile. "I look forward to talking more with you." He turned his head. "Melchior."

A slender man with short dark hair stepped forward out of the shadows. "Mein Herr." He bowed. "Wizard said you requested my presence."

"So I did. Did you bring what I asked you?"

"Yes, Mein Herr. Sieglind is waiting outside. Shall I bring her in?"

"No. But I want you to make her Esther's servant." He gestured. "I have to rest now, so I'll leave Esther to you." He disappeared back through the adjoining door.

Esther turned to look at the man in the room with her. "And you are…"

"Melchior von Neumann. Member of the Order of Rosenkretuz. Pygmalion." His tone was bored, and his eyes were hidden by dark glasses. He shrugged. "You're Esther, Queen of Albion." He might have been speaking to a wall for all the emotion his voice showed. "I have orders to escort you back to your apartments. Come." He took her wrist.

She'd hoped she could break free of him, but as soon as his hand closed around her arm, her hopes sank. The grip was every bit as strong as Kampfers, and as he spoke, she spotted the slightly sharper teeth that marked a Methuselah. He said nothing else, simply pulled her through the door.

A girl wearing an Order uniform stood outside the door, utterly motionless. She wore a knee length skirt instead of trousers, and her hair was purple, cut into a short bowl cut at chin length. She might have been somewhat pretty, but her eyes were completely blank. No emotion. No thought. They reminded Esther of Tres' eyes. The eyes of a machine. She shivered, her fear increasing as she noticed the sword strapped to the girl's back. It was almost bigger than she was.

"Sieglind. One of my Fighting Dolls. Actually my best." There was a faint note of pride in the man's voice. "She'll be your servant, on Mein Herr's orders." He snapped his fingers. "Sieglind."

The blank face came to life. "Master?"

"You will come with me. By the orders of Mein Herr, you are to serve this woman. Attend her needs, escort her where she needs to go, and make sure she makes no attempt at escape."

"Yes, master." The doll bowed stiffly, then turned to her. "Mistress."

"Esther. Her name is Esther. Queen of Albion and Guest of the Order." Melchior made a motion with his fingers. "Come."

They started down the hall. Esther felt herself shivering, and she wasn't sure whether it was her escort, or her recent meeting with the Contra Mundi. She shot another glance at the man leading her. The lack of emotion frightened her, and there was something…terrifying, about the way he moved and spoke. He made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

They were nearly to Esther's door when a strident female voice split the quiet of the halls. "Melchior!"

He turned and Esther turned with him. Striding toward them was a woman. Her Order uniform was much more ornate than the dolls, and she moved with an easy, liquid grace, despite the sharp heels she wore. Long blue-black hair was wrapped in buns on either side of her head, and the loose ends fell nearly to her knees. She had a pretty face, with wide pale eyes, and pale skin that almost glowed. Her figure was trim and well shaped, her chest full. She was a beautiful woman, but her face was set in a scowl.

She strode up to them, ignoring Esther entirely. "Melchior, I heard from Balthasar…is it true? Is My Lord really awake?"

He shrugged. "He is. So?"

"Why wasn't I informed? I asked specifically to be told the minute Mein Herr was able to emerge." She frowned. "Did Wizard…"

"He did. I didn't find out until now." Melchior shrugged. "Mein Herr wanted to greet his guest." He gestured. "Helga von Vogelweide…Lady Esther of Albion."

"Lady Esther?" Helga turned cold eyes on Esther. "A Terran?" She turned her attention back to the quiet man. "And for this…Terran wench, I was denied the right to see My Lord?"

Melchior shrugged. "It was Mein Herr's orders. And as it is…she's an important Terran."

"Important? This little slip of a girl?" Helga tilted her head to look at Esther again. Esther bit her lip, feeling a surge of angry indignation at the cold contempt in those eyes.

"Oh, Lady Esther is indeed rather important." Esther jumped as Isaac appeared beside her. He gave Helga a cool smile. "You might as well hold your temper, Eishexe." He bowed. "Allow me to make a more formal introduction, since Melchior doesn't seem inclined. Lady Helga von Vogelweide. Codename: Ice Witch. I present to you Her Royal Majesty Esther Blanchett, Queen of Albion."

"Queen? This girl?" Helga's tone was scornful, and shocked. "You must be joking."

"Not at all." Kampfer's chilly grin widened. "I've been conducting some tests with her blood. It's quite confirmed. Esther Blanchett is the heir to the throne of Albion, and she was sworn as the ruler of the country nearly almost seven months ago." He moved forward. "You really should show more respect, my lady."

Helga bristled. "Respect? To this little human woman?" She tossed her hair back over one shoulder. "Even if she is a Queen…I've no reason to give her my appreciation." She shot Esther a look that was almost pure venom. "I asked to be told when Mein Her awakened, yet you took…this _girl_ to him?"

"It was Mein Herr's orders."

"Very well, but I demand to be allowed to see him now." Helga glared at Kampfer.

"He's resting again." Melchior shrugged. "Don't bother him."

"He's quite right. I'm afraid Mein Herr has returned to his rejuvenation. You'll have to wait until later." Kampfer eyed her, mocking in his gaze. "If you like, I'll tell him when he wakes."

"You…I'll be watching to make sure you do, Wizard." Helga shot Esther one last blistering glare, then strode off down the hall.

"Well, now that that's been taken care of…" Kampfer shrugged. "We have business to attend to. I suggest you get Lady Esther settled, so we can deal with our work."

Melchior nodded, and led Esther the rest of the way to her rooms. He opened the door, and Sieglind stepped forward. "Mistress."

Esther moved into the rooms almost gratefully. It was only as the door shut behind her that she let herself relax a fraction. Her heart was pounding so hard she feared she'd have a heart attack. _That woman…Helga…she seems to really hate me. But why? Because I'm a Terran? Or because of…of him? The Contra Mundi…_ She shuddered, reliving that encounter. _He…he looks so much like Father Nightroad, except for his hair color, but his eyes…they're so…empty. And the way he talks…_ Another shiver went through her as she remembered that cool, disinterested voice, and the way he'd talked so casually about killing his brother, about death and destruction. _That man…and why, why does he insist that Father Nightroad is the same as he is?_

"Do you wish anything, Mistress?" The emotionless voice cut through her thoughts. She looked up to see Melchior's doll standing before her.

"No. I want to be alone for now."

"As you wish. I will wait outside the door for your orders." Sieglind bowed and departed.

Esther settled against the couch, her head spinning. _He said he wanted to know what my relationship was to Father Nightroad. But I…after what happened…_ Esther bit her lip, trying to quell the hot tears that threatened to break free. _After the terrible things I said to him…he must be angry with me. And even if he could somehow forgive me…I said I never wanted to see him again. I said I hated him._ A lump rose in her throat, as she remembered Abel's steadfast presence, his warm kindness. She recalled what he'd said to her, both on the road and in the garden that night. _He was simply trying to protect me, and now…because of what I've done…_ She laid her head in her arms, trying to fight back the terrible tide of despair and terror that rose up in her. _Oh Father…I'm so sorry. _

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES**: Now before everyone flips as **WTH** happened with update happeing sooner here is what I gotta say for the long and I mean _**WAY LONG **_delay in this chapter, chapter twelve.

**[*] - **First off for the past six weeks more or less before the fall came, my editor and co-partner **dragonwriter24cmf ** has been moving and still is in way she's almost done though so thank god or has been by now. With all the moving that has been happening on her, she temp. staying at her folks new place for a short while before she gets her own place at later date so except more delays in future chapters to come on **TBWC.** Until she **dragonwriter24cmf**,gets settled down again later on his year or next year. Secondly I too have been busy chapter 12 would have been up by the beginning this week but I got some other responsibilities that needed my attention explaining as why this chapter was not up and posted when it could have been a few days sooner.

**[*] - ****Siegelind**, Melchior's favourite auto-doll might act like we are thinking she might be like since she is a highly tech mechanical robot/android of some sort she might be like a female version or so of Father Tres Iqus. As for her weapon it's not something else we made up if one of the TB art book thores pictures featuring two of the Neumann brothers with a small row of auto dolls behind Melchior. Siegelind is carryings a unique type sword behind strapped behind her back in her **RCO **outfit which you can barely see. I found some good cosplay pictures of her in her maid outfit with her sword to help support this if anyone wants the links then notify me and I will send them to you via mess or email ASAP.

**[*] - **We also have a_** special **_notice that both me and **dragonwriter24cmf **want hear back from you guys (the readers and fans of **TBWC**) after you all finish reading chapter 12 ok, it will show up in the next update. Which will be about your concerns with manga **RCO **members Helga and Melchior and their ICness. Please be patient as the notice will appear not long after this chapter.


	16. Authors Notice 1

Authors Notice #1

Dear readers and fans of **TBWC**,

Again it's **smcandy**here Authoress/Writer of **Trinity Blood War Continuum**.

As stated in the end and **AN **of chapter 12 me and **dragonwriter24cmf **got a request to ask of you guys, the readers and fans of this fan fiction**. **Me and my editor want your help and replies on some of the TB manga cannon cast that have yet to appear in the English translation of Trinity Blood manga.

We wanna know if we got **RCO** (Rosenkreuz Orden) manga members Helga, Melchior and Siegelind IC (In Character)rightfrom how they where created. We went on a limb from what wikipedia and some good spoiler and live journal information pages have given us about them or at least Helga but not much lese has been stated on their personalities and background information's too much.

We have not read nor seen any chapters yet that have yet to display these guys or any others from the **RCO **or manga members from other fractions of the TB manga universe. Other then the ones available to read and see in the English manga. If you can give us some links, replies/comments or places we have not checked or seen yet for info to help us. You can even recommend a good fan fiction or two that are not long or **one-shots **into giving us an idea as to what their cannon personalities are more or less really like.

We will be very grateful and appreciate it form anyone whom more or less a guru on the manga that has yet to be come in English on this. We are aware some fans get hold of more manga books about them even from other countries that might be more far ahead from the manga translation then the English are.

So anything of official will be nice since I am sure there are a lot of** RCO **fans out there that might be upset at us if we did not get their characters entirely right from the manga. Other wise we will have to keep going out on a limb in speculation as we did in chapter 12 n what they are like.

That's about it we look forward to any help we can get from this ASAP for next few updates.

_Sincerely- Authress __**smcandy **__& Editor __**dragonwriter24cmf**_


	17. Thirteen: Settle Down

**dragonwriter24cmf ****AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Okay, yes, this is one really _**LONG**_ chapter. We I wanted to set up relations with Cain and Esther and RCO, really bad. We also wanted to get Petros and Seth interacting with each other, and cement the partnership between Abel and Petros, cause he needs it. So there was just so much going on…hope you enjoy it.

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Also things are gonna get really **M** rated and kinky from this chapter onwards you've all been waned guys so if you do not like I suggest you skip or do not read this chapter if it bothers you in any way. Special thanks to my editor and co-partner **dragonwriter24cmf **in helping get this chapter done. Yes it took a little longer then excepted so sorry for the late upload. I received this chapter one to two day earlier but did no have time to upload it until now.

**DISCLAIMER:**All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter ****Thirteen - Settle Down**

Esther woke with a start to find herself in bed. She blinked, then turned her head, gazing at her surroundings.

The furnishings of her room in the Order compound glittered back at her in the muted light of a wall lamp. Esther repressed a shudder. She'd been hoping it was a dream, but it seemed her predicament was all too real.

Suddenly, she couldn't lay still. She sat up, then moved to the edge of the bed, only then noticing she'd been dressed in a clean pale blue nightgown, and that a thick robe of the same shade hung next to her bed. She stared down at the pleated, ruffled garment in bewilderment, then turned her head to stare across the room at the couch. _The last thing I remember is falling on that couch. But then…how did I wind up like this? Who…who changed my clothing?_ She shivered, overcome by a mental image of Dietrich or Isaac coming in and changing her clothing.

"You're awake. Do you need anything, Mistress?" The monotone voice startled Esther out of her thoughts.

A small slender figure in a feminine order uniform stood there, light glinting off her short purple hair and the hilt of her sword. After a moment, Esther felt herself relax. _Of course. That's the doll that was assigned to be my guard and servant._ "Sieglind?"

"Affirmative, Mistress. Have you an order for me?"

"Ah, no." Esther shivered again and wrapped the robe around her shoulders. "Did you…were you the one who put me to bed?" The blank emotionless eyes of the Doll still un-nerved her, but it was better than Dietrich or von Kampfer.

"Affirmative." The doll contemplated her a moment. "You are awake. I will fetch breakfast for you. Have you a preference?"

The mere thought of food made Esther's stomach twitch, and she shook her head. "No, I'm not really hungry."

"My Lord has ordered that you take regular meals. I will bring you breakfast." The doll turned and vanished out the door, and Esther heard the locks click into place.

Esther sat on her bed, trying to fight off the numb despair that held her. Her feelings of the night before washed over her. She was a prisoner, held captive by the Order. Even though Sieglind looked relatively harmless, Esther knew the Doll had been appointed as a guard. And if she was anything like Tres, she'd be virtually unstoppable. Worse, even if she could somehow get past her guards, she had no idea where she was, or even what country she was in. And she had no money. There was no way for her to return to Albion.

Esther bit her lip. _I can't think this way. Virgil and Colonel Spencer will be looking for me, and I'm sure Seth and Lady Caterina won't abandon me either. But…even so, I can't simply sit around and do nothing. I have to try and find a way out of here!_ She considered. _For now, I'll simply see if I can gather information. I'll look for my opportunities. Until I find a way, I'll simply have to put up with things. But I refuse to sit here and accept my fate quietly!_

The click of the door alerted her to Sieglind's return. The Doll pushed the door open, then closed it behind her. She moved with mechanical precision to the table, and began laying things out. Once she'd finished setting it, she turned to Esther. "Mistress, you should eat."

"Yes, I will. Thank you." Esther moved forward and settled into the chair Sieglind held out for her. The thought of trusting food from the Order made her slightly queasy. She swallowed hard, looking at the food before her. _I have to eat. Dietrich was right. If I don't maintain my strength, I won't be able to do anything._

"Do you find the food unsatisfactory?" Sieglind's bland voice came from behind her shoulder.

"No. Not at all. I was just thinking." Before the Doll could ask any more questions, Esther took some fruit and bread from the central platter and placed it on her plate. She started to reach for the pitcher of juice, but Sieglind got there before she did. The silent figure poured her a cup, set it within easy reach, then moved back out of Esther's way. Her quiet, smooth movement was disconcerting, but Esther knew it was pointless to worry about it. Instead, she concentrated on her breakfast.

The food was well made, and the fruit was excellent. Despite her fears, Esther almost enjoyed it. If it hadn't been for her surroundings, and the silent watchful figure beside her, she would almost have believed she was eating in her room in Buckingham Palace.

The thought brought a lump to her throat. She paused for a moment, then took a final drink of juice and set the glass back on the table.

"Are you finished?" The Doll appeared next to her chair, holding a clean napkin.

"I am." Esther nodded. She was familiar enough with court protocol to take the napkin and wipe her hands and face.

"I will prepare a bath for you." Sieglind took the napkin as she finished.

"Oh…I…" Esther hesitated a moment, then nodded. "Thank you."

A few minutes later, the Doll was back. "Your bath is ready, Mistress. I suggest you make use of it while I clear away the dishes."

The words were spoken respectfully enough, but the tone sent warning chills down Esther's spine. She shivered, then rose and went into the bathing chamber, relieved to be able to shut the doors and leave that disturbing presence outside for a moment.

The bath was warm, wonderfully relaxing. Esther settled into it gratefully, allowing it to soothe her tensed muscles. She considered. After she bathed, perhaps she could go look about the place. Sieglind would probably come with her but still, if she could begin mapping the interior of the building, or pass some windows to get a sense of the outside, then she could begin to plan things.

When she emerged from her bath, Sielgind was waiting by her dressing table, a long gown draped over the bed. "Mistress, I have your outfit ready."

Esther blinked at the simple pink dress. "I…"

"Master suggested this one for today." Sieglind held out some garments. "I will help you put it on."

Esther thought about protesting, but she knew it would do no good, so she simply bowed her head and began to pull on the offered clothing. Sieglind's touch was rough and impersonal, but not unprofessional. Every move was precise and neat. By the time she was done, Esther was dressed neatly in the outfit, and not a fold was out of place. Despite her dislike of the Killing Doll's silent presence, she had to admit that even her own maids couldn't have done better. She nodded, the turned and headed toward the door.

Instantly, the Doll was between her and her goal. "Where are you going?"

"Oh…well I wanted to see some more of this place." Esther stared at her.

"Master's orders did not include that privilege. You will remain here." Sieglind blocked her way.

"You can't be serious. Surely you don't intend to keep me locked away in these rooms all the time." Esther clenched her hands in her skirt.

"Master's orders were clear. You are to remain here. There will be no chance of permitting you to escape." Sieglind's hand rose to the hilt of her sword. "If necessary, I will use force."

Esther bit her lip. She'd hoped to be able to at least look around, but there was no way she could possibly defeat the figure before her. "All right. I'll stay here." She stepped back, then looked at the doll again. Sieglind had lowered her hand, and resumed her pose of waiting. "Is there any way that I can be permitted to at least walk around a little?"

"If Master orders it." Sieglind's face was utterly blank.

"I see." Esther sighed, then moved to one of the shelves and took a book down. She opened it, but her mind wasn't on the text. _So, I won't even be able to walk around this place until one of the men in the Order allows me? But then, they'll know that I'm moving. What am I supposed to do now?_ Her jaw clenched in frustration. _If Abel were here, he'd have some plan for getting around the situation. But he isn't._ And now, she wasn't sure what to do. _What can I do now?_

Petros sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to control his frustrations. With a growl, he turned his attention back to the reports in front of him.

Three days ago, he'd gone to speak with Cardinal Sforza. True to Abel's word, she'd taken him to the Underground Catacombs, and to the ship that lay hidden in the chamber there. He had to admire the vessel. It was elegant, streamlined. Examination revealed a craft capable of bearing up to six people, with both low orbit and regular flight capability. He'd gotten the images of the burn-off from Father Tres, and matched it to the vehicle. But in the days he'd spent searching for the vessel on satellite images and through information networks, so far he had nothing. There was no trace of the damn thing on any of the Vatican satellites. Nor had Father Tres located anything from the Albion images.

Petros growled again, and leaned back in his chair. He wasn't used to feeling helpless, or to finding nothing. He'd sent word out among the contacts he had in various places, but he'd gotten no response. As annoying as it was, he'd even considered going to Cardinal Antonio Borgias. That man knew people from everywhere, and his media contacts were even more wide-spread than his undercover ones. If anyone could unearth information, he probably could. Petros suppressed a snarl of annoyance. He didn't like Antonio. Indispensable as he sometimes was, he was still a nuisance. And he had an irritating way of treating everyone casually that made Petros want to throw him into a wall to teach him manners.

Petros sighed, then pushed himself upright, glancing at a clock on his wall. He'd been visiting Abel regularly, on the grounds of ongoing Interrogation, but it was more to keep the man calm than it was to get information from him. There was something that was almost frightening in the way the priest had offered himself up to the Inquisition, and the desperation that shadowed his face. Petros repressed a frown of worry. Even more troublesome than Abel was his awareness of Cardinal di Medici's growing restlessness. Francesco hadn't demanded any results yet, but he was concerned. The Cardinal was not known for his patience.

"Petros." Paula was waiting outside his door as he emerged. "I need to speak with you."

"Then speak." Petros continued along the corridor, letting his second fall in beside and just behind him. "Have you found any information?"

"I haven't." Paula frowned. "That isn't the problem. What do you intend to do about Father Nightroad? You know Cardinal di Medici has ordered his Interrogation."

"I am interrogating him." Petros ground the words out. "However, if you're referring to my refusal to use the more violent forms of questioning on him, I thought I explained that." He frowned. "It's simply too much risk to the Vatican."

"And you think Cardinal di Medici will accept that?" Paula's hand touched his shoulder. "Petros…do you truly intend to continue to try and protect that man?"

Petros turned, looking into her eyes for a moment, then looked away. "I do. Do you disagree with my decision, Vice-Chief?"

Paula made a disgruntled noise. "I think you're being reckless, for the sake of one AX priest. However, considering the aid he has already rendered us…I won't oppose you in this. If you truly think it's for the best…"

"I do. At this moment, Father Nightroad is far more valuable as our ally. No matter what he has done."

"Then you'd better hurry." Paula's eyes were dark. "I came to warn you. I overheard Cardinal di Medici instructing some of his men to go 'check' on the Father."

"Damn!" Petros turned. He'd hoped to have a few more days to deal with the situation. "I will attend to the problem. Inform Lady Cardinal Sforza that the situation with Father Nightroad is getting more dangerous. If she wants to save her priest, she'd better act soon."

Paula nodded, and strode down one of the connecting halls. Petros frowned, then set his face in a scowl and quickened his step. He only hoped that he could get there before things got out of hand.

He heard the noise just before he reached the door. The dull thud of metal against flesh, and a muted snarl of angry voices. His scowl deepened. Without any announcement, he placed his key in the lock, turned it sharply, and flung the door open.

Abel was standing chained against the far wall, his arms extended fully outward from his shoulders. The front of his cassock had been torn open, and there was blood on his face and chest. Even across the cell, Petros could see slash marks and dark bruising across the man's abdomen and jaw. One wrist dripped crimson as well, where a sharp movement had evidently caused the manacle to cut into his arm. His face, however, was still as stone. His eyes flickered upward to Petros as he entered, but Abel said nothing.

The three junior inquisitors in the room all turned as the door crashed open, then jerked to attention. One man held a short whip, and another wore heavy metal gauntlets on his hands. The center officer, the man holding no weapons, saluted hastily. "Director!"

"What is the meaning of this?" Petros raked all three men with a glare, causing them to flinch slightly. "I don't recall giving any orders regarding this matter."

"No sir. The Cardinal di Medici…" The senior officer started to speak, but Petros cut him off.

"I see. And so you decided to do this without my approval?" Petros gave the man a glare designed to quell armies.

All three men stiffened. "Well, sir…the Cardinal di Medici ordered us to come and investigate the status of the Interrogation of this man, and to question him."

"And you did so without speaking to me. I am his Interrogator." Petros snarled the words out, then seized the man in an iron grip. "Tell me, did you even think to take proper precautions?"

"Precautions, sir?" All three subordinates paled.

"This man is rumored to possess powers capable of leveling whole buildings. I, personally, have seen him unleash power capable of destroying two Inquisitorial battleships and a tank, without so much as breathing hard." All three men swallowed hard, paling even further. "You're dealing with a man of such violent powers, and you thought mere chains would be enough to allow for a full Interrogation?" He snarled.

"Ah…well, sir…."

"Quiet." Petros frowned, then released the man and turned away. "Did you get anything?"

"Ah…no sir. He wouldn't say a thing."

Petros made a disgusted noise. "So you not only endangered the entire Vatican, but you failed to gain anything by it." He turned his back on them. "Get out of my sight. You may tell Cardinal di Medici that I am handling the matter, and will make a full report later."

"Yes sir. But Director…"

Petros whirled, drawing his staff from it's scabbard on his back and slamming it into the ground in front of him. "Get out now, or I will kill you for your incompetence."

All three men left the cell at a run. Petros listened to their footsteps fade for a moment, then slammed the heavy door shut and locked it. He stood for a few seconds, getting his temper under control, then sheathed his battle spear and turned back to the man chained to the far wall.

Abel remained where he was, but he'd leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Petros saw the dark marks around his neck, where one of the men had evidently seized him and shoved him backward at one point. He moved forward, assessing the damage. There were numerous bruises across Abel's chest, what was visible through his torn robes, and no doubt more where they couldn't be seen. A similar bruise darkened one cheekbone, and his lip was split. His face and body were marked with several light slashing cuts, no doubt the product of the whip the one agent had been carrying. It was standard for a full interrogation, and he'd seen much worse, but Petros frowned. He moved forward until he was standing next to the other man, then spoke softly. "Nightroad."

"Brother Petros." The blue eyes opened, and a faint smile touched his mouth, turning into a wince as the movement tugged at his injured face. "You know, you're probably going to get into trouble for that."

"That's not your concern." He moved a hand towards Abel's wounds, stopping as the other man tensed slightly. "How bad is your condition?"

"Oh, it's not too bad." Abel offered him a quick, ironic grin. "Really." He sighed. "If you're worried that I'm about to lose control, it's all right. I can handle this much. It'll probably heal within a day or so."

"I see. What did they ask you?" Petros frowned.

"They asked about Caterina. I think Cardinal di Medici is hoping I'll say something that will implicate her as a witch. And they asked about Rosenkreutz." His breath hitched for a moment. "They implied that I was working with the Order, trying to spy on the Vatican, and I faked my death in order to gain the trust of His Holiness." His eyes came up to his interrogator's. "I swear, Brother Petros, that isn't true. I…"

"I'm aware of that fact." Petros shook his head. "Did you give them any information?"

"No. I didn't." Abel shuddered and spoke softly. "I promised you…I would endure even this, or worse if I must."

Petros nodded. "I trust you are aware I did NOT authorize this." He leaned against the wall. "Cardinal di Medici is becoming impatient."

That quick, anguished grin came again. "I suspected as much." The blue eyes lifted, to stare at the opposite wall. "I really do appreciate your help Petros, but…you don't have to protect me. If you need to…it's all right if you let them have me."

"Do not be a fool, any more than you already are." Petros straightened from the wall, then turned and roughly seized Abel's torn shirt. "I am a knight of God. I swore an oath, and no matter how troublesome it becomes, I will fulfill my bargain with you. No matter what I think of this situation, I will not let my honor become stained by breaking faith, not unless it is proven that you are a true heretic."

"You don't think I am?" Abel's gaze was almost amused, even with the pain in his face.

Petros flushed, then let him go. "I have my reasons." He became aware of the fresh blood dripping across Abel's chest, where his grip had torn the healing cuts across his body. "This should be tended to."

"Leave it." Abel's voice was soft. "You're probably already in trouble for interfering with the interrogation. If you try and help me now, it will only cause more trouble, now won't it?" There was that faint ghost of pained amusement in his eyes again, and it worried Petros. Unfortunately, the other man also had a valid point

Petros suppressed a growl of frustration, then frowned and leaned back against the wall next to his prisoner. "Very well." He paused, then spoke softly, so only Abel would have a chance of hearing him. "As of yet, I have no information on the disappearance of Lady Esther. None of my agents have turned up anything. We haven't finished sorting through satellite footage yet, but there's been no sign of that ship or anything like it."

Abel sighed and leaned his head back against the wall. "I was hoping…but I suppose I really couldn't have expected him to be so careless as that." He closed his eyes, considering. "Do any of the satellites you have control of…do they monitor energy signatures as well as visual?"

"A few. Why?"

"There's an energy pattern you can try looking for. It can be masked, but if they didn't know that…you might see it." Abel sighed. "Have Tres look at the recorded data again, for the following signatures…" He rattled off a brief list of numbers and designations.

It made no sense to Petros, but then, he wasn't a technician. He wrote it down. "Anything else?"

"Not for the satellite footage." Abel sighed.

"In regards to an on-the-ground search, I have considered asking Cardinal Antonio Borgias for help."

"Antonio?" Abel made a face, but then his expression turned thoughtful. "Antonio does have a great number of contacts, worldwide. And he's already proven a certain skill at penetrating enemy organizations." He made a rueful expression. "I can't think why I didn't think of it before. Getting Antonio's help would be a very good idea."

"Very well. Have you any other suggestions or requests at this time?"

Abel sighed. "I really need to see the information, access the computers myself." He offered Petros a tired smile. "But I suppose that's not really possible."

"Not at this time." Petros shook his head.

"Well then, there's a favor I'd like to ask. Please…" Abel swallowed. "Caterina can connect you to the Empire. Contact them. Tell them what's happened here, and start coordinating with them. They may have additional information." He looked away. "Although…I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention this little incident."

"Exactly who is it you wish me to speak to in the Empire?" Petros frowned. "Even with this current truce, for an Inquisitor to voluntarily call the Imperial Court…"

"I know. That's why I suggested using Caterina's console." Abel sighed. "Start by trying to reach Astharoshe Asran, Duchess of Kiev, or Lady Mirka Fortuna, the Duchess of Moldova. They have the necessary contacts within the Court, and the ear of the Empress. And Astha, at least, will remember you from Albion." He sighed again, and leaned his head against the wall. "I…well, it's a really personal favor…but if you manage to get through…could you tell them to take a message from me?"

"What message?"

"It's to a girl called Seth. Tell them…tell her…I'm all right. And ask her…" Abel's face was pale, but his voice was firm. "Ask her, to give you information on the RMOC database. They have files there…on the man who is now the Contra Mundi. It's not much, but it will help. You may be able to figure out more about him. Seth can give you that. She told me…while I was there, she told me she managed to infiltrate an Order stronghold. She may be able to help you."

"I see." Petros moved forward. "Why should this _girl _from the Empire, whom I have never met, give me the information that you refuse to?" He looked in Abel's eyes. "Or do you intend to tell me now, what you know of the Contra Mundi?"

Abel's face twisted. "Please…Petros…I can't. Don't ask me that, not right now. Please." His head bowed, blood dripping from his jaw. "Please."

The agony on his face was enough to make Petros back off. "Very well. But what makes you think this Seth will be more forthcoming?"

"Tell her I said to give you the information." Abel sighed. "It's very difficult to explain, and now really isn't the time, but I promise, she will do it for my sake. And for Esther's sake." He looked Petros in the eyes, and spoke softly. "If she asks, if for some reason she's unwilling to tell you…there's a password between us, one she'll recognize." He bit his lip, and Petros could see the concern in his eyes. He leaned forward, so that Abel could whisper to him. "Tell her…it's a request from Lieutenant Colonel Nightroad. Mars Security." He leaned his head back against the wall once again. "She'll know what you mean."

Petros frowned at him. "I don't understand."

"I know. Seth will tell you, when she releases the information. That's how you'll know it's genuine, and that she's telling you the truth." Abel sighed. "I…I can't tell you more here, Petros." He took a deeper breath, and winced. "I know you probably don't like lying, but if she asks…don't tell her about this. Not that I was…questioned." He smiled faintly. "It probably seems rather silly to you, but it's better if she doesn't know I was injured. If she asks please tell her…tell her I'm all right, and you're watching out for me."

Petros scowled. He didn't like having a mystery on his hands, but he knew why Abel was reluctant to speak. Even as much as he'd already said could be a risk. "Very well." He leaned forward until he was only an inch away from the other man. "But mark my words, Nightroad, you _are_ going to explain if her words are not to my satisfaction. Understood?"

Abel nodded. "Thank you." The words were hardly more than a breath of air. His eyes closed. Petros stood looking at the silent, wounded figure for a few moments more. Then he turned and left the cell, his thoughts troubled.

Caterina was working alone on her reports when he knocked on her door, but she set them aside immediately. "Brother Petros."

"Cardinal Sforza." He entered, then shut the door behind him and moved to stand in front of her desk.

Caterina regarded him with troubled eyes. "I heard from Sister Paula. How bad is it?"

"He's suffered some injury. However, he has maintained his control, and both he and the Inquisitors Cardinal di Medici sent claim he told them nothing."

Caterina sighed. "He's being dangerously stubborn." She folded her hands. "Have you interrogated him at all?"

"I have. I've even questioned him under truth serum." Petros frowned. "Sooner or later, Cardinal di Medici will attack him."

"I know. And you've already jeopardized your position by going to his aid." Caterina sighed. "Well, there's really no help for it. We'll simply have to take things as they come, and pray to survive the worst of it." She stared over her hands. "If I can convince His Holiness to support us…he's already fond of Father Nightroad. But I need something I can give the Papal Council to soothe their fears as well."

"I am aware of that." Petros made a disgruntled noise. "I will do what I can when the time comes. However, we have other concerns."

Caterina raised an eyebrow. "Indeed. What are you referring to?"

"The search for the Queen of Albion. Father Nightroad has given me some additional information." Petros fished the list he'd made out of his pocket. "These are energy signatures he recommended you have Father Tres Iquis look into, from the satellite footage. Also, we've agreed that it may be a good idea to enlist the aid of His Excellency, the Cardinal Borgias."

Caterina frowned. "You want to ask Antonio for help?" She considered a moment, then sighed. "It's true, he does have extensive information networks. Very well, I'll look into it. Anything else?"

"Yes." Petros shifted uncomfortably. "He also suggested that it would be wise for us to get in touch with the Empire, to coordinate our search with them. He advised contacting either the Duchess of Kiev or the Duchess of Moldova for opening collaborations."

"That's true. They will have made it back by now. Did Abel ask you to tell me, or did he suggest that you speak with them yourself?" Petros didn't answer immediately, but she must have seen the discomforted look on his face, because she smiled slightly. "I see. You'll make the contact, under the terms of either looking for more information on him, or checking our allies. I assume you wish to use my communications console?"

"It is the best suited."

"It is indeed. Very well." Caterina tapped a few buttons on her console, activating the long range communications.

It took a few moments for contact to be established. Petros let Caterina handle the initial transfers, after all, she knew who she was trying to contact. Finally, she looked up. "They're connecting us to both the Kiev mansion and the Imperial Palace now." She stood, and shifted slightly out of the way, so Petros could stand in the projection field. He moved forward, feeling unaccountably nervous.

Seconds later, the field shimmered, and two female faces came into view. The first was the woman he recognized from Albion, the girl with the red-streaked hair. The second was a younger looking woman, with delicate features, and a waterfall of blond hair, and bright cinnamon colored eyes that Petros thought looked familiar. He bowed his head. "I am Brother Petros, of the Department of Inquisition in Albion."

"Astharoshe Asran. Deputy Enforcer and Inspector for Her Imperial Majesty." The first woman bowed her head.

"Mirka Fortuna. Head of Her Majesty's Imperial Council." The other dipped her head in acknowledgement. "Lady Caterina mentioned that you wished to speak to us, Inquisitor. Is there something the matter?"

"Not according to the treaty, no. However, I was asked to contact you in regards to our joint efforts to locate the missing Queen of Albion." Petros shifted his weight. He was used to talking to foreign powers, and he had no idea why he felt uncomfortable talking to these two women.

"I see." Mirka's brow furrowed. "I understood there was to be another of Lady Caterina's agents involved in this matter. Was I misinformed?"

Petros shifted again. "You are not. However, Father Nightroad is…occupied with other concerns at the moment." It was the best he could do, and even he could hear the flatness of his words, how hollow they sounded.

Astha spoke up. "Father Nightroad…is he all right? Has he been hurt?" Fierce eyes met his. "Tell me. Is my partner in danger?"

"Not at this time." Petros frowned. Abel was right, he did dislike lying, and he had little talent for it. He settled for the closest version of the truth he could manage. "Father Nightroad is being detained regarding some details on the incident in Albion six months ago. However, I've been keeping an eye on him. He is fine, and asked me to tell you he was well, and to send his regrets at not being able to speak to you at this time."

He could see the shadow of disbelief in her eyes, and he didn't blame her. But she chose not to press it any further. Instead, she offered him a nod. "Thank you." She sighed. "I've begun looking through my information contacts here in the Empire, and in the Outer World, but so far, we haven't seen anything. Wherever they went, it was nowhere near the capital. I'll spend perhaps a day more looking here, but then I intend to leave Byzantium and begin searching the border cities, unless Her Majesty has other orders for me."

"That seems like a wise plan." Mirka spoke softly. "Likewise, the Imperial Council is already moving. We'll be sending out our enforcers and several of our agents within the next two days. In the meantime, we've begun to sift through satellite and other recording devices to see if we can locate any clues." She considered something off the screen for a moment, then returned her gaze to Petros. "Shall I send you the names and descriptions of our agents? You may encounter one of them in the field."

"I would appreciate it." He didn't want his men taking shots at an ally. And much as he'd had reason to distrust Methuselah in the past, he didn't intend to start an unnecessary shooting war himself.

"Very well. You'll have the list within a few hours. Is there anything else we can help you with?"

The three of them discusses search strategies, information networks and data for a few moments. Petros offered them his observations on the vehicle, and what he knew of the Rosenkreutz agents through personal observation. Astha added her own observations and opinions. Mirka said much less, but he could see her making notes, and every now and then, she would voice a suggestion on how to work their individual plans. Petros had a feeling she was being rather restrained with him, but even so, he could tell she had a quick mind, and a definite talent for this kind of thing.

Finally, discussion wound down. They spoke of a few more plans, and then Mirka set aside her notes. "It appears we've done all we can for now, Inquisitor Petros. Perhaps we should disperse for now, and agree to meet again in a few days."

"I agree. However, I do have one more request." Petros shifted, uncomfortable once more. "Father Nightroad asked I speak to a specific individual. Her name is Seth."

Both women looked startled. Mirka raised one eyebrow, Astharoshe looked as if he'd asked permission to steal her family treasures. The strength of the reaction surprised him, and sent a warning shiver down his spine. Obviously, whoever this girl was, there was more to her than simply being a friend of Abel's. Then the moment passed, and Mirka moved, rising from her seat. "I will see if she's available to speak with you." Her gaze shifted. "Duchess of Kiev, perhaps it's best if you return to your duties. I'm sure Brother Petros or the lady will contact you if you are needed."

Astha's eyes were still surprised, but she nodded, then bowed to Petros. "If you'll excuse me." A second later, her image disappeared.

Mirka nodded, then turned her gaze back to Petros. "If you'll excuse me as well." The image turned blank, white with static that marked a connection with no one available to speak. Petros waited, feeling the tension in his back and shoulders. He wanted answers, and the wait was a nuisance to him. To distract himself, he went over strategies and information in his mind, sorting out how best to handle matters. But his mind kept going back to that instant of surprise that he'd seen from both the Methuselah women. More than surprise, really. They'd been shocked. As if he'd asked for something he wasn't even supposed to know they had. Or for a privilege that he wasn't supposed to know could be granted.

Whoever this Seth was, she was obviously an important figure, and not well known. Perhaps a deep cover agent for the Empire. Petros had his own such operatives, and most of Caterina's AX agents operated in that capacity in one form or the other, with varying degrees of success. He knew Abel had done so more than once. It might explain how he knew this woman. But even though the explanation made sense, Petros didn't like it. He had a feeling that there was a piece missing, something he didn't know.

A crackling hiss of static, of the connection becoming live again, drew his attention away from his thoughts. He filed the observations away as the projected image shifted and cleared. Then he saw the image in the projection, and bit back a startled exclamation.

The face was that of a girl, barely more than a child. She couldn't have been more than fifteen or sixteen years old, and he doubted she was even that. Bright green eyes watched him from beneath tousled black hair, cut short. She was slender, but there was something in the way she stood that suggested strength and was used to having power.

The girl let him stare at her for a moment, measuring him up as he did her. Then an amused smile broke across her face. "Well, Inquisitor? Mirka said you wanted to speak to me."

The words shook his attention back to the present. "Yes." He gave her a brief nod of respect. "I am Brother Petros. Father Abel Nightroad asked me to speak with you."

"Brother Petros, huh?" The girl tapped her lips with one finger, looking thoughtful. "I've heard of you, from Cardinal Sforza and Ion." Petros was almost startled to hear her use the young Earl of Memphis's informal name, but he had a feeling that she didn't think twice about it. He shelved the knowledge away. "I've also heard about you from Abel too. They think rather highly of you." She smiled. "Well, then. I'm Seth. It's good to meet you, Brother Petros."

"Indeed. Father Nightroad said you could give me some information regarding the Order of Rosenkreutz."

"Well, he's probably right about that, but tell me something." Concern replaced amusement in her eyes. "Where is Abel? I thought he was going to contact me himself. Has something happened to him?"

Petros shifted his weight. "He was detained, regarding events in Albion six months ago. However, he did ask me to reassure you that he is well."

"Huh. Six months ago…" Her eyes unfocused, and when they met his again, there was worry in them. "I was afraid of that. They're trying to find out more about his death, aren't they?"

Petros nodded. "The Cardinal di Medici is questioning those events. However, I have been keeping an eye on the situation, and on Father Nightroad. He is fine."

"Well, if you say so." She gave him a relieved grin. "I suppose it's all right. Besides, I know Lady Caterina is also keeping an eye on him, and she didn't seem like the type to let him get into too much trouble." She sighed, then settled into a relaxed position. "So tell me, what is it you want to know?"

"Father Nightroad said you informed him that you had infiltrated an Order stronghold."

"I have." Seth nodded. "It was just over a year ago, actually. I haven't shared much of the information, but I can send it to you." She looked away, one hand reaching out, beyond the screen's view. "They've got a lot of lower ranked members, rogue Methuselah and the like working with them. They've also got a number of what they call Death Hunters. You probably saw those in the Albion incidents." She frowned. "I'm afraid I can't give you exact numbers on either of those. What I can tell you…there's one member there who specializes in making Dolls. I think they may be like Cardinal Sforza's agent, Father Tres. At least if what I've heard of him matches up, they'll be very similar. I don't know how many have been made, but they're probably more dangerous than the other two."

"Indeed." Petros had seen Tres in battle, and while he personally would enjoy combating a man of such skill, he had no illusions about the cost of fighting an army of the creatures. "Any others?"

"Yes. There are at least six…perhaps more, core members of the Order. The most dangerous ones. I don't have much information on them. I didn't even see all of them. But the worst will be the ones they call the Wizard, the Puppet Master, and possibly the Ice Witch. I'll send you what I know."

Petros made an annoyed sound. "I am aware of all three individuals you speak of. However, more information is appreciated." He hesitated a moment. "And what of the one they call the Contra Mundi? Their leader."

"The Contra Mundi…" Seth paused. Her voice was softer when she spoke. "Has Abel told you anything?"

"Only that it was the man he fought in Albion. He told me you would be able to give me more information." Petros frowned. "He instructed me to ask you for the files within the RMOC database."

Seth's eyes widened. "Abel…he said for you to look at that?" Dismay, almost fear, filled the green eyes. "He truly…he's agreed to let you see that?"

Petros nodded. "He gave me a password, to give you if you doubt my words."

Seth took a deep breath. "I don't doubt you, Brother Petros, but I'd like it if you'd tell me what Abel said to you. I have to know what he's asking."

"He said to tell you it was a request from Lieutenant Colonel Nightroad, Mars Security. He said you would explain it to me." One fist clenched, out of sight of the projector screen. "I assume you know what he meant by that phrase."

"I do. It's Abel's old rank, from a very long time ago." Seth took another deep breath. "Abel's being reckless, asking to let you see that." She sighed. "He's right. It will tell you more about the Contra Mundi. But…" She shook her head, leaving the thought unfinished. "Well, if that's Abel's decision, and if he's already told you that much…I guess I might as well follow his lead." She reached out again. "I do have a request to make of you in return, Brother Petros."

"What request?"

"I'll send you the file. But I'd like it if you would maintain the connection while you read it. You may have questions, and when you're done with it, there's something I have to ask you. Besides, this information…I'd prefer it if it didn't leave the place you're standing right now."

"I understand. However, this isn't my console."

"It's all right." Caterina spoke from where she'd been sitting at her desk throughout his entire call. "I don't object." She sighed. "It may be expensive, and I've no doubt Brother will insist I treat it as a personal expense, however, this is important. Leave the channel open as long as you need to Brother Petros. That is an order."

"As you command." He turned back to the screen. "Very well. Show me this file."

The girl nodded, and he saw her shoulder shift slightly. Then an image appeared on the monitor console attached to the projection console. He took a chair, settled himself carefully into it so his armor wouldn't damage the Cardinal's furniture, and began to read.

An hour and a half later, he'd finished reading the material. He clenched his teeth, uncertain whether he was furious or horrified by the information he'd just uncovered. He had a feeling that there was more he wasn't seeing, but whether it was because this girl didn't know or because it was being withheld, he didn't know. He wasn't sure he cared at this point. The information he had was enough to start with. The Red Mars Project. The Contra Mundi. Father Nightroad. On the surface of it, what he'd just read was impossible. And yet, he believed it. There was no point in concocting such a story. There were too may details that even he could verify. And the information on Abel…he ground his teeth.

"So then. Now you know." The soft words drew his attention away from the screen, back to the projection of the slender girl. She met his eyes, fear and sadness reflected in her own. "Now you know some of what Abel is hiding. Some of the things he holds in his memories. And you know a little more about who _he_ is." The word was said with such fear and loathing he knew she meant the Contra Mundi, not the priest.

"Indeed. However, you know more, don't you?" He met her eyes with a challenging stare. "This information is helpful, and certainly revealing, but there's still more you haven't told me."

"There is. But some of it is personal to me. I don't know you well enough to tell you those things yet." She gave him a challenging smile. "As for the rest…" She sighed and the smile dropped away. "There is a great deal I haven't given you. But those things…those are Abel's. And even if he gave me permission, I'm not sure I'd tell you that. There are some things that only Abel should tell you. If he hasn't spoken of it yet, then it means he can't. I'm not going to risk him by telling you things he may not be able to handle."

He remembered Abel, kneeling on the floor and shaking from the truth serum in his blood. Remembered the desperate words. _'I…can't talk about him.' _The anguish in his eyes. "I see."

"Well then…what will you do?" Seth looked him in the eyes, holding his gaze with her own. "Now that you know about him…what will you do with Abel?"

Petros clenched his jaw shut, considering. What he'd read was more than enough to condemn the man. If Cardinal di Medici saw the information, he would have the AX priest either executed immediately or hauled down to the labs of the lower Vatican and tortured until he broke or died, in ways that even Petros didn't like to think about. His own mind was confused, the knowledge he now possessed warring with what he'd known of the Vatican priest before this. Finally, he shook his head. "I haven't decided yet. I need to think about this."

"I suppose that's fair." Seth sighed. "I need to be getting back to my own work. Is there anything else you need to know?"

"Not at this time." Petros shook his head. Seth nodded, her eyes dark with concern, and a second later, both her image and the words on the desk disappeared. Petros stared at the desk a moment longer, then rose and bowed to the Cardinal. "If you'll excuse me."

"Of course." She nodded gracefully. "If I may ask, what do you intend to do now?"

Petros bit back a growl. "I will continue my efforts to locate the Queen of Albion. As for my dealings with Father Nightroad…" He met her cool stare with a scowl. "I will decide that later, when I've had a chance to review the information Lady Seth has given me." Before she could ask him anything else, he bowed and left.

He was working three days later when a summons arrived from the Church Council. He suppressed a growl of annoyance, then rose from his desk and settled his uniform.

He arrived in the Council Chambers to find the Pope, both Cardinals, and a majority of the church Council waiting for him. Caterina's expression was grave, and Francesco's was furious. Petros strode forward to the dais, trying to ignore the feeling of unease that was making his spine tense. He bowed before the slight figure in the center seat. "Your Holiness. I understand you requested my presence?"

"I…well, yes. That is…there was something Brother wanted to ask you…" The youth hesitated a moment. "I…well, we were wondering…about Father Nightroad. About…what you've found out."

"About Father Nightroad?" Petros looked up.

"Exactly." Cardinal di Medici rose from his seat, his face almost as red as his robes. "Why has there been no report from you on the matter?" He moved forward. "Not only have you failed to report any results from your own interrogation, I received a report three days ago that you deliberately interfered with an interrogation I ordered. Perhaps you'd care to explain _that._"

Petros bowed his head. "With all due respect, Your Excellency, I felt that the methods your men used were ill-advised. I have seen Father Nightroad in action. If he is pressed too far, his powers may activate. I believe it unwise to use such methods, when there is a risk we could have the Vatican dropped on our heads."

"Then you should have taken the proper precautions in dealing with him." Francesco scowled at him. "Why have you not done so?"

"I do not feel it is necessary." Petros shifted uncomfortably. His mind was whirling with everything he knew of Abel, and he wasn't sure what to say.

"We are dealing with a man who was declared dead! A man who may have sold his allegiance to the Order, at the very least. There is no such thing as being too harsh in this case!" Francesco turned to face the Pope. "Holiness, I ask that you allow me to conduct a full Interrogation of Father Nightroad. If Brother Petros is so concerned about his powers, then we should move him at once and make sure he is unable to act, no matter what must be done!"

Petros flinched, and saw Caterina turn pale. But before he could say anything, Alessandro spoke up. "I don't know. Father Nightroad…he didn't seem like such a bad person. I know…I know you're worried, but he didn't seem to be that dangerous. And he…he doesn't seem like the type to betray someone." Nervous brown eyes came up to meet Petros. "I realize…I don't know him that well, but…Brother Petros…is he really…do you think he'd actually betray us? Or that…that he'd hurt the Vatican?"

Petros stiffened, his mind flashing back to the information he'd learned mere days ago. But as unsettling as that knowledge was, it was a different memory that intruded.

He remembered the man who'd allowed himself to be beaten nearly to death, to avoid using his powers on the Inquisitors. The man who'd fought to protect his charges, even at deaths door. And he remembered the weight of Abel's body in his arms, as he carried the fallen priest from the Underground. It occurred to him that Abel had known what he was going to face, had known more than any of them what the true danger was, and had gone to face it alone. He thought of the man who stood chained in the Vatican cell below, who had placed himself in custody to protect his superior, and had accepted his peril for the slim hope of saving one woman.

"Brother Petros?" The Pope was watching him with concerned eyes.

"My apologies, Holiness. I was merely considering your question." He took a deep breath. "I believe you are correct in your assessment of Father Nightroad. I do not believe he is capable of betrayal. And while I concede he _is _a dangerous man, I do not think he will turn his power against the church."

"Then what of the matter of the events in Albion?" Francesco's face was crimson with fury.

"I am not sure. While I'm aware he claimed to have faked his death, I am no longer certain that is the case." Petros frowned. "I questioned him under truth serum, and he seems to honestly not remember anything of it."

"Brother…" Caterina rose from her seat, her face white and stern under the lights. "Let it be. However his revival came about, this matter has nothing to do with the events at hand. And we need Father Nightroad's assistance. He's already proven that he knows more about the Order than anyone else within the Vatican. If we are to assist our allies and defeat them once and for all, we need his abilities."

"It is _because_ of his knowledge of the Order that I insist he be kept under guard and questioned." The two Cardinals faced off, and Petros had the sense they were almost oblivious to anyone else. "There is no guarantee that he isn't preparing to betray us even now."

"Then you doubt the words of both his Holiness and your own Knight?" Caterina's cool gaze held her brothers. "That's rather presumptuous of you. Besides, I submit that we do indeed have proof of Father Nightroad's intentions."

"And what proof is that?" It wasn't Cardinal di Medici who spoke, but one of the Arch-bishops sitting along the walls.

"It's been a week since Father Nightroad was detained, and he's made no attempt to escape. If he's truly an Order operative, then that's a very foolish risk to take. But it's more than that." Caterina turned to face her younger brother. "Holiness, this is the second time this man has been detained and questioned while attempting to help the Vatican foil an enemy plot. And I had the report from one of my other agents that he was beaten and tortured then as well. We've already given him all the reason he needs to betray us, and yet…you know what he's done for us. Surely that is proof enough, that he would willingly stay in confinement and accept his interrogation, simply for coming forward to assist us."

Petros saw a few heads nod. Alessandro, brightened. "That…that's right. I hadn't thought of that, but…"

"Holiness!" Francesco's voice snapped out over the room. "Surely you can not consider releasing him!" His voice dropped. "If, as Brother Petros says, he has no true memory of his return in the Albion, there's no telling what may happen!"

Caterina met her brother's gaze. "I'm quite willing to allow him to stay under observations by one of your Inquisitors, Francesco. And if it will make the Council feel more at ease, I shall have one of my personal physicians examine him thoroughly to make sure everything is as it should be."

"Why should it be one of your physicians, Caterina?"

Caterina met her brother's smirk with one of her own. "Because my doctors actually know what they're looking for, in regards to Abel's condition. He's been under observation for years."

"It…it seems fair." Alessandro sat up a little straighter. "I mean, if we keep an eye on him, and he can actually help us…it seems fair to let him go."

"There's no guarantee he _can _assist us." Francesco scowled.

Petros stepped forward. "With all due respect, Holiness, I must disagree with the Cardinal on that matter. During his questioning, Father Nightroad has several times offered up information to assist us with our search for the Order. While we've been cautious about trusting what he says, it has been helpful."

He thought for a moment that the Cardinal would actually come down off the dais and strike him. But Alessandro sat up straighter. "In that case…Brother, I think it…I think it might be best for us to release him. I mean, we'll still…that is…" The Pope turned his head slightly, to look at Petros. "Brother Petros…I'd like to ask you…if you could continue to watch over him…I'd like it if you would."

Petros bowed his head. "As you wish, Holiness."

"Well, in that case…if there's no further objections…" Alessandro looked around, but none of the Council was opposing him.

"In that case, Holiness, I'd like to see to Father Nightroad's immediate release." Caterina shifted forward. "Time is of the essence, I believe, particularly in regard to the Queen of Albion."

"That is true. Brother Petros…please take Sister with you, and get Father Nightroad."

"Thank you, Holiness." Petros and Caterina both bowed, then turned and strode out of the Council chamber. Caterina waited until they were well out of earshot before she spoke. "You know, you've probably just destroyed your career in the Inquisition." She turned her head, and offered Petros a cool glance. "My brother won't forgive you for going behind his back, nor for protecting Abel."

Petros suppressed a growl. "I did not become God's soldier merely for power. My duty is to serve God and His Holiness in any way I can. If it means irritating the Cardinal, so be it." He looked away from her calculating eyes.

"I see. I'm sure Abel will appreciate it. And for my part…thank you." The Cardinal inclined her head to him. Petros snorted, but made no other response.

A few minutes later, they were at the door to Abel's cell. Petros stuck the key in the lock, feeling a flash of guilt as he did so. He hadn't returned to the room since the communication with the Empire. He frowned, and shook the thought away.

Abel was standing in the same position he'd left him in. His wrists were still stretched to full extension, his cassock still torn. Though the wounds across his body were healed, the eyes he raised were haunted by anguish. "Brother Petros." His voice was hoarse. Then he spotted the slender figure who followed him into the cell. "Lady Caterina."

"Well, Abel. It seems you've gotten yourself into quite a bit of trouble this time." Caterina sighed as she moved over to the chained priest. "Brother is furious about you."

"I know." Abel's voice was quiet. He looked his superior in the eyes. "Caterina…you shouldn't be here. You can't…if they think you're trying to help me…" His face twisted.

"Enough, Abel." Caterina laid a hand on his shoulder. "I know. However, His Holiness ordered your release not ten minutes ago, and I received his permission to come and free you myself."

Petros moved forward and unlocked the shackles binding Abel's wrists. The silver haired man staggered slightly, gasping as cramped muscles protested the movement. His eyes were confused. "His Holiness…"

"I told him that you weren't dangerous, and that you could assist with locating Lady Esther. Brother Petros was kind enough to support me."

"I…thank you." Abel leaned against the wall.

Petros scowled at him. "I will be monitoring you at all times."

"I see." He stood a moment longer, then pushed himself off the wall. "If it's not too much trouble…I'd like to see the information we have so far. Petros was kind enough to give me some data, but…"

"Understood. He'll take you to where you can work." Caterina nodded. "I have things to look into, but I'll send the Professor by with a new uniform for you."

"Thank you." Abel moved toward the door, and as he did so, Caterina saw the raw welts upon one wrist. She caught his hand.

"Abel…"

He didn't look at her. "It's all right. It just…I injured it earlier, and it hasn't had a chance to heal yet. It's fine."

"Hmm. I want you to allow William to look you over anyway. That's an order." Before Abel could protest, she turned and exited the cell.

Abel stood for a moment. He didn't turn, but when he spoke, his voice was taunt with strain. "The RMOC file…did Seth...?"

"I saw the information, yes." Petros scowled at him. He moved forward until he was mere inches away from the other man. "Why are you here, in the Vatican?"

Abel shuddered. "I…I promised Caterina I'd protect her. I promised her…" Something in the way he said it implied he didn't mean Caterina any longer. "I promised…to atone for what I've done…"

"I see." Petros watched his face, read the sincerity there, mixed with anguish that even the passing of years hadn't taken from the man. "Very well. I will assist you."

Abel looked startled. "Then you…the things I've done…and you still…you're still willing to trust me? Even knowing…" His face twisted, and his voice dropped to a whisper. "Even knowing…the sins I've committed?"

"I am aware of your past. However, men can change, and it is God's will that we forgive a repentant sinner." Petros turned his face away, to scowl at a far wall.

"I see. Thank you."

"I'm not finished." Petros whirled back to face the other man, his face set in hard lines. "I know there's something you are keeping from me. I want an answer now: Is it a danger to the Vatican?"

Abel shuddered. "No. I…I swear to you, what I haven't told you…it's a personal matter." He closed his eyes, and when he opened them, there was a strange light in them, almost what Petros would call madness. "I swear, I will tell you…but not…please, not now."

"Very well." Petros nodded, then suddenly brought his staff up to within an inch of Abel's chest. "I'll trust you for now, but I'm warning you. If I find out you're lying to me, or if you stray from God's path then I will crush you."

Abel stared at him. "You mean…if I lose control…" He stopped, saw the confirmation in Petro's face. Relief crossed the pale features. "Thank you."

Petros bit back a growl. "You can thank me by beginning your search for the Queen of Albion."

All trace of amusement vanished from Abel's eyes. "Of course." His expression turned haunted again. "I only pray we'll find her in time." He met Petros eyes, and as one, the two of them moved for the door.

Esther felt as though she was going to go mad.

She'd spent the last few days penned up in her rooms. Though they were luxurious, and Sieglind supplied her every want, she still wasn't permitted to go past the door. Any attempt to leave had been met with Sieglind blocking her path.

Cain hadn't summoned her again, not since that first evening in his chambers. Isaac had visited her twice though, as had Dietrich. The memories of those visits still made her gut twist.

Isaac had lost none of the manners he used as Butler, but the mocking tone to his words, the sly insinuations, made him a different man altogether. She wasn't sure which was worse, the echoes of the man she'd thought was an ally, or the casual cruelty that swirled around him now. He checked her health, spoke to her a few minutes, and then left, to tend to the Contra Mundi.

Bad as he was, Dietrich was worse. He visited merely to tease her. She still remembered his last appearance at her door with a shudder.

_She'd been trying to read when the door opened, revealing Deitrich in the frame. He didn't say anything, just stepped across the threshold with an arrogant swagger and shut the door behind him. "Hello, Esther."_

_She shut the book with a snap, rising to face him. "Dietrich. What are you doing here?"_

_He offered her a tilted, evil grin. "Now Esther, how can you be so cold? After all, we were such good friends in Istvan. I'd think you'd be a little happier to see me."_

"_You tried to kill me. And what you did to the Baron of Luxor…" Esther felt herself shaking in rage._

"_To Radu? You honestly expect me to believe you have sympathy for that pathetic excuse of a man?" Deitrich snorted. "Well, your sympathy for people is one of the things I love about you. But honestly, the man was a traitor to his own Empress. He simply didn't have the stomach to go through with his orders. Really, he should be glad I put him out of his misery by taking over."_

"_Bastard. What you did to him…and to Ion…"_

"_Oh, do calm down. It's simply the way things are done." Dietrich gave her an evil smile and leaned against the wall. "And really, I was quite merciful." He held up one hand, so she could see the glittering lines running between his fingers. "Haven't you ever wondered, Esther? What it would be like to give up and let someone else pull your strings? Just sit back and let someone else do all the hard work, make all the hard choices. And yet, you'll get all the credit. Doesn't that sound rather easy? Even fun in a way." The depraved grin widened. "Just think how easy dealing with Albion would be if you just let me take over." He held out a hand. "I know you didn't get a good first experience, what with having to shoot that priest and all, but I'm sure I could make your next experience much more enjoyable."_

_She jerked backward. "Don't you dare touch me."_

"_Well, if you insist on being so dreary. I suppose I can leave it alone. But honestly, you don't know what you're missing." Dietrich sighed._

"_Get out of here." Esther stood ramrod stiff. She wondered if she could command Sieglind to take Dietrich away._

_To her surprise, the Doll moved forward. "Mistress is distressed. You should leave, sir."_

"_Well, if that's how things are, then I suppose I might as well. It's really too bad. I only came to try and cheer you up a little. Oh well. Later Esther." He waved, then disappeared through the door._

Esther shuddered again at the memory. She wanted desperately to run as far away from the place as she could get, and the fact she couldn't do anything made it nearly unbearable. She took a deep breath, and tried to calm her nerves. If she was too restless, Sieglind would come to check on her. Despite the similarities between the Doll and Father Tres, there was something about Sieglind that made the hair on the back of Esther's neck stand up. Father Tres seemed…businesslike, but there was a warmth to him. Even though he was an android, she could sense something rather like companionship from him. There was nothing of the sort with Sieglind. Only the cold blank stare, and the flat mechanical tones.

Esther closed her eyes and set aside the book she'd been trying to read. She missed Father Tres, and Ion and all the others. But her greatest concern wasn't for them. She took a deep breath, trying to stop the rush of hurt as her thoughts returned once more to the silver-haired priest she'd left behind.

She missed Abel desperately. She hadn't realized, but she depended so much on his calm assessment of things, his way of dealing with situations. Even that wry, almost ridiculous sense of humor, and his tendency to act as if he hadn't enough brains to walk in a straight line with. She missed it all. She bit her lip, fighting back tears as she remembered his gentle, supportive kindness, and how she'd repaid him.

A sharp rap on the door, followed by the whisper of hinges, broke her out of her thoughts. She looked up.

Melchior was standing in the doorway, a bored expression on his face. He moved forward two steps into the room, then snapped his fingers. "Sieglind."

The Doll stepped forward at once. "Master."

"I'm to check your function." He scowled, then shifted his hand over behind the Doll's back. "Diagnostic."

Sieglind froze, and her eyes went even blanker than usual. Melchior frowned again, and spoke to Esther without raising his head. "Well? How is she functioning? If you need the programming altered, tell me now."

Esther shivered at his flat tones. "Well, I'd like to be able to choose what I wear, you know."

Melchior shrugged. "Not my department. It's orders. Mein Herr prefers uniforms, but you aren't part of the order, so he does this. I'm not overruling that."

Esther stiffened her resolve. "Well…I'd like to be able to walk around a little more. I'm not used to being kept in one room like this."

Melchior shrugged again. "Orders. Mein Herr. If you want more freedom, take it up with him. It's not my concern." He frowned, made a few adjustments. "Anything else?"

Esther winced at the utter lack of interest in his tones. She wanted to press the issue, but he clearly didn't care. "No, thank you."

"Very well." Melchior did something else, she couldn't tell what, then shrugged again. "She'll be back online in five minutes. I've adjusted her operational standards to conform to Mein Herr's commands for now. By the way, you'll be joining us for dinner tonight." Without another word, he turned and left the room.

Esther shivered. She wondered if she could feign a sudden debilitating headache, or illness. But she knew it was useless. Sieglind, like Tres, would know she lied. Besides, Cain was likely to demand she come whether she was ill or not. But dinner…in a room full of Methuselah…her gut clenched. She bit her lip, then lifted her chin. No matter what happened, she'd face them like a true Queen of Albion, and a proper member of the AX. She took a deep breath, then returned to her reading, trying to still her nerves.

"You must prepare for dinner, Mistress." Sieglind's cold voice cut through her focus two hours later. Esther sat for a moment, then laid the book aside. The Doll was waiting by the bathing room. "I've prepared your bath. I will be ready to clothe you when you emerge."

Esther nodded, and strode into the room without comment. She wanted to protest, but she remembered Melchior's words. If this was Cain's idea, then there was nothing she could do about it. She stepped into the bath, feeling the warm water wash over her, and fought to relax her tense muscles. Terrified as she was, she didn't want them to know it. She washed her hair, then concentrated on scrubbing her skin thoroughly, grateful she'd been able to keep Sieglind out of here at least.

She emerged from the tub forty-five minutes later, dressed in her robe and undergarments. Sieglind was standing beside the dresser. "Master says you will wear this one."

Esther stared at the pink dress laid out for her. She wasn't sure she wanted to wear it, but Sieglind gave her no time to protest. The Doll simply stepped forward and took her robe, then began to help her into the gown without a word. Esther helped as much as she could. She'd learned, over the past few days that the faster she dressed, the sooner she could ask Sieglind to leave her alone.

Dressing took perhaps twenty minutes. Esther let Sieglind adjust the fall of the pleated skirt, then stared at herself in the mirror while the other brushed out her hair.

Actually wearing the dress was even more uncomfortable than seeing it. She was used to sleeves, or at least straps that went over the shoulders. Instead, this had straps that wrapped firmly about her upper arms, deliberately off the shoulder. They felt loose to her, as if they were going to fall down with the slightest movement.

The bodice of the gown was cut low, far lower than she liked, and formfitting. It hugged her breasts, outlined in golden thread, then wrapped snugly around her waist and hips, before expanding into a frilled skirt that descended to her knees. There, it gave way to a pleated skirt, a shade or two darker, which fell in graceful folds to lie across her ankles. Matching low heels were on her feet. The back of the dress sported a huge burgundy bow, wider than she was, attached to a short train that fell in an asymmetrical arc behind her, to stop at mid-calf. She wasn't wearing any jewelry this time, and in truth, she was grateful for it. The color of the dress and the bow reminded her too much of the way Gyula had dressed her in his wife's dress before setting out to destroy the Vatican. And something about the train reminded her far too much of a wedding dress. She shivered slightly.

"Are you cold, Mistress?" Sieglind spoke behind her.

"No. I'm all right." Esther forced a smile, just a small one, to her lips. Her hands felt clammy.

Sieglind ran the brush across her hair a few more times, then set it down. "I will take you to Master now."

Esther nodded. She didn't speak as Sieglind led her down the hallways. She wanted to run, more than anything, but the dark, hulking shapes of the Autojagers lurking to either side reminded her how pointless that would be, even if Sieglind didn't stop her. Instead, she stiffened her spine and lifted her chin, and concentrated on projecting confidence. She remembered her anger at Dietrich, and at Isaac. It helped, a little.

Finally, Sieglind stopped. Esther stared at the doors. She recognized them…the one's to the Contra Mundi's personal quarters. Her mouth went dry.

Sieglind pushed the door open and bowed. "Enter, Mistress. I will wait outside." Esther swallowed once, then gathered her pride around her and moved forward.

She'd been half afraid there would be hundreds of people there, but to her surprise, less than a dozen people were in the room. She felt herself relax slightly, only to stiffen again as a cold voice spoke in from her left.

"Esther. So glad you could join us this evening." Dietrich moved forward, a small smile on his face, and a glass in one hand. He bowed, slightly, just enough to be mocking. "We thought, since you're our guest, that you might want to meet all your hosts. After all, you're going to get to know us all at some point, so you might as well start now." He gestured. "Here, allow me to introduce you." He took her arm, and led her forcefully toward a chair in the back of the room. "I understand you've already met him, but for the sake of formality, allow me to present you to the head of our Order. Mein Herr, the Lord Contra Mundi. Mein Herr, Lady Esther Blanchett, recently named Queen of Albion." He bowed, and his grip on her arm brought Esther down too.

A soft chuckle greeted his words. "Now Dietrich, that's no way to treat a lady." Esther looked up.

Cain was fully dressed this time. He wore an outfit similar to the one he'd worn last time. A simple white tunic, long enough to touch his calves, embellished with a red stripe down the front, around the collar and hem. Tight-fitting black pants and boots only a shade lighter. The shirt was high collared and long sleeved, though the collar turned down to reveal a hint of a black undershirt. The only difference was the gold braiding that touched his shoulders, and the links on his sleeves. She couldn't say why, but for some reason it reminded her of the military uniforms she'd seen on some of the Albion guards, and on Inquisitors.

He chuckled again, then rose with lazy grace from his seat. "Here, I'll have Isaac introduce you, since Dietrich doesn't have proper manners." His tone was mild, even slightly joking, and Dietrich colored slightly. "You've already met Isaac, of course." He gestured. The dark haired man raised his glass in a salute, then bowed and stepped forward.

"Lady Esther, allow me to present my fellow members of the Order." He gestured. "You've already met Lady Helga von Vogelweide. And of course, Melchior von Neumann, the maker of your servant. His hand lifted to gesture to each remaining person in the room. "Lord Balthasar von Neumann, and his brother Kaspar von Neumann, the elder and younger brothers to Melchior. Also, Gudiern, whom I believe you should remember." A smile touched his face.

Esther swallowed. She did remember Gudiern. She'd never heard him speak, but he'd defended her on Isaac's orders one, in Istvan. The thought made her shiver.

Isaac saw her discomfort, and the smile widened a fraction. "Also, Lady Skorzeny, known better as the Red Baronness." He nodded. "She's our best pilot. I'd venture to say your Sister Kate probably knows her quite well."

Esther swallowed. "Sister…Sister Kate?"

"Of course." Isaac nodded. "They've been enemies for quite some time, especially since that regrettable accident where the Sister was injured."

Esther froze. She felt off-balance, uncertain. She had a sudden terrifying feeling she was the only human in the room, and all her earlier confidence was draining away fast.

"Oh come now, Isaac. You're scaring the poor lady." The man introduced as Balthasar stepped out of the group, holding two glasses with a small smile on his face. "Really, Isaac…how could you have such poor manners. You shouldn't go saying things like that, not when we gathered here to meet her." he stepped forward, held out a glass. "I do apologize if Isaac's making you uncomfortable, Lady Esther. Here have some wine, and you'll feel a little better."

"Thank you." Esther took the glass and took a quick swallow. "I'm afraid my throat was a bit dry." She offered him a tentative smile back, trying to hold on to her courage.

"Well, I thought so." Balthasar offered her a quick nod. "Skorzeny does love a good fight, and she practically lives in that plane of hers but, you don't need to worry." He tilted his head, light glinting on his shoulder length brown hair. "As my apology, why don't you let me introduce you properly to Kaspar?" His expression turned apologetic. "I'm afraid Melchior isn't the sociable type. He would probably be in his lab if Mein Herr hadn't summoned us. But you should meet Kaspar." He took her hand in his free one, and led her forward before she could protest.

Kaspar von Neumann made Esther's stomach twist with nerves. He was taller than his brother, and more solidly built. Well defined muscles showed in his arms, and he'd shaved his head bald. But imposing as it was, there was a sense of wrongness, of strangeness, that frightened her even more than his physique. It took her a moment to realize that part of it was the way he was dressed. He wore black leather, but cut in a definitely feminine style, with jewelry and a feathery purple boa. He even wore make-up, heavy eyeliner and he'd painted his nails to match. The contrast between dress and face was unsettling.

He smiled as Balthasar led her forward. "Oh, hello. You're lady Esther." He turned to face them, and to Esther's surprise, he dipped her a curtsy, not a bow. "It's nice to have another girl in the group." He took a step forward, and Esther saw him inhale. "You smell very good."

Esther shivered, and Balthasar clasped her hand a little tighter. "Kaspar. Behave properly."

The man's expression dropped into a grimace. "Sorry brother." He dipped his head, then turned back to Esther. "He's always very careful about taking care of me. But then, I'm the youngest, and the only sister he has."

The matter-of-fact tone caught Esther completely off guard. "Sister? But you…" Balthasar's squeeze caught her words and stopped her. She looked up to see his expression, and he gave a faint shake of his head. "I see." She felt her stomach growl, and looked back at the man beside her. "If you don't mind, I'm a little hungry."

"Of course." He nodded to his brother, then turned and led her toward the tables. "Don't mind Kaspar. We're not entirely sure why but…he seems to prefer being a girl. Please, don't let it trouble you."

"Oh, it's all right." Esther took the plate he gave her, and forced a small smile to her lips. "I was just rather startled. What he said…"

A cold drawling voice interrupted. "Why Balthasar…playing nice to our guest?"

"Helga." Balthasar turned. "Have you met Lady Esther?"

Helga sniffed. "I've met the girl. Although…" She cast an eye in Esther's direction. "I'm not sure lady is the appropriate word for such a little scarecrow, and a Terran at that. Still…you're always so polite, Balthasar." She offered a mocking tilt of her head. "Welcome to the Order…Lady Esther."

The words were edged in acid politeness, and Esther felt indignation flood through her. She bit her lip, and forced herself to remain calm. "Thank you, Lady Vogelweide."

A sneer touched her face. "Trust a Terran girl not to know proper etiquette." She moved forward. "A German noble of proper rank is always addressed with 'von' in their surname."

"And a Queen is always addressed with Your Highness." Dietrich moved forward, a cold smile on his lips. "Or had you forgotten that Esther _is _a queen?" He sighed theatrically. "Honestly, and here I thought your memory was better than that, along with your manners."

Helga sniffed again. "As if I'd care about a lecture given to me by a boy not even capable of handling wine like a proper man."

Dietrich shrugged, but Esther saw his hand tighten around his glass. "Well, I don't mind, as long as you're the one to clean up the mess. But then, we wouldn't want to spoil those looks of yours, now would we?" There was a sneer on his face. "Pity. It might make you look better to get a little dirt on you. After all, Esther used to look very charming in a little bit of dirt and blood."

Helga snorted. "Well, that's not much of a surprise. After all, they do say a little grime will make any street urchin look more agreeable. Even if she is a queen, Terrans are so fond of mucking about in the dirt." Her sneer turned Esther's blood hot.

"At least I'm capable of doing things." She drew herself up and faced the other woman with fury in her eyes. "I'd rather be a Terran working in the fields than a spoiled weak woman like you."

Dietrich chuckled. "Temper, temper. Esther, you really should watch who you're talking to. After all, even if she is weaker than I am…you're still at a disadvantage, aren't you?"

"You stay out of this, von Lohengrin." Helga's eyes snapped up to his, before she turned back to Esther. "And you…" Her sneer was sharp and hard. "You might be a queen, but you should remember your place. You're still just a Terran, and a child at that. Don't think to test your will against me, the Ice Witch." She laughed. "You and Dietrich…little brats should stay where they belong. And Terran weaklings should behave like the sheep they are."

"You…" Temper and fear got the better of her. Though she'd sworn to remain calm, Helga's mocking sneer pushed her over the edge. "Don't you dare speak about us like that!" Her hand snapped out, quick and hard. She wasn't sure whether she meant to strike the other woman or not, only that the fury in her blood wouldn't let her remain still.

Helga's hand snapped up, something glittering around her wrist. Esther felt the sharp crack as their arms collided, and bit back a cry as pain slashed through her wrist.

Dietrich laughed. "Really now, Ice Witch. You ought to be a little more consistent. After all, if Esther's so weak, you shouldn't have had to bring out your toy. Or do you just like showing off?"

Helga didn't speak. Esther shifted, ready to whirl on Dietrich, but pain flashed through her arm. She gasped and looked down.

Her wrist was crimson with blood dripping from a four inch wound across her arm. It flowed down her wrist, down her hand. Even as she watched, the first crimson drops spilled to the floor. For a moment, all she could focus on was the pain and sock of the injury. Then she looked up, and felt her heart start pounding in terror.

Every Methuselah in the room was staring at her. Isaac's eyes were bright with interest, but worse were the other looks. Cold calculation, and in Kaspar's case, outright bloodlust. She flinched, and turned toward the door. _I'm bleeding. They're Methuselah. I…I have to get out of here._

She'd gotten two steps when a sudden cold grip caught her from behind. She jerked hard at the wrist, and whirled to find Dietrich holding her, a smug expression on his face. "Let me go."

"Well, I can hardly do that in your current condition, now can I?" Dietrich's smile was cruel, the same one she'd seen in the dungeons of the Empire. "After all, that is a rather nasty cut you've got there. We should at least take care of it."

His strong hand held her arm, and his other hand snaked around her and pinned her. He looked up. "Hey Isaac. It looks like Esther's making a bit of a mess." There was a hint of amusement in his tones. "Perhaps you could help me clean her up. I'd do it myself, but I don't think she'll stay still. But you do have some experience with this, don't you?"

Kampfer laughed. Esther didn't see him move, but he was suddenly beside her. "You're right. I do have some experience with the Lady's wounds." He smiled at her, bloodlust mixing with cruelty and amusement in his eyes. "If you'll allow me."

He took her dripping wrist in his hand, and bowed his head over it. Esther shuddered as she felt his tongue slide across the cut, drinking her blood. She tried to pull away, but there was no chance.

Helga made a small noise of disgust. "Really. Just what I'd expect of you, Kampfer. To drink straight blood like that…it's disgusting."

Kampfer raised his head, and Esther saw a dark, sated light in his eyes. He turned. "Well, I'll admit, it isn't my first choice. But then…Lady Esther does have _very _ special blood. But perhaps you'd like to find out for yourself. Unless, you're too delicate to do so. After all, there are some nobles who can't stomach real blood." His smile was cold and challenging.

"Hmmph. I don't see what could possibly be so special about one Terran brat's blood. But I'm not as weak as the Puppet Master here." She moved forward, and took Esther's wrist in an iron grip. Esther bit back a gasp of pain as the long sharp nails dug deep into her skin, ripping the wound wider. "Let's see what's so impressive about you." She jerked Esther's wrist up roughly, and bit into the skin.

Esther flinched as the other woman moved away, an odd look on her face. The sight of her own blood coating Helga's lips made Esther shudder. "No…"

"Oh. I'd like to try a taste." Kaspar moved forward, bloodlust shining bright in his eyes. "She smells so good. May I?"

Balthasar waved a hand. "You'll have to excuse me, Lady." His tone was apologetic, but his eyes were amused. "He'll keep after you if I don't let him now. Just a taste though, dear. Let us know what she's like."

"Of course." Esther had no time to even think about moving before the man seized her and latched onto her wrist.

He drank greedily, great gulps of her blood, until Balthasar spoke again. "Enough."

Kaspar backed away, rubbing his lips. "She's so good, brother. Really. You should try. Just a drink. The taste of her…it makes me feel…good. Warm." He chuckled softly, and the sound reminded Esther of the way the Fleur du Mal members had sounded just before they'd tried to rape her. "Excited." He smiled, and shifted his hips, gave Kampfer a slow, sensuous smile. "You feel it too, right?"

"Hmmm…well, I can't say I don't. But I'm afraid you're not quite my type."

"Oh, but I can be. You know I can." Kaspar favored him with another of those looks. Then he turned to the silent form of Gudiern. "Or maybe you? I like a big strong man."

Esther shivered. Hegla laughed. "Well, I have to admit, for once Isaac was right." She tipped a glass, held it to Esther's wound, then turned and held it out to the silent man standing nearby. "Have a taste, Melchior. I'll even vouch for the vintage this time."

He didn't say anything, but he took the glass. Esther watched helplessly, a sick feeling in the bottom of her stomach as he drank her blood, and a slow dark smile slid across his face. Then her attention was caught by another touch on her arm.

Balthasar stood before her, his eyes still amused. It shook her, the air of gentlemanly composure as he took her arm. "Well, my dear. I'm afraid I've gotten rather curious. It's not often I see my brother like that." He titled his head to where Kaspar was still winding himself around Gudiern. Then his eyes shifted slightly, to Helga and Melchior talking in low tones. "I hope you'll indulge me." He tilted his head to her arm, and obscene mockery of a bow, and drank. Then he took a glass from the nearby table, poured part of the wine onto the floor, and licked her wound again, making the red blood flow faster. He caught it in the cup and held it out to Skorzeny. "Shall we join in the fun, my dear?"

Esther shuddered at the naked look of lust in his eyes. She saw Isaac, strolling over to join Gudiern and Kampfer. There was something indecent about the way he moved, the way the two men touched each other. Panic flooded her body. "No… stop."

Balthasar turned, and there was a drunken look about him. "I'm sorry Lady Esther. Did you want to join us?" There was a blur of movement, and then he was beside her. To Esther's horror, one hand came up and touched her breast, slid across her stomach. "I'm sure we can accommodate you. Especially since you were so kind as to bring refreshments."

"No! Let go of me!" Esther struggled, but the blood loss was making her dizzy. She shuddered at his touch.

"Ah. Not ready yet? Well, Dietrich can help with that. Right Puppet Master?" he smiled. "I'm sure Skorzeny and I can work on something in the meantime." He smiled at the woman behind him, moved closer to her. "You know… that red you wear…most enticing." Esther shuddered.

"Well, this is interesting." Dietrich's voice came from over her shoulder. "I've seen blood excite them before, but I have to admit, it's never been quite this amusing." Esther tried to pull away from him, and he laughed. "You didn't know, did you? Fresh blood can arouse more than just feeding in a Methuselah." His free hand travelled up, over her stomach and chest, to stroke her face. The touch made her sick, even more so when she saw Melchior making a similar gesture to Helga. And Kampfer and Kaspar…she felt as though she was going to faint. Dietrich stroked her face again. "What do you think Esther? Should we join them? If you like, I'll even give you a little help."

The world felt as if it was spinning too fast, and there was a strange roaring in her ears. She felt sick, her heart pounding so hard she thought it would break her ribs. She couldn't seem to get her balance. But the leer on Dietrich's face, the movements of the others terrified her. "No. Let go of me!"

She fought, but Dietrich's grip was too strong, and her strength was fading too fast. Despair seized her. _Help me…_

Something strong closed suddenly around her wrist. A voice spoke from just beside her, cool and slightly amused. "You know, I think that's quite enough."

"Mein Herr." Deitrich's tone was suddenly respectful. She felt the clasp of his hand disappear. She took a deep breath, and tried to bring the world back into focus.

Cain had moved. She'd almost forgotten him, sitting in his throne. But now he stood beside her, one lean, pale hand closed around her wrist. He looked at her face, at the blood still dripping from her wrist, and made a soft noise of amused exasperation. "Really now. If you drain her blood, then I can't find out what Abel wants with her. And I won't be able to figure out why she and Abel are so close. I thought I told you I wanted her taken proper care of." He shook his head. "Really, Dietrich. You are such a foolish boy. And Isaac…" He shook his head. "Well, I suppose I'll take care of it myself."

"Mein Herr…" Dietrich stopped as Cain waved a negligent hand at him Cain reached out, and brushed his free hand across the trail of blood on Esther's hand. He brought it absently to his lips. "Well now, you do smell interesting. I see what Isaac means." He licked the blood from his fingers in a casual gesture, and she saw real interest in his face. "That really is rather interesting, Lady Esther." He bent his head to her wrist.

Esther went rigid in terror. _What is he…what is he going to do to me?_ She remembered Abel's death at his hands. Panic crashed over her once more. "No. Let go of me! Let go! Stay away from me!" She jerked at her arm, hard enough to make her shoulder pop, but it made no difference.

Cain's tongue ran across the cut, a strong forceful stroke that made her shudder in a renewed flare of pain. His hand tightened sharply on her arm, just above the cut. "There. That ought to stop that." His voice carried a hint of a chuckle. "Isaac. Your handkerchief." He held out a hand. His touch was deft and impersonal as he wrapped the length of cloth around the wound. "There. That should hold until the bleeding stops." He smiled at her. "You really do have interesting blood, Esther."

The words pounded in her ears, crashing over her and leaving her dizzy with panic and weakness. "Keep away from me!"

"Hmmm?" Cain regarded her with mild surprise. "Oh. Well, I suppose you're not feeling too well now?" He sighed. "This is rather inconvenient. Really, Isaac…" He sighed again.

A strong grip seized her, and she felt herself lifted from the floor. She struggled, but she hadn't the strength to do anything more than push feebly at the chest of the man who held her. Greyness and spots clouded her vision. She heard a door open, and Cain's voice, speaking to someone else. "Sieglind. Take her to her quarters, and tend to her."

"Yes Master." Esther felt herself released from one set of hands to another, and the world went black.


	18. Fourteen: History

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Well here it is folks chapter 14 and more or less on time the delaine for my editor giving this to me was yesterday and by Joe did she deliver ^^.

I also wanna thank all the new comers and watchers of the this story, for faving and alerting **TBWC** to their accounts you're just in time now for a new update the next one will be on it way for Halloween and what _**perfect**_ timing that will be too. Also thanks to you guys whom have reviewed chapter 13. I really appreciate all fo your comments so far with the fictions progress. Again this is another dresses in here that U can view on my **DEviantart** page just go to my profile page an you'll find two new links there that will take you the gallery where all the outfits Esther wears will be shown.

**DISCLAIMER:**All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to one my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her own TB stories on which are awesome. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice:****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage Against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). ** In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter ****Fourteen - History**

"Damn." The softly muttered word broke Petros' concentration. He looked up from his desk, to the computer console he'd had set up in his office.

Abel was sitting at the desk staring at the screen, and his eyes were dark with anger and frustration. Petros knew how he felt. Despite all the agents out in the field, so far they'd come up with nothing. There was simply too much ground to search, and they hadn't had enough time. He knew Caterina had spoken to Antonio, and her own agents, but so far no one had found anything of note. With a snarl of frustration, and not a little exhaustion, Petros set the papers he was looking through to one side, and studied the man before him.

_Abel had gone straight from his prison cell to the Iron Maiden, waiting in the Vatican dock. He'd spent hours working with Father Tres, studying the satellite information. Petros had watched him working at the computer on board the ship. He wasn't very fluent in computer technology, no more than he had to be, but even he'd known that some of the things Abel was looking at were far beyond normal protocols. Even the sister in charge of the ship, Sister Kate, had been startled by some of the things Abel had done with her computer. But it hadn't made a difference. He'd left the ship, his lower lip caught between his teeth, and an expression of mixed anger and pain on his face. He stopped at the bottom of the ramp. "Brother Petros…"_

_Petros growled and took the man's shoulder. "I have work to do. I've had Paula set up a desk for you in my office. She will supply you with the information my knights have gathered on the Order of Rosenkreutz to date. You will work there."_

_Abel nodded. Petros whipped his head around. "Father Tres. Inform Cardinal Sforza that Father Nightroad will be assisting me in my offices, until I say otherwise."_

"_Positive. Further information from the AX Department will be copied to your files." Tres turned to Abel. "Father Nightroad. At this time, you should begin analyzing the movements of the Order. There may be a pattern we have not identified."_

"_I will." Abel shifted his weight. "Brother Petros….If we could go, please."_

Petros bit back another growl. They'd been in his office ever since that conversation. He was used to going short on sleep, but Abel had been working non-stop for over twelve hours. He understood the other man's desperation. The young Queen of Albion had, after all, been his protégé and partner for over a year. But still…he looked over at the desk, where Abel was once more hunched over the screen, working furiously. A normal man should have collapsed by now. Petros wasn't sure which he wanted more, a good fight, or a shower and a few hours sleep.

There was a knock on the door. Petros looked up, but Abel didn't even move. "Enter."

One of Caterina's agents, the man who'd identified himself as Professor Wordsworth, stepped through the door. "Ah, Brother Petros. I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"No. What do you need?"

"Hmm. Well, I came down with the latest reports from Father Hugue and Sister Kaya." He waved two sets of paper at Petros. "But since I'm down here, I thought I'd go ahead and take a look at Abel, if you don't mind."

That got the silver-haired priest's attention. "Professor, I'm fine."

"Hmmm. Well, I can certainly believe you want to think that. However, Abel…" He sighed. "It's not good for even you to push yourself too hard."

"I'm all right." Abel's eyes were dark with mixed emotions.

"Well, I won't push it too far, if you're that insistent. However…" He looked into Abel's face, and his eyes were concerned. "When was the last time you slept properly, my friend?"

"I'm not tired."

"Well, you can say that all you like, but you look exhausted. And when was the last time you ate or drank anything?" William stuck his pipe between his teeth, and frowned at his comrade. The other man flushed and looked away. "You haven't, have you? I'd be surprised if they gave you much while you were in that cell, but you haven't eaten since you got out, either, have you?" He turned to Petros, and Petros nodded slightly, confirming his words. "Abel, you can't afford to be so reckless. You're body needs nourishment, even if it's just that wretched tea you insist on drinking." He smiled lightly, but then the smile vanished. "Honestly, my friend. You know you can't afford to take risks. It's bad enough if one of us gets into trouble. With your condition…"

"My condition isn't a problem, Professor." Abel's face was darkened with anger, or something close to it. "I can't afford…."

"You can't afford to get into trouble if your system goes too far out of balance." The Professor sighed, then set his pipe down on the desk. "I understand you're worried about Esther. We all are. But if you push yourself into a dangerous state, then we can't help you." He looked into Abel's face, then sighed. "At least let me check your blood sugar, and allow Kate to send you some tea." He held up his hands. "I promise, I won't drug it. I'll even put the sugar in for you. But you have to allow us that much, Abel."

For a moment, Petros thought the other man might refuse. But then his hands came up, and he roughly removed his outer cassock, and unfastened the right sleeve. "Very well. Let's get this over with." He pushed the sleeve up and extended one pale wrist.

"Thank you." Wordsworth pulled a set of needles and tubes from a pocket of his own uniform, and with a quick, deft movement, slipped the needle into his fellow AX member's wrist. Abel flinched slightly, but made no sound. Petros had a feeling he was watching a scene that had occurred before. He recalled that Caterina had mentioned Abel was under observation, and wondered how often the man had been submitted to this procedure.

William drew a vial of blood, then a smaller syringe full. He capped the vial and slipped it into a pocket, then pulled another device from his robes and dripped the contents of the syringe on it. The device beeped a few moments, then lit up. He frowned. "I was right. Your blood sugar is slipping, Abel. If it were anyone else, I'd ask why you aren't unconscious right now."

"I…" The Professor held up a hand, silencing whatever Abel had been about to say.

"You need food. I realize you're upset, but…it's not as if you're incapable of eating and working at the same time. Particularly if it's only desk work." He laid a gentle hand on the other man's shoulder. "I'll get Kate to send some tea and sandwiches. I won't ask anything more of you, but at least eat those."

"If you insist." Abel nodded. Then he turned back to his desk. "If you'll excuse me, William, I have work to do."

There was concern in the brown eyes, but the other man didn't press him. Instead he turned to Petros and offered him a brief grin. "Sorry to interrupt you, Brother Petros, but…may I have a word with you?"

"Yes." Petros rose from his seat, slightly glad of the distraction. He followed the Professor out into the hallway. "What is it? Speak quickly."

"Well, it's nothing major. However, I was wondering if this was interfering with your other duties." William stuck the pipe between his teeth, and stared down the hall.

"My primary assignment at this time is to assist with the search for the Queen of Albion, and to watch over Father Nightroad." Petros let a bit of a growl seep into his words.

"Yes, yes, I'm well aware of that. But even so, you still have your duties for His Holiness, and you are still a Bureau Director for the Inquisition, correct?" Dark brown eyes met his.

"I am. However…"

"I understand. However…" The Professor's stare turned grave. "I've seen Abel like this once or twice before. It doesn't happen often, but when it does…he'll drive himself to insanity or self destruction in this mood. Which is why I'm concerned."

Petros stared at him for a moment, then glared down the hall. "You wish me to use my other duties as an excuse to force him to rest?"

"No. Nothing like that. However, if you should happen to be needed elsewhere and decide to leave Abel in our custody, properly monitored of course, then Caterina and I will do what we can. It's not much, but we can at least keep a closer eye on him. And Caterina may be able to force him to rest."

"I see." Petros frowned. "Is his condition that serious?"

Wordsworth shrugged. "To be honest, I'm not entirely certain yet. I won't know until I've had a chance to analyze Abel's blood." He tapped the pocket where he'd stored the vial. "It will tell me if his body has begun to change yet, and how." He fixed Petros with another stare. "However, I do need to ask you a question. When Abel was confined…what happened?"

"What do you mean?" Petros was taken aback.

"Well…what I want to know is how severe the conditions were. Caterina told me there was an incident, but I'm afraid I don't have the details. Without them, I'll have more trouble predicting Abel's condition. That's why I asked you to join me."

"I see. What do you need to know?" Petros shifted to lean against the wall.

"Did he eat or drink anything during that time?"

"I gave him some bread and water during his initial confinement." Petros shifted slightly. "However, for the past three days, I did not visit his cell. The orders given to the guards were only to make sure he remained alive, and in the cell."

"So they may _not_ have given him anything." The Professor frowned. "And his physical condition? What sort of stress was he under?"

Petros thought. "For the initial imprisonment, I had him chained to a shackle-bolt at shoulder height. He could sit or stand, though uncomfortably. However, when he was questioned, he was chained in a standing position, spread-eagled."

"Ah. That would place a greater strain on his body." The man chewed his pipe for a moment. "And what of the wounds themselves?"

Petros frowned again. "Deep bruising over his face, arms and body, I would guess it was all above the belt. And perhaps a dozen…two dozen light cuts, the product of a whip that one of the Cardinal's men used. And one wrist was torn, and did not heal until after his release."

"Hmm…that's troubling." William frowned. "You said he was beaten and whipped? More than once?"

Petros growled. "Not to my knowledge. I instructed my men to leave him alone. There were no marks of any further wounds when Cardinal Sforza and I released him."

"I see." He inclined his head. "I appreciate your time. This information will certainly help." He turned to go.

Petros caught one arm. "Is he a danger to the Vatican?"

"I doubt it. In that kind of condition…" He considered a moment, then shook his head. "Abel's dealt with far worse and been all right. On a purely physical level, I suspect he's far from his threshold."

"But you do have some concerns."

"Yes. I do." The brown eyes were troubled. "On a purely physical level, I'm inclined to say it's all right. On an emotional and mental one, however…well, I can't be nearly as certain. You've seen for yourself the state he's in." Petros nodded. "In that condition, there's really no telling how it affects him. And after his revival in Albion…his body has changed, and I'm afraid I don't really have a good measure of how those changes work yet. We'll have to play it by ear for a while."

"I see." He released the AX operative, and settled back against the wall. "In that case, I will take your request under consideration."

William offered him a grin. "I do appreciate it." The smile turned rueful. "I apologize for taking up your time. Tell you what. As a token of my gratitude, I'll make sure Kate sends you some tea and sandwiches as well."

He almost refused by reflex. But the thought of tea sounded good, and he could feel a slight ache in his stomach, reminding him that he hadn't eaten in half a day or more. Not since he'd released Abel. He nodded, then turned without further words and stepped back into his office.

Half an hour later, there was another knock at the door and a young novice entered, pushing a cart with two plates and two cups. Petros was startled to note that while one was a proper tea cup, the other looked more like a mug. He glanced into it, and frowned at the contents. "What is this?"

"It's from Sister Kate Scott." The young novice bowed. "She said to give you this as a token of appreciation for all your hard work on Sister Esther's behalf, and Father Nightroad's." She bowed once more, then lifted a plate of sandwiches and the teacup. "Here you are, Sir."

"Thank you." He gestured for her to set them down on the corner of his desk. Then he lifted the mug. "And this?"

"Oh. That's for Father Nightroad." The novice looked at it, coloring a little. "I really don't understand, but Father Wordsworth came in while the Sister and I were preparing things, and he put the Father's tea in that. There's a lot of sugar in it, sir." She made a face.

He remembered what Wordsworth had said to Abel, regarding the tea, and set the mug back down. "Very well. You may give it to him." He pointed to the silver-haired man sitting at the other desk, staring at the screen.

Abel didn't even look up as the novice walked over. She smiled gently and set the tea on his desk. "Father Nightroad, I have something for you, from Father Wordsworth and Sister Kate."

Abel blinked, then looked up. "Ah, yes. Thank you." He reached out and took the tea mug, then stared at the contents.

The young girl placed the plate of sandwiches on the desk, then looked up at him. "I hope you'll forgive me for being rude, but Father Wordsworth said to tell you the sugar was already added, and that he wanted you to drink it all. He said for me to make sure you did."

"I see." Abel's face was impassive. After a moment, he turned back to his computer, but Petros was relieved to see him lift the mug to his lips and take a long swallow. The novice relaxed visibly, watching as he took several more sips of the viscous liquid. Finally, he tilted the mug back, took one more long gulp, and set it back on the surface in front of him. "There. You can tell Father Wordsworth that I've been taken care of." His voice was cold and stern, and yet still gentle somehow.

"Thank you Father. And the sandwiches?"

"I'll eat them later." He turned his gaze back to his work.

After a moment, the girl took the empty mug, and turned back to Petros. "Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"Not at this time." Petros shook his head. The girl bowed and stepped out of his office. He watched the door for a moment, then reached across to take his own teacup, still steaming. He sniffed, smelling the gentle scents of herbs and…it smelled like lemon…then took a cautious sip.

Warmth suffused him, flowing through his tired body. His stomach quit growling almost immediately, and his muscles relaxed slightly. He blinked at the cup, then took a second, longer drink. The second rush of warmth relaxed him further, and cleared his mind a little. He set the cup down, with more than a tinge of appreciation, then picked up a sandwich from the plate, and went back to sifting through the reports on his desk.

He was halfway through the plate of sandwiches when the door flew open. He scowled and looked up, ready to give the intruder a piece of his mind, then rose quickly from his seat. "Cardinal Borgias."

"Hey there, Petros." The young man in Cardinal's robes grinned at him and offered him a quick mock salute. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything." Petros didn't have time to answer before he turned to Abel's desk. "Hey Abel. How are you doing?" he moved over. "I heard you got in trouble, but you look okay to me."

Abel blinked. "Antonio?" He stood abruptly. "Did you find something?"

Antonio Borgia grinned and tapped a finger to the side of his face. "What, no greeting? Honestly Abel, where did your manners go? That's really no way to talk to an old friend, or someone you've been partnered with so many times. Come on, you could at least be polite and say hello."

Abel stiffened. His mouth closed and for a moment, he looked as if he wanted to strike the younger man. Then a sheepish, pained smile touched his face. "Good Evening, Antonio. I do apologize, but…" The smile faded. "There's a lot on my mind."

"Hmmm…well you do have a point there. You _are_ attempting to rescue a damsel in distress." Petros saw the flash of pain across Abel's face, but Antonio didn't seem to notice. He simply grinned at the AX priest. "I have to say…you look pretty cool when you get all determined like this. It's one of the things that makes me enjoy working with you." He settled himself against the desk. "Caterina asked me a while back to look into a few things. I haven't heard much since she spoke to me…but you didn't give me much time." He shook his head in mock sadness. "You've really got to learn to pace these things Abel."

"There's no time." Abel sighed. "Antonio…if you have something...please…"

"All right." Antonio grinned and pulled a folder from his robes. "I've actually had a few people looking into this since we met that one girl on the search for D'Este. I was curios about who such a gorgeous woman could be working for." He flashed Abel a smile and a tilt of his head. "There's nothing concrete so far, but there's some _very_ interesting reading material here. I'll let you borrow it, okay? Just remember, you owe me a favor."

"I understand." Abel stretched one hand out, and took the file. "Please…if you do find anything else…"

"For the sake of a pretty girl? Sure." Antonio shrugged, then pushed off the desk and strode over to Petros. "Here you are, Petros. I made a copy for you as well." He grinned and dropped the folder on his desk, then leaned in closer. "To be honest, I don't mind. Having that sweetheart Caterina actually talking to me was good enough for now. I'll let you have this one for free. Only don't tell Abel, okay?" The grin widened into a smirk. "I wanna see what he does. As the Vatican's Public Relations Minister, I always need a good story, and I think Abel is hot material right now." He shot a glance over at the other man.

Petros fought the urge to grind his teeth, or clench his fists. "I'm afraid I don't understand you, Your Excellency."

"No? Well, never mind then. But keep me posted, okay?" Antonio straightened, and carefully resettles his Cardinal's robes and head gear. "I've gotta run. There might be a pretty little sister waiting for me." He gave Petros a second mock salute, then turned and strode out the door.

Petros ground his teeth and fought back a growl. _That man…is infuriating._ He shoved the thought aside, and looked at the folder on his desk. It was nearly an inch thick. He flipped it open to find a report written in Antonio's neat, flowing hand. _He implied that there is information in here worth using._ He pulled the sheet closer, and began to read.

Esther woke slowly. She blinked, struggling to adjust her vision to her surroundings, but everything seemed a little fuzzy. She felt weak and sick, shaky, as she had on occasion after severe illness or injury. She blinked twice more, then tried to push herself into sitting position.

It was a mistake. Pain shot up her left arm, and the world spun and tilted violently. She felt nauseous and dizzy, and the sharp stabbing feeling in her arm made her feel faint. She gasped and fell sideways. Then strong hands caught her and pushed her back into the pillows. She lay for a moment with her eyes closed, waiting for her stomach to settle, then opened them cautiously.

Sieglind stood over her. "Mistress." Her impassive gaze studied Esther for a moment, then she reached to one side and picked up a glass, full of some liquid she couldn't identify. "Master said you must drink this."

Her throat was bone dry. Esther reached for the glass, but her hand was shaking. Instantly, Sieglind took her hand and pressed it back to the bed. "Master instructed me that you are not permitted to move too much. I will assist you."

The Doll's hand slid under her shoulders and levered her upright. Esther fought the nausea as Sieglind brought the glass to her lips. She clenched her jaw for a moment, waiting for it to pass, then took a drink. The liquid was cool, tangy, with overtones of both salt and sugar. It went down easily, and Esther felt her rebellious stomach settle a bit. She drank slowly, savoring the taste and the feel of the liquid easing her parched throat. Finally, it was gone. Sieglind put the cup to one side, and lowered Esther back to the bed. "Master insisted you sleep. Do you need assistance?"

She already felt drowsy, so she shook her head. "No."

"Then I will leave you." The doll disappeared, and Esther fell asleep once more. She woke again, better but still weak, and Sieglind repeated the process. She couldn't even stay awake long enough to ask how long she'd been unconscious.

The third time Esther woke, she felt much stronger. She blinked, relieved to see that the ceiling was clear and stationary once more, then carefully pushed herself upright. This time there was no nausea, no blurred vision and dizziness. Her arms were shaking a little, but not nearly as badly. She stretched cautiously, then winced at the ache in her wrist. She looked at it.

A clean white bandage wound across her left arm, from the heel of her hand to midway up her forearm. Esther shuddered, remembering the vampires, the Order members, licking her wound and the obscene joy in their faces. Another shudder hit her as she remembered who had saved her. _The Contra Mundi…he…he rescued me? But why? And why didn't he stop it sooner?_ She remembered Cain's hand on her arm, his fingers bringing her blood to his lips, and the amused and interested expression on his face._ He…he drank my blood too…but it didn't seem to have the same effect on him. But why…if he's like Father Nightroad…then why did he seem so interested? Father…he told me, he only drinks a vampire's blood. So why…?_

The creak of the door interrupted her thoughts. She looked up, and stiffened as Isaac strode into the room. He stopped, and offered her a quick nod of the head. "Lady Esther. Sieglind informed me you'd awoken, but I was honestly expecting you to be unconscious when I arrived."

Esther clenched her hands in the sheets to stop them from shaking. "What do you want?"

Kampfer made a soft, exasperated noise. "Oh, do calm down. I'm not planning on hurting you. Mein Herr was quite specific that no further damage be done to you." He moved into the room. "My job at the moment is simply to monitor your health and let him know when you've recovered. I assure you, that's all I intend to do."

Before she could move, cold impersonal hands took her arm, and touched the pulse point. She stiffened, but couldn't find the strength to even attempt to move. Isaac stood for a moment, then released her wrist. "Well, it seems your heart is beating properly again, at least." He took her left arm, and unwound the bandage roughly. Esther fought back a wince at the sight of the long gash, surrounded by sporadic puncture marks where they'd bitten her, and two long rakes were Helga's nails had ripped across the cut. "It seems this is healing as well. A pity about that. You did have such interesting blood." He chuckled.

Esther stiffened, and pulled her arm away from his lax grip. "Leave me alone."

Isaac chuckled again. "Well, I can hardly do that, given Mein Herr's orders. However, I assure you, I have no intention of taking any more of your blood. After all, that would get me into trouble. Mein Herr isn't always so tolerant of such things." He stood, raking his hair back away from his face in a languid motion. "It appears you're doing better. I'll let him know. If I were you, I'd expect a summons from him, so you should probably rest up a little more while you have the chance." He disappeared.

Esther settled back against the pillows, shaking. She bit her lip, trying to control her emotions. To see _him_ again…

She was grateful to Cain for saving her from the others, and stopping the bleeding. But the memory of his tongue across her wound sent cold chills through her. The visions of someone who looked so like Abel doing that, and the tone of his words, had frightened her. She didn't know which worried her more, the fact that he'd saved her, or the fact that he'd let her be attacked, and done nothing. She clenched her hands into fists, trying to think more rationally about it. _The Contra Mundi…he wants me alive, because of Father Nightroad. There's a chance I can use that to my advantage. If…after this…if he really is concerned about my health as that man says…I can use that. I might be able to walk around a little more._

The thought steadied her a little. She had no idea if it would work, but the chance at freedom was a comforting one. She allowed herself to relax against the pillows, settling into the softness at her back with a sigh. Even the small confrontation with Kampfer had made her tired. She allowed her eyes to close, and fell into darkness once more.

She awoke to the sound of Sieglind pushing back the curtains on the bed. She blinked at the Doll, slightly confused. At her movement, Sieglind turned. "Master wishes to see you, once you are ready. I will get your breakfast."

Esther didn't bother to argue with that. Her stomach was growling furiously, and the mere thought of food made her mouth start to water. She moved carefully to the edge of the bed, and slipped her robe over her nightgown, watching as Sieglind laid out the plates and cups. As soon as the table was set, she settled into a chair and began eating. The food was delicious as always, and revived her.

After she'd eaten as much as she could stand, Sieglind took the plate. "Your bath is ready, Mistress. I will lay out your clothing."

For an instant, Esther was tempted to protest, but then she remembered her resolve, before she'd dropped off. "All right. Thank you." She turned and went into the bathroom.

The hot water eased her stiff muscles, but it stung in her wrist. Esther stared at the unwrapped wound. It had scabbed over, and the angry red she usually associated with newly healing wounds had faded. It was still sore to the touch, but not nearly as much as she'd expected. _If it's healed this much…was I out for a few days, then?_ She'd never been unconscious for so long, but then, she'd never had her blood drained to the extent that she passed out, either. She remembered how she'd woken partially. _I wonder how long I was asleep._ The thought of being unconscious and tended by Kampfer for a few days was unnerving, but she clenched her jaw and set it aside. She had more important things to think about. After a few minutes, she finished her bath, and left the tub, moving to the other room where Sieglind waited for her, another dress laid out on the dresser. Esther stepped into the outfit without comment, her mind only half on the task of dressing. The rest of her thoughts were occupied with how to ask the Contra Mundi to give her some freedom. It was only as she felt Sieglind attach something to her hair that she shook herself out of her daze.

The dress this time was dark purple, a few shades lighter than what was called 'royal purple' by some. It was a simple one-piece design, close-fitting to the hips before falling in a flowing skirt to the floor. The skirt swirled around her, loose and free, and stopped just short of brushing the floor. A delicate silvery braid, studded with small glittering gems, separated the upper half from the lower, circling Esther's back before dropping in the front to a shallow V-curve that mirrored the dress top. The top of the dress went just over her chest, the neckline cut to curve just over her breasts, like the dress she'd worn for her last meeting with the Order members. There were no sleeves to this one either, but to Esther's relief, spaghetti straps went over both shoulders. Though the whole thing still exposed far more of her chest and throat than she liked, at least she didn't feel like the whole thing would fall off if she breathed wrong. She would have preferred wider straps, but it was far better than nothing.

Beyond that, what appeared to be a delicate star brooch, the same color as the braid at her hips settled at the center of her chest, right between her breasts. Esther blinked, realizing then that it was actually sewn into the top as a decoration. The six-leaf star pattern had been sewn in primarily silver thread, with blue and gold and purple highlights shot through it. She shifted slightly to look better at it, and felt something swirl around her. She blinked, then turned slightly.

The straps of the dress were actually a few shades darker than the rest of the dress. In the front, they simply attached to the bodice. In the back, they expanded slightly, before vanishing into a sort of cloak of the same color. As Esther turned, the cloak swirled out around her like a train, or a second skirt.

"Your jewelry, Mistress." Sieglind finished attaching a large royal purple bow to her hair, though how she'd done it despite Esther's movements, she had no idea. The Doll turned to the dresser, then returned with a dark wine colored choker, sporting a lavender pendant. Esther accepted both gratefully. Despite Cain's orders, she was still nervous about having her neck exposed. She let Sieglind fasten the collar, and turned back to the mirror, considering the whole outfit.

"Well, I wouldn't have said purple was your color, but I have to admit…that really does look rather good on you." Dietrich's cold drawling voice startled her. She whirled, her heart suddenly racing.

He was standing by the door, and a smirk crossed his face. "You know, you really ought to pay more attention to your surroundings, Esther. This is a dangerous place." He arched an eyebrow. "You clean up so pretty, much better than that dreary habit you used to wear…although it did bring out the color of your eyes. I suppose that's something I've always liked about you, that you look good in almost anything." He shrugged.

"What do you want, Dietrich?" She clenched her hand into a fist, though whether to avoid striking him or to hide how badly he'd startled her she didn't know.

"Well, it's really rather simple, you know?" He pushed himself off the wall with a lazy movement. "The Contra Mundi wants to see you, and for some reason, he doesn't trust Isaac to be your escort right at the moment. So I'm supposed to take you to him." He shrugged again. "We should probably get going…after all, he's not known to be incredibly patient about such things. And you've already been unconscious for almost four days, so he's getting a little upset."

Esther flinched. She'd guessed she'd been out a while, but still. "Four days?"

"What, you hadn't realized?" Dietrich gave her another smirk. "Isaac and the others really did a number on you."

Esther flushed, this time with anger. "Bastard. Don't act like you had nothing to do with it. You were the one who held me."

He shrugged. "Well, I will confess to helping the process out a bit, but I didn't really think they'd go that far. But…well, what can I say?" He grinned. "I was a little bored, standing around and watching everyone talk, so I thought I'd have a little amusement. And really, it was quite entertaining. You've got such a temper Esther, and you react so well…I really do love that about you."

"Shut up." Esther bit her lip. "You…"

"Hmmm…well, if you're feeling antagonistic again, I suppose we ought to go then. I wouldn't mind waiting around and talking, but Mein Herr wants to see you." He turned, and waved. "You'd better come along, unless you need some assistance."

She knew what he meant, and her spine stiffened. "I don't need any of your help, thank you." She stepped through the door past him, trying to ignore his dark chuckle.

Walking with Dietrich through those dark halls was unnerving. Though he said nothing more, she could feel his gaze on her, and it was uncomfortable. It was almost a relief when they arrived at Cain's rooms. Dietrich knocked lightly, once, and then opened the door and offered her a mocking bow. "I haven't been invited this time, so I can't go with you, but…have fun, Esther."

She ignored his sneer and stepped into the room, trying to ignore the fear that touched her when the door shut behind her.

Cain was standing by a window, his back turned to her. He was wearing his simple white robes with red trim again. His golden hair fell down to the center of his back, worn loose. She blinked, wondering how she'd failed to notice before that his hair was as long as Abel's, though somewhat messier. Then he turned, and a smile touched his face. "Hello, Esther."

She stiffened, trying _not_ to notice how much his voice was like Abel's. "Dietrich said you wanted to see me."

"Well yes. After what happened with Isaac and the others, I did want to make sure you were all right. After all, if you die, I won't find out what you mean to Abel, now will I?" He moved suddenly, took her arm in one hand. "Well, it appears you're healing all right." Genuine interest touched his face, and one cool finger brushed along the line of the sealed wound.

Esther shuddered. Cain blinked. "Did that hurt?"

"It's fine." Esther forced herself to meet his eyes. "You…what do you want from me?"

He chuckled lightly, and released her arm. "I've already told you, my dear. I want to know what your connection is to Abel."

She bit her lip. "Father Nightroad and I…we worked together. He was my instructor in the Vatican, and he…he saved my life once or twice. But I'm afraid that's all." She tried to swallow back the rush of hurt those words caused her. "I'm afraid I'm really not that important to him."

"You know, I really don't think that's the case." She blinked, looking up at him in surprise. "Abel…he's calmed down quite a lot, but…" The amused smile widened. He put one finger under chin, looking into her eyes. "Abel…he has such a temper but recently, he's quieted down. But then…when you were there…I haven't seen Abel like that in quite a while."

"That's because he's not that kind of man." Esther clenched her fists, forcing herself not to back away from that disturbing presence. "Father Nightroad, he would never become violent, unless you threatened someone."

He laughed again. "Well, you really don't know him all that well yet, do you? But I suppose it's not a surprise. Abel…he's a little shy about things like that." He turned away from her, moved over to a small desk, and opened a drawer in an off-hand manner. "But he really is quite violent. Here, see for yourself." With one lazy movement, he threw a small card to land at her feet.

Esther stared. Lying before her was a photograph, so old it had yellowed around the edges. But that wasn't what caught her attention. Four people stood framed within the image. The one on the far right, she recognized as Cain, though the smile seemed somehow more genuine in the picture. Beside him, the red-haired woman she'd seen in the tomb beneath the Vatican, and then Seth, wearing a uniform that almost exactly matched Cain's. But the fourth person…

It was Abel, but not as she knew him. His hair was shorter, and he was wearing a uniform like the others. The only difference from Cain's was that blue edged the collar, not red. But what startled her was the expression on his face. She'd seen him angry before, and she'd seen him as a Crusnik, but this…. It wasn't just anger she saw in his face, but bitterness. There was a twist to his lips that missed being a sneer only because there was no amusement in the expression. The eyes were dark and hard. She'd seen rage in him before, but always overlaid with protectiveness. When he'd fought Radu, when he'd fought Dietrich…all the battles, she'd seen concern mixed with his fury. But there was no concern, no protectiveness in those eyes. Only anger, trapped and simmering in his gaze. They were the eyes of a man who'd willingly kill everyone there, and only his own unwilling decision held him back. Esther shivered. The last time she'd seen eyes like that, she'd been facing the enraged Duke of Tigris in the Empire.

"See. He used to look like that all the time." Esther jumped. She hadn't heard him move, but Cain was standing right next to her shoulder. "Abel and I really are a lot alike." A faint ghost of amusement touched his voice as he leaned down and took the photograph from the floor. "He used to be so temperamental…but then…he changed a bit, talking to her." His eyes met Esther's. "You do know about her, right? About Lilith? Abel's old love?"

The words hurt. Hearing him speak of Abel's former lover made her flinch inside, but she held his gaze. "You killed her."

"Hmmm…I did." He looked at the photograph absentmindedly. "But then…she should have known better than to try and take Abel from my side. To try and tamper with something I really want…well, she shouldn't have taken Abel from me. To take Abel away…I couldn't have that."

Esther felt a cold rush of fear through her body. "Is that why you wanted to kill me too?"

"Well, partially. But now…I don't think so." He looked up. "Abel…he's still rather furious with me for taking Lilith away from him. It's rather tiresome. But it was amusing, my dear, to see him regain his old spark like that. To see how he reacted when you were by his side." He moved forward again, and one firm hand caught her chin. "That's why I spoke to you, in that church. I was surprised. Abel would never lose his focus like that, unless your opinion mattered to him. Unless he didn't want you to see him kill. I was really rather surprised. Even though Dietrich told me. That's why I want to know…exactly what are you to Abel?"

Esther gritted her teeth. "I told you. I worked with Father Nightroad for a while, but I…" She looked away, anger and hurt warring in her heart. "I don't know anything about him."

"Well, my dear, I can fix that." He made a soft sound of amusement and released her. "I'll tell you about my dear brother, and you can tell me exactly what you and Abel mean to each other."

Esther clenched her fist. She could feel herself trembling, in mingled fear and hurt and anger. She bit her lip, uncertain what to say.

Cain turned, and his eyes drifted over her. "Hmmm…you still don't look very well. But Isaac did say you had recovered."

Esther spotted the opening in his words. "I…well I would be recovered by now, normally, but I'm not used to being so inactive all the time." She drew herself up straight, and met his gaze. "You never even let me walk around the halls. And maybe I'm just a Terran to you and the others, but I need things like sunlight and fresh air and exercise. You can't expect me to do well locked in my rooms all the time."

He laughed. "You really do sound like 02. Abel used to say the exact same thing. He wasn't very fond of being in closed spaces either." The empty smile on his lips held a touch of warmth for a moment, and then it disappeared. "Still, I can't have you running away."

"As if you didn't have guards watching my every move." Esther bit her lip, this time in genuine frustration. "You have that Doll supervise me everywhere I go, unless it's with Dietrich. I can't even choose my own clothing in the morning."

"That is true." He regarded her for a moment more, then moved lazily to the door. "Dietrich."

"Mein Herr." The young man snapped to attention. "Did you need something?"

"Inform Melchior. It appears Lady Esther is tired of her rooms. Tell him I said she may be allowed into the main halls, and up to the northern tower, as long as she has an escort."

"Yes sir. Is there anything else you needed?" Dietrich had relaxed a little.

"No. Well, tell Isaac I sent for him." He tilted his head. "I want him to check a few things for me." He shut the door. "There. Is that better, my dear?"

"Yes. I…thank you." She bit her lip. She didn't want to talk to this man, but talking to him was better than standing there in silence. "You and Father Nightroad. You…you took his life but then…when we were in that chapel, you…"

"Abel got in my way. He should know better than that." His tone was casual. For all the emotion he showed, he could have been speaking of a simple verbal disagreement with a stranger. "But then, I thought I'd join with 02. And really, it might have been easier. Abel could have rest, and I could have what I need. But Abel…he woke up again." That cool smile touched his lips again. "That really was rather fast. He's never died before…it took me three days to manage it the first time, even with 03's help. But then…perhaps it was because of you." He looked at her again. "Abel really does seem to be fond of you."

Esther bit her lip. "You're wrong. Father Nightroad…he doesn't…I'm sure he really thinks of me more as a burden than anything else." She knew that wasn't quite true, but she couldn't think of anything else to say. The hurt of Abel's rejection was still too strong.

"Well then, what do you think of 02?" The question caught her off guard, and she looked up at him in surprise. He was regarding her with amused consideration. "You did follow me into the Underground, after all. And you stopped me from getting to Abel's body before he woke. So you must have some interest in him."

"I…" She stopped, uncertain how to answer. "I…Father Nightroad has always protected me. I wanted…I wanted to know who he was, but…he never tells me anything. I can't…I can't get near him. Even though…" She stopped. She didn't want to tell this man that Abel had promised to stand beside her.

"Well then. I'll tell you everything you want to know about 02. And you can tell me what Abel's been up to these past few years. Isaac told me a little but…Isaac's rather unobservant unless something interests him." He shrugged. "Speaking of Isaac…"

The door opened in a whisper of sound, and Kampfer slid into the room. He bowed. "Dietrich said you asked to see me, Mein Herr."

"I did." The Contra Mundi looked down at one thin, pale hand. "It's been holding up rather well, these past few days, but it's starting to get a little loose again Isaac. I thought you'd done something about it."

He bowed again. "I'm afraid I'm still fine-tuning the process, my lord. While I do have some ideas about what allowed this current stability, I'm afraid I'll have to do some more tests to pin it down. In the meantime, I fear there's not much I can do. However, if you'd like me to re-adjust your tank, I'd be more than willing."

"No. I suppose it's all right for now." He waved his hand. "I'll have to ask you to take Esther away for today though. Did Melchior get my message?"

"I'm not sure, but I assume Dietrich delivered it." Isaac nodded. "If you wish, I'll check it myself."

"Never mind." Cain turned back to Esther. "We'll talk later, my dear." Without another word, he turned and vanished into the inner rooms.

Esther stared after him, until a strong hand landed on her shoulder. She looked up, and Isaac gave her a slow smile. "Come now, it really is rude for a woman to stay in a man's chamber when he's retired. Unless, of course, you planned to give my lord some _special _comfort. Though if you were thinking that, you really ought to have said something. I'm sure he'd be more than willing to accommodate you."

Esther felt her cheeks burning, and knew she must be crimson with fury. "As if I'd ever do such a thing."

"Well, then, we should probably be going. Since Puppet Master is busy, I'll escort you back to your rooms."

She wanted to refuse, but there was no way she could. She shook herself free of his grip, then turned and strode to the door. She heard a soft laugh from behind her, but she didn't turn to look. Instead, she turned down the hall toward her rooms. A part of her suggested this was an ideal time to try and escape, but she already knew Kampfer was far faster than she would ever be. She settled for striding ahead of him to the rooms, then shutting the door in his face.

Sieglind wasn't there, but behind her, she heard a lock click into place. She took a deep breath, trying to quell her nerves, then moved to the couch and settled onto it. Her mind was spinning.

The Contra Mundi's attitude was disconcerting, at best. His continued assertions of Abel's violent nature upset her. They sounded…genuine. Worse still was the casual way he'd spoken of killing his own brother, and his brother's lover.

Esther stared at the ground. She couldn't get the image of the photo out of her mind. The image of Abel's face, dark with anger and hatred. It was so different from the man she knew. And yet…with the image came the memory of his words. _Father…is this…is this part of what you didn't want to tell me? Does this man…does he really know the truth about your past? Is this…is this what you wanted to protect me from? This situation, or the things he might say about you?_ She shivered. She still believed in Abel, in his generosity, and in his kindness, but now…she knew she was confronting the darkness of his past, and it frightened her more than she wanted to admit. _Father…I'm so sorry._ She bowed her head, fighting back tears. _I…with everything I said…you were…you were just trying to protect me again, weren't you. Even though…even though I don't like it…you were trying to protect us both from this. And now…._

She stood, moving restlessly, and strode to the dresser to remove the choker Sieglind had put on her. As she leaned over the table, her hand brushed something. She looked down to see her rosary, lying neatly draped over one corner. She clenched her hand over it, and brought it to her chest, inhaling slightly. _Dear Lord…please protect me…and Father Nightroad too. And help me keep my faith in him._

Hours later, there was a click in the lock, and Esther looked up. She'd managed to change out of her dress into a more comfortable one, and had settled down to read a book. She set the book aside as Sieglind entered the room.

Sieglind took three steps into the room, and studied her. "Mistress, do you wish to walk now?"

Esther blinked, and hope filled her chest. "Am I…am I allowed?"

"Master says you are to be permitted access to certain areas of the compound, to walk. If you wish, I will escort you now."

Esther stood, and straightened the dress. "Yes. I would appreciate that. Do I…need anything?"

"If you wish to ascend the North Tower, I will fetch you a cloak."

"Thank you. If it's possible, I would like to go out, just for a bit." Esther nodded, and moved to the closet.

Without a word, Sieglind moved past her, and removed a pair of shoes from the closet. Though not something she'd wear for serious walking, they were certainly sturdier and better made than what she was usually given. She allowed Sieglind to slip them on her feet, then waited while the Doll obtained a cloak from a back corner and draped it over her shoulders. She turned, and moved toward the door, still half expecting her guard to come and stop her. but as she laid her hand on the door, nothing happened. She opened it, stepped out into the hall. Sieglind followed, but made no move to stop her even as she turned down the hall in the opposite direction of the Contra Mundi's quarters.

Reassured, Esther straightened her back, and began to walk down the corridor. The lifeless eyes of the Autojagers still unnerved her, but the knowledge of Sieglind at her back was oddly steadying. The Killing Doll had indicated she had orders to see to Esther's needs and health, so it was likely that she wouldn't let anything attack her. Esther strode to the first hallway junction, then turned left. She saw rooms, several of them, but didn't bother to go into them. What she wanted now was something much more specific.

She took a set of stairs downward, to another floor, then another. When the stairs ended, she smiled softly to herself. _So then…I'm on the third floor._ It was useful information. She spotted a door, directly in front of her, and moved toward it.

Instantly, Sieglind was between her and the opening. One hand had moved up to her sword, a clear warning. "Mistress, you may not go this direction."

"All right." Esther stopped. "May I ask why?"

The Doll's expression was still. "It leads to the lower labs. My Master von Neumann, and my lord von Kampfer will not permit you there."

"I see. I understand." Esther turned away from the door, down an adjacent hallway. It was a short one, opening into another large room, with a huge wood and iron door at the far side. Esther started toward it.

Again, Sieglind was in front of her. "This area is also not permitted to you. This door leads to the front courtyard. Master has given no instructions that you be permitted to go there."

Esther stopped obediently. "I was told I would be allowed outside, for a breath of fresh air."

"You are to be permitted access to the North Tower Garden. If you wish, I will guide you there." Sieglind shifted.

Esther nodded. "I would appreciate it." As she turned and followed the Doll back up the hallway and the staircases, she bit her lip to conceal a small smile of triumph. She knew where the door to the outside was. Even if she couldn't yet go through it, she at least knew what she was looking for, and where to go.

Sieglind led her silently up the stairs, past the third floor and up to a forth. There she turned right, and took a small passageway. Esther followed close behind, trying to memorize the route. Finally, the doll stopped at a small door, and shoved it open, to reveal a winding staircase. "Up here, Mistress."

Esther took the stairs up, feeling carefully for unevenness in the stone. However, the steps were worn and quite smooth, and set with perfect exactness. She felt the spiral turn one complete rotation, and found herself at another door. She hesitated a moment, then pushed it open before her. Cool air, startlingly fresh, brushed past her cheeks. She took a deep breath, and stepped outside, then caught her breath in wonder.

She was standing in a small garden. Bushes though the tower was stone as the rest of the building, someone had gone to a great deal of trouble to make it look like a landscape. A carefully marked path showed between rows of huge potted plants. Corners were heaped high with dirt, to form a small patch of ground. She spotted several rosebushes, though none of them were blooming at the moment. There were also some small flowering plants, and sculpted stones. One or two bushes had even been allowed to grow so that they formed miniature trees. Esther took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of cool earth and the subtle perfume of the roses.

For a few moments, she let herself relax, lost herself in the scent of the plants. Half entranced, she walked out onto the path, following the twisting narrow walkway through the foliage. Her hands reached out, brushing across the leaves of the plants. "This place…"

"It was made by the Masters." Sielgind's emotionless tone came from behind her. "Master Balthasar wanted it."

The words slipped Esther from her daze. Beautiful as the garden was, this was still a part of the Order's stronghold, still a part of her prison. Though she loved the plants, the garden, it still wasn't safe. She forced the smile back to her lips. "This is…it's very beautiful. May I look around?"

"If you wish."

Esther spent a few minutes strolling around the garden aimlessly, then allowed herself to drift to one wall. As if in idle curiosity, she gazed down over the battlements. The ground was easily a hundred feet or more below her. She'd chosen the northward side, hoping to get a good view, but what she saw was somewhat disappointing. She'd hoped to see a town, or city lights. Instead, what greeted her eyes was desolation.

Beyond the dark walls of the Order, nothing existed that she could see but ruins and a broad plain, with minimal plant life. There were no signs of human habitation, and from this angle, no real signs of a road leading away. She thought she could see where the ground was folded into rolling hills, but even that was difficult to tell in the wake of cracked earth. She stared out over the land, trying to spot significant landmarks.

Her concentration was abruptly broken by Sieglind's voice behind her. "Mistress, you should return to your rooms. It is nearly meal time."

She wanted to protest, to ask to be allowed to stay a little longer, but thought better of it. For one, her stomach was already growling. More importantly, she knew the Order members might become suspicious of her if she tried to stay out too long. She forced herself to nod, and follow her guide back down the stairs. Back in her room, she shed her cloak and settled into a chair, watching absently as the Doll laid out the plates. Her mind was churning with hope and fear.

She'd found the doorway out. And she now had access to a place where she could see the landscape around her. She even knew where some of the Order members worked and lived. Though she knew she could do nothing with the knowledge yet, it still made her hopeful. After all, it was at least a start.

Caterina frowned, and massaged her forehead with one hand, looking at the report before her. She read through it, then looked back up at the silent man standing before her. "You're sure this is accurate?"

Professor Wordsworth nodded, his hand clenching around his pipe. "I've double checked the results, and I'm certain of them." He looked away from her, his face troubled. "There's no doubt that Abel's body is beginning to change. While it doesn't seem to be a problem as of yet, I thought you should be aware of it."

Caterina nodded, and folded her hands. "Have you any idea how this will affect him?"

He frowned. "Well, you can already see the short term results. He seems to require less sleep than normal, and less food. I don't know where he's getting the energy from, but I'd estimate his stamina has already increased to double his usual reserves. However, what the long term cost will be…I'm not entirely certain." He frowned. "At the moment, Kate and I are attempting to make sure he eats at least a little every day, and we've enlisted Brother Petro's assistance in making sure he rests every now and then. But still…."

"Do you think he'll lose control?" She hated to ask the question, but knew it had to be said.

"I don't think we're in any danger of losing him at this time. At the moment, Abel seems to be perfectly capable of handling the situation." William frowned. "To be honest, it rather resembles what he did when Sister Noelle died. I found traces of this transformation in his blood at the conclusion of the Silent Noise incident. However, the concentration of the Crusnik _is_ much higher."

Caterina sighed. "So we really have no way of knowing what the outcome will be. Abel may manage just fine. Or he may have the same problem he had at the end of that incident." Abel had fought Kampfer, but his wounds had taken days, rather than hours to heal. The stress on his body had depleted him to the point where his healing had been diminished. "Or, he may have a reaction similar to his response in Carthage." She remembered that as well.

"Yes. Although, unless he's exposed to the Methuselah, I estimate that the third outcome is the least likely. He'll only suffer from a feeding urge if he continues this way and comes into contact with them after he's been depleted. But in this state, I'm not sure how long it will take. And if there's a confrontation…well, all bets are off." William smiled sardonically, and stuck his pipe in his mouth. "I'm sorry, I can't give you any better data than that."

"Very well. We'll simply have to continue to monitor him." Caterina sighed once more, then set the report to one side. "Have we heard any further news on the Queen of Albion?"

William shook his head. "I'm not certain. You'd have to ask Abel or Petros. But judging from the way Abel's been acting, I suspect not."

"I see." Caterina considered. "The Empire should be calling in a few minutes. Please tell Father Nightroad and Brother Petros I'd like them to attend me here."

"As you wish." William gave her a small salute with the pipe, then disappeared through the door.

Caterina watched as he shut the door behind him, then dropped her gaze to the papers that littered her desk. _Over three weeks, and we've still found nothing definite. Albion has nothing…I'm fairly certain the Order is no longer within their borders. But away from that island, there's simply too much ground to search efficiently. And there are too many foreign powers to deal with to make it easy for us. We must tread carefully, but…we may be running out of time. Particularly where Abel is concerned._ She'd seen little of her subordinate over the past week, bound as he was to Brother Petros. What she had seen of him hadn't been reassuring. Abel had withdrawn almost completely into himself. He'd lost weight, a frightening prospect considering how little he had to spare, and how deeply his powers would cut into his reserves, if he was forced to activate them. But worse were the shadows under his eyes, the way he'd taken to responding to everything in clipped short sentences. The way there was no longer even a shadow of laughter or smiles in his face. He simply worked with non-stop intensity. If forced to stop, he rarely ever slept, simply roamed the halls, or stood at a window, staring into the night or daylight with an anguished expression.

It reminded her too much of the way he'd been when she first met him. He'd still been weeping over Lilith's death then. It had taken weeks, over a month before she'd coaxed the first real smile from him, longer still before he'd remembered how to laugh for her. Though his clumsy, off-handed manner sometimes irritated her she was reminded, as she had been with Noelle's death, of how much she preferred it to the tormented shell of a man he became when immersed in grief or guilt. Or, God save him, both.

_Even Antonio has noticed the change in him._ Dropping off his latest reports, the young Cardinal had commented on Abel's change in demeanor. She remembered his words. _'Abel, well, I'd be the first to say he could be a little better. I mean…he's such a klutz normally, and no fashion sense or anything. But still, you know, I think…I think I liked him better the way he as before. He's just…well, he might be a little cooler, but he's no fun this way. You can't even talk to him.'_

_Abel._ Caterina chewed the inside of one cheek lightly. _Does it truly grieve you this much? Do you really feel that guilty that Esther was taken, or is there something else?_ She recalled his words, about how it was his fault, but knew he'd feel that way regardless. She feared there was something else involved, but she also knew there was very little chance Abel would tell her.

The creak of the door drew her from her thoughts. She looked up as Abel and Petros entered, assessing the two men. Petros looked irritable, and she noticed the deep circles under his eyes. She made a mental note to find some way to thank the man. After all, he'd put his own career on the line to shelter Abel, and had given his assistance wholeheartedly. Abel barely seemed to acknowledge him, but Caterina was aware of the effort the Inquisitor was making on their behalf, and she silently blessed him for it.

Abel was silent, as he always was, his eyes dark and haunted. She could almost feel him drawing away from them, locked into a shell of numbing misery that she couldn't seem to be able to break through. She took a deep breath. "The Empire will be calling in a few minutes, gentleman. I'd like to know whatever we've found so far."

Petros growled, and folded his arms roughly. From the look on his face, she guessed he was doing that to avoid slamming a hand or fist into her desk. "At the present time, we have no definitive leads."

"No definitive leads?" Caterina lifted an eyebrow. "I wasn't asking for definitive leads gentlemen." She looked between them. "It's been almost a month since the Order took Her Majesty. At this point, I'll settle for vague ideas. Surely, you have at least some of those." She let a light touch of acid tinge her voice, hoping to get a rise out of Abel.

Petros frowned. "We've had several reports of disturbances, possibly connected to the Order of Rosenkreutz, or terrorists who work for them. However, they're spread out across all major countries. And even without the delays in receiving permission to search, I simply haven't the manpower to conduct an investigation of that magnitude. Not without leaving his Holiness in danger."

"I see. Is that everything?" She let her eyebrow rise a fraction higher. "I know we've had support from His Excellency the Cardinal Borgias as well. I was given to understand that he'd managed to supply us with some information."

"Yes." Abel spoke quietly. He moved forward, though he didn't look her in the eyes. "We have received information from the Cardinal on the matter of our search. However, the information is…inconclusive." An expression of pain crossed his face, before he bowed his head. "We've uncovered pockets of Order disturbance in Germanicus, the Franc Kingdom, Amsterdam, and even in Hispania and Italy itself, though none directly in Rome. We also have rumors that they may attempt to reach into the Empire, if they haven't already. However…." He was looking at the floor, and his voice dropped to a whisper.

Petros snorted, interrupting him. "There is no doubt that some of these disturbances are feints, to draw our attention away from their true motives. Even so, there is also no doubt that some of these movements may be definite threats, and we cannot afford to ignore them."

"That may be true. However, that is not my primary concern. My concern, gentlemen, is whether we've made any headway in locating the Queen of Albion."

"No." Abel's voice was soft, anguished. "I…there's been no report of her. Even with Antonio's information…" he paused. "There's no record anywhere, in any of the reported disturbances, of von Kampfer, or von Lohengrin. And no mention of Esther."

"What of the Contra Mundi?" Caterina folded her hands once more. "Has there been any sign of him? We can assume, given the lack of a body, along with Father Nightroad's observations, that she was taken to him for some reason. Have we located that individual?"

Abel went pale. "No."

"Well then, we need to form a plan for searching these areas of disturbance, and eliminating the possibility that Esther is there." She considered both men. "Our contact in the Empire will be coming online shortly. I pray she has better news."

Only a few minutes later, a light blinked on her console. She pressed a button, and Seth's face shimmered into view. The young girl smiled wanly. "Hello, Lady Caterina. Her gaze shifted. "Hello, Abel."

Abel shifted stance slightly, his eyes rising to meet the young woman's. "Seth." He swallowed hard. "Have you…?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm afraid I haven't uncovered any leads yet. I have Astharoshe, and Ion, and as many other agents as I can afford to send looking into it, but I'm afraid I have nothing."

"I see." Pain crossed Abel's face. "Then…we still have no leads."

"Abel." Seth reached out, an involuntary gesture. "We'll find her. You know him. If he hasn't taken her life already, then…she's probably safe for the time being. At least, she's alive. He probably wants her for something, and you've seen for yourself how resourceful Esther is."

Abel's fist clenched. "We don't know how long that can last. Besides…" His tone was bleak. "Do you…do you truly think that could be a good thing? That Esther is in _his _hands?"

Seth flinched and bit her lip. "No. But as long as she's alive... Abel…you can't give up hope. You have to believe in her. We'll find a way to bring her back, and I'm sure Esther will find a way to stay alive long enough for that to happen."

Abel shuddered once. "I only pray you're right." He turned toward the door. "If there's nothing further…I have to go."

Caterina winced at his cold dismissal. She was about to protest, but Seth spoke before she could. "Abel, wait."

He stopped, but didn't turn. "I have to continue searching."

"I know. But I think I've got an idea. I don't have any definite leads as of yet, but I do have a thought, and one I think we ought to look into."

Abel turned slowly back to the image of the young girl. "Yes?"

Seth shifted. "Cain, he's not in very good shape yet, is he?" She looked away from her brother's gaze. "I know what he did to you in Londinium, and I'm not discounting that, but Esther mentioned he might be having trouble. And the way things turned out…" She bit her lip. "He has his tank, his container, I'm sure of that. I saw it for myself, that one time. But even so…the fact that he hasn't fully regenerated yet, that he still needs that tank…it means he doesn't have everything he needs. You said it yourself, he tried to merge with you, didn't he?"

Caterina stiffened. She hadn't heard much about that. But Abel nodded. "Yes."

"Well then, that means he doesn't have what he needs to force things along by himself. Even with the Crusnik…if the initial DNA was damaged in the fall…even he would have more trouble and if that's the case, don't you think…?" Seth trailed off and met his eyes. "Isn't it logical to assume he'd be looking for that information?"

Petros frowned and stepped forward. "What exactly are you referring to?"

Abel spoke softly, without turning to him. "Long ago, pre-Armageddon, there was a group of scientists that were experimenting with human genetic manipulation. Rumor has it there was a specific file…the genetic blueprint they followed to supposedly create the ultimate human being."

"The Template of the Gods." Seth spoke softly. "If he's trying to heal…Abel…isn't it only logical he'd be looking for that?"

"It is…but then…" Abel leaned forward, his gaunt face intent in the glow of the console. "Are you suggesting…"

"We need to check those places. It's highly likely that he'll will be there." Seth nodded.

Caterina sat forward. "I hope you'll forgive me for being rude, but I'd appreciate an explanation."

Seth nodded. "There were four main labs where the genetic manipulations experiments were carried out. It's a long shot, but the Contra Mundi might be at one of those locations." She pursed her lips. "Actually, I know for sure I can rule out one. There's one location here in the Empire, but it's sealed up tight. I've been monitoring it regularly since that last round of trouble we had, and so far, there's been no attempts to enter it." She glanced at the silver haired man before her. "And yours, Abel?"

Abel nodded. "The one in Londinium is sealed." He took a deep breath. "I locked it down before I left. Only Lord Walsh or his sister can even access the levels to get to it, and I've made sure that no one can get through those doors, aside from me."

"Well then, that really leaves just two places."

"Not completely. There is…there is _that_." Something like fear and longing mixed together touched Abel's voice. "If he could get there…"

Seth shook her head. "Well, it might be possible, but I don't think we have to worry right now. After all…" Her voice dropped to where Caterina could barely hear it, and she saw Petros move closer. "After all, that place…he can't get it active by himself. And you did damage it."

"That might not stop him." Abel's eyes were haunted.

"I know. But before I left, I made sure to lock that place down tight. I couldn't destroy it, but I did shut it down completely. Even you might have trouble breaking through the encryption I placed on it."

"Enough." Petros growled out the words and took another step forward. "Explain."

"The ARK. It's very old, an artifact left over from Armageddon." Abel's voice was soft. "It's best if you don't concern yourself with it right now." He shook his head. "That thing…the less that is known about it, the better. Forgive me, Brother Petros, but I'd prefer it if you didn't delve any further into the matter." He turned back to the projection. "You're sure?"

Seth nodded. "Even if he could get there, we'll have plenty of warning, Abel."

He took a deep breath. "Then that leaves…his lab, or yours."

Seth nodded, an unhappy expression on her face. "I'd like to examine them, but…_his_ lab is deep in Terran territory. And as for the other…."

"I understand." Abel nodded one, then turned to Caterina. "Lady Caterina, I…I'm afraid I need to borrow Sister Kate for a while, and I need to make a request of Father Hugue."

"I see." Caterina favored him with an ironic look. "I'm afraid I'll need more of an explanation before I can authorize that."

Abel nodded, and took a deep breath. "Of the four genetic research labs, two are accounted for. That leaves two more. One of those…is in Berlin."

Caterina frowned. "We already have agents in Berlin. Besides, surely you don't think they'd fail to take notice of something like the Order."

"Not in Berlin, now." He took another breath. "I meant Old Berlin." He moved over to an antique globe, resting on a shelf. She'd inherited it from her family, and kept it as an heirloom, even knowing it was no longer accurate. Abel's finger traced the line of the map. "Here."

Petros snorted. "There's nothing in Old Berlin but a wasteland."

"I know." Abel's voice was soft. "But deep within the ruins of the city, there's a lab. The Contra Mundi….he would know how to find that place. Even after all this time…he knew it better than any of us."

"I see." Caterina nodded. "And I suppose you want me to ask Father Huge de Watteau to see if he can investigate?" Abel nodded. Caterina frowned thoughtfully. "It has merit. He's already in the area, and he's fully capable of conducting such a search. Very well. I'll send a message to him at once." She looked up at her subordinate. "I believe you had another request for me."

"Yes. I need to investigate the other lab. But to get there, I'll need Kate to give me a lift."

"And where, exactly, were you planning to go?"

Abel spun the globe softly, letting it slide a quarter turn. His fingers brushed lightly across the continent depicted, then upward. Then he stopped, and his blue eyes came up to meet Seth's green ones. "It was here, wasn't it?

Seth made a face. "I'm pretty sure it was near there. But then…you probably still recall the exact coordinates, don't you Abel?" Her voice was soft, and Caterina sensed true regret in her words, as if she reminded the AX priest of something she'd much rather leave alone.

"Yes. I remember." Abel's hand fell away, and he turned to Caterina. "I need Kate to take me to what was known as the North American continent."

"Ridiculous." Petros snorted. "There's been nothing there for a thousand years."

A ghost of grim humor touched Abel's face. "Well, that is true. However, the fact still remains…there was a lab there. And if it's like the others, it probably had an underground component. Whether he's been there or not…do you really want to risk it?"

Petros growled, deep in the back of his throat. "Even if it's true, and even if Sister Kate can transport us there…I cannot afford to leave his Holiness unattended. In this sort of situation, I can't risk going off like this."

"I know." Abel spoke gently. "I…I won't ask you to. But Petros…."

"You are in my charge. I was ordered to keep an eye on you." Petros glared at him. "I cannot afford to go on such a journey, nor is there a knight that I can send with you." He folded his arms.

"I…" Abel bit his lip. "You can place a tracking and monitoring device on me, if you must. Even if…even if you must embed it in my body…" One hand rose to his chest, but his eyes were firm and resolute.

Caterina winced at the thought of such a procedure. "Abel…"

"We can't afford to take the chance that he's hiding there." Abel turned to her, the pale light of madness in his eyes. "If I must…I'll make my own arrangements, but…"

"That's not necessary." Caterina frowned, then looked at Seth's image. "How likely is it that the Contra Mundi would be hiding at that lab?"

Seth shrugged. "It's isolated. It's a good place to hide and recover. Personally, I'd say he's more likely to be in Berlin, but still…I think Abel's right. There's a decent chance."

"Very well." Caterina took a moment to think. "Here's my suggestion. Brother Petros…I'd like you to give Father Nightroad a monitoring device to wear. Father Nightroad…you are to keep that device on at all times. Failure to comply will have severe penalties."

Abel nodded. "I…I understand."

"Good. Then I hope you'll understand this as well." Caterina's hand rose to touch the communicator in her ear. "Sister Kate." A second later, Kate's image shimmered into view. "I want you to make preparations for a long trip. Father Nightroad will give you the details for provisioning and such. However, there are two conditions. First of all, you will hardwire a line to the Inquisitorial department before leaving. Second, Father Wordsworth will accompany you. You are all three to make regular reports." She fixed Abel with a steely look. "I don't care if it's a simple three word sentence. I don't care if all you do is appear on the screen and walk away. Understood?"

"Yes." Abel's eyes were dark.

"Very well. Give Kate your information."

Abel nodded. "Kate…we'll need a months worth of fuel, long-distance, and food for that long as well, if you would. And I believe we'll need gear for rough terrain, and computer access, as well as several data cubes."

"Roger." Kate gave him a quick nod. "How soon are we leaving?"

"As soon as possible." Abel's eyes were dark. "We haven't much time."

"Understood." Kate shimmered again and disappeared.

"Well, since we seem to have a plan…" Caterina looked the two men over. "Brother Petros…if you wouldn't mind informing His Holiness and the Council of this, I'd like a moment alone with Father Nightroad."

Petros nodded. "I will inform them." One hand rose to point at Abel's chest. "After you're through here, come see me. I'll have your monitoring device ready." Before Abel could reply, he was gone. As though his departure had been a cue, Seth gave Caterina one quick look, then vanished from the screen.

Caterina took a deep breath, then rose from her seat and moved to stand beside her friend of over ten years. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Abel. Please understand, it's not that I don't trust you…"

"You need to soothe the Papal Council, and this is the only way." The silver head bowed. "I understand, Lady Caterina."

Her hand tightened. "Please believe me. I'm sorry Abel…if there were another way…"

"It's all right." his voice was low, pained, but one hand came up very lightly, to touch hers. "I'll…I'll manage."

"Then you'll let William come with you? And you'll let him monitor your condition?" She felt him tense. "I won't order him to report it Abel…nor anything you find, but we need to keep an eye on you."

"I know." He gave her a quick ghost of his old smile. Then it faded into anguish once more. "I was hoping, actually, that you could send William with me. If the lab's still there, whether he's been there or not…it needs to be taken care of. Father Wordsworth is the best capable of helping me with that. I won't refuse his help." He bowed his head again. "And I will…I'll let him keep an eye on me too."

"Thank you, Abel." She held him for a moment longer in silent companionship, trying to offer comfort and reassurance as he'd so often done for her. Then she allowed her hand to drop back to her side. "You should go. I'm sure there's a great deal you need to do to prepare."

"Yes." Abel reached out, brushed one hand gently across hers as if in benediction, the tenderness of the gesture contrasting with the tension in his eyes. Then he turned and was gone.


	19. Fifthteen: Twists and Triangles

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **My god, a thousand and one apologies everyone yes I know this chapter is really overdue but my editor has had some semi health problems the night this chapter was suppose to be uploaded from four days ago. Also she _almost _done in the middle of moving yet again for the second time and should be done soon by now.

On another note I am very happy that **TBWC **is gotten now 100 or more reviews since it first posted yay!. Wish I had a double update for you but possibly by the holidays we might have something in store for you guys whom are making this possible with your contest support of their story. Also again thanks again for the new comments and people whom added **TBWC** to their alerts are also becoming much to my surprise fans big time of this fan fiction. Now without further or due since you guys waited log enough already onward to chapter fifteen _chao!._

**DISCLAIMER:**All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to one of my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her own TB stories on which are awesome. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice:****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage Against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). ** In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Fifthteen - ****Twists and Triangles**

Esther sighed, trying not to clench her fists in frustration. Instead, she dedicated her attention to staring out over the landscape, breathing the subtle scent of the plants behind her and trying _not_ to let her ever-present guardian see how stressed she was.

It had been over a week since she'd been given her freedom to roam. She'd come to the North Tower every day, at least once a day, to walk and breathe in the scent of the plants. And, of course, to survey the scenery. She'd spent some time at each wall, a different one each day, looking out over the compound and it's layout, then beyond it to the surrounding countryside. Unfortunately, there simply wasn't much to see. Aside from the layout of the structure she was captive in, there was very little information to be had from a visual inspection.

There was one road to the enclave. The rest of the land, as far as she could see, was a broken tumble of ruins, so old it was hard to decipher what any of it had been before. The stones were old and worn away, battered and tumbled. Though she thought she could see other paths, she couldn't be sure. From this position, she couldn't see the numbers of sentries watching the road, but she was willing to bet there were too many for her to handle.

There was a plane hangar, she could even see it from here. Esther clenched her fist again, under her cloak. It didn't matter how many vehicles were there, or if she could fly them. That wing was one of the 'off-limits' places. Any time she even began to turn down that hallway, on the first or second floor, Sieglind would bar her way, and insist that the Master had said she was not to go there. Esther bit her lip, fighting back a sense of futility. Determined not to give in, she turned her mind to what she had accomplished, looking for more ideas on what she could do. She stared out at the landscape, unseeing, as her mind once again reviewed the information she'd managed to gather over the course of the past week.

She knew her apartments and the Contra Mundi's were on the third floor. She suspected Isaac had rooms there as well, given the fact that he seemed to stay close to the man he called Master. The others seemed to live on the second floor. At least, Dietrich did, and she thought the others might as well. She'd encountered Balthasar in the hallways once or twice, and he'd mentioned that he was on the second floor, along with his brothers. She hadn't seen much of Helga, the Ice Witch, so she wasn't sure about her, but she suspected the noblewoman also lived on the second floor. Ground rooms housed mostly shock troops, Auto-jagers and the like. It also housed the computer control rooms and labs for Melchior, Isaac and Dietrich. She hadn't been allowed to go anywhere near those areas, but at least she knew where they were. If she ever found a way to shake her persistent guards that could be valuable information. She stored that away along with the knowledge of the plane hangar.

She straightened suddenly as a thought occurred to her. She knew Skorzeny, at least, flew. She was abruptly aware that she'd seen nothing of Skorzeny or Helga von Vogelweide, and precious little of the von Neumanns. She knew nothing about what the Order had planned next but…if they were in the habit of sending out multiple agents or teams at once, then perhaps…She stared out over the wall, considering what it could mean. If something major happened, then she might have an opening. But she wouldn't know unless she knew what was going on outside.

A voice broke into her reverie. "Mistress it is time for you to eat."

Esther turned to face the Doll who was her escort, and felt a brief surge of despair. No matter how much she thought about things, she'd never once managed to shake Sieglind. The only place the Doll didn't follow her was into the Contra Mundi's quarters, when she was summoned by him. But…even with the windows in the far room, Esther knew there was no chance she'd escape from there. Cain was too strong, and too fast. No matter what his current condition was, the man moved like lightning, and event though he seemed to be careful with her, she knew he was strong. Esther shook the thoughts away before Sieglind could notice her anxiety, and stepped away from the wall. "Yes. I'm coming."

She stepped into the stairwell, and strode down the winding stairs, still trying to sort things out. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts she didn't even see the slender figure lounging against the wall until he spoke. "Hello, Esther."

Esther stiffened and whirled. Dietrich smiled at her. "Well, you've got the same reflexes as always. But you know, you really ought to watch where you're going." He levered himself off the wall, and took a step toward her. "After all, if I'd had anything planned, I would have had you, the way you walked right past me like that. You really ought to be more careful, you know."

"You…" Esther bit her lip. She'd encountered Dietrich every day this week, and it was beginning to make her nervous. "What do you want?"

"Oh, nothing in particular. I'm simply bored, you know?" He flashed her a dark grin. "And with Eisehexe and the Red Baroness out on missions, you really are about the only girl here. Well…except for those Dolls of Mechior's, but I wouldn't exactly consider them close companions." His gaze drifted to Sieglind.

Esther shivered. She'd rather have Sieglind as a companion than Dietrich. The Doll might be cold and emotionless, but it was far better than the depravity in Dietrich's eyes. She bit her lip. "Excuse me, I was just on my way to eat."

"Is that so? Well, as it happens, I haven't actually had much to eat today either." He met her gaze, amused and challenging. "I don't suppose you'd care to join me."

Her first reaction was to refuse. The look in his eyes was too curious, too openly challenging. She knew he was baiting her. But even as she opened her mouth, a thought stopped her. _Dietrich…he knows what is going on. And he knows where this place is, and the layout. He also knows what plans are being made. If I could get him to talk…_. Esther felt her heart starting to pound. She knew Dietrich was dangerous, and every instinct she had screamed against being around him any longer than she had to. He was a liar and a manipulative man. But still…there was the slim chance she'd learn something that could help her later. She swallowed. "Will you promise not to do anything?"

Dietrich shrugged. "Well, you of all people should know what _that's _worth. However, if it makes you feel a little better, I do promise to be a perfect gentleman, today at least." He smiled. "I'll even come to your quarters, instead of asking you to go to mine."

It wasn't much of a concession, and Esther knew it. But at least, on her own grounds, she felt a little safer. And if she could manage to find out even a little more from him, then it was worth the risk. "All right."

The cold smile on Dietrich's face almost made her rethink the idea. But he only shrugged. "Well then, shall we?"

He made no further comment on the trip to her rooms. Sieglind bowed them both in, then spoke to Esther. "I will bring your lunch." She shut the door, and returned a few minutes later, carrying a tray. She laid the table swiftly, then offered a short bow to both of them. "You will call me when you are finished eating, Mistress."

"I…yes, of course." Esther blinked. She hadn't realized that Sieglind would leave her alone with Dietrich. After all, she hadn't before. Then she shook herself and turned back to the table.

Dietrich had already settled at the second chair. He raised an eyebrow at the room, and at the service. "Quite a nice little set up you have." He gestured to the door. "You should know, Melchior is rather put out that his favorite servant is taking care of you."

Esther flushed. "It's not as if I asked for this." She sat down.

"I'm sure." He reached over and idly picked up a piece of fruit. "Even so, having your own special servant, and rooming on the same floor as Mein Herr…quite the royal treatment. I suppose it's only fair, but you should hear the way Eisehexe goes on about it. But then…it probably doesn't make much impression on you, now does it?" he smirked. "You always were really quite good at ignoring things like that."

Esther bit her lip. "You said earlier that…that woman was out though?"

"Hmmm?" Dietrich arched an eyebrow. "Suddenly taking an interest in the place after all?"

"I just wondered why I hadn't encountered her. I'd prefer not to." Esther forced herself to eat, keeping up a pretense of normal conversation. The food felt hard to swallow.

He made an amused sound. "Well, I can't say as I blame you for that. She is rather annoying. However, she isn't expected back until next week, so you needn't worry about that." A cold smile curled the corner of his mouth. He leaned forward, picked an apple off the tray, and bit into it idly before continuing. "She and the others were sent out to create diversions for your advisors, and that joke you call the Vatican. I understand they're working with some of our associates to incite some general rioting. After all, it wouldn't do to have them tracking us back here. Especially not that Father you insist on hanging around with." He chewed thoughtfully. "You know, I'm really rather surprised that man is still wandering around. After all, considering the blast he was hit with…."

"That's enough." Esther clenched her fists, her food forgotten. "You…I thought you were killed as well, but you're fine."

"Hmm?" He gave her a look. "Oh, that. Well, going into a war zone really isn't quite my style. I prefer to stay out of the way and manipulate things from the shadows, more or less. So when I was assigned to the Londinium mission, naturally I sent a puppet in my place." He grinned coldly at her. "Melchior might be a twisted bastard, but he does have his uses. With his help, I can make a marionette that looks and sounds exactly like me. But then, you really should have guessed that already. After all, you've already seen me 'die' once before, haven't you? Tell me, was it a better performance this time?"

"You…that's enough." Esther bit her lip, trying not to show her mingled anger and hurt. "How could even you think that was amusing? Your own leader tried to kill you."

"Well, I do have to admit, it startled me a little when he struck me like that. But then, I'm sure Mein Herr already knew what I'd planned, and it's not as if losing that puppet was really such a big deal. After all, it had already served our purposes." Dietrich shrugged and took another bite. "And really, it was almost amusing, seeing that precious priest of yours go so out of control, and over the death of one of his enemies no less. And then, after all that, he couldn't even make an attempt to prevent my lord from doing the exact same thing to him."

Esther felt herself tense in remembered anger and pain. "How could you even say such a thing?"

Dietrich chuckled and rose from his seat. "Well, because it's true."

She couldn't sit still any more. "You…monster. Thinking such a thing…"

Another dark chuckle burst from his throat. Before she could blink, he was suddenly beside her, a smile of pure evil on his face. "Well, I might be a monster, but then…you can't really blame me for the death of that priest, now can you? After all, the reason he hesitated was you, wasn't it?" His fingers seized her chin before she could react. "If only you'd had sense enough to stay out of it like you were told, he might have been all right. There's no guarantee, of course, but you must know that. And then, you had to go and wake him up again too, didn't you?" He laughed again. "Really, it amazes me, the things you can drive that man to. But then, you always did have a way with people. I've always loved that, how you manipulate people with your words into taking care of you. You're almost as good as I am, you know?"

Esther jerked away from him. "You and I are nothing alike!"

He chuckled again. "Well, I've always liked that too. How sincere you are…even though it's still manipulation. But tell me, since we're on the subject…how is Father Nightroad, anyway? I'd heard he joined up with your advisors to protect you. To be honest, I thought it was rather touching. So tell me, how is he? Still following you around?"

The cruel twist in his words, the mocking way he spoke of Abel, was more than she could stand. Without thinking, she snapped back at him. "Father Nightroad is ten times the man you'll ever be." She glared at him.

He arched one eyebrow. "Well, I'd say that's a pretty strong statement. But then, it does explain a lot. Isaac mentioned the two of you had an argument. So what happened? Did you try to get his attention and fail?"

Before she even had time to think about it, the back of her hand cracked across his jaw. "That's none of your business."

Dietrich stood for a moment, then slowly turned his face back to her. Esther felt her stomach tighten in sudden fear at the cold, predatory look in his eyes. Then without warning, he smiled, a nasty, dangerous smile that sent chills up her spine. The look on his face froze her where she stood. He stepped forward and brushed one finger across her face. "Well, I don't know about that. After all, I've told you before. I really do adore you Esther. Naturally, I'm interested in everything about you." The coldness in his eyes deepened. "You know, it really is rude to strike someone when they're only asking a simple question. Shouldn't you at least apologize?"

"I will never apologize for that." Esther gritted her teeth. "If we're going to talk about being polite, how dare you speak that way to me?"

"Why Esther…and here I thought we such good friends." The smile widened. "Well, I really do think you owe me an apology. If you won't offer me one willingly, then I guess I'll just have to take a fitting return for myself. Don't you think that's fair?"

Esther felt her heart pounding loudly in her ears. She bit her lip, trying to control the urge to back away. "What do you intend to do to me?"

He smirked. "I thought we might play dolls again." He lifted the hand that had brushed her cheek, and Esther saw the fine strands glittering between his fingers. "Really Esther, I did say I was going to be a gentleman, but after something like that…well, I think it's really only fair."

Ice went through Esther's gut. Instinctively, she tried to back away, but her feet were rooted to the floor. She couldn't move. Anger and terror rose up inside. "Let go of me."

"I really don't feel like it." Dietrich reached out again, brushing her face once more. "After all, I still haven't received an apology, or compensation yet, you know? And that did sting a little. So, what should I have you do?" He considered her. "Tell me Esther, what do you think I should do with you? After all, we haven't yet tried the experiments I suggested from our first time together. But then, there are also a number of other…interesting things we could try. For instance, I could make you dance…or I could make you kneel and beg me to do something. Doesn't that sound interesting?"

"You…" She couldn't find anything to say. Desperate now, Esther struggled against the strings that bound her, but she couldn't break free. "I will never…"

"Careful now. You know never is a tricky thing to say. After all, didn't you once say you'd never forgive Gyula?" He trailed a finger slowly down her cheek, stopping just under her chin. "You also swore once you'd never accept a vampire as anything other than a monster. And yet look at you and the Earl of Memphis, such close friends." The cold smile widened. "But then, I suppose it's only fitting. After all, that man you call Father…he's rather a different sort of monster, now isn't he? Much more dangerous than a mere Methuselah."

The memory of Abel's tormented words cut through her like a knife, bringing her anger to the surface. "He's not half the monster you are!"

"Is that so?" Dietrich tilted his head to one side. "Well then…that makes this much more interesting." He took a step closer stopping so close to her that she could feel his body heat. "So tell me Esther…how does it work? The Earl of Memphis, who you would have considered a monster once, is now your friend. And the Father…a being even Methuselah fear and shun, is even more important to you. So then…if I'm more of a monster than either of them…what does that make me?" Depravity and amusement mixed in the hazel eyes. "If a greater monster means a greater relationship…well then, I'm almost surprised you haven't gone down on your knees and begged me to sleep with you already." His hand shifted, twisting so that the long thin fingers cupped her jaw. "Well, I suppose you are still a virgin. Perhaps you're still a little shy."

Esther shuddered. Dietrich chuckled, and his hand forced her head up, so that was forced to look him in the eyes. "What do you think Esther? Shall we put it to the test? If that's really how you feel, then why don't we see what excites you? If monsters are what you like, then this should be highly entertaining for you."

Esther fought to pull away, but his strings held her tight. "Let go of me."

"No, I really don't think I will. After all, since we've raised the question, it would be poor manners of me not to experiment." He leaned closer. "So tell me Esther, what is it you want? What do you really want a man to do for you?" His voice was low, seductive and yet tainted with evil. "I can touch you, anywhere you like. Or maybe…being the romantic that you are, you were hoping for a kiss?" A low chuckle in her ear, and his lips brushed the curve of her jaw. "But then again, you always were the direct sort, now weren't you? Perhaps you'd like me to simply drop you to your knees, and show you what a real man has…what that Father of yours is too afraid to try."

His fingers shifted, brushing down the column of her throat. "Is that what you want?" He laughed. "Personally though, I think we should play a little more before we get down to business. After all, I'd like to see what I'm dealing with, you know? One should always take good care of one's toys."

His hand was on the collar of her dress, stopping just short of slipping into it. The back of one hand slipped across the outside, brushing her chest. Esther stiffened, biting her lip in a struggle not to cry out. She couldn't fight, not held by the strings he bound her with. She clenched her jaw trying to think of some way out of it. Begging him to stop wouldn't work, she knew that already. She didn't dare encourage him. She couldn't threaten him, she was powerless and they both knew it. Panic built in her mind, and she was on the verge of losing her cool when a knock startled both of them.

The door swung open and Sieglind entered. "Master wishes to see you now, Mistress." Even knowing she'd be taken to Cain, Esther had never been so glad to see the Doll.

A look of annoyance crossed Dietrich's face. "What a pity." He stood a moment, then his hands made a swift gesture. Esther stifled a gasp as movement returned to her body. He shrugged. "Well, if Mein Herr wants to see you, then I suppose it can't be helped. We'll simply have to continue this discussion another day." He gave her another smirk. "Take care Esther. I look forward to our next time together." With that, he turned and sauntered out the door.

Esther stood a few moments, taking deep breaths and trying to get her heart-rate under control. She closed her eyes, willing the pounding in her ears to subside.

"Mistress, are you well? Should I have Master von Kampfer check you? Your readings indicate a high level of distress." The voice was emotionless, but it was enough to make Esther pull herself together.

"No. I'm fine. Really. Dietrich and I just had a bit of an argument." She looked down at her clothing. "Do I need to change?"

"No. Master said your current outfit will be acceptable." Sieglind stepped aside and bowed. "Please accompany me."

Esther nodded and followed the Doll out into the corridor, taking the now familiar path to the rooms housing the Contra Mundi. Her mind was still whirling with her reaction to Dietrich, but even so, an odd note caught in her mind. Before, he'd always insisted that she change into one of the formal gowns to see him. Esther looked down at the outfit she was wearing. It was plain, made for walking around or working at a desk. Definitely different from the things that she'd worn when visiting the Contra Mundi before. She frowned slightly, wondering what had caused him to change his patterns of behavior. Then they were at Cain's door. She took a deep breath, then nodded to Sieglind and entered.

"Hello, Esther." He was standing by the doors to his room, dressed as he usually was, in dark pants and a white jacket with a red stripe on the border. His eyes drifted over her. "Dietrich was right. He said you looked good in anything."

Esther stopped short. "I beg your pardon?" She froze in place, feeling her muscles tense.

He gave her one of his characteristic empty smiles. "Well, he did say you were fairly pretty. But then…Dietrich is such a strange boy." He shrugged. "But you do look good." He moved, and was suddenly in front of her. "You're like Lilith. Always pretty, no matter what the circumstances. That was one of the things that drew Abel to her, you know. He said she was beautiful and it caught his eyes."

Esther stiffened further, the hurt Dietrich's words had brought to the surface rushing back. She looked away. "Father Nightroad, he never seems to notice what I look like." Which wasn't true, she remembered. Abel had commented on her appearance several times, and always favorably. She felt a faint blush rising to her cheeks, remembering his comments on lipstick. "The Father…he doesn't think of me as anything more than a burden. I've told you that already."

There was a dark chuckle from the man beside her. "I doubt that, my dear. After all, Abel notices everything. And you bring out all his emotions. Besides, Abel and I…we share the exact same genetic code. And Abel seems quite attached to you." He laughed again. "He even came to Londinium for you. As much as my dear brother hates that city, he returned there."

That startled her. She'd never before heard that Abel disliked Albion, or Londinium. In fact, given his familiarity with it, she'd thought it was a place he came often. "I don't understand."

He gave her an amused glance. "Abel…he really doesn't like Albion much. I asked him to destroy Berlin for me, and the place that woman used to call home. But he didn't even need me to ask him to target Londinium. If Lilith hadn't stopped him, he probably would have totally destroyed it, the way he did all those other cities." A flicker of annoyance crossed the pale features. "But then that woman got in his way. I thought this time, that I might have Isaac level the city as a favor to him, but it seems my brother's changed his mind again. I suppose it's because you live there."

"It has nothing to do with me!" Esther clenched a fist, trying hard not to show how much those words hurt. "Father Nightroad…he would never do a thing like that."

He gave her that smile again. "Oh, but he has. My dear brother's destroyed thousands of cities. Did you know? That weapon in Carthage…that woman, Lilith, she put it there, to stop Abel. To stop him from taking the city. She wanted to make him spare the Terrans there, so she created a weapon that would destroy Abel as well." Amusement touched his face. "Poor Abel, he was so upset when he found out about it. He even stopped his invasion of the city. And Londinium…I thought Abel would burn it to the ground, but he didn't do more than destroy a few buildings before she got in his way." He shrugged. "Oh well. I suppose I'll have to take care of it for him later, since he seems to have changed his mind about the world."

Esther felt herself going hot and cold by turns as she listened to his words. She was horrified by the calm recitation of destruction, and frightened by the way it all seemed to mean nothing to him. Though she'd seen this several times over the past week, when he summoned her, it never failed to make her feel sick inside. And the thought that Abel had done those things…she bit her lip, torn between the urge to call him a liar, and a growing fear that what he said might be true. After all, Abel had told her himself that he'd committed terrible sins.

Cain noticed the expression on her face. "Esther…are you unwell? Isaac said you were better, and that you'd been walking around, but then, he can be so careless sometimes."

"I'm fine." Esther shook her head. "But…what you said about Father Nightroad…I don't believe it. I…he's always been very protective of people. He would never destroy a city." She forced herself to meet the blue eyes.

"Hmmm…Father Nightroad." Amusement, and something else, something like affection, stirred in the usually empty gaze. "I was surprised, to find out my dear brother had become a priest. I wonder what would happen if they discovered how many he'd killed during his time as the Angel of Destruction."

"He's not…" Esther began to speak, but Cain touched her mouth, stilling her words and freezing her in place with just that simple gesture.

"Oh, I know. As Father Nightroad, Abel's gotten really calm lately. He wouldn't even kill Isaac to stop the silent noise. I thought that would get him if anything would." Esther's stomach rolled, remembering that terrible event. Cain took no notice of it. "Still…no matter how much he denies it, Abel _is _still a Crusnik, my dear. And whether he's learned to control it or not, he's still got that temper of his." He chuckled slightly. "If you've seen the way Abel can be…then you know how powerful his destructive abilities are. Surely you don't think he got so good at fighting just by accident?" Dark eyes met hers.

Esther swallowed hard. She was afraid to confront this man, the Enemy of the World, but she wanted to defend Abel. "I don't know how Father Nightroad became so good at fighting. But…why must you always insist that he's a murderer, a killer? Why do you always have to talk as if killing and destruction are the right things to do? Even if Father Nightroad has done things like that…why must you keep on with this?" She met his eyes, clenching a fist in her skirt so he couldn't see how terrified she was.

"For Abel, of course." The smile widened, and Esther was startled to see real affection in the blue eyes.

"For…Father Nightroad?" She stared at him.

"Of course. My dear brother." He looked away from her, idly moving his hand across the back of one chair. "It's all for Abel. He wanted so much to have his freedom, so I decided I'd give him that. If the world is destroyed, then he can start over as whatever he wants to be. And I'll be there for him, so it's not as if he'll be alone."

Esther flinched. She wasn't sure which was worse, the words themselves, or the genuine emotion behind them. His tone, usually showing only faint traces of amusement, held real affection this time. She'd never head him speak of himself or Abel like this. She bit her lip, and got her warring emotions under control. "But…he's already indicated that he doesn't want this. He's trying to stop you. So why…if it's for Father Nightroad…why would you kill him for that?"

He shrugged. "Well, it's not as if it was permanent, what I did to Abel. Besides, I thought I might join with him, and make it easier on both of us. Really, if Abel hadn't woken up in a temper just then, it would have been much simpler. He'd be free to rest, and I wouldn't have to worry about this body of mine. But since he's awake again, I'll just have to do things the hard way."

"But…if he doesn't want this...why must you do such things?" Esther clenched her jaw, suddenly aware of how her words sounded. They sounded like she believed what he'd said of Father Nightroad, that he had wanted to destroy the world.

"Hmmm." His face was considering. "Abel does change his mind sometimes. And he has gotten rather protective of people. Especially of you. But still…" He shrugged, dismissing the thought. "He still has so much trouble with the world. Really, it's better for him if it's all cleaned up. Once the world has been renewed he won't have to suffer so much doubt and trouble anymore. Though, if it really worries you, I suppose I can save you and a few others, so Abel won't be unhappy."

She wanted to protest, wanted to say something to refute the statement, but Cain lifted one hand. She wasn't sure what he saw, because she didn't see anything wrong, but a slight frown touched his face. "Really, Isaac has gotten a bit careless. I thought it would have lasted longer." He turned away from her. "We'll have to continue this discussion later, Esther." He waved her away and started to the door. Just before he entered the doorway, he stopped. "Melchior's Doll said you had lunch with Dietrich."

Esther stiffened, wondering where this was going. "Yes. I did."

"Hmmm…well, perhaps I'll invite you for dinner here one evening. After all, you still haven't told me much about what's been going on with Abel." Before she had a chance to even consider a response, the door closed behind him.

Esther shuddered, then turned and headed for her own rooms. She was so preoccupied, she barely even noticed the presence of the Doll behind her following silently. Her mind was still turning over her conversation with the Contra Mundi.

What he'd said of Abel was terrible, but worse for her was the twisted logic of his words. It almost made sense. She knew, as well as any other, how Abel suffered sometimes. Though he often seemed cheerful, she remembered the first impression she'd gotten of him in Istvan. She remembered the way his laughter sometimes, all too frequently in fact, held a lonely saddened ring. And even then, she'd been witness to the wounds he seemed to pick up in every confrontation he got into, where his unwillingness to hurt others had resulted in his own body being damaged. Though he healed quickly, and always made light of his wounds, there was no denying he'd been hurt.

Worse still, she knew of the emotional wounds he'd picked up, things that scarred him long after the events themselves had passed. She fought the memories, but they insisted on intruding, reminding her of the pain he'd been forced to endure, including the times she'd hurt him. In Carthage, where she'd confronted him, and then denied him. The other things she'd done. Still preoccupied, she reached her rooms, entered and shut the door behind her.

_Father…it can't be true, can it? Did you really…did you really suffer so much that you wanted to end it all? But…that…that's not like you, Father. It just…it doesn't sound like you._ She bit her lip, confused. She wanted to deny what Cain had said. But what disturbed her most were the emotions in his voice. He never spoke with anything other than mild amusement in his voice, but that…it was if she'd been watching a stranger. As terrible as his statements were, she'd sensed the genuine affection, the certainty that what he was doing would truly be best for Abel. And that frightened her more than anything else.

_Father…this…this can't be true. And yet…I too have hurt you._ The memory rose up again, of that last confrontation in the garden, where she'd reviled him and struck him. _What…what have I done to you? Father, I'm sorry. I only pray, wherever you are, that you're all right._

"Father Nightroad?" Kate's voice broke into the silence of the forward viewing lounge. At her words, both men looked up. "We'll be at the coordinates you indicated in about fifteen minutes. However, you may want to go to the bridge now. You did say you had some things to do before we landed."

"Yes, of course." Abel turned from where he stood by the window. "Did you set the sensors up for me?"

"Of course I did." Kate sighed. "I wish you'd tell me what was so important though. What exactly are you looking for?"

"You'll see. I'll meet you up on the main bridge." Abel turned and strode out of the lounge.

"Hmmm. He hasn't gotten much better, has he?" William watched as the door closed behind Abel's back. He sighed, chewing on a pipe stem in frustration. "I had hoped that he'd relax a little, given that we're traveling together, but he hasn't calmed down at all."

"No. And honestly, I'm a little worried." Kate sighed and shook her head. "I had the food supplies packed for the way Abel normally eats. But if he continues like this, we'll easily last twice the amount of time he suggested."

"So he still isn't eating properly?" William's eyes were concerned.

"No. I've gotten him to eat a little, but it's not nearly what he needs, with his metabolism." Kate made a face. "And I don't think he's even once slept in his rooms."

"Huh. Well, I suppose it was too much to hope for. Still…" He let his voice trail off, frowning at the door.

They'd been flying for just over a week. He had to admit, the journey itself had been interesting. And as a scientist, the prospect of exploring a pre-Armageddon lab on a continent no one had seen for a thousand years was exciting. But still…his greatest worry wasn't the lab, but the man he was journeying with.

Abel had barely spoken to either of them. He did report for their check-in times, though he never said anything, simply made it plain that he was there. The rest of the time, he was silent, wrapped in a brooding melancholy that only got worse the closer they got to their destination. A part of it, William suspected, was the tracking band Petros had snapped around his neck. It wasn't uncomfortable, as far as William could tell. A small collar, smaller than the traditional cassock collar, to be honest. It was loose enough to breathe and speak easily, and could be worn under Abel's robes. Still, he was aware of the indignity the other man must have felt, to have such a thing placed on him. And it had to hurt, wearing the proof that his own superior couldn't trust him. He had almost asked, more than once, how Abel felt about it, but he hadn't quite worked up the nerve to bring it up. Besides, his instincts told him that wasn't the main problem anyway.

The anguish that had driven him since that night in Albion had only intensified over time. He could see it in his colleagues eyes, in his face and the way he moved. It was overlaid now with a different sort of pain, something deep within Abel's memories. He didn't want to ask, but he worried nonetheless.

With an abrupt movement, William shook the thoughts away and pushed himself to his feet. "I take it Abel's on the bridge by now?" He looked at the slender holographic figure beside him.

"Yes. He's messing about with my sensors." Kate made a soft sound of exasperation. "Honestly, it would be a lot easier if he'd just tell me what it is he's looking for."

"Hmmm. Well, why don't we go up and see if we can manage to get a straight answer out of him?" He gave her a look. "Even though there's been no change, I'm still optimistic that we might get something from him. Even if it's only negative…any information is better than none."

Kate sighed. "I hope you're right, William." The she flickered out, leaving him to make his own way to the main flight bridge.

Abel was there when he arrived, standing beside Kate's main sensor panel. Kate was beside him. Abel stood for a moment, then looked down. "Here is fine."

The ship slowed to a stop beneath them. Abel's hands shifted, typing in a series of commands. "Sister Kate."

"Commencing scans of the area for a five mile radius." Kate watched a shimmering holographic display. She frowned. "Abel…radiation?"

"Radiation scans?" William blinked. He moved up to stand beside his partner. "Abel…it's been over nine hundred years. Surely you don't think there's anything left to worry about."

"I don't know." Abel's voice was sharp with tension. "This area was very heavily bombed during the wars. As far as I know, it may have been even worse than the Dark Lands."

"The Dark Lands? You mean the uninhabitable area beyond the borders of the Empire?" Wordsworth raised an eyebrow. "Do you really think it was that bad?"

"Yes." Abel's hands skipped along the keyboard, his eyes focused on his work. "We can't afford to land on the surface, or even let you approach if the radiation is above a certain level."

William's eyebrow quirked even higher. "Well, if it comes to that, how exactly were you planning to get in there?"

"I'll manage." Abel's tone was clipped, hard. "I can withstand the radiation, at least for a while."

"That may be true…but I'd prefer not to risk your health, my friend." He stepped up beside him. "After all, can you honestly tell me that you're sure about what that kind of radiation would do to your body?"

"There's no need to worry about it." Abel's frame tensed slightly.

He started to say something else, but Kate interrupted. "Scans are complete. It looks like all radiation levels are below your lower limits, Abel."

"How much below?" Abel brought up the screen and studied it a moment. He frowned slightly, and chewed the corner of his mouth. "Some of them are close. It should be all right, still…" He dropped a hand inside his robes, digging in the pockets, then handed his colleague a small disk with a glowing green light. "You should wear this. If the light changes from green return to the ship."

"An old radiation monitoring device?" Wordsworth studied it. "I didn't know you knew how to make these." He shrugged, and pocketed the device. "Well, unless there's something else you need to check, we should probably get going, now shouldn't we? After all, time is in rather short supply."

"Yes." Abel studied the landscape before him. "If I'm remembering correctly, there should be a small landing site, about a mile north. Sister Kate?"

"Roger. Heading north now." The ship shuddered to life again, moving forward. Kate frowned. "I think I see it. I'm bringing the Iron Maiden in for a landing."

Ten minutes later, the ship settled with a thump. Kate opened the landing doors and dropped the ramp. "You both know the protocols, right?" She gave Abel a stern look. "Promise me you'll report in on time, all right Abel?"

"Yes, of course." He didn't really seem to see her. His eyes were fixed on the landscape just beyond the door, and there was a world of pained memory in his gaze. Without another word, he strode down the ramp into the twilight beyond.

Outside the ship was a wasteland of broken stone. There were a few plants, small stunted things growing here and there, but the primary impression was one of broken slabs of rock, tumbled across the ground. Wordsworth frowned, eyeing the uneven terrain. "Abel, watch your step. The ground is pretty uneven."

"I'm fine." To his surprise, the other man stopped and turned slightly. "If you come ahead slowly, it should be all right."

Wordsworth raised one eyebrow, then stepped out into the rubble. Despite it's haphazard appearance, most of the stones were solid. He supposed if they hadn't fallen in nine hundred years, they weren't going to topple now. Still, he moved carefully, not anxious to test that theory. Finally, he stood beside Abel.

To his surprise, the silver haired priest took his arm. "Here. I'll guide you."

"I see. That's very kind of you. But tell me, do you know where you're going?" His eyes drifted over the area. "I don't see anything that looks remotely like a lab, I'm afraid."

"The aboveground facility was almost completely destroyed." Abel's voice was flat, almost toneless, but he caught the tension in it. "There should be an entrance to the underground lab, not far from here."

"I see." He didn't say anything else, just followed as his companion led him carefully through the rubble. Gazing around, he could see where the rocks resembled walls, of a sort, so crumbled and broken down that you had to know what you were looking at to see them for what they were. Then Abel stopped, standing in the center of a partially cleared area with what looked to have been part of a wall still intact. "Here? Abel, I don't…" He broke off as the other man knelt and brushed his hand across the face of the stone in front of him.

Abel's hand shifted, brushing at the dusty surface. Then his fingers found a line in the stone, and lifted away a flat slab of rock. William whistled softly. "Well now…that is impressive. But exactly how do you intend to get in?"

"It's fine." His hand shifted. William couldn't see exactly what he was doing, but he saw the fingers twitch as Abel touched something. A section of the broken wall lit up, glowing a soft green. The priest looked up, then moved forward. Wordsworth moved with him, and found himself looking at an old electronic lock, with a glowing touchpad. Above it, a small screen waited silently for an identification code.

Abel didn't even hesitate. His fingers tapped across the keypad, typing out a long string of numbers and letters, then touched a large button at the bottom. "Stay close. I think this one has a doorway, but I don't know for certain."

A soft rumble of shifting stone made both men turn. Wordsworth's eyes widened as a section of rubble shifted, falling inward to reveal a set of stairs, descending into the darkness. He had just one moment to stare at the odd sight, before his companion moved past him, heading for the entrance. "This way, Professor."

"Of course." He shrugged, then shifted his pipe to his other hand and reached up to touch the communications link on his ear. "Sister Kate. Please inform Her Excellency that we've located an entrance to the facility Abel mentioned, and we've decided to descend."

"Roger that." There was a brief hesitation on the other end of the line, and when Kate's voice returned, there was a hint of worry. "Are you sure it's safe, Professor?"

He shrugged again, though she couldn't see the gesture. "Well, Father Nightroad seems to be having no trouble. I don't see where there's any option but to follow his lead. However, I promise to contact you if I notice anything to be concerned with. Professor out." He shut down the link and followed his partner, already halfway down the stairs.

His first concern was the lighting, but Abel had apparently taken care of that. A touch of his hand sent weakly flickering glows down the narrow stairs. By their light, he could see the corridor just beyond. He followed silently as Abel led him down the stairs into the corridor. A few yards beyond that, it branched into an open, semi-circular room, with four doors lined against the wall. He stopped, and bit the stem of his pipe in absentminded contemplation. "Hmmm…now this could prove a bit problematic."

Abel looked at the doors a moment, then turned toward one. "This one should lead to the main computer room."

"Wait." William reached out, and took him by the shoulder. "Abel…I realize you probably know more about this than I do, but still…how could you know that?" When the other man didn't turn, he stepped around until he could meet the blue eyes with his own. "I don't mean to pry…but what exactly leads you to believe that this is the correct door?" He saw the discomfort in the other man's gaze, but didn't let go. "Perhaps it's not my place, but I'd very much like to know how exactly you gained access to this place at all."

"Seth. She told me where to go. And I…happened to have an access code." There was pain in his voice.

"I see. But…it's almost as if you've been here before." He kept his tone mild, inquiring rather than demanding.

"No. I…wasn't here. I…never came this far. But Seth knows. I…please, Professor, don't ask me anything further. Just…just trust me."

The glitter of anguish in the blue eyes was stronger, and as Abel looked away, William caught a flash of shame in his face. He held the other man a moment more, then released him. "All right. I won't ask for anything else. However, my friend, if you want to talk about it…please remember that I can listen quite well."

A shudder passed through the other man's frame. He stood for a moment, his head bowed, then stepped around him. "This way."

The door opened into another short corridor, terminating in a round central room. William whistled at the sight of the dozen or so monitors. He'd always been more interested in mechanical devices, rather than computer technology, but still…he'd have given a decades worth of pay to have a facility like this. "Impressive."

Abel's face was expressionless. "This was the main monitoring room. From here, we should be able to access the central computers."

William nodded. "I'd say so. There's not a lot you couldn't access with a set-up like this one." He frowned. "However…surely they put some sort of protection on this place."

"They did. But I think I know…" Abel's voice stopped. "I should be able to break their encryption." He swallowed once, then moved forward and began running his hands over the console boards.

William watched him for a moment, then moved forward. "Tell me how I can help you." He shot the other man a quick grin. "I may not know all the ins and outs of this system, but I am fairly proficient."

"Of course." A ghost of a smile touched Abel's face, to vanish an instant later. "There should be a switch…and a board, just off to your left. If you could get that going…"

"I'm on it."

The two men worked in companionable silence for the better part of three hours. Fortunately, the only thing wrong with the station seemed to be the age of the place. Dust coated everything, and some of the switches were rusty with disuse. But they'd both been prepared for that eventuality, and a little cleaning and oiling, and some careful testing and twisting soon brought most of them back to functioning. As he cracked his shoulders and stretched stiff muscles, William grinned at the screen. "There we go. It's all ready to use." He stretched again. "I don't know about you, but I could certainly use a break." He cast a quick grin at Abel.

"There should be a place to rest in one of the other passages. The far left, I think." Abel's voice held a distant note. He was frowning at the screen, his face distracted, as if he were trying to sort something out. "There should be rooms there, and they might still even have supplies in them."

"Well, that's certainly good to know, but…" Wordsworth sighed. "Why do I get the feeling you have no intention of coming with me?"

"I have work I need to do." Abel was still frowning at the screens.

"That may be, but if you don't take a break every now and then, your body won't operate at peak efficiency." He sighed again. "Even you have to rest sometimes."

"It's all right." Abel didn't turn from the monitors.

William stood staring at the other man's profile for a moment, then removed his pipe from a pocket and chewed the stem of it, frowning in mingled exasperation and concern. Then he smiled tightly and shook his head. "Still as stubborn as always." He moved to his companion's side and laid one hand carefully on the tense shoulder. "Come. If you're not willing to rest, why don't we go have a look around the place? You did say you needed to check the facility. It will give us both a chance to stretch our muscles, and then we can tackle the computers again with a fresh outlook."

Abel blinked at him, then relaxed, and the ghost of a smile touched his face. "You're right. I suppose…that would be a good idea." He turned toward the door. "I'm not sure, but I think I can keep us from getting lost down here. If what Seth told me is accurate, then it should be all right."

Wordsworth chuckled. "It amazes me, how such a young looking girl can know so much. But honestly, I have to wonder how she could possibly know about this place. Considering the location."

In the dim lighting, he almost missed the slight hesitation in Abel's footsteps. And if he hadn't been following closely enough to watch, he would have missed the soft reply. "She's…a lot older than she looks. And I…she was here a long time ago. This was…well, she probably knows this place almost as well as I know the Albion Underground." They entered the main hall, and Abel moved towards the door on the far left.

"I've been wondering about that." William eyed his companions back. "I thought it was odd, how you located that entrance, and how you opened it so easily."

Abel stopped, his hand on the door and his body tense. "Professor…"

"I know. I promised I wouldn't ask you anything more about that." He took a deep breath and let it out. "I won't force you to tell me anything, Abel, but it might do you some good to talk about things like this."

"No. I'd rather not." He stood in silence for a moment, then shook his head slightly and pushed the door open. "We should keep moving."

The door opened into a corridor, with several rooms. Some of them were obviously apartments, temporary sleeping places. Some of them looked as if they were storage units, and there was even a large room that, centuries ago, had probably been a kitchen. Abel barely gave any of the rooms a glance. It wasn't until he opened the last door in the corridor that his expression changed at all.

The last room, the door at the end of the hallway, was almost a suite, much larger than the others. Abel pushed the door open, and stiffened visibly. In the overhead lights, his face was tense, and there was anger and pain in his eyes. William saw his expression, and promptly leaned around him for a look at the room.

The room was furnished simply, with bed and dresser and an adjoining room that was probably a bathroom. A small desk was set in one corner. Wordsworth frowned, then moved forward, running a hand across the furniture. It was too small for him, definitely too small for any adult. He studied it. "A child's room? But why on Earth…?"

"It doesn't matter." Abel's voice was too hard, too strained. William looked up, and bit his pipe hard to keep the exclamation from passing his lips at the tormented expression on his companions face. After a moment, the silver-haired priest turned away. "We should go. There's nothing here."

"I'm right behind you." Wordsworth stepped forward and shut the door. He followed Abel back down the corridor, but he didn't really watch where he was going. His mind was still occupied with questions. _That room…it obviously bothered him. But why would a child's room, even in an underground lab, upset Abel so much? Even though it's there, there's no real proof it was ever occupied. And, given the size of this place, it might simply be somewhere to leave the children of the scientists who worked here._ There'd only been one bed and one desk, but still. He frowned as a new thought crossed his mind. _He wasn't surprised to see that place. Even though he's obviously upset…he knew that room was there. But…if he's never been here before, then how would he have known? And if he was told about it…why be so troubled?_ He sighed again, then filed his questions away for further consideration. _There's no point in worrying about it now._

The second corridor had fewer doorways, but several branching hallways and connecting rooms. There were the customary storage closets and maintenance rooms, but most of the other rooms looked to be labs of some sort. There was a well stocked medical facility, several other rooms with computers and monitors, and a room that was obviously made for putting equipment together. A lot of the rooms looked like they might have been offices. Even given the disrepair of the rooms, it was obvious that this had been a state of the art facility, with highly advanced technology. Abel stopped in the medical lab, looking through the drawers and cabinets. Unsure what his companion was looking for, William contented himself with an idle examination of the equipment. "This certainly was a well maintained place." He considered a dusty device perched in one corner. "I wonder what they used this place for."

"Genetic manipulations. This was a Genetics Research facility." The harsh tone in Abel's voice brought his head around. The other man was standing at the desk in the corner, his hands fisted on the surface and his head bowed. "They did experiments here on human beings." The suppressed anger in his voice made Wordsworth stiffen. But before he could ask another question Abel turned and strode out of the room, his frame tight with suppressed emotion.

They stopped in several of the labs as well. Wordsworth watched his companion with growing concern. Each room seemed to make Abel more tense, more angry. By the time the two of them returned to the main entrance and headed for the fourth door, the blue eyes were stormy, and his mouth was a thin slash, his jaw muscles so tight William feared he'd break teeth. He almost suggested they stop their exploration, but the restless energy of Abel's movements kept him from protesting.

The fourth corridor led down a long hallway. Abel's steps slowed as he moved forward, sudden hesitation in his strides. He seemed to be looking for something. Finally, he stopped at a door and pushed it open.

It was another monitoring room, though much smaller. Abel studied it a moment, then entered and carefully ran his hands over the console. He turned abruptly, and raced out of the room, heading down the corridor at a near run until he reached the end of the hallway. One swift movement uncovered the access panel for the door, and seconds later, it opened under his palm. He tensed, hesitated for a second, then dove inside. Wordsworth followed him.

He found Abel standing in a viewing chamber that opened onto a vast, circular room. The place carried the same dusty, disused feel as everywhere else. He glanced out into the open area. "How strange." He turned, and got a good look at Abel's expression. His face was nearly the same color as his hair, and the blue eyes were wide with shock and fear. "Abel…what's wrong? You look as though you're about to faint." He set his pipe in his pocket, and moved to take his compatriots shoulder in a careful grip. "Here. Sit down if you need to."

"No. It's not…I'm all right." Abel shuddered, taking a huge breath and releasing it slowly. "I'm sorry if I worried you. It's just…I…" He took another deep breath, shaking slightly.

"You saw something that upset you. More than the rest of this place." William nodded. "I understand. But Abel…what is it that has you so worked up?"

"I…these facilities…they were all equipped with launch vehicles. There's one in Albion as well." Abel's breathing was still heavy.

William frowned. "Yes. I recall. According to Lord Walsh, the room we found you in was actually a control center for that device. However, it was damaged beyond repair." He studied the other man's face. "Is that what has you so concerned? The similarity between here and the place where you were injured?"

"No. It's not that." Abel shook his head, and his gaze moved back to the smudged glass of the viewing port. "Unless I'm wrong, the rocket should be here. If it isn't…someone's taken it." His eyes closed. "I think someone has accessed some of the other rooms as well, but I can't be sure. But if that's true…"

"You think Rosenkreutz may have already come here and removed a few of the items." He held Abel's eyes with his own. "How bad would that be?"

"It depends on what they have." The blue eyes were dark with fear. "The rocket has weapons, and orbital capability, if they can get it working. They shouldn't be able to, not yet, but…" He swallowed again.

"All right. Let's not panic." Wordsworth studied the panel. "Why don't we go back to the Iron Maiden. Kate can patch us through to the Vatican, and you can report your suspicions." He pulled a watch from his pocket and considered it. "It's about time for us to check in anyway. Then we'll get some rest, and tomorrow, we can return here and get started on whatever else it is you need to do."

"I…there's no time." Abel still looked tense and pale.

"We still have plenty of time according to the schedule we set. Besides…" William tightened his grip on the other man's shoulders. "Coming to this place has obviously upset you badly. I don't know why, and I won't make you tell me if you truly don't want to. However, unless you're willing to give me an explanation, then I have to insist that you rest, and come to grips with whatever it is that's bothering you." His eyes were stern. "I can't afford to have you losing control of yourself here, Abel. And it's even more problematic if you collapse."

For a moment, he thought the other man would fight him. Abel's jaw tightened, and his hands clenched into fists. He stood, trembling faintly, madness glittering in the depths of his eyes. Then, abruptly, all the tension drained out of the slender frame. "All right. I understand." He stood for a moment longer, then broke free of William's grip, turned, and strode through the door.

Their journey back to the Iron Maiden was silent. Night had fallen. Abel had no trouble, and to William's surprise, the other man took his arm as they stepped out of the stairway, leading him carefully over the rubble, with the sure-footed steps of a man who could see in the dark. When they reached the ship, Abel released him, then followed behind him.

Kate had the communications channel set up when they boarded, and it was a matter of moments to initiate the call. Connecting to the Vatican took longer, and there was a great deal of static interference, but it was workable enough. After a moment, Caterina's image appeared on screen. "Professor Wordsworth. You have news?"

"I do. However, I'm afraid it's rather mixed. We've located the underground lab Father Nightroad and Lady Seth mentioned. However, it's not in the best of shape. I haven't seen any sign of habitation, but Father Nightroad believes he may have found a few troubling matters." He turned. "Abel…if you'd care to explain?"

"What?" The silver haired priest blinked. William caught a flash of melancholy in the thin face before it disappeared behind the tense mask. "Yes, of course." He stepped forward to face the screen. "I'm not certain, but I believe some equipment may be missing from one or two of the labs. Without a detailed inventory list, I can't know for certain. However, the bay that should have housed this facility's underground emergency rocket is empty, and there were faint signs that someone was there. I can't determine whether or not it was Rosenkreutz, but the possibility now exists that they have orbital space-flight capability."

Caterina sighed. "That isn't good news." She placed her head in one hand for a moment, then returned her gaze to them. "How soon can we know?"

"I'm not certain about the rocket. But I'll be able to start an inventory tomorrow on the equipment. I should know within a few days of anything is missing, and if there have been any files that were accessed." Abel's face was still tense, his voice a monotone.

"Very well. Keep me informed." Caterina studied her subordinate's face. "Abel, are you well?"

"I feel fine." Abel's voice didn't change, but Wordsworth saw him tense slightly.

"I see. I want you to allow Father Wordsworth to check you anyway. You don't look all right, even accounting for the state of this transmission." Caterina folded her hands.

Abel tensed further, but only bowed his head. "If you wish."

Caterina nodded. "Keep me informed on your progress, both of you. If you find anything certain, let me know immediately. In the meantime, we'll continue the search here."

Wordsworth nodded. After a moment, Abel spoke softly. "Has there been any word from Father Hugue?"

Caterina shook her head. "Not yet. He's having to work his way over on foot, and we've run into a lot of resistance. Even in this past week, there have been numerous acts of violence and panic breaking out. However, as soon as I know anything, we'll contact you. I promise, Abel. For now, it's best if you simply do the job you went to do."

He bowed his head. "I understand." The two of them locked gazes a moment, then Caterina reached forward, and the connection terminated. Abel stood looking at the empty screen for a moment, then turned to Wordsworth. "Caterina's orders…"

"Yes, of course. Kate, if you'll ready the infirmary. We'll do just a quick check this time, all right?" He turned, and Abel followed him down the hallways to the medical wing. Once they were there, he ran a quick scan of Abel's heart-rate and other vital signs, then took a syringe of blood. "All right, you're all done for tonight. Why don't you go get something to eat and some rest, while I process this?" He offered the other man a quick smile.

Abel didn't answer. He simply stood from the bed, rolled down the sleeve of his robes, and left the room without a backward glance. William watched a moment, then turned to the holographic form beside him. "Kate, please make sure he doesn't leave the ship tonight. And if you can, it would probably be a good idea to get some tea in him."

"All right. Is there anything else?" Kate's voice was concerned.

He shook his head. "No. I think it's best if we leave him alone for tonight. I didn't tell Caterina, but something about that lab upset him a great deal. He was angry, and I'm not certain why. The only thing I could gather was that it had to do with whatever work they were doing there. And that, for some reason, one of the residents of this lab was a child. But he won't tell me what it is that's on his mind yet, and I don't want him returning until he's had a few hours to think things over."

"Understood. I'll institute a lock on the outer door for the evening, to keep him here, and I'll see what I can do about feeding him. How soon will your analysis be completed?"

"Hmmm…since we've already calibrated the system, not more than two hours I think." He glanced at the machines, then stepped forward and began to work. "If you'd like to return then, I'll be more than happy to tell you anything I know."

"Roger that. I'll be back in two hours." Kate shimmered out of view. William smiled at the woman's efficiency, then turned back to his monitors.

Kate reappeared exactly on time, her face tense with frustration. "I've managed to keep Abel contained, but he's not eating again. I did suggest he rest, but he's ignoring me." She studied the screen. "Well?"

William frowned. "It's the same results he showed before, only they've increased by at least fifty percent." He stared at the screen. "The reason Abel isn't eating or sleeping as much is because he doesn't really need to anymore. If these readings are correct, the Crusnik have taken over almost his whole metabolism. He probably can run off of one light meal a day and perhaps an hour of sleep. Maybe even less than that."

"With the way he's running himself, that's probably a good thing." Kate sighed. "I can't say I like it, but…" She looked at his face. "What's wrong, Professor?"

"At the moment, the increased stamina is in Abel's favor. However, I am concerned about the long term effects. In this condition…" He frowned and tapped the screen. "The Crusnik are sustaining his body, but I'm not sure they can sustain his mind. And even like this, he can't keep up the pace indefinitely. I'm worried."

"What do you think will happen?"

"If we don't resolve this, Abel will keep pushing himself. Eventually, he'll either break down and his system will collapse, or…" He paused.

"Or what? Don't you dare go all silent on me, William." Kate faced him. "What will happen?"

"If we can't resolve this before Abel reaches his critical point, he may well go insane." He bowed his head. "He was concerned after his return that he might lose his mind and be taken over by the Crusnik. If he continues like this for too long, then that may be exactly what happens. And I can't even begin to guess the consequences, for us or for him"

Kate covered her mouth with her hands for a moment in silent horror. Then she lowered them. "Can you tell how long…?"

"Not even a guess. It all factors on Abel's mental state, and his endurance. I've never managed to pin down either one." He shook his head. "All we can do at this point is aid him as best we can, and pray that we find Esther before he loses himself." He stood silent for a moment. "Tomorrow, he and I will go back to the lab. Hopefully, he'll be calmer then. If I can, I'll try and see if I can find out what's bothering him. In the meantime, please keep in touch."

"I will." Kate nodded.

After a moment, the Professor sighed and switched off the terminal. "I'd best be off to bed. I have a feeling I'm going to be quite busy the next few days."

The next few days were exhausting. Abel was ready early, often before the sun rose. He spoke very little. Though he was courteous enough to lead his companion over the terrain, as soon as they descended into the labs, he seemed to lose track of the fact that he had company entirely. He simply headed for the computer room, brought up the monitors, and began working at a feverish pace, though what he was looking for, Wordsworth had no idea.

The first day, William attempted to assist with the computers. But the language they'd been written in wasn't one he knew very well. It was similar to Albinian text but not quite the same. Besides, after three hours of looking through the files, he had to admit he had no clue what was important. Worse, though he could tell some files were damaged, he didn't know enough to even guess what was missing, or how to repair it. He glanced at his companion, bent over his console with a fixed expression on his face. There was no doubt Abel knew, but there was a withdrawn, thoughtful air about him that suggested it was unwise to disturb him.

Wordsworth glanced at the monitors, then sighed and removed a pen and a pad of paper from a pocket on his cassock. He might not be much use looking at the computer files, but he could take an inventory of the lab. Whenever they got around to it, he'd be able to identify what was there and what wasn't. He took one last look at his companion, then turned and headed for the first hall to make notes.

The rest of the week fell into a pattern. He and Abel arrived, Abel would go straight to the console, and he would start off for the last place he'd done inventory. It was slow going, he wasn't sure what some of the devices in the labs were, and half the chemicals he had to simply spell out by name, but at least it was progress. He kept careful track of time, knowing that Abel was in no frame of mind to do so, and when he was finally exhausted, he'd mark the spot he stopped, and go back to his companion. Usually, Abel was in the exact same spot he'd left him, still working furiously. It took effort to move the silver haired priest, and when he did finally leave his station, it was in the same brooding melancholy he'd arrived.

Finally, the list was done. Wordsworth returned to the monitor room to find Abel hunched over the screen. For once, he wasn't typing, but he seemed to be studying something, a frown on his face. William moved to stand behind him. "What's this?"

Abel actually jumped slightly. "Professor."

William chuckled. "You know, I was actually beginning to wonder if you knew I'd come with you at all." He held up his notebook. "I've completed an inventory of the equipment and supplies here. If you can point me in the direction of some sort of list to match it up to, then I can check to see if anything is missing."

"Oh. Thank you." Abel blinked a few more times, his expression distracted. Then he rose and moved to another monitor and called it up. "If you can type the list in here, I'll run a program to cross-check it against the inventory list in the database." He sighed. "I've been checking the files, and I know that one hasn't been damaged."

"I see." William looked back down at the screen in front of them. "If you don't mind my asking, what's this one you're working on?"

Abel stiffened, and moved over. A touch of his hand darkened the panel. "It's just some files."

Wordsworth stared at him. "Do you really think I'll believe that? If it's not important, then what has you so upset?" He sighed, letting his concern and his hurt show in his face. "Do you really trust me so little, Abel?"

Abel flinched at the words. "I…it isn't that." He hesitated a few moments, then spoke softly, brokenly. "That file…it's the notes from the scientists who worked here. The record of their experiments, what they were doing and trying to do." His face twisted. "The files aren't complete, and they're damaged but…" He turned away, anguished guilt in his face. "The information here…this is what _he's_ looking for, or part of it. I can't tell whether or not he's gotten it, but, even so…this isn't information that should still be in this world. As soon as I know how much he may know, I'm going to destroy this. All of it."

"I see. And you don't want me to know what's there." Wordsworth watched him a moment longer. "As you wish, my friend." He turned to his own monitor, but Abel's soft voice stopped him.

"Professor, please…William." The tone was hesitant. After a moment, the soft words came again. "It's not that I don't trust you. Please…understand that. But this information…it's too dangerous. I don't want you to be endangered for knowing these things. I don't…I don't want you to see this, this part of the past. And I…I promised. I promised someone very dear to me that I would protect them, and this is part of that. Please…I'm asking you to understand that." His voice stopped a moment. "I'm sorry."

There was no mistaking the pained sincerity of those words. William turned back around to see Abel standing with his head bowed. He considered the man before him a moment, then moved forward to lay a hand on his shoulder. "It's all right." He waited until the blue eyes met his again, then offered the other man a small smile. "I may not understand why you feel like this, but I do see that it's important to you. And if that's how you feel…" He shrugged. "Well, I've said it before, haven't I? I'm on your side, my friend, whatever you decide."

Abel stared at him a moment longer, something suspiciously like tears in his eyes. Then he bowed his head again. "Thank you."

William patted the tense shoulder kindly. "No need to mention it. Now then, let's both get back to work, shall we?" He turned settled at his computer, and began to type.

He made good progress on his list, but the conversation stayed with him. He couldn't help thinking about Abel's words. _Someone he's trying to protect, by destroying the information here…it's a strange thing to say. This lab has been sealed for centuries, but he speaks as if he's talking about someone who's still alive. I understand that he might be concerned about letting go of information the Contra Mundi wants, but this whole thing seems to be more than that. It's as if…as if he's afraid of something else as well._ As a scientist, he was curious. As a colleague and a friend, though….he sighed and set the thought in the back of his mind. _I did promise not to pry too closely into this._

That night, after they reported in, he found himself unable to sleep. Abel's troubled face and words continued to chase themselves around his mind. Finally, he rolled out of bed with a sigh, put his robes on and headed for the hatch of the ship, hoping a quiet smoke and some night air would soothe his restless mind.

As he approached the passenger hatch, he was startled to see the door was already open. Frowning, he set his pipe back in his robes, and moved cautiously towards the door.

Abel stood outside, his tall slender form bathed in moonlight. He was still dressed, and William suspected he hadn't changed out of his robes yet. He relaxed and studied the figure in the moonlight, then stepped out onto the debris. "It's a little late to be working, isn't it Abel?"

Abel stiffened. "Professor…what are you…?"

"I was having trouble sleeping, and I thought a little night air and a smoke might clear my mind." He moved to stand beside his colleague, pulling his pipe from his pocket in a nonchalant manner. "Would you care to try one? A little tobacco can soothe your nerves. And I know you haven't been sleeping well lately."

"No thank you." Abel didn't move. William snuck a look at his companion's face. Abel was staring at the moons, and his face was tight with anguish. To William's shock, the thin silver track of tears glittered on the pale face, just visible in the light.

He turned away before it could become evident he'd seen them. With deliberate casualness, he lit his pipe, and stood breathing the fragrant tobacco smoke a few moments. Then, speaking softly, he addressed his companion. "Well, if you don't feel like sleeping, perhaps you'd like to talk to me."

Abel tensed. "I…" William held up a hand to stop his words.

"You've been tormenting yourself with something since the night Esther disappeared." He moved forward, looked into Abel's eyes, his own filled with compassion. "We've all seen it. I've no wish to invade your privacy, my friend, you should know that by now."

His companion took a deep, shuddering breath. "I…I know. But…"

William laid a hand on his shoulder. "You need to talk to someone, my friend. Right now, whatever the problem is, it's driving you to near insanity. You can't keep it bottled up like this. It's not good for you." He looked away. "I remember you were like this when Noelle passed away." He felt Abel stiffen under his hand. "I know you hate to lose any colleague, and that it always hurts you terribly. But you've been acting differently this time, as you were then. I didn't ask then, but did something happen between you and Noelle before her death?"

Abel shuddered. "Yes."

"And…did something similar happen between you and Esther?" William waited, but there was only silence. "I know the two of you argued, you've said as much. Does it have something to do with that?"

"Yes." Abel's voice was shaking slightly.

"I see." He held Abel a moment longer. "Well, I can't force you to tell me, but I think it would help you if you did." He caught Abel's eyes. "I will promise you this. If there's something you need to tell me to unburden yourself, I won't breathe a word of it to the others. Whatever secret you have, it will be safe with me."

Abel stood silent. His head bowed under the light of the moons, and he was trembling. William watched him a moment, then turned away. He was about to give up and leave when Abel's anguished voice spoke. "Esther she…I…" He stopped, then the words came out in a rush. "She said she loved me. And I…"

William turned just in time to see Abel fall to his knees. He dropped his pipe and moved quickly to where the other man knelt, laying one hand on Abel's shoulder. Abel shuddered under his touch, his body shaking with silent tears. "And something happened?"

"I…I couldn't…I couldn't answer her. I…Noelle…she told me that…and she died. And Lilith…she…I couldn't let Esther…" Abel's voice broke on the words. "I wanted to protect her. When she said that I…I told her…I couldn't answer her feelings. And I…what I said…it hurt her. It hurt her so badly. I told her…I told her she couldn't…she shouldn't love a monster like me." The bleak torment in his voice made William stiffen in sympathy. "I…didn't want to see her…didn't want to hurt her with this…this darkness in me." His hands clenched over his robes, as if he wanted to claw through his own flesh and rip something out.

"I see. And I'm suppose Esther didn't take it well." William kept his voice low and gentle, but his heart ached for the man before him, and the slender red-haired queen.

"No. She…she was hurt, and angry. She said…" Abel's voice broke again. "She said she hated me…she didn't want to see me…I couldn't…I couldn't even apologize properly." His hands clenched. "I…she struck me, and all I could do was stand there. I couldn't…I didn't even follow her when she ran from me…and I didn't…I didn't try."

William nodded. "Yes, well, in a situation like that…it probably seemed like the best thing. If I'd been in your shoes, I probably wouldn't have followed her either."

"But it's my fault." The silver-haired man shuddered again, sinking lower to the ground. "Now… the Contra Mundi…he has her…and Esther…" Another sob shook his frame, and he doubled over. William dropped to his knees and caught him before his head could strike the ground. "I hurt her…and now she's been taken…she probably feels I betrayed her…that I abandoned her."

William held his shoulders. "I can't deny that Esther was hurt. But Abel, I seriously doubt she'll believe you betrayed her or abandoned her. Esther's always been a fairly sensible young lady. I'm sure she'll understand what you meant." He held his companion a moment longer, then tightened his grip on the thin arms. "We'll get her back, Abel. And when we do, you can explain things to her properly. I'm sure she'll understand."

"I…I can't…I…I don't want her to see this…." He was shaking. "I…to explain…I don't want her to see that terrible side of me. And I…I don't want her…I don't want her caught up in this." He'd raised his head slightly, and William could see where he'd bitten his lip, hard enough to draw blood. "I…I didn't want her…to be trapped by this. And now…"

"We'll get her back. And I'm sure Esther can take care of herself."

"Not…not against him. I…that he took her…"

William stared at the anguished blue eyes. "Is that what's tormenting you?" He held Abel's gaze with his own. "You told Esther you couldn't love her…but you said that to protect her from the Contra Mundi…and from yourself? And now that he's taken her, you feel responsible?"

Abel took a shuddering breath, visibly trying to control himself. He seemed a little calmer now that he'd gotten the words out, but the agony in his eyes hadn't abated. "Yes."

"I see. Well then, right now, we need to focus on taking care of things here, and then going back to find Esther. I'm sure Caterina or the Inquisition will come up with something soon, and then you can go rescue her and tell her how you feel."

Abel bit his lip again. "I…I can't. I…"

"You care for her." William held his gaze. "You care for her so much, you were willing to tell her otherwise in order to keep her safe. That's the truth, isn't it?"

Abel flinched. "I…"

"It's not important for you to answer that question right now." William took his arms. "You didn't do anything wrong Abel. And if Tres is correct, which I believe he is, there was no way you could have prevented this from happening. They would have taken her one way or the other. And if Esther truly does feel rejected, then your words may yet serve their purpose."

Abel's eyes widened, mingled pain and hope in them. Then the pain flared deeper, and he looked away. "I…"

William stood, one hand on his companions shoulder. "Let's concentrate on getting Esther back. After that, you can decide what to do. In the meantime, trust Esther to take care of herself, and us to help you find her. All right?"

Abel remained kneeling a moment longer. Then he rose. The pain hadn't gone, but he seemed a little calmer. He nodded. "You're right. Thank you." Then he turned away and entered the Iron Maiden.

William stood watching with a concerned expression. Absently, he retrieved his pipe and knocked out the ashes, stowing it in a pocket. _So…she did confess her love to him. And he…Abel, I do believe that you really love her. And you tried to protect her by pretending otherwise. It was a noble effort, my friend…but I fear it has only caused you more pain._ He sighed. _I can only pray we come up with some new information soon. Esther…I pray you stay well. May we find you soon._

Esther shifted nervously, standing at the wall of the North Tower. She felt restless, but she couldn't say why, and even the cool breeze and the smell of plants couldn't really soothe her mind. She leaned against the wall, staring out over the wasteland below.

She hadn't left her rooms except for the Contra Mundi's summons for the past two or three days. Though she didn't want to admit it, her last encounter with Dietrich had unnerved her more than a little. She shivered, remembering the feeling of being helpless in his grasp, and the evil in his smile.

She knew Sieglind would defend her, if needed. But she also knew that Dietrich was probably her best link to the outside world. He was evidently high-ranked within the Order, and knew a great deal. But…she remembered the dark interest, akin to lust in his eyes, and the way he'd spoken of her as his toy…or his puppet. Even knowing she needed to deal with him, she felt frightened and off balance.

Esther took a deep breath, willing herself to be calm. If she became too agitated, Sieglind would most likely have her taken to Kampfer. Though the Wizard was probably better than the Puppet Master, she couldn't shake her unease over the way Kampfer looked at her either. She frowned, remembering how he had referred to her blood as 'special'.

"Lady Esther." Esther spun around, to find Kampfer standing behind her, an amused expression on his face. He bowed. "Pardon me. But Mein Herr has invited you to eat with him, and he requested that I fetch you and bring you to him."

Esther took a breath and forced her heart rate to slow. "I see. Do I need to change?"

"Your servant has already gone ahead to make the necessary arrangements. I suggest you hurry." He smiled.

"I'm coming." Esther stepped forward, trying not to show her apprehension as she moved toward him. She knew she must not have succeeded, because the amusement on his face increased.

He waited until she was close, then took her hand and bowed over it, the same gesture he'd used when being Isaac Butler. "You've no need to be concerned on my behalf, Lady Esther."

She jerked her arm free and stood staring at him. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that, after what you did?" Her hand slid down to the healed scar on her arm.

"I see. So you're still concerned about that." Isaac shrugged. "I will admit to getting carried away, but…you do have such unique blood. In fact, I'd say that even the little he drank has been immensely helpful to Mein Herr. But then, that doesn't come as much of a surprise, considering your bloodline."

"My bloodline?" Esther stared at him.

"You mean that Lord Walsh didn't tell you?" A thin smile quirked the corner of his mouth. "That was certainly careless of him." He stepped forward, brushing a hand across her throat before she could back away. "The royal line of Albion is one of the last Pure Blood Lines in existence." He studied her. "Actually, I'm really rather surprised. Rumor has it that the monarchs of Albion are frequently blood bonded to the House of Manchester. In all likelihood, if your Lord Walsh was at all close to the previous queen, then he would have drunk her blood himself. And he really never mentioned any of this?" Esther didn't answer, but she couldn't keep the shock from her face. Kampfer shrugged. "It's really only a guess, though. Perhaps he didn't form that bond with the previous monarch. But really, it would be a waste."

Esther flinched. "I…I don't understand. What…what are you talking about?"

"Well, I'd explain, but I don't think we have time. Mein Herr is waiting for you." The cool smile on his face told her it was a lost cause. "I'll escort you to your rooms to get ready." He caught her expression. "You don't have to worry. Mein Herr made it very clear that you are not to be harmed, and I have no intention of disobeying, even for that."

"I see. Thank you." Esther stared at him a moment more, then turned and strode down the staircase.

Kampfer followed her to the door of her rooms, then bowed her inside. "I'll be waiting here for you. Please do try to be prompt, Lady Esther."

She didn't make any reply, simply shut the door in his face. She wanted nothing more to collapse on the couch and think about what he'd said, but Sieglind was standing in the doorway to the bathroom, already waiting for her. "Mistress, your bath is ready."

Esther frowned, then pushed the thoughts out of her mind. There'd be time to think of what Kampfer had said later. She took a deep breath, then reached up to undo the buttons on her dress. Instantly, the Doll was beside her, helping her out of her clothing. Then she was moving toward the bathroom, sinking into the hot water of the tub. Esther sighed, allowing the warmth to soak away some of the tension in her muscles. But as much as she wanted to relax, she knew Kampfer was waiting for her. Despite his show of politeness, he'd probably come in to check on her if she didn't get ready fast enough. She sighed again, and reached for the soap.

Forty-five minutes later, she was ready to go. her hair had been cleaned, dried and brushed, and Sieglind had helped her into her gown for the evening. Esther looked into the mirror, frowning at the outfit as the Doll adjusted the folds.

Her outfit this evening was green, a vivid emerald green with a darker underskirt. It was mostly unadorned, save for the copper and golden V-belt separating the top from the bottom. She had to admit, she liked the colors, and the golden disks surmounted in the wide copper fabric looked beautiful. What bothered her was the top itself.

The green top, the same shade as the skirt, was strapless again. The only thing holding the top up was a wide forest green choker with emeralds sewn on. From there, the front of the gown was cut low, past her breasts and almost to her belly button, so that it looked more as if someone had simply taken two long triangles of fabric and sewn them to the skirt. About five inches above the belt, the green fabric came together and wrapped snugly around her waist. It was formfitting, and though not truly uncomfortable, Esther felt embarrassed. She'd never worn a gown so low cut, or that showed quite so much of her body. And the way the dress was cut, she couldn't wear a bra properly either. Though the dress itself provided subtle support, she felt uneasy and somewhat undressed. She hadn't worn something so exposing since the one mission in Carthage, and she wasn't sure that even it was this revealing. She fingered the choker around her neck, then straightened her shoulders. The dress might be uncomfortable for her, but it would also serve as a distraction, somewhat. She let Sieglind adjust one last crease, then turned and strode to the door, pulling her dignity around her.

Kampfer was standing outside. To her shock, Dietrich was with him. She froze, stiffening. Dietrich looked over, and slow lazy smile touched his face. "Well…this is certainly a change." He shook his head, gazing at her with something akin to admiration. "I never would have guessed you'd be quite so beautiful. You really should get out of those work clothes you like more often."

Esther swallowed once. "If you'll excuse me, I believe I'm expected elsewhere."

"That is true." Kampfer straightened from where he leaned against the wall. "Mein Herr is expecting the lady for dinner. You'll have to discuss her appearance with her some other time, Puppet Master."

"Of course. I wouldn't want Mein Herr to be kept waiting." He smiled. "I'll let you go for now, but I do hope you'll speak with me again sometime, Esther. And I'd love to see you in one of these dresses myself." He offered her one more cold smile, then sauntered away.

Esther took a deep breath, to calm her racing heart. Then she turned formally to Kampfer. "I'm ready to go."

"Well then, I suppose I'll be a proper gentleman and escort you." He held out his hand. Esther shook her head quickly, and he smiled. "Very well then. Right this way." He turned and began to walk toward Cain's quarters, Esther just a step behind. At the door, he bowed, then held it open for her. "Right this way. You'll find everything is already prepared. Have a nice evening, Lady Esther."

Esther swallowed hard once more, then stepped through the door, hearing it click shut behind her. She turned, and spotted Cain.

He was sitting, lounged loosely in a chair just past the center of the room. he was dressed all in black this time, he outfit oddly reminiscent of what Dietrich had worn at Saint Matthias, and his golden hair fell loosely down his back. A small table, clearly meant for no more than two people was at his side, with place settings for two already laid out. As Esther took a step forward, he tilted his head, then rose from his seat. "Lady Esther. I trust Isaac delivered my message properly?"

"Yes. He said you'd asked for me to join you." She took a step nearer.

"Yes. I did say I'd invite you to dinner." He eyed the food with a mild expression of bored amusement. "As a Crusnik, I don't really require solid nourishment. However, I did think it would be a good chance for us to discuss my dear brother Abel some more." He gestured. "You should have a seat."

"I…" She bit her lip, then decided to stick with court protocol for a situation like this. It seemed the safest. She moved over to the chair and settled into it. "Thank you." She couldn't bring herself to call him Mein Herr, or my lord. And she certainly didn't want to call him by name.

Cain waited politely, then settled back into his chair with a fluid grace that almost made her envious. "Help yourself, please." He gestured.

"Thank you." Esther reached forward, took some meats and bread, and a little wine as well as some vegetables. She'd just started to reach for her fork when she realized that he hadn't gotten anything. "Are you…going to join me?"

"Hmm…well, I suppose there's no harm in it." He reached forward, and lifted a few things onto his plate. "02 always was one to do justice to a meal. I never really got into it. So tell me…does Abel still eat a lot? He used to eat three or four helpings of whatever was available. Even military rations."

Esther swallowed. She considered avoiding the question, but then thought better of it, remembering the odd sense of real emotion she'd gotten from him last time. "Yes. He still eats a lot. And he puts far too much sugar in his tea. Father…he seems to like sweet things, but he'll eat anything."

Amusement and affection entered the depths of the empty gaze. "That does sound like Abel. He always did have a sweet tooth. Lilith used to say it was unhealthy for him, but I don't think he ever listened to her. But then, we never really got much in the way of sweets, so I don't see how it could possibly have been a problem. I suppose it's different now."

Esther blushed. "Well…he's always putting sugar in his tea. But other than that…I'm not so sure." She glanced up, remembering what Abel had said. "But Father…he told me once that he ate like that because of the Crusnik."

He gave a soft, amused laugh. "Yes well…Abel and I may have the same genetic code, but we don't always have the same temperaments. Abel…he's really gotten rather picky about what he eats. If he simply ingested the proper nutrients, he wouldn't have to eat quite so much. After all…a Crusnik can be sustained for quite a while on a single feeding. I usually have Isaac take care of the matter for me."

Esther froze, feeling ice in her veins. "You mean…you…"

He chuckled. "There's no need to look so alarmed. There are plenty of willing donors, after all. The Ice Witch for one. Sometimes, even Isaac gives me a little of his." He shrugged, and his face turned thoughtful. "Although, I must admit…yours tasted different. It didn't even taste like a normal Terran's. I found that very intriguing."

Esther swallowed. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm afraid I'm nothing very special." She looked down at her plate, her appetite fast disappearing.

"Hmm…well, I suppose it doesn't matter." He shrugged again. They sat in silence for a few moments, and then he spoke. "So tell me…what is it exactly that my dear brother Abel does in the Vatican? I know he's been getting in my way quite a lot recently, and he seems to have quite a lot of trouble. Isaac told me he worked for that young Lady Cardinal. So tell me, how does 02 spend his time these days?"

Esther stiffened. To give herself time to think, she lifted a bite of food to her mouth, and chewed. She knew she shouldn't tell him much. She fought for something neutral to say, that wouldn't give away too much information. "Father…he does work in the Vatican. He's part of the AX division, for Lady Caterina." That was common knowledge, and Dietrich and Isaac had probably already told him that. "He…Father does whatever Cardinal Sforza and the others ask him to, I guess."

"I see. I'd heard Abel got into some sort of trouble though. Dietrich's been picking fights with him." There was amusement in his eyes again. "Abel always did like a good fight."

"I…that's not true. Father Nightroad, he always tries to avoid fighting." Esther set her glass down. "I've never seen him deliberately enter a conflict unless he had no choice."

"Hmmm…well, I suppose it's part of the influence that woman had on him." Cain's voice had a distant, almost thoughtful quality to it. "Lilith never did like it when Abel fought. But Abel…he seems to need that sort of thing. That's why I thought it would be all right, to go ahead and continue our plans, even though Abel seems to have changed his mind. He's probably just looking for a good fight." He regarded her for a moment. "So…did Dietrich and 02 really come to blows?"

"I…well, I don't know about that. I…I know that they looked like they might have been fighting, but by the time I got there…they weren't. And then…" She stopped short of mentioning Seth's involvement.

"Ah, yes. Puppet Master mentioned that. 03 got involved." He smiled. "Abel always was my favorite. But 03, she does have a great deal of fire to her. She's a lot like Abel in that regard. She has a temper. It's nice to know she hasn't changed. I heard she and my brother were getting back together somewhat, and I suppose it's a good thing. After all, 02 was always rather fond of her."

Esther nodded her silent agreement, and turned her attention back to her food. She wasn't hungry, but she wasn't sure how to take her leave of this man. Fortunately for her, he seemed to be staring off into space, recalling something. Esther let him, content to continue her meal. When she finally finished the last bite on her plate, she set the fork down, and stood. "Thank you."

"Oh, are you finished already." He looked at her plate, then rose smoothly from his feet. "Well…it was interesting having you in here after all. Even if we didn't discuss much about 02. And Isaac does seem to be right about you. You really are a rather pretty young woman, and I can see why 02 and 03 like you." He smiled at her.

She swallowed. "I appreciate the compliment, but I…I'm not sure Father Nightroad cares for me at all."

He shook his head. "Well, my dear…if Abel didn't feel something, he wouldn't come back for you." He considered her a moment. "Perhaps you remind him of Lilith." He shrugged, and she hoped he missed the flash of hurt that she knew crossed her face. "Either way…it seems very entertaining to have you here." He waved a hand at her. "Perhaps we'll have dinner again some evening." He turned to stride back toward the inner rooms, dismissing her.

She didn't see quite what happened next. One moment, he was walking towards the connecting door. Then, without warning, he fell, staggering and collapsing forward onto his chest, onto his face with a low muffled gasp. His hair fell forward, hiding his face. For a moment, she couldn't see what had happened to him. Then he shifted slightly, and she felt herself go stiff with shock.

His right leg was lying on the floor a few feet from the rest of him, about where he'd stumbled. Though there was no blood gushing from him or the leg, she could see where it had detached from the rest of his body. A small amount of black liquid pooled on the floor near both his leg and his hip.

Esther froze, her mind working furiously. Almost involuntarily, her eyes flickered toward the doorway beyond his prone form. She knew the opposite room held windows, and she thought at least one of them might open to the outside. If she moved fast, she might have an opportunity to escape. Incapacitated as he was, there was a chance he'd be unable to pursue her, and no one would raise the alarm until they came to check on him, or until he managed to move enough to summon help.

It was a tempting thought. Esther even started to take one step toward the door. But the rustle of her skirts brought her back to reality. She was on the third floor, and getting down would be difficult. Worse, the dress she wore was completely unsuitable for travelling or running in. She had no food except what she could take off the table, and no way to carry it. She also had no weapons. Even if she managed to get out, she'd not be able to go far, and if they caught her, she'd never get a second chance. She sighed and put the thought away from her.

Her other option was to simply leave. She could just leave him here. Eventually, Isaac or one of the others would come to check in with him, and they could help him. She turned, and was about to take her leave when he spoke. "Really, Isaac has gotten rather careless. I'm going to have to have a talk with him about that." She turned just as he shifted again, and the long golden hair fell away from his face.

His voice was light, but the expression on his face was one of pained amusement, with more pain than laughter. Esther froze. His eyes were awake, alive as she'd only glimpsed them before, when discussing Abel. The sight shook her, but even worse was his startling resemblance to Abel. She'd seen that expression on his face all too often, and it always sent a stab of pain through her heart. Save for his hair color, she might have been looking at Abel, once more suffering from a painful wound.

Conflicting emotions slammed through her like a tidal wave. She hated him, knew she hated this man she called the Enemy of the World. All her instincts demanded that she simply leave him alone. But the face, so like Abel's, shook her to the core. Besides, despite everything, she'd been raised not to abandon someone in need. The emotions and pain on the thin features were too real for her to ignore.

She stood for a moment more, conflicting feelings in her heart. Then, almost unwillingly, she moved forward and knelt at his side. "Here. Let me help you."

Cain blinked at her. "Lady Esther?" Through the pain, she saw surprise, and a glitter of ironic amusement. "I thought you hated me, for what I did to my brother."

"I do. I hate what you've done to Father Nightroad, and to Albion and the Vatican." She looked away from him. "But even so…I was taught not to abandon someone who truly needs help. And even though I consider you an enemy…God demands that we show mercy, and Father Nightroad…he gave me that as well. He showed me how to be kind. So did Bishop Laura, the woman who raised me."

"Hmmm…well, I don't think Abel would approve."

"That doesn't matter now." She bit her lip. "When I was in Istvan…I hated Count Gyula, for killing Bishop Laura. She was the closest thing I had to a mother. But in the end…Father Nightroad…he urged me to forgive him. And if I hadn't listened to him…" She trailed off wondering what had possessed her to tell this man such personal information. She shook her head, shaking away the memories. "Anyway, it isn't my nature to take advantage of a fallen enemy like this, no matter what the circumstances. I know I'll probably regret it later, but…just this once, I'll help you. What do you need?"

Pain glittered in his eyes. "Well, I suppose I need to see if the leg can be reattached."

"Here." She reached out, laid her hands on his shoulders, and helped him to turn onto his back, so that he was sitting propped on his elbows. She'd always known his hands were cool, but his chest was surprisingly warm. "What do I need to do?"

"Well, you might trying bringing me my leg." Amusement and pain flared in the blue eyes. "I should be able to force it to re-attach. It would be easier than trying to re-grow it."

Esther nodded, then stood and moved over to the severed limb. Despite the lack of blood, her stomach suddenly rebelled. She swallowed hard, forcing her dinner to stay where it was, then reached down and picked up the limb. It was cool, and soft. She swallowed again, then shifted it closer to him, to where the stump of his leg ended just above the knee. The black liquid flowed with her, like some bizarre form of glue or something.

Cain watched her, then pushed himself upright and took the limb from her, pressing it firmly to his body. "There now. Really, Isaac should have warned me. But still…back you go." His voice was soft.

The black liquid rippled around the edges of the wound. Then with a soft sucking noise, the edges of the wound sealed, as if it had never been. Esther fought the urge to gag. She looked up, in time to see the pain on Cain's face. Before she could think about it, she moved forward. "I'm sorry. Does that hurt you?"

"Well, it does hurt quite a bit. Still…I'm rather used to it. After all, I've been doing this since Abel and I had our last major fight. I suppose it's nothing." The animation was fading from his eyes, leaving them with their characteristic amused emptiness.

Esther swallowed again. _Father Nightroad…he caused this? Because of their fighting? Does that mean…does Father Abel suffer this too?_ She'd seen no signs of it, but that didn't mean anything. After all, she'd not known Abel was hurt in Carthage until Petros told her. She shook the thought away. "Do you need anything else?"

"Well, if you'd be kind enough to escort me to my tank. I'll call Isaac and have him come take care of it."

She remembered his comment about a lady in a man's bedchamber, but this was different. "All right."

Working carefully, she levered him off the floor. He leaned on her a little, though less than she expected, and together the two of them staggered into the other room. She led him to the large tank, and helped him lean against the stairs. "There. You should be all right now."

"I'm fine, Lady Esther." He shook his head. "You should leave now. Isaac will be by in a while. In the meantime, I'm sure I can manage." He waved a hand. "We'll talk more later." He turned away from her, and began to casually strip off the shirt he wore.

Esther turned and exited quickly, trying to keep her face from heating up. It wasn't until she'd left the suite and was halfway back to her rooms, with Sieglind as her silent shadow, that she even dared to think about what had just happened.

She'd just helped the Enemy of the World. She knew who he was, and she didn't understand what she'd done, or why. Perhaps it was simply that he resembled Father Nightroad. Perhaps it was the pain in his face. She remembered how his eyes had seemed so alive, as though he was really there for the first time since she'd met him. She'd seen brief flashes of genuine personality when they discussed Abel, but this had been different. Even in her mind, she felt as though she'd been dealing with Cain, not the Contra Mundi.

She entered her apartments, still pensive. She barely noticed as Sieglind helped her out of the dress and into her nightgown. Her mind was still spinning. _Why? Why did I help him? And why…why did it feel as though he were someone else? And Father…I don't know how much of what he says is true. I know…I know you've been hurt…but I can't picture you being violent or cruel. And Lilith…did you really only care for me because you thought I resembled her?_ The thought made her heart ache. _Father, I…I don't know what to think anymore._ She was still trying to sort things out when she fell asleep.


	20. Notice: For my Fans and Readers

_**For my Fan and Readers**_

Dear readers and fans of **TBWC**,

It's **smcandy**again Authoress/Writer of **Trinity Blood War Continuum**.

I'm posting this notice in regards to hearing your _**votes**_ on what will happen next once I complete **Trinity Blood: War Continuum** AKA (**TBWC**) for short.

We only have twenty-five more chapters of (**TBWC**) left after that and I'm trying to decide officially which story I will continue on with next once (**TBWC**) finished.

I've made a poll in response to which choice you guys can make, one of the two stories I will continue on next, go to my **profile** page to where the poll is posted make your vote. Once I am done with **TBWC** in posting the last chapter which is chapter forty. I will then announce from the poll results in decision to which the fans decide on which story I work on next..

That's about it I look forward to your votes in the poll.

Sincerely- Authoress **smcandy **


	21. Sixteen: The Edge of Sanity and Madness

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Again a thousand and one apologies for another l_**ate **_update, my editor to whom I was semi miffed with at the time had a bad few migraines from last week and the chapter got delayed in being delivered to me much sooner. Na don time for that matter, this makes things more challenging for her to get the next update to me because we decide on making deadlines for reach one so **dragonwriter24cmf** is gonna do her best to get chapter 17 sometime to me by the end of the month if possible.

**[*]** **So here's thanksgiving present to all you guys out there in US whom are gonna celebrate your turkey day starting tomorrow ^^. Many wishes to you all the way here from Canada that's right I'm Canadian folks. I wish all my American fans, friends and editor a very happy thanksgiving to you tomorrow. **_Also be sure to add your vote to when we reach chapter 40 f the finale to let me and my editor know which story you want me to work on and post next after __**TBWC**__ is finished, Read my previous update to kenw what I am talking about._

**DISCLAIMER:**All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters. _**Special thanks**___to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of **16** [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**EXTREAME WARNING:** _**This **__**chapter is gonna have a lot more Lemons in it, **__**very**__** M rated. I have to warn you guys in sense that my editor for her it her first time doing a lemon did quite well on the sexual foreplay within this chapter. You'll see what mean when you read on, if you feel you cannot handle it then I advise to those whom have endured it this far from it's kinkiness to either skip it in which you'll miss most of the plot or bear it. Either why I do no think anyone where whom has come to know this mature rated TB story will mind. I warned you guys the kinkiness would get more deep as each chapter is updated. Now read on and enjoy everyone! ^^.**_

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Sixteen - ****The Edge of Sanity and Madness**

It was night when the Iron Maiden touched down on the landing platform of the Vatican. Professor Wordsworth sighed and rubbed his eyes with the back of one hand. Sister Kate, standing beside him on at the viewing port, shook her head. "Honestly William, you need to get some rest."

He gave her a crooked grin. "Well, I won't deny that. However…you'll have to admit, there has been some cause for lost sleep." He sighed, running over the events of the past three weeks in his mind.

Abel had finished working with the files on the computer while he'd typed the inventory list into his machine. William knew the other man had deleted several files, but he hadn't asked. And though he knew Kate could probably have restored them, he hadn't asked her to do so. He trusted the other man, and he respected Abel's wishes. After that, the two of them had gone over the inventory list item by item.

What they'd discovered was alarming. Several things were missing, or in reduced quantities. Some things, Abel had found later, going through little places William hadn't seen. Others he'd misread the labels on, and the other priest had managed to figure out what they really were. But even so, there'd been far too many things unaccounted for. And a search of files had proven there was supposed to be a rocket in the facility, and the rocket was indeed missing. There was no sign of it, nor any records of it's having been launched.

Finding that had upset Abel badly. And though William had no idea what some of the items that had gone missing were, he had no doubt Abel did, and the information upset him as well. The other man had spent the entire journey back roaming the ship restlessly. He ate when Sister Kate forced him to, which was a small improvement, but the nervous energy that drove him was disconcerting. William took a deep breath and turned to look at the woman beside him. "How is he this evening?"

Kate sighed. "He's restless. I got him to take tea and a sandwich earlier, but…he's not talking to me. He's already waiting by the doors to disembark."

"Hmmm. Well, then I suppose I'd better join him." He took another calming breath, then turned and strode down the hallway to the main doors.

Abel was standing there when he arrived. He looked up, but he didn't say anything, and the pensive look on his face was enough to keep William from attempting any conversation. Between what they'd discovered and his uncertain situation, Abel had more than enough reason to be tense.

Minutes later, the ship vibrations changed, and he registered the soft thump that heralded a landing. With a hiss of air, the door swung open and the ramp extended. Abel took one step forward, then stiffened, concern settling over his face. Seeing his expression, Wordsworth moved around him.

Petros was standing by the ramp, the scowl on his face clearly visible in the light of the platform. At the sight of them, he gestured. "Hurry up. Your presence is requested by Cardinal Sforza."

Abel swallowed hard. Wordsworth touched his shoulder reassuringly and spoke softly. "You've no reason to be concerned, my friend. After all, you've reported in faithfully as ordered, and Kate and I can vouch for your whereabouts for the entire trip. And we already confirmed that the tracker worked perfectly."

His companion managed a short, jerky nod before striding to the end of the ramp. He was just about to step past Petros, when the Inquisitor caught him by the shoulder. "Halt." He frowned. "Before you go, I have something I need to do." One hand roughly turned back Abel's collar, exposing the narrow band of the tracking device. Before William could protest the treatment, Petro's other hand tapped out a quick sequence. There was a click, and the collar fell free in his hands. He stuffed it roughly into his robes. "There."

Abel stared at him, and one hand moved up to touch his throat. William could see the surprise in his face, and incredulous relief. "Brother Petros…what…?"

"Cardinal Sforza lobbied for your release." The Inquisitor turned his face away with an exasperated growl. "She argued that you've maintained your end of the bargain and proved your trustworthiness. Besides, in order to move as freely as you need to, you cannot afford to have that monitor. His Holiness agreed, as did the majority of the Council." He snorted. "Even Cardinal di Medici cannot deny that you've kept your word. And there's no point in having a weapon against the enemy if you limit it's usefulness. I'll still have to escort you, but for the time being, it's been decided to remove the monitor."

"I see. Thank you." Abel's voice was soft. After a moment, his gaze shifted to the Church. "You said Lady Caterina wished to see me, immediately?"

"Indeed. I recommend you hurry."

Abel nodded and slipped past the Inquisitor. Petros turned, but Wordsworth caught him by the shoulder. "Just a moment, please." He waited until the other man had turned, and until a quick glance revealed Abel to be far enough away. "Thank you."

Petros growled. "I'm merely following the Orders of His Holiness and the Cardinal."

"I'm well aware of that. But to come all the way out here, simply to fulfill an order…I thought I'd let you know it was appreciated." Wordsworth smiled, though there was no amusement in his eyes. "If Abel weren't in such a hurry, I'm sure he'd say so himself. But since he is, please allow me to offer my gratitude on his behalf." He knew he was grateful. He'd seen the discomfort on Abel's face, and more than once, he'd considered removing the band. But even when he'd suggested taking it off to make sure it still functioned properly, Abel had refused.

Petros snorted and turned away roughly, following the silver-haired man. "Your gratitude is noted. If you'll excuse me, I have a job to do, and you should return to yours."

William nodded, and fell in step with him. They both caught up to Abel just as he crossed the threshold of the church. He didn't acknowledge them, just strode forward, heading for Caterina's office. Petros followed him to the official's wing of the Church, then turned down a different hall, presumably to return to his duty of guarding the Pope. Wordsworth continued behind Abel, mulling over their planned report.

At Caterina's office door, Abel knocked once, then let himself in. Caterina was seated at her desk working, with Vaclav beside her, but she set the papers aside. "Gentlemen. I trust you had a good flight?"

"Indeed. Sister Kate made excellent time, as always." Wordsworth smiled and stuck his pipe between his teeth. "And how have things been here?"

"Rough. We've had a great deal of unrest cropping up in every major country. It's slowed our search efforts considerably." Caterina scowled, then shook her head slightly. "Well, I'm interested in hearing your report, but before you begin…" She tilted her head back slightly. "Vaclav, if you would make the connection please."

"Of course, Your Eminence." The dark-haired man turned and began typing out a communications sequence.

Caterina folded her hands. "In light of the situation, I've decided to have you report to both myself and our Imperial Liaison. And after that, Abel, there's something I need you to look into."

Abel opened his mouth, but didn't have time to speak. There was a crackle of static, and a holographic image formed in the air between the Cardinal and the two priests. Seth grinned at them from the image and waved a hand. "Hey there Abel. How are you?"

Abel relaxed a fraction. "I'm fine…but…" He stopped.

The smile disappeared from the youthful face. "Did you get into the underground lab, there in America?"

"Yes." Abel swallowed hard, and when he spoke, his voice was distant, as if he were fighting his own emotions. "We managed to gain access, but…there may be a problem." He took a deep breath. "The rocket is gone, and there's no computer record of a deliberate launch."

"Hmm…that is bad." Seth sighed. "Well, if they'd gotten it operational, they wouldn't have tried to access the one in Londinium." She looked into Abel's face. "Abel, what is it? There's something else, isn't there?"

He nodded tightly, and took a deep breath. "The Professor and I made a complete inventory of the lab there, and…there are several things missing. Chemicals. Equipment…enough to begin a new lab, if you know what you're doing. Or…to repair an old one."

Seth winced. "You think they may be trying set up a new location?"

"I don't know. It's a possibility." Abel was tense. "I can't be certain."

"I see. And what of the files?"

Abel shook his head. "They were corrupted, but that doesn't mean he couldn't get any useful information out of them. I've wiped them, but I don't know how much he or one of his men could have restored off the system. Judging from the skills of the man they call Puppet Master…I doubt they could get a complete set of data, but they could have accessed more than enough to give them a good start."

Seth sighed. "Well, that isn't good news. I suppose it might be considered positive that they couldn't get a complete set of files, but…this news about the missing equipment is troubling." She sighed again. "And unfortunately, it makes what I have to say much more urgent."

"What exactly do you mean?" Wordsworth frowned at the projection. "Is there something going on?"

"Indeed." Caterina frowned over her folded hands. "We've detected major upsurges in Hispania, Amsterdam and Germanicus. Coincidentally, the Germanicus incidents aren't that far from Old Berlin. However, we've spotted major players from the Order in all three locations. If what you say is true, then they may be setting up an alternative headquarters or strike force in any one of the three areas."

"That isn't all." Seth's expression was grave. "We've had several cells of troublemakers infiltrate the Empire. There was a merchant group that was coerced into bringing them in. I wasn't planning to trouble you with this, but if what you say is true…if there's a possibility they're trying to set up a new lab…then I'm afraid I need your assistance Abel."

"Seth…I…" Abel's body tensed. "You know my primary concern is…"

"I know. You want to find Esther. But Abel…I can't do this alone." Wordsworth saw pain, regret and concern in her eyes. "My agents are all very skilled, but they don't know as much as you do. And I can't leave the capital right now. You know that. If they're trying to set up a new lab then…you're the only one who can handle it."

Abel's frame was rigid. "And what of Esther?"

"We'll continue our monitoring." Caterina's voice cut in sharply. "Right now, we can't do anything about the situation. We'll have to keep making observations and trying to figure out a way to positively identify her location. Until then…Father Nightroad, you are hereby ordered to assist Lady Seth and her associates within the Empire. Help them locate and eradicate the trouble zones, and gather what information you can."

Abel swung around, his eyes hard and angry. "Caterina…"

"Keep your voice down." Caterina fixed him with a stern gaze. "If your suspicions about a new major base of operations are correct, then the Empire is as good a location as any. And while it may not have occurred to you…" She met the blue eyes with her own. "Even a partially constructed facility may make a good place to keep a hostage. Esther could be at any one of those locations. After all, if you know your enemy is looking for a major base then the best place for a hostage is somewhere they won't look. It has the advantage of being unexpected."

Abel's frame was trembling, but it was rage more than pain that Wordsworth saw in the blue eyes. "Caterina…I…you said I could conduct this investigation as I saw fit."

"I did. However, matters have changed. After all, the Papal Council is watching both of us very closely. Besides that…" She sighed. "Right now, we have nothing. We simply don't have enough information or manpower to make any decisive moves. But I can't justify continuing to keep you here, inactive, when there's so much unrest. I know your preferences, but until we have something solid, I need you in the field." Her eyes came up to meet his, not flinching at the storm of emotion within his gaze. "I swear to you Abel, if we receive any definite leads, I'll recall you at once, and send you the information."

Seth nodded. "If anything comes up, I won't make you stay, Abel. In fact, I'll have a ship standing by to escort you to the border, or wherever you need to go." Abel turned to regard her, and she held his gaze. "I promise." Pleading entered the green eyes. "Please Abel…I really do need your help."

Abel stood for a long moment, his gaze flickering between the two women. His jaw clenched, his hands were fisted, and his frame was tense. For a moment, Wordsworth was afraid he'd do something violent, and he saw by the slight shift of Vaclav's stance that the same thought had occurred to the other man. He met Vaclav's eyes, and saw his own intent mirrored there. If Abel broke, he had a sedative hypodermic all ready to go, and he'd use it. It was better than letting the distressed AX priest do something he'd regret later.

Seconds ticked past, and then Abel relaxed just a fraction. His fists remained clenched, and his eyes were still stormy, but the trembling rage had passed, and his jaw unlocked enough for him to speak. He bowed his head stiffly. "Very well."

Caterina nodded. "You'll leave on our fastest courier ship in a few days. Until then, I'd like you to look over the reports from out field agents, see if you can spot anything."

"As you wish." Abel bowed his head once more then turned to the hologram of the young woman. "If you'll excuse me, I have a lot to do if I'm to join you." He didn't wait for a dismissal from either woman, simply turned and strode out of the room. He didn't quite slam the door behind him, but the thud of the wood hitting the frame seemed unnaturally loud. Wordsworth sighed, letting out the breath he wasn't aware he'd been holding.

Seth took a deep breath, her eyes focused on the door. "That…wasn't good." She ran a hand through her tousled black hair, then met Caterina's eyes. "We'd better find something soon. I fear Abel…I think…" She swallowed hard. "It looks like he's beginning to have trouble controlling himself. For him to be so angry…Abel's only been like that once before that I know of, and last time…." She let the sentence trail away, but her eyes were concerned.

"I know." Caterina's eyes were troubled. "I hate to say it, but I'll send Father Tres as backup. Tres should be able to handle Abel if the worst happens. Hopefully he won't be needed."

"I know. I'll have three of my agents with him as well. Astha, Ion and Baibars will accompany him." Seth sighed. "I wish we knew what was going on in Abel's head. Or with his body."

Caterina turned her gaze to William. "Professor, were you able to find anything out?"

William frowned, and stuck his pipe between his teeth. "Abel's body is continuing to shift to accommodate him. His metabolism and energy levels are going up considerably. I suspect, given the hold the Crusnik have on his body, it's only natural to expect some mood swings and such. However, if it's possible…" His gaze flitted to Seth. "If you target a place with Methuselah , you may want to let him handle it, just to get the aggression out of his system, and provide a chance to feed the Crusnik and keep him stable. Despite my concerns for Esther, I believe this is the right thing for Abel. If he remains here, inactive and with no way to keep himself in balance, it will drive him to madness all the more quickly."

"That's good to know." Caterina's eyes were sad. "However, I fear he won't thank me for it. Or forgive me."

"I don't know." William exhaled softly, wishing the pipe was lit. "I did find out some things about Abel's mental state while we were on our mission."

"I see. And what did you discover?"

"That lab…it upset him. I don't know if it was the Genetic research in general or something in particular, but…he was deeply disturbed."

Seth made a face. "It was probably both." She tilted her head back, looking away from them. "I can hazard a good guess about that, but…I think that's something that should be discussed at a different date."

"That's fine. Other than that…" William's troubled gaze met Caterina's, then shifted away. "I can't tell you the details, because I promised him I wouldn't but…I believe now that the situation between Abel and Lady Esther was…far more serious, and more complicated than we thought." He saw the flash of both concern and confirmation that passed between the two women. "I don't know how much Abel has straightened out for himself, but if this isn't resolved soon, or if something has happened to Esther, then we could be in for a great deal of trouble."

Seth bit her lip. "I think, if Esther had been hurt or killed, we'd know. They'd use it against us to force our hands. But I think you're right. We have to resolve this soon for Abel's sanity. But…I'm not sure what we can do."

Wordsworth frowned thoughtfully through the window for a moment. Then he turned to his superior. "Lady Caterina, how much time before Abel is sent to the Empire?"

"A few days." Caterina raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"

"Abel needs something to help him retain his focus, to keep his anger and his aggression from overwhelming him, and to hold his mind to task." William considered. "I'm not sure it will help, but…if we have a few days, then with your help, there's something I'd like to get for him." He leaned forward and spoke to the two women quickly, softly, with Vaclav listening in.

Seth nodded. "it's a good plan." Then her eyes darkened. "I hope it's enough."

Esther woke to the sound of dishes clinking on the table. She blinked, confused by the sound. After all, Sieglind always woke her before she set the table and arranged breakfast. Esther lay still a moment more, then carefully sat up, pulled the robe from the corner of her bed, and pushed the curtains aside.

Isaac was setting the table, in his form as Isaac Butler, not Kampfer. Esther stiffened. "What…?"

He laughed softly. "There's no need to be concerned. I'm simply fulfilling the orders of Mein Herr. He requested I serve you, as a token of his gratitude." He bowed. "I was just about to ask Sieglind to wake you. However, since you're awake, may I offer you breakfast?"

Esther sat still a moment. She didn't trust Kampfer but she had to acknowledge he'd been relatively straightforward about his behaviour. Even his deception, as Butler, had been more or less plain. He did what he was ordered. And the smell rising from the fresh baked breads and warm cereal reminded her of just how little she'd eaten the night before. She hesitated a moment more, then swung herself out of bed and stepped toward the table.

Isaac pulled the chair out for her, held it with perfect manners while she settled herself, then pushed it in again and settled a napkin on her lap. "Well then, what will you have, Lady Esther?"

"Ah…a slice of bread please, and some juice and fruit." She felt strange, giving him her order as if he were one of her maids in Buckingham Palace.

"As you wish. Would my lady care for some meat or eggs?" he cut the bread smoothly, placed it next to a pat of butter.

"Both thank you, but not much." She looked up at him. "I appreciate the service, but it's not necessary."

"On the contrary." He offered her a cool smile. "It is my duty to do whatever Mein Herr commands. If he commands me to kill, I kill. If he commands me to serve, I serve." He shrugged, a nonchalant gesture that was more in keeping with Kampfer than Butler. "That is my duty as his second in command."

"I see." She felt a shiver run through her frame at his matter-of-fact tone. For a moment, she thought of asking another question, or making another attempt to get him to leave, but it seemed pointless. Instead, she applied herself to her meal, eating quickly and neatly. The sooner she was done, the sooner she could ask him to leave.

She was halfway through when he spoke. "I must confess, I am rather curious." She looked up to see a glitter of amusement and something else in his eyes. "I wouldn't have expected you to come to Mein Herr's rescue. After all, he did make a fair attempt at killing that priest you're such good friends with. And he was the one who ordered the attack on your city. I would have thought you'd have tried to kill him, or at least let him there to suffer."

"I…" Ester swallowed hard. "That's not how I was raised. Besides…I didn't have any way to harm him, and there was no point in trying." She met his eyes defiantly. "After all you would have just come to help him anyway."

"Well, there is that." He shrugged again. "I simply didn't expect that sort of thing, even from you. After all, that Father of yours is hardly so forgiving, and I was under the impression that you were his attaché."

Esther's fist clenched in her napkin. "Father Nightroad has nothing to do with this." She jerked her chin up, anger mixing with defiance. "Even if he didn't approve, I choose how I handle things, not Father Nightroad."

He bowed his head. "I do beg your pardon, Lady Esther. Perhaps I've misunderstood something."

Esther sat for a moment, watching his face, then turned back to her plate. She ate a few more bites, then finished the juice he'd set out for her, and laid her silverware down. "I'm finished." She rose from the table. "If you'll excuse me, I believe I'd like to get dressed for the day now."

"As you wish. I'll send Sieglind in at once to lay out your clothing." He gathered up the dishes with quick deft movements and set them on a tray, then exited.

Esther watched the door shut behind him and breathed a sigh of relief. Kampfer was preferable to some of the others, but there was a feeling of cold-bloodedness and casual power that made her uneasy. That and his attitude, the way he could do the most appalling things with a smile on his face…all for the Contra Mundi. She settled on the bed, trying to get her thoughts under control.

Minutes later, Sieglind came through the doors. She went to the other room and filled Esther's bath, then returned. "What will you do today, Mistress?"

Esther took a deep breath. "Well, I think I'd like to go for my morning walk first and then…I thought I might just spend a quiet day reading."

"As you wish. Your bath is ready. I will lay out your clothing for today."

Esther moved into the other room and settled into the tub, her thoughts still whirling around the events of the past few days. She settled back, letting the warm fragrant water soothe her muscles as she pondered what had occurred.

Dietrich's odd assertions and possessive behaviour frightened her. She wasn't sure why, but it felt worse even than the night he'd held her still while the others drank her blood. Then he'd simply been amused. Now…she wasn't sure what he was thinking, but she wasn't sure she wanted to know either.

More unsettling were her encounters with the Contra Mundi. Despite her hatred of his actions, and her fear of him, she couldn't shake the memory of those odd moments of humanity. Those brief times when she saw something besides emptiness in his eyes. But even with that…she had no idea what had prompted her to help him like that. She wanted to believe that it was simply compassion, the way Bishop Laura had raised her. And the way Abel had taught her to behave. And yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that it also had to do with his resemblance to the silver-haired priest, and that brief flash of humanity. It was almost as if she'd been dealing with another man entirely for a few moments. There was a chance that that changed attitude could present opportunities for her, but she wasn't sure whether or not she dared to trust it.

The water was growing cold. Esther sighed and rinsed off, then emerged from the tub, drying herself off as she considered the whole mess. Finally, she pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind. Until she knew more, there was little to no point in speculating overmuch.

Twenty minutes later, she was in the corridor striding towards the staircase that led to the garden tower. She was half-afraid she'd run into someone, but she wanted desperately to see the sunlight, and feel the fresh air on her face. Fortunately, the hall was deserted, and she made it to the tower without incident.

She spent a little over an hour in the garden, simply walking among the various plants and letting the air wash over her. The scent of the green plants and the roses calmed her. She spent took her time, looking over the walls for any details in landscape that she might have missed. Then, when the wind had swept her hair into an untidy mess and her mind was cleared, she turned and descended the stairs again, intent on returning to her rooms to relax for a while. She had no doubt Cain would send for her eventually, but until then she had little else to do.

A figure was waiting by her door. Esther slowed, then stiffened as she recognized the slender figure of the Ice Witch. She hesitated a split second, then moved forward, raising her chin and straightening her spine to match the woman's arrogant posture. "Lady von Vogelwiede."

"You." The woman drew herself up, anger and distaste shimmering in her eyes. "How dare a lowly Terran wench such as yourself lay hands on Mein Herr." She sniffed. "It can't be helped if my lord chooses to have someone like you in his presence. But for you to dare to touch him…"

Esther stiffened. "Would you prefer I left him on the ground?"

"You…you have no right to look upon him at all. After all…" Helga gave her a poisonous look. "Even if you happen to be Queen of some Terran land, when all is said and done, you are simply another short lived no one." A terrible twisted smile touched her face. "I've heard the Wizard and the Puppet Master. A year ago, you were just another nun scrambling about as a Vatican errand girl. If that Count hadn't set you on the throne, you'd still be nothing but a lackey for the Vatican."

Esther bit her lip and met the woman's eyes. "I don't really think you can say anything to me about that. After all, aren't you just a servant of the Contra Mundi?"

Helga stiffened. "My lord is a great and powerful man. It is an honor to be chosen to serve him."

"Countess von Vogelweide, you should return to your duties." Sieglind's monotone cut through Esther's next remark. "My lord von Kampfer expects a report on the establishment of your decoy bases."

For a moment, Esther thought the other woman would ignore the Doll. But then Helga sneered, and made a small contemptuous noise. "Well, if the Wizard is so impatient…I suppose I must go. But remember, girl…the Contra Mundi isn't for someone like you to get close to. I'd watch your step if I were you." Then she turned and disappeared down the hallway.

Esther took a deep breath, forcing her hands to unclench. She wasn't sure which bothered her more, Helga's attitude, or the assumption that she was after Cain. She shuddered. _As if I would ever want anything to do with that man. I didn't choose this, and I certainly don't want any sort of relationship with him. _Then she shook the thoughts aside and continued on to her room.

She was reading a few hours later when a knock sounded on the door. She blinked, then motioned Sieglind to open it.

Balthasar von Nuemann stood there, holding a small bouquet of roses. He moved forward to stand in front of her couch, then knelt and held them out with a flourish. "For you, my lady." He set them gently on her hands. "As a token of my apology, and my appreciation."

"I…I don't understand." Esther took the roses gently.

"Well, I hadn't yet apologized for my unseemly behaviour a few weeks ago." He shook his head. "I really don't drink from humans normally, it's such a bad habit. Only Kaspar really gets into that sort of thing. So I don't know what I was thinking, to have done that. And then afterward…well, I do apologize. That certainly wasn't gentlemanly behaviour. I'm not surprised that Mein Herr was displeased with us."

"I see." Esther looked at the roses, then at the man before her. She knew she shouldn't trust him, but his gentle attitude seemed so different from the others. "I…thank you. I do accept your apology."

"Hmm. I'm honoured. Kaspar said to tell you he…well, she's sorry as well. He says the smell of your blood overwhelmed him." He shook his head. "Just between you and me, my lady, he's probably telling the truth about that. He's a little odd in more ways than one, and that's one of his problems. He really does like fresh blood." He shrugged. "I'd be grateful though, if you'd accept his apology as well."

Esther shivered at the reminder that the man before her was a Methuselah. But she bit back her first reaction and nodded. "Of course. I understand."

Balthasar inclined his head. "Thank you, My Lady. If you'll excuse me, I have work to do. However, I would be grateful for the chance to call on you again some evening."

"I…yes, of course." Even knowing the danger, he seemed a better companion than Dietrich, or Kampfer. While she'd still probably be summoned to Cain, at least the others might not bother her.

"Thank you, my lady." He bowed once more, then left.

The rest of the evening was quiet. Esther half-expected Cain to summon her, but there was no call for her. She spent the evening reading in her rooms, enjoying the unexpected quiet. She went to bed early that night, and when she rose the next morning, the thoughts of Cain and Dietrich's strange behaviour had almost vanished from her mind. She spent the morning quietly settled at the desk, writing her thoughts down and getting them in order, until a knock on her door made her look up. She set her pen down just as Isaac entered the room. He stopped, then bowed. "Mein Herr requests your presence." He studied the outfit she wore, a casual working gown of variegated blue. "I believe your attire is suitable for the moment. Please, come with me."

Esther swallowed hard, then laid her pen aside. "All right." She followed him to the Contra Mundi's rooms, then hesitated at the door. "Would you happen to know the reason I was summoned?"

Isaac shrugged. "Mein Herr wishes to speak with you. His reasons are none of my concern."

"I see. Thank you." She took a deep breath, then stepped inside.

Cain was standing in the middle of the room. She was startled to see him up and moving, but even more startled to see him clothed only in his dark pants and shirt, with his white wings standing out starkly from his shoulder blades. Then he turned, and the wings slowly folded themselves away in some fashion she didn't understand. "Hello Lady Esther."

She studied his face, hoping for the liveliness she'd seen in his eyes before. But aside from his characteristic smile, there was nothing in his gaze, only faint amusement. She bit the inside of her lip. "You asked to see me?"

"Hmmm…yes, I did." He moved forward. "You've been very helpful. I thought perhaps I ought to thank you." The faint smile widened. "Helping me re-attach…well, 02 probably would be angry with you, but I suppose I appreciate the effort."

She swallowed back an angry response. "Well, it's as I said. I was taught that we should always show mercy to our enemies." She looked away from his eyes. "Father Nightroad taught me that."

He laughed lightly. "02…well, I know that woman must have done something to him, to make him turn from me. But still…to hear of 02 asking mercy for an enemy…" He shrugged. "It really is rather amusing. He used to be the most violent of us all."

Esther fought back her anger. "Well, I don't know anything about that. To me…Father is always kind."

"Hmmm…well, I suppose anything can happen. It seems Abel has changed a lot. But then…I suppose I'm grateful for that. After all…you've helped me." He shifted suddenly, coming behind her before she had a chance to react. "Isaac says you've helped even more than you know." One hand traced a line across her arm. "He says your blood is helping me maintain this form of mine."

Adrenalin went through her like a bolt of lightning, and she swallowed hard. "I…I'm afraid I don't know anything about it."

"Hmmm…" His hand brushed her arm for a moment longer, then fell away. She looked up to see him shrug again. "Well, I don't really need anything now. But…it would be interesting to test Isaac's theory later. If you'd be willing to help me again."

Esther felt her back tighten. "I…I don't know. I think it would be better if you asked someone else."

He smiled vacantly at her. "Well, I don't think it much matters now. According to Isaac, this should last for another day or two. He gave me some of your blood he had in storage. I can afford to wait, after all. But still…" he tilted his head. "If he's right…I can see why Abel keeps so close to you, and why he could return because of you."

Esther clenched a fist. "I'm afraid you're wrong. I never…I've never given Father Nightroad anything." She bit her lip, hurt by the realization of just how true that was.

He shrugged again. "We'll discuss it later. For now, Isaac will be back in a few minutes." He turned away, dismissing her. Esther took a deep breath and ducked quickly out the doors before he could change his mind.

The next few days were quiet ones. She ate, slept, and took her walks around the building and the tower garden. Sometimes she read, but she couldn't shake a growing feeling of concern. She felt nervous, restless, and she wasn't sure whether it was her own continued inaction, or the way the members of Rosenkreutz were acting around her.

She didn't see Helga again, and was grateful for it. The woman's poisonous tongue brought out the worst in her, and the aura of hatred that surrounded her made Esther uneasy.

Balthasar came by once. He delivered a bottle of wine and stayed to speak with her for a few minutes. He was polite, charming, the epitome of a well bred noble and yet…there was something about him, some off-hand manner that made her nervous in a way she couldn't fully define. They shared the bottle over a light snack and discussion of various topics. He spoke to her a little more about his brothers, and about his life as a nobleman of Germanicus. Esther blinked. "You…you're from Germanicus? But…isn't Lady von Vogelweide from there as well?"

"Hmmm?" He looked at her over his glass. "Oh, yes, of course. Actually, that's how we first met, at a function given by one of the nobility in the area." He shrugged. "My brothers and I were already being recruited by the Order, and Isaac was visiting." A small smile touched his face. "She and Isaac really don't get along, and she rather loathes Dietrich…von Lohengrin. But she and Melchior actually seem to be rather good friends, which I suppose is a good thing. He doesn't make many, and it's the first time I've seen him notice a woman."

Esther nodded. "Well, it's just strange. I mean, it seems like almost all of you are from Germanicus."

"It's not really so surprising." He shrugged again. "After all, I believe Mein Herr is also from this area. As a matter of fact, if I recall correctly, this place is his home. It is a little strange that he'd want to return to such a desolate area, but then…well, we all have our little quirks."

Esther sat up straighter. "You mean, we're…we're in Germanicus?" That was the first useful bit of knowledge she'd gotten.

"Yes, of course." He blinked at her. "Does it matter?"

"No." she shook her head forcing herself to relax. "It's just…well, I had no idea where we were. It's a little disorienting, not even knowing what country you're in, and the landscape around here…it seems so barren."

"It does at that. I really prefer the forests near my home a bit more. But…well, Mein Herr wants to be here, for some reason. Besides, Melchior couldn't care less about the view, and Kaspar...well, he likes desolation. He misses his opportunities to chase small animals and such, but then, it's a small enough problem. Nothing that sending him on the occasional errand doesn't fix."

Esther swallowed. "Errand?"

"Simple things. Mein Herr has much he wants done, and Kaspar is very good at certain things. Given his penchant for disguise, and his skills at it, I think there's no one he couldn't be if he wanted."

Esther shivered. "You mean…"

He chuckled. "Oh, don't worry. He won't imitate the Order members. We made that rule a long time ago. Otherwise, who knows what trouble he'd get into. And I suppose, since you're under Mein Herr's protection, he won't imitate you either. Not unless he's ordered to."

Esther bit her lip, thinking about the implications. _If…if he can imitate anyone then…they could…they might be able to use my face against my people. They could…have him pretend to be me, and be dead. Or…they could have me pretend to betray my country my friends. They might have already…._ Her throat closed up.

Balthasar set his glass down. "lady Esther, are you well?"

"What? Oh, I'm sorry." She blushed. "I'm afraid I…drifted off for a moment." She stared at the wine. "I'm really not used to drinking much wine, I'm afraid."

"Ah. My apologies then." He rose smoothly from his seat. "Perhaps I ought to leave you to get some rest then. We wouldn't want you getting ill on us. After all, having you around seems to make Mein Herr happy, and I've heard from Isaac that you're really rather good for him." Esther stiffened, trying not to think about what Isaac thought she was good for. Blathasar bowed to her. "Good evening, Lady Esther."

After he left, Esther sat, considering. She knew more now than she had before. She knew she was in Germanicus, in one of the more desolate areas. She'd studied geography while in the Vatican, as part of her required knowledge for an agent of Caterina's. There were a handful of places in the country that were labelled desolate. If she could identify which one she was in, she'd be able to figure out where to go.

Her thoughts were broken by Sieglind. "Mistress, are you well? Your readings indicate distress."

"Ah…no, it's all right." Esther forced a wan smile. "I'm afraid I'm simply not feeling too well. I think I'll go to bed early tonight."

Cain summoned her the next evening. He was standing by the door to his other room when she entered, and to her surprise, he was wearing only a pair of pants. "Good Evening."

Esther flushed. Though there wasn't anything really wrong with him being dressed as he was, the impropriety of it bothered her. It felt wrong somehow. She looked away. "You know, I've said it before. If you're going to have people summoned to your room, you really ought to put your clothes on."

"Hmmm…well, I don't see how it matters. I did just come from my regeneration, and I'll be returning to it soon enough." He shrugged. "Unless of course…you wished to help me?"

She bit her lip. "I said it before…I think it's better if you ask someone else. And even if that's true, weren't you the one who lectured me on proper manners when I first came here?" She hoped her hair hid the crimson of her ears.

"I suppose that's true." She heard a soft movement, barely audible even though she was listening hard. "There. Is that better, my dear?"

She looked up. Somehow, he'd gotten one of those red-trimmed white jackets from somewhere. He settled it over his shoulders and pulled the sleeves onto his arms, then shrugged into it. She didn't see quite how he managed, but he did at least fasten the lower half of the jacket.

"Thank you."

He shrugged, and a touch of a smile crossed his face. "It is a bit amusing. That woman used to lecture 02 about things like this all the time. Abel didn't really like uniforms, you know."

She'd never seen Abel out of uniform, except when he'd given his coat to her to help her now and then, or after he'd gone through a transformation and ripped his cassock to shreds in the process. "I…well, I wouldn't know about that. Father…he's a little disorderly, but he's always been dressed properly. Except when he's been in trouble."

Amusement touched his face. "Abel does get into quite a lot of fights. He used to get blood all over his uniforms. It was such a hassle getting them cleaned." He studied one hand idly. "Well, that is one of the benefits of this form. Even if something happens, I don't really bleed much. Not unless it's a major wound. I wonder if 02 has noticed that yet."

Esther's stomach did a slow flip. She clenched a fist. "I'm sorry, I'm really not feeling all that well. If you'll excuse me…"

"Oh?" he looked at her a moment, then shrugged. "All right then. We can discuss things another time." There was indifference in his eyes, but something in the way he stood made her nervous. "I suppose if you're not feeling well, I ought to have someone escort you to your rooms."

"It's not necessary. Sieglind…" She swallowed.

"As you like." He waved a hand and turned back to his door.

Esther turned and left, feeling shaky. She didn't understand what about the encounter had unnerved her so much. True, the fact that he'd been partially undressed was disconcerting, but she didn't know why it bothered her. Perhaps it was his indifference to his state. Or the fact that he'd made another reference to taking her blood. She wondered why he was even asking her, but she knew better than to press the issue. She swallowed, knowing if he decided to force the issue, she had no way to stop him.

A knock on her door interrupted her thoughts. Her head came up, just as Dietrich entered the room. She stiffened. "Dietrich."

He heard the anger in her voice. "Oh, do calm down, Esther. I'm only here to check on you. I'd heard from Balthasar that you weren't feeling well, so I thought I'd come and see for myself. Though you do look a little pale." His eyes were opaque.

She shook her head. "I'm fine. Really, it was just a little too much wine."

"Is that so? Personally, I don't think so." He shifted suddenly, and before she could properly process it, he was standing beside her, one hand brushing her cheek. "You really do look a little pale to me. In fact, you look almost as if you're about to faint."

Esther shuddered. She tried to jerk away from him, but her body wouldn't respond properly. She had just enough time to see the grin on his face before darkness crashed over her.

She woke with a feeling that something was wrong. Very wrong. Her body seemed…light somehow, and it wouldn't obey her commands. She felt as if her mind had been wrapped in cotton, as though she'd been tied up or something. She struggled trying to break free of the haze that clouded her mind. Then without warning, a hand touched her face, and a familiar voice spoke. "It's time to wake up Esther. Here's something to help with that."

She had just enough time to register Dietrich's voice before something slammed across her mouth, hard. Dietrich's mouth was pressed against hers, his tongue running over her mouth, forcing it open. She wanted to fight him, but she couldn't move. She gasped, opening her eyes as she struggled helplessly.

He held her for a moment, then released her and stepped back, straightening the loose white shirt he wore. She saw the sadistic smile on his face, and then his fingers clicked, and she felt herself moving.

Esther gasped as she felt her body rotate into an upright position, her feet just touching the floor. She stared at him. "What…what have you done?"

Dietrich smiled coldly and moved forward to touch her face, sliding a finger across her cheek. "I thought we ought to continue our little discussion from last time. Of course, we wouldn't have been able to talk much with you unconscious like that, so I thought I'd better wake you up. Do you like fairy tales, Esther?" his hand touched her jaw, and cold amusement glittered in his eyes. "Tell me, did you enjoy being woken like the princess in a story? Did you enjoy my kiss?"

Esther shuddered. She felt…wrong…far more than just the fact that she couldn't move. And the depravity in his gaze was unsettling. "Sieglind…"

"Oh, you don't have to worry about her interference this time." He smiled. "After you passed out, I sent her to Melchior. I told her she was wanted for an inspection. After all, if she can't even tell when you're sick, she really ought to be checked out." He grinned again. "It's not like Melchior actually called for her, but…well, let's just say he and I have an arrangement for the moment. He'll keep Sieglind out of the way for me while we have a talk. It really does work out for both of us. He gets his precious toy back, and I get to play with you some." His hand shifted lower, brushing her shoulder. "Tell me Esther…what do you think of the outfit I chose for you?"

She'd noticed that her clothing felt a lot lighter. She felt herself turned toward a mirror, and her eyes widened.

She'd been wearing a light working dress again, but this…even her nightgown wasn't so exposing. The top was held with spaghetti straps, and almost too low-cut to be called a top. It was cut in a wide v-cut almost to her navel, barely covering her chest. A simple white brooch rested in the hollow of her breasts. At her waist, the white top became a pleated white skirt, cut so short it didn't even reach her knees. Her eyes went to the light grey choker, with the short strand of pearls, then widened as they touched on the set of delicate fabric wings that fell were attached just below the shoulders. "This…"

"Well, you always did act like you were such an angel. I thought it would be fun if I dressed you like one. After all, it'll make this so much more entertaining, don't you think?" His hand brushed over her skirt, and Esther gasped, feeling the fabric brush against her skin, realizing that under the fabric of the skirt, she was wearing nothing.

Dietrich smiled, and for the first time, she saw that he wasn't wearing his order uniform. Instead he wore a loose white shirt, with most of the buttons undone. Only the center two kept the garment from hanging loose and falling from his narrow shoulders. He wasn't wearing shoes, and his pants were the ones he'd worn often in Istvan, low cut with a button and a zipper in the front, and a belt looped around his hips. He shifted, and she saw the slight bulge in his pants, and her eyes widened.

"You…what are you doing?"

Dietrich's smile widened into a cold leer. "Well, you still haven't apologized to me for slapping me, you know? I've been very patient, but you haven't even said one little word. And I did warn you." He leaned forward. "If you won't apologize on your own, I'll just have to take a fitting apology for myself." His breath brushed across her ear.

Adrenalin and panic crashed through her, verging on hysteria. Esther swallowed back the tears in her eyes and the terror rising in her gut. "What…what are you…?" She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.

Dietrich smiled, a cold cruel smile. "Well, I thought we might play some more, and then maybe…maybe I'll show you what a real man does." His hands brushed her face, stroking her cheek. "After all, you did say I was a monster, didn't you? And we already know you seem to have a passion for monsters. So I thought I'd get some fun, and then I'll give you exactly what you want." He shifted, coming around behind her, looping one arm around her waist. "Doesn't that sound interesting? After all, it's not as if you have to do anything." He held up one hand, and she saw the strings glittering in his fingers. "At the moment, my strings will do all the work for you. Isn't that generous?" The hand on her waist slipped lower, brushing her hip. "Now then, where do you think we should start?"

"Let go of me." She forced the anger into her voice, but she couldn't move, and fear was rapidly over-riding anything else in her mind. "You…"

"I don't want to." His voice turned cool, almost playful. "In fact, I really don't want to." She felt hot air brush her ear. "So, where shall I start? After all, my strings can make you feel anything you want, or anything I choose. Maybe you'd like to feel something painful? Or maybe…something else? Or if you'd prefer, we don't have to use the strings at all. Doesn't that sound interesting?"

She didn't have time to respond. The hand on her hip dropped suddenly, and then both his hands were under the skirt, lifting it up as his fingers trailed over her hips and down to her nether regions. Esther gasped as he fingers slipped down her front and into her. Instinctively, she tried to pull away, but the strings held her tight.

Dietrich stroked her, and she felt the warmth of his breath on her jaw as he chuckled. "See? Doesn't that feel interesting? You can't tell me it doesn't excite you." Another low chuckle from him. His hands brushed across her once more. "And I can make it so much better too."

One hand moved, and then he was standing in front of her, one hand still stroking her. Esther bit back a cry as she felt her legs shifting wider apart, so that she was standing with her feet spread. Dietrich moved closer, that cold gleeful smile still on his face, and then his hand pushed deeper. Esther flinched and gave a choked off cry as his fingers stroked deep inside her. Her back arched involuntarily against his hand, and he smiled.

"See? Isn't that so much better?" His free hand stroked her face again. "I can tell by your expression that it really does excite you, even if you want to hide it. Although, I suppose that attitude is to be expected, considering how you've always tried to be such a saint." He grinned. "Well, I always did love that about you. But you know…I think it's a little unfair of you to be having all the fun, don't you think?" He moved closer. "You know I really think its time I got something out of this as well."

"No…" Esther fought back rising hysteria as her hands moved of their own accord. She watched, helpless, as her hands went to Dietrich's waist. Watched as her fingers undid his belt, removing it from his hips. She bit her lip, fighting back tears of mingled terror and anger as she felt her hands slip under his waistband, to caress his narrow hips, then lower to stroke his body. "Dietrich…stop…."

"I don't think so." He shifted under her hands, moving so that, despite her best efforts, her hands stroked across his shaft. She felt, and saw his body stiffen, a perverted pleasure joining the depraved amusement in his eyes. "That's good."

Esther shuddered, or would have if she'd had any control over her own body. She felt the helpless tears welling in her eyes and fought them back, biting her lip to hold back the cries she desperately wanted to give voice to.

"Really now, that isn't necessary, you know." Dietrich forced her chin up, so that she gazed into the cold, amused eyes. "I left you with control of your voice and your head so that I could hear your reactions, after all." He stroked her jaw and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "After all, it's part of the fun, you know. Hearing you scream, seeing your tears as I play with you, it really is just part of the game. So you may as well relax and play along."

She didn't have time to respond before he fastened his mouth on hers, running his tongue across her lips. One hand held her chin, to keep her from jerking away. The other stroked her again, arching her back against him. Despite her best efforts, Esther couldn't suppress a whimper.

Dietrich broke from her and gave her a leer. "See? I knew it was exciting for you." He shifted his hips closer, and his hand probed deeper. Esther bit back another whimper. "So, what do you think? Should I just go ahead and take you? Or shall we play a little more first?"

The fingers of his hand spread her wide, then ran across her, making her gasp. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to faint or vomit. "Dietrich…no…stop it…"

"I really don't think I should. But if you don't feel like getting right down to it yet, then I suppose we could do something else." He leaned forward, and his hand stroked her chest, slipping inside the top to roughly brush one breast. "After all, you've had a fair share of excitement. So why don't you return the favour?" He leered again. "Don't worry, I'll show you exactly what to do."

"No…" Esther felt the tears of frustration running down her face. She wanted to fight, but she couldn't even move without Dietrich's strings controlling her.

"That's better." One hand brushed across the tear streaks. "I have to admit, I always did like to see you cry those pretty little tears of yours. But enough of that."

Esther didn't want to look down, But Dietrich's hand pulled her chin down, forcing her to watch as her hands reached for his pants once more. She tried to pull back, but his strings held her, forcing her to slowly undo the fastenings on his pants, to push back the material to reveal his body, already hard.

"Well, that does feel better. I have to admit, it was getting a little tight in there." Dietrich leaned forward and whispered. "It's rather exciting, you know? Playing with such a little saint like you, watching you react. I'm really having quite a bit of fun you know, showing you how you're just a normal girl with perverted appetites, even though you're supposed to be such an angel." He laughed.

Esther watched his shaft harden with that cruel laughter. Then, to her horror, her hands reached out and caught the erection. Dietrich chuckled again. "See?"

She felt her hands stroking the shaft, a feeling so obscene it made her nauseous. Dietrich shifted his hips and pulled her in closer, his smile matching the actions he was forcing her to go through.

Esther saw the fingers of one hand move slightly. Then her hands were tightening on his body, the fingers of one hand flicking down to stroke his balls, while the other hand began a rough back and forth movement on his shaft that made Dietrich throw back his head. She felt her cheeks flaming crimson with humiliation, and couldn't fight back the choking sobs of despair as she was forced to caress his body, stimulating the cruel lust in his eyes.

He jerked her forward suddenly, the fingers of his free hand thrusting deep into her while his other hand drew her top down, exposing her chest. Esther's back arched involuntarily, pressing her body against his hand, and against his hips in a crude mockery of passion. She bit her lip, but couldn't hold back a cry as he pressed against her, the strings he used tightening her hand around him as he jerked her closer and covered her mouth with a cruel kiss. His hips pressed forward, then back, a rough thrusting motion that only increased the friction of his erection against her hand.

She shuddered, trapped by his hands and his threads as he thrusted against her. Not into her, but over her hands, forcing her to stimulate him. Against her will, her other hand stroked between his legs. Then she felt something warm and wet gush over her fingers, down her legs, over his hand on her body. Dietrich stepped back, his face flushed, eyes bright with lust and cruel perversity.

Esther looked down and fought back a cry, seeing the liquid that stained the front of her dress, and his body, that coated her hands.

Dietrich stood breathing heavily for a moment, then moved forward. One hand took her jaw, forcing her to meet his eyes. "See? Wasn't that fun? And you didn't even have to do anything."

"You…monster…" She couldn't keep her breathing steady, couldn't fight back the tears of humiliation, rage and embarrassment. Her voice was shaking, and she couldn't stop it. "How dare you…"

"Well, it's as I told you. I really do love you, Esther." He stroked her cheek, then his hand drifted downward again, across her exposed breasts. "As a matter of fact, I like you so much, that even just looking at you like this is rather stimulating for me. But then, we should probably let you get cleaned up again."

He moved to the table, utterly unconscious of his exposed flesh. He picked up the water pitcher and a napkin, poured some of the water over his hands, then soaked the napkin and turned back to her. Esther fought back a shudder as the cold cloth ran across her body, a caress no less obscene than the one he'd forced on her moments before.

After a minute, Dietrich set aside the cloth. "There, it's all cleaned up." He tilted his head to one side with a smirk on his face. "You know, you really do look beautiful like this. It really does excite me."

He stepped close, almost right against her, moving so quickly that she didn't even have time to blink, much less react. "Just looking at you like this…well, I think it's time we moved from playtime to the main event, don't you think?" His hand dropped between their bodies, then between her legs, and ran across her.

Esther felt bile rising in her throat, and panic flooding her system. She swallowed hard. "Dietrich…no…stop it."

"Well, I can understand you're having cold feet, what with being a virgin and all, but still…I really don't think we ought to stop just yet. After all, you haven't gotten the full experience yet, and I wouldn't want to be the one to deprive you." A mocking grin touched his face. "And there's still the little matter of your apology to me. After all, there is so much more we could do, now isn't there? And I would so hate to release my toy before I'd gotten the full enjoyment out of it."

Esther felt her heart sink, felt terror rising within her. She shuddered as Dietrich touched her chest, her face once more, that cold leer still on his handsome features. He pressed closer, and she felt his body growing hard against hers again.

With shocking abruptness, he yanked the skirt up above her waist and pressed his hips forward. Esther gasped as the hot hard length of him slipped between her legs, caressing her. She fought the urge to scream, or vomit, knowing neither one would do her any good.

Dietrich smiled and leaned forward to speak into her ear, his breath hot against her cheek. "Personally, I've always found it…entertaining to have the first thrust with the clothing on. It is such fun to see the expression on someone face when they can feel you there, but not see you." One long finger stroked her cheek. "Just like you right now." He blew a soft breath in her ear. "Tell me, Esther, does it excite you, feeling me there, just waiting to enter you? Doesn't it make your heart pound?"

It did, but not with excitement. Esther felt sick. She bit her lip, knowing she couldn't say anything to stop him.

The cold smile on his face widened. "You know, I really do like you. And because of that, since you're a virgin, I'll let you decide. You can decide where I take you. I know the bed is the traditional place, but…" He shrugged. "I find tradition to be a bit over-rated. So then….what shall I do?"

Esther bit back a sob and tried to force her voice steady. "I don't…"

Dietrich chuckled. "Well, I suppose a virgin like you wouldn't have any ideas about how to go about this. Well then, I'll just look at our options, and you can tell me which one you like." He shifted, and Esther fought back a moan as his shaft rubbed the inside of her thigh.

Dietrich didn't appear to notice. "I could just drop you to the floor and do it right here." He glanced down. "It's true, the stone is a bit rough, but then, its not like you'll notice that for too long." He smirked. "But then, that does seem a little barbaric, doesn't it?"

He turned his head a little more. "I suppose there's the couch, or the chair." He leaned forward, whispering in her ear. "Tell me Esther. Would you like it? Sitting on the edge of the couch, or maybe the arm of the chair, with your legs spread for me? Watching and feeling it as I go into you? Does that sound good to you? Sitting with your knees spread against the chair arms while I take you?" He brushed a strand of hair away from her jaw. "Or I suppose I could be really generous, and sit in the chair while you ride me. Would you like that? Sitting me in a chair and running your body over mine like a little street girl?" He shifted again, deliberately running his body across hers.

Esther shuddered. "No…"

"No? well then…" His cold gaze glanced over the room. "There's always the table I suppose." He shrugged. "It is a little higher…you wouldn't even have to lift your skirt for me to see what I'm doing. Just sit on the table top and press your knees to the sides, and I'll have a perfect view. Or you could just lie back and pretend you were on the bed." His hand stroked lower. "Actually, that does sound very appealing, doesn't it?"

Esther flinched away from the wanton lust in his eyes. "No…"

"Still a little reluctant?" His cold gaze measured hers. Then suddenly, he stepped back.

She had no time to react before he was behind her. His hands lifted her skirt once more, this time from the back. He slipped his hands forward, stroking the curve of her hips, and then she felt him pressing between her thighs again, from behind her. He shifted, his hands coming down to stroke her and open her legs a little further. Then she felt his hot breath on the back of her neck, and his cold drawling voice spoke in her ear again.

"You know…I don't really mind doing it this way either. I do enjoy seeing that expression on your face, but still, hearing your pretty little cries would be fun too. And if you want, we can do it now, just like this." He chuckled. "You'd have to help me out a little, but if that's what you want…I can take you right like this, standing here." She felt his hand shift on her body, and then his hips pressed forward slightly, and to her horror, she felt her own hand reach down and guide his hot shaft to her entrance. "See what I mean?"

Esther shuddered, feeling the last of her control dissolve into panicked hysteria. Bad enough to be raped, but to have to help the man who would violate her...helpless tears streamed down her cheeks. "No…Dietrich…stop."

"I refuse." His voice turned rough, cold. "You may as well resign yourself to it, Esther. All you get to choose is how I'm going to take you, and where." His hands tightened. "Although, I suppose if it would help, you can always pretend I'm that priest of yours."

Esther's body stiffened. Dietrich felt it, and she heard the cruel amusement in his voice when he spoke again. "You can't tell me it hasn't crossed your mind to want him."

Anger broke to the surface, mixing with the hysteria and steadying her voice for a moment. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Please…there's no need to play innocent." His hot breath blew directly on her ear. "I've seen you around that priest, and it doesn't take much to see how you feel about him. You follow that man absolutely everywhere, whether he wants you to or not. Honestly, even a blind man could see how much you want him. And no matter how you try to be a saint, you can't tell me you haven't thought of what it would be like to have his body, to be pressed up against him. After all those nights sleeping beside him and working with him, you can't really expect me to believe you've never been tempted to get just a little closer to him."

Esther felt shame and anger, and utter humiliation burning in her cheeks. The anger fought to take control, and she wanted so much to let it, even though Dietrich's strings still bound her. But then his next words drove terror to the front of her mind.

"Enough of that. I rather think it's time. I have to admit, I'm getting a little impatient." His grip tightened. "So tell me Esther, what would you like? How shall I do this?" he pressed his body closer.

"Let…go…of me."

"I've already said that wasn't an option." His fingers tightened. "Well if you won't make a decision, I guess I'll have to choose for you after all." She felt him shift. Then he spoke again, his voice heavy with lust and perverted amusement. "You know, I rather like the idea of the table this time. And since you're going to be so hesitant, I think I'll go ahead and do it like this. Then when you've lost the edge of your nerves, I'll have you turn around so you can face me."

Esther felt bile rising in her throat. "No…Dietrich…." She couldn't form any other words. Her ability to speak coherently was lost to rising panic.

"Don't worry, you won't faint. It might be a bit uncomfortable for you, but I'm sure it will be an interesting experience." He leaned forward, shifting his hips. "So tell me Esther, what do you think?"

"Hmmm…well I think that she'd like you to let go. She really doesn't seem too happy with the situation."

Dietrich started, and if Esther hadn't been bound she'd have jumped too. Then she felt Dietrich pull away, shifting and probably getting himself back in order. "Mein Herr."

The cool amused voice spoke again from behind Esther. "You know, I really don't mind if you play with your toys, but I do recall that I said Lady Esther wasn't to be harmed, and it sounds as if she's rather unhappy. Really, I would have thought you knew how to treat a lady. But I think you'd better let her go."

Esther couldn't see what happened, but suddenly the strings of Deitrich's control snapped. She staggered, then whirled around, hastily shoving the skimpy top back over her chest. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment.

Dietrich was standing a few feet away, a little mussed, with a sullen glitter in his eyes and an almost annoyed set to his shoulders.

Cain was standing in the doorway. Esther flushed, noticing that he wasn't wearing a shirt. His hair was disordered, falling over his face and back, and behind his shoulders, the white wings that indicated his transformation spread, framing him in bright feathers. His eyes were amused though, nothing more. "Really now, Dietrich." He shrugged. Then he shifted position, so fast that Esther didn't actually see him move. One moment he was in the doorway, the next he was beside Dietrich, one hand forcing the young man's chin up. "I did tell you not to hurt or upset Lady Esther, now didn't I?" His tone was almost playful, but there was a note of cruelty to it.

"I was just playing around." Dietrich stiffened, but there was anger and fear both in his eyes. "I honestly didn't think it got out of hand."

"But you did disturb my regeneration, you know. I can't have that. It's very troublesome. And then I had to come all the way here." Cain's eyes were bright, glittering with a sort of suppressed maliciousness.

Dietrich paled. He bowed quickly. "I'm very sorry, Mein Herr. Of course, I had absolutely no intention of disturbing you. I didn't realize we'd troubled you."

"Hmmm…well, I do have very good hearing. 02 and I used to train together to sharpen our senses on things like that." A smile touched his face. "I think that it's time for you to leave."

"As you wish." Dietrich bowed again, then turned. He stopped in the doorway. "I guess we'll have to continue our talk some other time, Esther." Then he was gone.

Esther shuddered, her systems reacting to how close she'd come to being violated. Shame burned within her, but it was eclipsed by fear and anxiety. She felt her cheeks burning, felt tears threatening to break free. She was shaking all over, and she couldn't stop.

Cain watched the door way for a moment longer, then shrugged. "That Dietrich…he really is rather troublesome. I suppose I could just kill him, especially since he and Abel don't get along at all. But…he is useful sometimes." He turned back to face her. "Are you all right? Abel will be terribly upset if something's happened, after all."

Esther froze. She hadn't noticed, with Dietrich still there, but Cain was wearing…nothing. His body was completely naked, except for the wings that curled around his back. "You…"

"Hmmm?" he followed her glance downward. "Well, I did just come from my regeneration, my dear. I heard you and Dietrich. Being a Crusnik, I do have very good hearing." He moved forward a step.

Esther's fragile control snapped. She stepped backward, pressing herself against the wall, her eyes wide and frightened. "Stay away from me!"

"Hmmm…well, if you're still upset, then I suppose I'll return to my tank. Isaac should be along in a bit." He shrugged, and without another word, turned and left the room, his white wings folding down his back. Esther watched him go. Her knees gave out as the door shut behind him, and then darkness fell over her once again.

She woke lying in bed. Her eyes felt sore, her throat felt sore, and she ached. Esther swallowed hard. For a moment, she didn't understand what was wrong, then her memory returned. She jerked upright.

"Mistress? Do you require assistance?" Sieglind stepped around the bed curtain.

Esther stared at the Doll, her mind slowly regaining control. She took a quick stock of the situation. She was in her bed, and someone, probably Sieglind, had changed her out of Dietrich's outfit and into her usual nightgown. She ran her hand over the bedspread, taking deep breaths to calm herself. "I'm all right." She was shaking inside, the memory of what Dietrich had done still far too close to the surface.

"Negative. Your readings indicate distress." Sieglind moved forward.

"No…it's just…I was remembering what happened." She shivered and reached for the over-robe, pulling it around her shoulders for added warmth. "I…after the Contra Mundi left, what happened?"

"You lost consciousness. Master summoned me, and ordered me to tend you. You have been resting ever since."

Esther shuddered. "I see. Thank you." She stood, moving restlessly. The feel of the gown reminded her of Dietrich's touch, and she shuddered again. "If you don't mind, I think I'd like a bath."

The warm water calmed Esther nerves somewhat, but she still felt sick and shaky. She spent the next few days in her rooms, refusing to leave them at all. Sieglind brought her She read, or sat staring into nothing. Her nights though, were full of ill dreams, dreams of her near violation, and her helplessness. She woke several times a night, and hand trouble getting to sleep.

The third day, the door opened. Balthasar stood framed in the doorway. He made no attempt to enter the room, only bowed. "Mein Herr would like to see you, my lady."

Esther nodded and laid aside the book she'd been trying to read. "Yes, of course." She stood, smoothed the skirt on the simple blue dress she wore, and followed him out into the main hall.

"While we're walking, Lady Esther…please do allow me to apologize." Esther blinked, startled, and looked up into the aristocratic face. Balthasar caught her look and shrugged. "I had no idea that telling von Lohengrin you were ill would spur him to do something like that. It's true, he does have a rather twisted sense of humour, but I didn't think he'd try something so crude. And that Melchior, my own younger brother, would assist in such a thing…well, I thought I would offer my apologies."

"I see." Esther clenched one fist in her skirt. "Thank you. I understand."

"My gratitude." He stopped by the now familiar door. "Well then…my lady." He opened the door and bowed.

Cain was standing staring at a painting on the wall. At the sight of him, Esther froze. He was wearing his trademark black pants, but the golden hair spilled down over his naked back. Though the wings were nowhere in evidence, neither was the clothing, and it took her off guard.

Cain turned and tilted his head. "Lady Esther."

"You wanted to see me." She kept her voice steady, remembering how he'd saved her.

"Hmmm? Well, Isaac said you haven't left your rooms lately. And you were feeling ill. 02 would be rather upset over something like that, so I thought I might as well make sure nothing was wrong."

Esther bit her lip. There was something about his voice that made her feel wary. "No…I just haven't felt like going out much the past few days."

"Well, after Dietrich…he is such an odd boy, but he really is too obsessed with his toys. I suppose foolish little children do get out of hand sometimes."

"Yes." Esther hesitated a moment, then spoke again. "I…thank you. For coming to my rescue. I know I wasn't particularly polite to you at the time, but I do appreciate it."

Cain shrugged. "Abel would only be angry, if I allowed something like that to happen." He stopped a moment, then spoke again. "I am curious though."

The tone of his voice sent chills down Esther's spine. It wasn't empty amusement, nor the genuine human affection he seemed to have sometimes, but she couldn't place it.

Cain moved suddenly, coming to stand in front of her. His hand forced her chin up. "I was wondering…what Dietrich said about you and 02." One finger brushed her cheek. "Dietrich is such a foolish boy but…is he correct?"

Esther stiffened. "I…I'm afraid I don't understand."

"You and Abel. Did you really want him so much? Is that what it is between you and Abel? That you want to be with him? Or perhaps that you've already done so?" The eyes that gazed into hers were amused.

"No…no…it's nothing like that." Esther felt panic rising in her again, and fought to keep her voice steady. "Father Nightroad and I…we just…we worked together, but that's all."

"But you do care for him." It wasn't a question. "And Abel…well he did come back for you."

Esther shivered. "I…well, Father Nightroad has always been kind to me. I suppose I do care some for him, but…"

"Well, Abel is rather hard to get close to. He's always been that way." His voice had a far away, sing song quality. "Abel and I are a lot alike, but…he's always been a lot more reserved than I am." Amusement curved the corner of his mouth. "Well, except for his temper."

Esther bit her lip. Something about the way he was talking frightened her, though the words were similar to one's he'd voiced in the past. "Well, it's true, Father Nightroad is rather reserved, but…I suppose that's just the way he is."

"Hmmm…that is true. That is just the way 02 is. However…he and I have the exact same genetic code." His fingers tightened every so slightly on her jaw. "Abel and I really are similar. So if you wanted my dear brother…I can accommodate you until he comes to his senses. Or perhaps…you'd find me an acceptable replacement."

For a moment, she didn't understand what he meant. Then she saw the glitter in his eyes, so similar to Dietrich's, and she did. Terror crashed through her. "I…no…"

Cain's smile widened just a fraction. "You don't have to worry, my dear. I'm not quite like Dietrich. However…I am like Abel. Since you care for him…well, if you really want my dear brother, I've no problem with showing you how to handle him." He stepped closer, close enough for her to feel the body heat radiating off of him. He tilted his head, still smiling at her. "After all, Abel and I are really very similar. And I can see what he likes about you. But he will keep pushing people away like that."

Esther felt like she couldn't breathe. She swallowed hard. "Let go of me. Please…let go of me."

He stared at her for a moment, then shrugged and released her, the brief animation in his eyes fading back into emptiness. "Well, I suppose you're still upset after Dietrich. However, if you change your mind, I'm more than willing to accommodate you. I'm sure I can even maintain my integration if that's what you want."

"No…I…" Panic was threatening to overwhelm her. She bit her lip, clenched her fists in the fold of her skirt so hard her fingers went numb. "I…excuse me." she turned toward the door, just as it opened to reveal Helga standing in the doorway.

She didn't wait for him to dismiss her, she just shoved past the Ice Witch, moving as quickly as she dared for the safety of her quarters.

As the door closed behind Esther, Helga turned and bowed to the man before her. I beg your pardon, "Mein Herr. I hope I haven't interrupted anything."

"Hmmm…no, not really." Cain shrugged. "I thought, since she's so fond of 02, that we might get a little better acquainted, but she wasn't interested." Another shrug. "I suppose it's because she's still upset over Dietrich."

"She is a foolish little Terran." Helga shook her head imperiously. "Letting a creature like von Lohengrin occupy her thoughts for any longer than it takes for him to be out of her sight. And to have refused you, my lord…she is truly foolish." She took a step forward.

"Well, I suppose she is still fond of 02. Abel always did charm the women." Cain smiled.

"If she has refused you over your brother, then she is truly misguided." Helga moved forward, until her hand just touched Cain's. He turned to her, faint curiosity in his gaze. Helga met the blue eyes squarely. "If it were me, my lord, then I would gladly give you anything you asked." She stepped closer. "Only request it of me, and I will give you whatever you desire that is within my power."

"Hmmm…well, I could use some entertainment. So then…what were you thinking?" One hand reached up to touch her cheek.

Helga took another step forward, so that her body was less than an inch from his. "Whatever you ask my lord. If the little Albion wench has left you frustrated..." her hands came up and touched him lightly on the abdomen. "…then allow me to ease your frustrations. And if it is pleasure you desire, my lord…" She shifted that slight distance closer. "…I am very skilled. My late husbands were good teachers." She leaned into him.

"Hmmm…well, I suppose…if you really think you can satisfy me. Although…" There was a glitter of faint amusement in his tone. "I don't think this is the sort of thing a lady normally does."

Helga smiled. "A lady serves her lord, Mein Herr, in whatever capacity her requires." Her fingers moved an inch lower, to rest on his waistband, and she pressed against him. "Do with me as you will."

"I see." Cain moved slightly, then his mouth came down hard on hers. Rough hands came up to the shoulders of the black uniform Helga wore.

She shrugged out of it, and her shirt as well, then looked up. "Shall I give you release my lord?" Her hands tugged at the front of his pants gently.

Cain didn't bother to answer, only pulled her against him. Helga responded, pulling the fasteners free on his pants, then pushing downward to free his body. Her hands came up to touch his chest as his hands reached her waist and roughly shoved the lower half of her uniform down. "My lord, what would you have me do?" She was breathing hard, as she looked into his face. "Is there somewhere you would prefer…?"

"Well, right here is fine." Cain tilted his head.

"As you wish, my lord." Helga breathed the words, then pressed herself against him, pressing her lips to his shoulder, the closest place she could reach.

She gasped only a little as Cain pushed her back against the wall, his body hard against hers. In answer, she rubbed against him, widening her stance slightly to accommodate him.

Cain's hands brushed across her. Then he pulled back, drew her roughly to the floor on her back, and rolled so that he was above her. Helga shifted her legs wider, arched her back slightly. Cain's body shifted against her, and then suddenly, he shoved forward, into her.

Helga gasped as Cain thrust into her, claiming her. There was no gentleness about him, and his expression never changed. He pinned her, taking her. Helga held his shoulders as he moved, gasping with the force of his body in hers, until finally they both peaked. Then he withdrew, and dropped to the floor next to her, that calm look of amusement still on his face.

Helga took a few deep breaths, then reached out to touch him. "Mien Herr?" she shifted to speak into his ear. "Did I give you satisfaction, my lord?"

A slight smile touched the corner of his mouth. "Well, I suppose I did get some release from it." He studied one hand with a distant expression on his face. "It is nice to know Isaac at least got that all right. With everything else so unstable, it's nice to know I haven't lost that."

He moved then, lifting gracefully to his feet. "I suppose, if 02 still feels like this, then it isn't as surprising that Esther is so fond of him." He shrugged. "Well, I can afford to wait for her to come around, after all…especially if 02 is playing hard to get." He turned and started for the other room.

Helga sat up. "My lord."

"It's about time for my regeneration again." He stopped, and turned a cool look to her. "I do appreciate your services Ice Witch. I'll be certain to tell Isaac how helpful you've been." Then he vanished, shutting the door behind him.

In her rooms, Esther waved off Sieglinds inquiries, and settled herself in a chair near the bed. Her mind was whirling with fear, but away from Cain, she'd managed to control herself somewhat.

_That man…he wanted…he wanted to…_ Her mind shut off the rest of that thought. She bit her lip. _I…I have to get out of here. I knew that before, but the way things are going…I…either Dietrich or the Contra Mundi will…_ She stopped that line of thinking as well. She couldn't afford to think of what Cain had wanted, what Dietrich had almost done to her.

_I need…I know I'm in Germanicus, so if I go south…I should be able to cross into Vatican territory. I just need enough of a head start. And a weapon of some sort._ She considered the clothing she had._ One of the dresses I use to go to the tower should be sufficient, and I can get food from the table. I just need a way to be able to cross the front doors, or to find another way out._ She bit her lip, clenching her fist in renewed determination. _Father…I can't afford to think of things between us right now. For now, I just have to concentrate on returning to the Vatican, and then to Albion. That's all._


	22. Seventeen: Plans

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Again my apologies everyone of this late update, My editor internet was off for about a week or two, even I was not sure what happened to her during the time she was temporally **MIA **with me. Anyway here is another chapter for you all to enjoy I wanna thanks all newbie's whom have added me or my story to their alerts and all the awesome and curious reviews I got form readers new and old. Have fun ^^

**DISCLAIMER:**All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to one of my editors and co-partners in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her own TB stories on which are awesome. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice:****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage Against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). ** In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter ****Seventeen - Plans**

Esther woke the next morning, much calmer. As she settled down to the breakfast Sieglind provided, her mind was already occupied with things she needed for an escape.

_I need a weapon. Even if I can't hurt them, I need something that might hurt any lower ranked Methuselah. And to fight off any normal opponents. I need clothing, and food for at least two days of running, most likely. Probably three. And I need to know where I'm going, if there are any main roads, and if there are any towns. Towns will be a good place to get provisions, possibly to contact someone, if it's a large enough settlement. And I need to find a way out._

The thoughts chased themselves through her mind as she absentmindedly picked through her food. _I suppose it isn't much, but I should probably continue my surveillance from the North Tower. If I'm planning to escape, I'll need to know where the guards are, how many there are, and when they change shifts._

Esther sighed. There was so much to think of. She looked at the plate in front of her. _I wonder if…would it be possible for me to store food here?_

"Do you require something, Mistress?" Sieglind appeared at her elbow.

"Oh…it's nothing in particular. It's just…well, I'm rather full now, but I was wondering if I should store some of this for later. I know…you'll bring meals but…I thought perhaps, if I got hungry in the meantime, that I should have some food here."

"Negative. My orders are to take care of all your needs. If you wish food outside of scheduled meals, I will provide it."

Esther knew better than to press the matter. Not only would the Doll not change, but asking further would create suspicions. "I see. Thank you." She rose from her seat. "I think I'd like to go up to the North Tower again."

"Very well. I will prepare your bath and your clothing." Sieglind cleared the last of the breakfast dishes, then went to the other room. Esther eyed the plates settled on the edge of the table, but she didn't dare to try anything. She was already aware the Doll had excellent hearing, as well as a number of other sensors.

She waited until Sieglind came out, then went to her bath, still pondering the question of how to obtain supplies. There had to be a way. But then, she also needed to find an escape route.

The answer didn't come while she sat soaking, nor as she changed into the simple red and gold outfit Sieglind had for her. She slid her hand along the fold as they travelled the corridor, measuring it in her mind. The material was much sturdier than the stuff her more formal wear was made of. It was also much thicker. Her shoes weren't the boots she'd have preferred, but they didn't have heels like her formal shoes, and she knew she could probably run in them. After all, they weren't much different from the shoes she'd worn as a Sister.

Finally, they emerged onto the tower garden. Esther took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of soil and plants. She smiled a little. Even now, the smell reassured her, calmed her nerves. No matter what the situation was, she found a garden soothing. She moved to the middle of the area, gazing around at the small bushes and ornamental trees. After a moment, she moved to lay a hand on the trunk of one. She felt the rough bark under her fingers, and smiled softly.

After a moment, she shook off the nostalgic mood. Though the small enclosure was soothing, she had a mission. She took a few more steps forward, letting her hand run across the plants as if she were day-dreaming, then stopped to lean against the wall. She leaned forward, taking deep breaths and let her neck relax. A gentle breeze blew her long red hair back, and she closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying it, then opened them and leaned against the wall, keeping her face calm and happy as she surveyed the scenery.

She'd chosen the western wall this time, the one over the courtyard to this place. From the other walls, it would be difficult to tell where the guards were, but at least from this one she could get some ideas. She leaned forward, focusing on the walls, though she tried to keep her expression relaxed.

For a moment, she didn't see anything. Then a flicker of movement caught her eyes. She shifted her gaze, noting a small form on the wall, taking short steps back and forth. There was too much distance between them for her to make out much, but she did see that he never appeared to face her, and that the area of his march was fairly small. She filed the information away, then scanned the walls, looking for the others.

Now that she'd had practice, spotting the guards got much easier. In short order, she'd located five more, standing on the ramparts, evenly spaced. There looked to be about fifty to sixty feet between them, though it was hard for her to judge. Esther frowned. That distance was more than big enough for them to move without bothering each other. Unfortunately, it didn't leave much of a blind spot. Still, it was more information than she'd had. She lifted her gaze slightly, to stare at the landscape beyond.

It was still a desolate wasteland. But the terrain was also rather broken, jumbled. Though the first several feet from the wall had been cleared, beyond that, there were plenty of places to move unseen. She measured the landscape in her mind, trying to keep the relative distance in her calculations. Though some of the places were too low for her to use, she suspected others would make fine cover. She just had to make it through the guards. But how to do that was quite a different problem.

"You. Terran." A familiar cold female voice cut into her thoughts. Esther spun around.

Helga stood there in her black uniform. She had a veil over her face, and one hand supported a black parasol, obviously to shield her from the effects of the sun. Her face was set in a frown as she looked around the garden. "Trust a Terran wench to want to spend her time playing in the dirt."

Esther bit her lip and fought back her first angry retort. She didn't dare to get angry at this woman right now. Even having to protect herself from daylight, she suspected Helga was a formidable enemy. She took a deep breath, clenching her fist against her temper. "Actually, I was simply considering the view." She glanced back over the wall. "It's a bit desolate, but I suppose it appeals to someone like you."

"Ha. As if I would have any interest in this place." Helga looked over the wall with a sniff. "The forests of my homeland were far more beautiful. However, this is where Mein Herr wishes to be…here in these ruins of Old Berlin. So it is here that we shall stay." She frowned, then tossed her head. "You are to come with me. Mein Herr wishes to speak to you."

Esther nodded. She didn't trust the other woman, and she didn't dare let her feelings of elation slip through her guard. _Old Berlin…one of the cities destroyed in Armageddon. But I…I know where that is. Lady Caterina had it marked on one of her maps, and so did Father Wordsworth._ It wasn't much to go on, but it was still valuable information.

Together, they stepped into the stairwell, Helga leading, Esther following, and Sieglind a silent shadow behind both of them. Esther watched the other woman fold the parasol, and decided to risk a little more conversation. "I'm surprised you would come to bring me to him."

Helga tossed her head, and her hand tightened on the umbrella handle. "I would see you gone, if I could. But…Mein Herr has chosen you as his favoured woman, and I am sworn to obey Mein Herr in all things. If he requests your presence, then I will bring you to him, whether I wish it or no."

"I see." Esther nodded. She didn't like this woman, but at least she was honest in her antagonism. She was cold, proud and sharp-tongued, but she had none of Isaac's casual cruelty, or Dietrich's perversion. "Well then…I suppose I've no choice but to appreciate your escort." She wasn't sure whether she meant the words to be sarcastic or not, only that she wanted to keep Helga talking.

The other woman made another sound of contempt. "You're a fool to let von Lohengrin touch you, especially when you could have the attentions of my lord."

Esther clenched a fist. "I would never let Dietrich touch me, but it isn't as if I could stop him. I don't…I don't know enough."

Helga shrugged. "Well then, if you cannot even handle a boy like him…that child can't even take a drop of wine without passing out. If you cannot even handle that little Terran brat, then I suspect Mein Herr will tire of you in time. Even if you are a connection to that brother of his."

Esther blinked. "Do you know Father Nightroad?"

"I have encountered him." Helga shrugged dismissively. "He is a foolish man. Such power as he has would be better served at my lord's side. And he chooses to waste it serving that so called 'Lady of Steel'." She shrugged, then stopped. With a start, Esther realized that they were standing outside the doors to Cain's rooms. "Mein Herr awaits you." She stared at Esther for a long moment, unfathomable emotions in her eyes, then turned away and strode toward the staircase that would lead to the lower floors.

Esther watched as the graceful figure swept out of sight, frowning. Though Helga hadn't been polite, she also hadn't been nearly as antagonistic as before. And they'd actually spoken to each other. Rude as the woman was, she'd still answered Esther's words, and led her safely through the halls. She frowned, then pushed the thoughts away from her. The Contra Mundi was waiting, and if she was going to put her plans into action, she had to start now.

He was waiting in his usual place, standing beside a painting with an odd, far-away look on his face. He was fully clothed this time, though she noticed he hadn't put on the white jacket, choosing only to wear his dark pants and shirt. She shifted uneasily, noting the subtle similarity between his outfit and the one Dietrich had worn. But that didn't stop her from stepping forward.

Cain turned as she shut the door behind her. "Hello Esther." He studied her. "Isaac said you were up and wandering around this morning. Are you better then?"

"I…well, yes, somewhat." Esther let her voice get a little shaky. "But I didn't sleep well last night, so…"

"Hmm…Abel won't like that." Cain smiled. He stepped forward. "If you'd like my dear, I'm sure I can help you sleep." There was a look in his eyes that she didn't like.

"No. I'm fine. It's just…" Esther bit her lip. "You say you want to protect me, and then you let people like Isaac and Dietrich and that…that man…the von Neumann, near me."

"Kaspar?" There was faint amusement in the ocean blue eyes. "Well, I suppose he is rather troublesome. Would you like me to eliminate them for you, my dear?"

"No." She wanted to see them gone, but the way he said that made her stomach twist uncomfortably. "But…you had Kampfer take all my weapons. Maybe you care what happens, but your people don't. And even if you can convince these 'gentleman' of yours to behave, you can't promise the same from your other men." She met his eyes with a sharp glare.

"Well, I suppose that is a problem. After all, I still don't know why 02 had you with him. And I'd hate to have Abel get upset at such a minor thing." He shrugged, as if it mattered nothing to him, then smiled. "Well then, did you want me to take you under my protection?"

"No. I want to be able to protect myself." Esther clenched her fists. She swallowed hard, but held the blue eyes with her own. "I want my weapons back."

Cain chuckled slightly. "Well now, I can't have you injuring Isaac. After all, he does help me keep this form of mine intact." He gazed at his hand, then moved forward and caught her wrist. "Of course…if you felt like helping me instead…"

Esther felt a stab of fear go through her as his breath brushed her arm. "Let go of me."

He chuckled. "Come now, my dear. After all, you're keeping company with 02. And really, he's always been the more hot-tempered of the two of us."

"That isn't my concern." Esther glared at him, trying to keep her heart from pounding too much, trying to keep her face from showing her fear. "I just…" She bit her lip. "I don't…"

He shrugged. "Well, it's fine. Though…if you're still worried about Dietrich…"

"That's why I want my weapons. I don't intend to let him do that again."

"Hmmm…well, if it makes you feel better, then I suppose it's no harm. After all, even 02 can't do much against this form of mine. But my dear, I would prefer you not hurt Isaac. He still is rather useful to me."

Esther shook her head. "I just don't want to have any more incidents like the one with Dietrich."

"Very well." He shifted his stance slightly, disinterest in his eyes. "I'll have Sieglind get you something, if it will make you feel better." He lifted one hand. "Ah…well, it's time for Isaac to visit me. We'll talk more later." He turned and disappeared into his other rooms. Esther exhaled, a deep sigh of relief, and left.

She spent the remainder of the day in her rooms. Around mid-afternoon, Sieglind approached her. "Mein Herr said you are permitted to have a weapon. Inform me as to your preferences, and I will make a selection for you."

What she wanted was a gun, with silver tipped bullets and a large caliber. She'd had one of those when she worked in the AX, and if it hadn't been for Virgil, she'd have kept it. But she doubted that Sieglind would supply her with a weapon so obviously meant for combating Methuselah. Her second choice would have been a crossbow with silver nitrate coating or silver arrows, but she discarded that choice for the same reason. It was too obviously meant for attack. She considered a moment more. "Well, I'd prefer a knife or dagger, about six or eight inches long, if possible." She bit her lip, trying to look concerned. "And I know…well, I know it might sound a little rude of me, but I'd prefer one with a silver edge, or some silver nitrate, in case one of the lower ranked members gets ideas."

"Affirmative. I will check our weapons stores." Sieglind left and returned about an hour later holding three daggers of varying lengths. "Master says you may choose one of these."

Esther examined all three weapons. They were all perfectly balanced, and a good eight inches each. One was a little heavier than she wanted. Of the other two, she chose the one that would be easiest to conceal. As she checked the fit, Sieglind handed her a small bottle. "Silver Nitrate, Mistress. However, Master says you may not have it when accompanied by Master Isaac or the others."

Esther nodded. "I understand." She hoped she'd be permitted to carry it when she was around Kaspar, but even getting it was a concession. "Thank you."

"Negative. It was Master's orders." Sieglind turned away. "I will fetch your evening meal."

She went to the gardens next day, carrying the knife concealed in the back of her dress. She had to admit, as little as she liked the low cut dresses, they did make it much easier to slip her weapon out of the sheath. A quick test on some of the foliage confirmed the blade had a razor edge.

She was reading later that evening when Isaac entered her rooms. She tensed, but he shook his head. "There's no need to be so hasty, Lady Esther. I was merely instructed to take a look at your general condition. Mein Herr is concerned that Dietrich might have done something to you."

Esther forced herself to sit still. Isaac approached, studying her with cool, disinterested eyes. "Well, he didn't succeed in his original intentions, that much I can be certain of. As for the rest…." He checked her pulse, much the same as any other doctor would, and her breathing, then shrugged nonchalantly. "You seem to have taken no serious or permanent harm. I'm sure Mein Herr will be relieved."

"He…Dietrich knocked me unconscious somehow." She didn't want to admit it, but she did fear there was some sort of drug in her system.

Kampfer only shrugged. "Well, he is quite talented with those strings of his. Given the control he's managed to perfect, it wouldn't surprise me if he could knock you unconscious with a thought, once he touched you."

Esther shivered. "Does that mean…?"

"Oh, he'll have to reset the strings after this much time has passed. After all, he couldn't very well leave permanent attachments. Not with Mein Herr so interested in you. My lord would take it very much amiss."

"I see. That is…I'm glad." Esther let her relief show in her voice.

Kampfer gave her a cool look. "Well then, if there's nothing else…guten abend, Lady Esther."

She half-expected to be summoned to Cain that evening, but to her surprise, there was no call. She spent the night reading and relaxing.

The next few days passed the same way. She wandered the halls, under the guise of morning or afternoon exercise, took meals in her rooms, and spent the evenings reading or writing notes, a sort of impromptu journal of her feelings and observations. She tried once more to approach both the front door and the airplane hangar, but she had no luck. Both times Sieglind steered her firmly back to a different path.

She did find out that the day guards were all Auto-Jagers. Since the Methuselah were all nocturnal, the day guards were Dietrich's creatures, under his control. Though they were still dangerous, she knew she could kill an Auto-Jager, even with a knife. She filed the information away with the other useful data she'd collected, careful not to let any of it get written down in her transcribing. She wouldn't put it past Isaac, Dietrich, or even Cain to read her diary out of curiosity or just plain rudeness.

For the first two days, she was far too busy trying to formulate her plans to think of anything else. But gradually, it began to puzzle her. She'd seen virtually no signs of the Order members, and Cain hadn't called her to him at all. Though it was a relief not to have to watch out for the others, she was surprised by his sudden indifference. Despite her relief, it worried her. She was glad not to listen to any more of the tales of Abel as an angry, driven soul but…there was something eerie about it, that she couldn't quite place her finger on.

Four days after she'd acquired her knife, Sieglind arrived carrying a dress instead of a supper tray. "Master requests that you join him for dinner. I will prepare the bath."

Esther nodded. She bathed, then dressed, then slipped the knife in its sheath. It was a reflexive gesture, but Sieglind stopped her. "No weapons are permitted in the Master's presence."

Esther smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. I'm simply used to having one." She turned to survey the dress in the mirror.

The dress was another purple one, with spaghetti straps for the shoulders, and as low-cut as any of the others. This one fell in a form fitting sheath to just above her knees, and from the hips flared a secondary skirt of a gauzy material, a few shades darker. It wrapped around the hips, then widened to flare and overlap as it fell to just below her knees. The hem was decorated with a red and purple embroidered brocade, to give it weight and allow it to hang properly. Below that, she wore lavender heels.

Sieglind had also insisted on jewellery this time. Esther frowned, studying the selection the Doll had made for her. A double belt of pearls settled at her hips. One smaller loop went around her waist just above the flare of the gauze skirt. The other loop secured the skirt to her hips, wrapping around loosely over the darker fabric. In addition, she'd been given a golden tiara with a single square cut amethyst in the brow, tucked carefully over her hair, and a thin purple choker with another, larger, amethyst pendant dangling over the hollow in the collarbone. It was all very tasteful and elegant, but she couldn't help remembering the last time she'd gotten so dressed up. Still, there was nothing to be done about it. She shrugged, offered Sieglind a quick smile as the Doll adjusted the last crease, and turned to the door.

Kampfer was waiting outside her room. He'd been leaning against the wall, but as she emerged, he straightened and bowed. "Mein Herr requested I escort you to his rooms."

"I see." Esther nodded. She looked up at the taller man, then spoke hesitantly. "I'm a little surprised though. I haven't seen anyone much for the past few days, and I thought, since he hadn't called me…"

Kampfer laughed, low and dark. "The others are all out on assignment for the moment, distracting those fools from the Vatican. It seems your dear Father Nightroad has been getting rather hot on the scent." His eyes dared her to comment. Esther bit her lip to fight back a retort, or a request for more information. After a moment, Kampfer shrugged. "As for Mein Herr…well, I'd say he's been rather brooding of late. But you'll have to see for yourself." He gestured to the now familiar doors. "You really shouldn't keep him waiting." He pulled open one door and bowed her inside.

The rooms were far dimmer than usual, and Cain was nowhere to be seen. Esther frowned at the emptiness of the room, then tensed as an unexpected sound floated through the room. She took one reflexive step back, then stopped, surprised.

It was music. There was a high melody, an instrument she couldn't identify, with a much deeper secondary harmony, adding an edge of desperation to the music. It struck a strange chord within her. She looked around for the source and then realized; the music was coming from the other room. She took one step forward, then froze, torn by indecision. She knew entering the next room would be dangerous. And yet the haunting melody called to her. Finally she took a deep breath and strode to the doorway. She paused one more moment, then stepped across the threshold.

There were no obvious sources for the music, though she was certain it was coming from that room. She took a few more steps forward, looking around for a person or an instrument, but she couldn't see anything. Nor could she spot Cain. She moved forward another step, closer to the tank, where the noise seemed to be emanating from.

"It's a nice song, isn't it?" Esther jumped and spun around at the voice.

Cain stood in the shadows, his white wings partially flared but hidden by the dimness. He was only wearing pants, and his face was in shadow. Then suddenly, he moved, coming to stand before her with an odd, frightening expression on his face. Esther almost backed up, but he caught her face with one hand in a gentle but unbreakable grip.

_**How you've turned my world you precious thing**_

_**You starve and near-exhaust me**_

The words startled her. She knew Cain wasn't the one singing because he stood in front of her, and the voice wasn't his. She tried to look around. "Who…?"

"It's only an old recording, my dear. But you know…this song reminds me so much of 02. And of you." One strong slender finger traced her cheek. "You both have such strong personalities, and you're so stubborn…it really is rather exhausting to deal with you."

_**Everything I've done I've done for you**_

_**I move the stars for no one**_

There was an edge to the song now, and Esther saw it mirrored in the eyes of the man before her. Fear raced through her as she recognized what was wrong with his gaze. He was there, alive, but the humanity in him was overlaid by a sort of madness, a darkness she couldn't describe. It frightened her.

His fingers tightened. "You know, it really is all for Abel's sake. But…this would be so much simpler if he'd simply let me take care of things. Or if I could get the sort of help he has. Some one like that woman." His eyes returned to her. "Or perhaps my dear, someone like you."

_**You've run so long, you've run so hard**_

Esther shuddered. "No."

_**Your eyes can be so cruel**_

_**Just as I can be so cruel**_

Cain's grip tightened, then he pulled her to him, sharply, folding his arms around her in a vice. "Well, you know, I'd prefer for you to help me willingly, as you did that night, but…it really isn't necessary." His breath was hot on the back of her neck. "After all, 02 and I are very much alike. And since everything's for Abel's sake…I don't see why you shouldn't be willing to assist me."

Esther shuddered in that grip. "Please, let me go."

"But why should I, my dear?" The voice was low and dark. "After all, if Isaac's right…then you'll help me a great deal."

_**Though I do believe in you**_

_**Yes I do…**_

Cain's voice was soft, but his fingers slipped up to bracket her throat, nudging her chin back. "Abel can be so stubborn, but I think with the proper persuasion, he'll understand. But before that, my dear, I think you can help me a great deal. After all, you do have that very special blood."

_**Live without your sunlight**_

_**Love without your heartbeat**_

_**I…can't live…within you**_

Esther felt frozen, by the music and Cain's hand wrapped around her throat. She wanted to cry out, but her mind seemed to have stalled, as it had when Abel had been killed. Her heart was pounding, and she wanted to run, but at the same time, she was too scared to move. His grip wasn't tight, yet, but she knew he had more than enough strength to break her bones. The deep pounding beat in the background seemed like an echo of her pulse. She swallowed hard.

"Please…I thought…you said you weren't like Dietrich."

There was a low chuckle from behind her. "That may be true, but…I do have things I need, my dear. And Abel…well, I think 02 has already had a chance. Shouldn't you be fair?"

Esther shuddered at the hot breath on her neck. "What are you doing?"

"I'm simply going to make myself a little more comfortable." There was another dark chuckle from behind her, and then Cain was in front of her again, one hand on her shoulder and the other still pinning her jaw. "The Ice Witch was kind enough to give me some relief, but…well, she can't hold my integration, and she's of no real interest to me."

She had no time to make a suitable response before his mouth came down on hers, strong and firm and demanding. There was nothing perverted or twisted, as with Dietrich, but the force of demand in that kiss terrified her. She gasped as one of Cain's fangs grazed across her lip, cutting into the corner of her mouth.

Cain's mouth shifted, fastening on the cut. Esther gasped in surprise and pain as he sucked on the small wound. Then his tongue flicked over the wound and he broke away from her, an eerie smile on his lips. One hand reached up to blot away the blood on his mouth. "That's much better." He raised his hand a little higher, studying it with a detached sort of amusement. "See, this is much more stable. With your help, I might not need to absorb 02 after all." He turned away.

Esther shivered at his words. "I thought you were doing this for his sake. Why…why would you even think that absorbing him would help?"

Cain shrugged. "Well, it would give Abel some rest. He wouldn't have to fight all the time. But, I suppose that's something I can take care of later." He moved across the room. "For now, you should join me."

Esther stiffened. "What do you mean? What are you doing?"

He chuckled. "Well, I did invite you to dinner. I've already gotten what I want for the moment, but you should still eat. If you don't, you'll get sick, and I don't think my brother would like that. And I wouldn't be happy with it either." He gestured toward the table, already set for two.

For a moment, all she wanted was to run, to break away from him and the madness glittering in the ocean blue eyes. But…she knew it wouldn't help. He was far too fast, and she had a feeling that in his present mood, denying him anything was dangerous. He might ignore her, or he might not. She swallowed hard, then moved forward and settled at the table. Cain shifted gracefully into the other seat and gestured toward the food. "Take whatever you want, my dear."

She didn't really want anything, but she reached out and took a slice of bread, and some of the meat and vegetables. There was wine already in a glass by her elbow. She took a sip, trying to ease the dryness in her throat.

With a start, she realized the song was still playing. It seemed to be repeating itself. Grateful for any sort of distraction, she turned her head slightly. "That song…"

"Hmmm. Well, it reminds me of 02." Cain's eyes were distant. "I really did everything I could for him, but he was always so cold and distant. Just like he is now. And then of course, he turned to 04." He shrugged. "I don't mind if Abel's feeling a little rebellious, but it's not fair of him to turn his back on me like that. But he wouldn't listen, so I had to talk to 04 instead. She insisted on fighting with me, as well."

Esther stared at him. "But you…you killed her. She was…wasn't she your friend as well?"

"Hmmm?" He regarded her with vague amusement, then shrugged. "Well, she was always more supportive of Abel you know." He blinked. "I suppose it might have been a little much, taking her head like that, and presenting it to Abel, but she was only creating a negative element in his mind. It made him unhappy, so I thought it best to get her out of his way, so Abel could relax again."

For a moment, Esther felt as though she was going to lose what dinner she'd eaten. The casual way he'd spoken of killing his brother's lover made her feel nauseous. She swallowed some more wine, grateful for the burn of alcohol and wondering fleetingly if she wanted to get drunk. Then she steadied herself. Being drunk wasn't going to help, and she needed to keep her wits about her.

Cain was studying her. "You know, you're a lot like her. Like 04, I mean."

Esther froze where she sat. "I don't understand."

He smiled. "You have the same attitude. And Abel…well he really likes you. You caused me a lot of trouble, waking him up when I was going to merge with him."

Esther set the glass of wine down, staring at him. "I thought you…you said you…are you planning to kill me then?"

"Hmmm…I don't think so. After all, you've been very helpful to me." He stood suddenly and moved to stand beside her, amusement and something else, something darker warring in his eyes. "You did assist me that night, and that blood of yours…" He traced a finger across the cut on her mouth. "Besides, Abel would only be cross with me."

Esther shivered, but continued to meet his eyes. "Then what…what do you want with me?"

"Well, we both care for Abel. So perhaps, my dear, we might form a partnership. You can help me remake the world for Abel's sake, and then you and I can make sure he never has stress again." His hand took her chin. "And of course, I don't mind having your help as well, to keep my brother and me company."

The tone of his voice made her skin crawl. And there was something about the phrasing of his words, and the subtle emphasis on the word 'company' that suggested he didn't mean friendship. She fought the urge to pull back, to spit at him. Instead, she lowered her eyes and clenched her fists in her skirts. "I…I don't know."

A smile touched his mouth, the sort of smile she'd seen on Isaac's face. Amused and indulgent because he knew he was in no danger of being refused. He shrugged and dropped his hand. "Well, I can afford to wait. And it will give 02 time to cool down as well."

"I see." She looked away. "I…I'm sorry, but I'm feeling a bit tired. If you don't mind…I think I'd like to return to my rooms."

He waved a hand at her. "As you wish. But..." he turned, and one hand touched her face in a brief caress. "Don't forget what I told you."

"No. I won't." Esther met his gaze one last time, forced herself to drop a quick curtsey, then turned and walked from the room as fast as she could without looking panicked.

She was shaking when she returned to her rooms, and her mind was spinning. Dietrich's perverted attack on her had been frightening, but Cain…she shivered. He might protect her from Dietrich, but if he chose to do something, no one would stop him. Her hand went up to her mouth, remembering that fierce, demanding kiss. The she dropped it and clenched her fist. She had to find a way out, and she had to do it soon. Otherwise, someone was going to take her, whether she wanted it or not. And as dangerous as he was, she feared that Cain was the safest of them. The thought, along with the haunting song she'd heard in his rooms, followed her into her dreams as she finally fell asleep.

"There are two more bases within the city that can be identified." Baibars, head of the Imperial Yenceri, frowned and tapped two circled points on the map lying on his table. "This should be the last of the rebellious pockets within the Empire. Once we've dispersed them, we will be free to return our attention to other matters."

Astharoshe looked up from the map. "Has there been any word?"

Baibars shook his head. "None. The last report was that they are still searching. The only positive information is that they believe they have narrowed down likely locations for Her Majesties confinement to three locations. However, there is still a chance that the Queen of Albion has been confined in one of these two operational bases." He indicated the maps again. "We should plan an attack strategy."

"We'll take the farthest one first." Abel spoke from where he'd been standing, his voice hoarse. One finger touched the map. "They'll anticipate an attack on the nearest base first, knowing that we're closer to it." He looked up. "Any report on the forces there?"

Baibars shook his head. "No reliable reports. We've been unable to get agents close without alerting them to our surveillance. Security has increased over the past few weeks."

Ion spoke up from his side of the table. "Well, that is to be expected, given the fact that we've been targeting them. And considering the condition we left the last two bases in…I'm not surprised they're a little worried." He clenched his fist over his sword belt. "If they're hiding Esther, they ought to be more concerned as well."

Astha studied the map. "It's true, we're more likely to surprise them if we attack the further base. However…if they manage to warn their comrades, then this group could go to ground." She tapped the second site. "If that happens, it could take weeks to find them."

Abel shook his head. "I will go here, tomorrow." His hand stopped over the indicated base. "The rest of you, watch the other camp. If they start to move, contact me and start attack procedures. I'll join you as soon as I can."

Astha stared at him. "Are you serious?" there was anger in her eyes. "Do you have any idea how suicidal that sounds, Nightroad?" She glared at him, one hand fisted at her side and the other on her hip. "We don't even know how many people there are in that place, and you plan to just charge in?" She growled. "Honestly, I know you're worried, but still…something that crazy…"

"It's fine." Abel's hoarse voice cut through her lecture. "I'll be fine Astha. Besides…I need to take care of this. And it's better if you aren't with me."

Astha clenched her jaw, staring at her partner. He met her eyes, ragged emotions of doubt and pain swirling in the blue depths. She studied him a moment, but when she spoke her voice was softer. "Are you…having trouble?"

"It's all right." Abel shook his head.

"Don't worry about it." Ion spoke from the other side, shaking his head. "We probably ought to just leave him be." The younger Methuselah spoke as if Abel wasn't even there. "I'm sure Father Nightroad can manage on his own. Unless, Duchess of Kiev, do you think we ought to send someone to try and take prisoners this time? After all, the last few times, we haven't had much luck keeping someone alive to interrogate them." His tone was polite, but barbed.

Abel stiffened. Astha caught the sudden flare of pain in his eyes, and nearly rounded on the young man. But before she spoke, Baibars interrupted. "A prisoner for interrogation would be useful. However, the last one we captured did not have any information. I suspect these are only front runners, following orders with no real authority. However…Father Nightroad, do you wish back up?"

Abel shook his head. "Tres can follow me. He will anyway. For the rest of you…I think perhaps it's better if you concentrate on our other target. I…I'm not sure what will happen but…"

"It's fine." Ion spoke roughly. "Just remember, if you kill them all, then you'll probably miss a chance to find Esther. You should try to control yourself this time."

Abel stiffened, but he said nothing. After a moment, he turned to Baibars. "Lord Baibars…are there any other plans we need to finalize?"

The dark-skinned Yenceri shook his head. "Not at this time. We will mobilize tomorrow, and with any luck, the bases will fall within the night. However, I would prefer it if you could hold your attack until dusk. We can make a simultaneous attack then."

Abel's jaw clenched. "I…I'd prefer not to delay but…I understand. I'll do as you ask." He sighed. "If you like, tell Tres what time you plan to launch your strike. He'll be able to make sure we're coordinated properly."

Ion shrugged. "We should also tell Father Tres to make sure we collect all the possible information. After all, we don't want to miss a chance to find out where Esther might be."

Abel winced again, but his voice was soft when he spoke. "Lord Fortuna is correct. Do you know if there are any computers within that installation?"

Baibars shook his head. "I was not able to get that much information."

"All right." Abel studied the maps for a moment longer, then turned away. "I'll inform Tres of our plans, and gather my things. As soon as we're ready, we'll move out."

"No." Astha spoke. "It's better if you remain here for a while." She set a hand on her hip. "If you leave too soon, they may be alerted. After all, you're not exactly the most inconspicuous person here." She grinned at him.

Abel met her eyes for a moment, then nodded. "Very well. I'll return in a while." He turned and exited the room.

As the door shut behind him, Astha whirled on Ion. "As for you, little brat, I think that's enough out of you." She fixed the young Earl with a glare. "Aren't you tired yet of being such a brat? Whining and insulting a comrade like that…honestly, I thought you knew better." She made a disgusted noise.

Ion's jaw clenched. "Even if he is my comrade…for what he's done…He doesn't deserve my respect."

"You little…" Astha snarled. For a moment, she was tempted to draw her spear. Instead, she contented herself with rounding the table and seizing the Earl of Memphis in an iron grip. "Ungrateful little moron. If Father Nightroad hadn't protected you years ago, you'd not even be here to complain." She held his gaze. "What gives you the right to pass such a judgment? That man has worked as hard as any of us. And I notice he's done more than you have."

"I don't care!" Ion pulled free, his amber eyes blazing in angry defiance. "That man…He was Esther's friend, her comrade! Because of him Esther is in danger, and we can't even find her. Even though he was her partner, still he…he hurt her feelings. And because of him, the Contra Mundi has her. This is…this is his fault. And I won't excuse him for that!"

"Idiot!" Astha seized the youth's collar again and yanked him forward to stand on tiptoes. Her own eyes were a match for his. "Didn't you hear what Father Tres said that night? The whole thing was planned. There's no guarantee that this could have been prevented."

"That doesn't excuse what he did."

Astha gritted her teeth for a moment, then dropped the boy roughly in a limp heap and glared down him. There was contempt in her eyes. "So, you're saying that you've never done something to hurt her feelings? That you never placed Esther in danger? Don't make me laugh, little brat. After all, everyone here can witness to how well _you_ protected her feelings when you returned after the incident in Carthage." She sneered at him.

Ion winced. "That was different…I…"

"There's nothing different about it. You were supposed to stay with her, and yet…you went running after that traitor. And you said it yourself in your report…you accused Esther of hating Methuselah, and called her a liar. All on the word of a man who betrayed you." Astha snorted. "Father Nightroad might be an idiot, but at least he isn't that foolish."

Ion flinched again. "He still…"

"He made a mistake. For that matter, so did you. After all, she came to you for comfort, but you let her leave as well, didn't you? And you chose to pursue your anger at the priest instead of protecting her." Astha stared down at him.

Ion flushed. "He…"

"He made a mistake." Astha's glare silenced the weak protest. "And since that night, he's done everything he can to fix it. Honestly…" She hauled him up. "Would you have gone to the Inquisition…into their interrogation chambers?"

Ion looked away, still flushed, and caught his lower lip between his teeth. "I…"

"Idiot. Didn't you realize it yet? There was nothing they could have done to him that would have tortured him more than his own mind. You might be angry with him, but the truth is…" She waited until the Earl looked up at her, then spoke softly. "The truth is, all your words do is rub salt into the wounds he rips into his own heart. The reason he fights so fiercely when we attack is because it's the only release he has from the anger tearing him apart."

Ion flinched under her hand, the fury draining from his face. Astha sighed, and released him, straightening her shoulders. "Think about it." It was only then that she remembered Baibars was still in the room. She turned and offered him a bow. "My apologies for this unseemly altercation."

Baibars shook his head. "I have no concerns about it. I regret, I was not paying attention." Astha nodded. The Yenceri captain had probably heard every word, but he obviously had no intention of getting involved or reporting the matter.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door, and Abel entered. "I've informed Tres of the situation. He and I will leave as soon at dawn. That should give most of the Order members time to get inside, and we can avoid being seen then."

Baibars nodded. "An excellent plan." He considered a clock on the wall. "I recommend we eat and rest for the remainder of the evening." He rolled up the maps and turned to the door. "The staff of this establishment will have food awaiting us downstairs." Without another word, he turned and left the room.

Ion stood staring at Abel a moment, then turned and exited. Astha watched him go, then turned to her partner. "Come on. We should get something to eat as well."

Abel shook his head. "I'm all right." his eyes were distant. One hand reached up and clutched something under his robes, just above his heart.

Astha frowned. He'd been doing that frequently. She wanted to know what he held onto so tightly, but she suspected it was something she couldn't ask about. She sighed. "You need to eat. Even if your body has adapted, it's better if you take in normal nourishment as well."

He shook his head again. "I…well, I suspect the Earl of Memphis would prefer my absence. And I…"

"Idiot." Astha smiled grimly and struck him on the shoulder. "The Earl of Memphis is a brat. You should just ignore him."

"But he…he is correct." Abel sighed. "I…"

"Foolish priest." Astha punched him again, then grabbed his shoulder and forced him to face her. "You made a mistake. But whether it's your fault or not, you can't let it stop you from taking care of things you need to take care of."

The silver-haired man stiffened in her grip, his eyes clouding with emotions. "Astha…"

"Moron. If you don't eat, then you'll have to rely more on your other half, won't you? That will make it harder for you to take prisoners." She met his eyes. "I've watched you. These last two battles…it didn't look like simple rage. You killed some of those men because you had to, didn't you? Because your body needed the energy."

He stiffened, and his eyes darkened. "I…I'd prefer not to discuss that."

"Fine. But if that's the way things are, then you really do need to eat. Unless…" She straightened. "Should I give you a donation?" She lifted a hand to her collar.

"No!" Abel spun away from her. He was rigid, his teeth clenched. After a moment, he bowed his head. "Do you…do you truly think I would sink so low?"

Astha shook her head. "No. I don't. I trust you, tovarish. However…" She moved forward to lay a hand on his shoulder. "It's foolish to take unnecessary risks with such a power. That's why you need to eat." Her companion didn't move. After a moment, she sighed. "It's not as if you have to eat with us, you know. If you're truly that bothered by the Earl of Memphis and his attitude, then just get a plate and take it to your rooms. I'll have the staff here collect it later."

"That's not necessary." Abel stood still a moment longer. "All right. I'll…I'll be down in a moment."

She thought about suggesting he simply come with her, but there was something in the set of his shoulders that indicated she shouldn't press him right then. She squeezed his shoulder comfortingly, then turned and walked out, leaving the door open behind her.

Dinner was a quiet affair. Baibars was immersed in thoughts of strategy, and the report he had to make to the Empire. Ion was brooding at the table, and Astha didn't feel like speaking with him. When Abel appeared, nearly fifteen minutes later, he was pale and silent, one hand still clenched in his robes, just over his chest. Astha quietly handed him a plate and he took it, then settled a little bit apart from the others. Astha waited to make sure he began eating, then returned her attention to her own food. For all that he'd arrived later than the others, Abel finished first. Without a word, he handed his plate to a serving maid, then stood and withdrew to his rooms. Astha sighed.

The next dawn saw Abel and Tres standing at the doorway of their lodgings. Tres pulled the window coverings back, then dropped them. "The sun has risen. Estimated chances of moving without detection are now approximately eighty percent. Father Nightroad, I recommend we commence the operation."

"Of course." Abel reached for the door, but before it opened, there was a slam behind him, and a voice spoke.

"Father Nightroad." Abel turned to face Ion, standing in the hallway, away from the sunlight. The young noble's face was tense.

Abel stiffened, a line of pain and uncertainty crossing his visage. "Earl of Memphis…is there something you require of me?"

"Yes." Ion faced him squarely, his jaw set. Then he looked away. "I…I'm still angry about what you said to Esther. However…if we don't work together, we may be unable to retrieve her." His head came back up, and the amber eyes met the blue ones of the man before him. "Do whatever it takes to finish your mission here quickly. The sooner you've finished, the sooner we can go rescue Esther from those heathens who've taken her. So hurry up and return here quickly. I will be waiting here." With an abrupt movement, he moved a step forward and held out his hand. "Promise me."

Abel stared at him for a moment, then something relaxed in his face. He moved forward and took the younger man's hand. "You have my word. I will return as quickly as I can." He turned to Tres. "Let's go."

The android nodded. "Affirmative."

A day later, they met on the bridge of a light troop transport ship. Astha was nursing a shoulder, and Ion was favouring an arm he'd gotten slashed when he'd let an opponent get behind him. Baibars, of course, hadn't taken any injuries at all on the raid of the enemy stronghold. Astha was just getting impatient when two figures appeared. She tensed, then relaxed as she recognized the long silver hair. She grinned as the man came up the ramp. "Took you long enough. I was starting to become annoyed with the delay."

Abel said nothing, he simply strode up the ramp and into the ship. Astha followed him as he made his way to the main control room. "Duke of Khartoum."

"We were awaiting you, my lord." Baibars nodded his head, then turned and tapped his fingers across a console.

The monitors and projection center sprang to life, and a moment later, the Empress appeared on screen. "Well?"

Baibars bowed, as did Astha and Ion. "Your Majesty, I am pleased to inform you that all of the viper's nests in our Empire have been eliminated."

"I see. These were the last two then?" She smiled. "Well done. Did you manage to obtain any information?"

Baibars bowed his head. "I regret to inform you that we have had no great success. My troops did manage to capture a few prisoners, including the head of the facility. However, they had no information to give us. And the orders I managed to retrieve were minimal. Simply to devote their energies to causing unrest within the Empire."

"I see. Decoys then. Abel?"

He shook his head. "I'm afraid we didn't manage to capture any prisoners. And the computer system wasn't much help either."

"Negative." Tres spoke sharply. Abel turned to look at him. "Data was minimal, however, one useful piece of information has been correlated. Despite extensive re-routing, all orders were given from a location within Germany. Approximate coordinates indicate somewhere near Old Berlin. However, the orders are not signed."

"Hmmm…that's still good to know." Seth frowned thoughtfully. "All right. Baibars…you will return to Byzantium at once with the troops. I want you to assist Mirka with guarding the Capital. As for the rest of you…" Her green eyes turned to the blue-eyed priest. "There's a fast courier ship waiting at the other end of the docking facility. Abel, you and the others will return to Rome. As soon as you arrive, contact me, and we'll decide what to do next. Astharoshe, Ion Fortuna…you two will accompany the members of the Vatican. Assist them however you are needed."

Astha bowed. "Of course, Your Majesty." Ion was only a breath behind her.

Seth smiled. "My brave children. I'm pleased at your efforts." Her eyes rose to meet Abel's "You should go quickly, Abel."

"Yes." He hesitated a moment, then bowed. "Thank you." His voice was hoarse with some emotion Astha couldn't quite identify.

Seth smiled lightly. "I promised you, didn't I?"

Abel nodded once, then turned and strode down the ramp, Tres only a step or so behind him. Astha took a deep breath, then bowed to the Empress once more. "May I have your permission to retrieve my packs? They are in my cabin."

"Of course. But I suggest you hurry. I don't think Abel will wait long." Without another word, the connection went silent. Astha nodded to Baibars, then hurried to collect her luggage. Within an hour, she and Ion were aboard the courier ship, and the lights of the Empire were disappearing behind them.

The journey to Rome was faster than Astha had ever made it before. Within two days, the spires of the Vatican came into sight. Seeing them, Astha felt herself tense. Though she knew Caterina would give them safety, and the new Alliance protected her, she still felt nervous. After all, until a few years ago, these people had been her mortal enemies, second on the list to people like Enderle.

A flicker of movement caused her to turn her head. Abel stood beside her. She watched him a moment, then turned her gaze back to the growing image of the cathedral. "We're almost there." She looked back up at him. "So…what will you do?"

Abel sighed. "I'm not sure. It depends on what information Caterina has for us." One hand reached up. "But I…I can't just keep waiting for something to happen. Even now…Esther may be…"

"Don't even think like that, stupid priest." Astha snorted. "The minute you give up hope, then we're lost. Didn't you tell me that once or twice?"

Abel blinked. "I…yes." He bowed his head.

"Then follow your own advice." She glanced at the view. "We'll probably arrive within the hour, so get your stuff together. After all, the sooner we disembark, the sooner we can get to Cardinal Sforza and start making plans." She didn't wait to see if he was listening, simply turned and walked away from him.

True to her prediction, they landed thirty minutes later. It was already night, for which she was grateful. Even with the UV gel and her pills, she hated bright sunlight. It hurt her eyes.

The door opened to reveal Brother Petros, his second in command behind him. A full complement of knights was arrayed behind him. Astha would have been concerned, had it not been for the slender, brown-haired man calmly chewing his pipe stem next to the Inquisitor. As soon as the door opened, William grinned. "Welcome back. Abel, Tres…it's good you've returned. I trust the mission was successful?"

"Positive. All enemy bases within Imperial territory have been deleted."

"Excellent. Well, Lady Caterina is waiting for all of you. If you aren't too fatigued, we should probably join her now." He turned his gaze to the two Imperial envoys. "Duchess of Kiev, Earl of Memphis, a pleasure to have you with us. I've orders to take Abel and Tres straight to the Cardinal. However, if you'd like to rest, I can escort you to the guest quarters."

Astha shook her head. "If it's all the same, we'll accompany you."

"Very well. Come." Petros spoke gestured brusquely, then turned and headed for the open doors of the church.

William grinned at her and offered her a wink. "I suspect we'd better do as the man says." He watched Abel follow the Inquisitor, then spoke in a softer voice. "How is he?"

"He's…stable, for the most part. But toward the end…" She sighed, gazing after the man she called partner, then shook her head. "You'd better come up with something. Soon."

William nodded, his eyes sober. "I understand. I think Caterina does too." He gestured. "Shall we?"

Caterina met them in one of the main conference halls, as opposed to her office. Leon stood leaning against one wall, and Father Havel was standing by a computer console, studying it intently. As Astha and William entered, she glanced up, then set aside the paper she was reading. "Father Vaclav, if you would."

"Of course, Your Eminence." The slender man tapped out a configuration on a control panel, and the central table shimmered into view.

On the far left, Virgil's image appeared. The Albion lord looked tired, his face drawn and tense, and his eyes haunted. Colonel Spencer's image, appearing next to his, looked no better, even with her impeccable uniform.

The center image was a strategy map, and on the far right…Astha stiffened, then bowed. "Your Majesty."

Seth grinned, but no amusement touched her eyes. "You don't have to worry about formality right now, Astharoshe." She turned. "Lady Caterina?"

Vaclav spoke from his station. "We've been collecting information while you were conducting your purge. Based on what we've been able to discover, we've found three major bases of operation, sufficient for troops and possible hostages." He tapped a button, and three glowing dots appeared on the map. "The first is in Hispania. The Gypsy Queen has located a sizeable operation there. We've received confirmation that the Rosenkreutz member known as the Red Baroness has been spotted here." Beside Astha, Sister Kate made a small noise. William smiled comfortingly at her.

Vaclav highlighted the next spot. "Another major base has been reported in Amsterdam. We've received notice from Father Hugue that it's a fairly large base. And one of Cardinal Borgias informants has reported the appearance of a woman who matches our description of the Ice Witch, Lady Helga von Vogelweide."

His finger shifted, and the third area lit up. "Our last place of interest lies here, in the area known as the site of Old Berlin. We've confirmed at least one structure, and definite activity. However, due to its isolation and the terrain, we've not managed to get very close."

Abel nodded. "Any sign of Von Lohengrin, von Kampfer, or...or _him_?" His voice roughened and cracked on the last word.

"We've received no information on any of them." Vaclav shook his head. "Any one of these sites could be the one we need. There's an equal chance."

"Negative." Tres stepped forward. "All orders regarding Order activity in the Empire originated in Berlin. The odds of that being their central site are higher by ten percent."

Vaclav nodded. "That is helpful." He glanced at the display. "I'd recommend sending a task force to survey the Old Berlin area. If possible, they can inform us."

"No." Abel spoke softly, but with such intensity that every head at the table turned to look at him. "There's no time." His hands clenched into fists. "Every day we delay, waiting for further information, is one more day that they can strike, or take the lives of their hostages." He didn't say Esther's name, but no one doubted who he meant.

Caterina raised an eyebrow. "Then what do you recommend we do, Abel?"

"Launch a three-way strike against all three bases simultaneously."

Caterina shook her head. "At this point, I doubt I could get the Papal Council to agree to that. The manpower required would leave Rome practically unguarded. And Brother is sure to oppose it. With this information, I can't force it through, either."

"I don't mean a full assault. We need someone to get in, and ascertain if Miss Esther is there. And if possible, to rescue her. Ideally, we'd be able to damage the facilities, but that can be a secondary target." Abel leaned against the table. "A small force, three people or less, could do it."

Caterina shook her head. "That's incredibly risky, Abel."

"But it is possible. In fact, that strategy was very successful in Albion a few months ago, but I'm not certain if the enemy has realized it yet." The Professor chewed his pipe.

Virgil nodded. "He is correct. My records indicate that approximately five Vatican agents entered the Underground during the attack by the order. However, those five successfully accounted for more than half the attackers, including in areas my own men were not stationed to patrol."

Caterina sighed. "I still can't condone it."

Petros stepped forward. "I will provide back up. Even if Cardinal di Medici does not approve, I am confident I can convince His Holiness to allow me one battalion."

Seth nodded. "I can have troops standing by as well."

Colonel Spencer bowed respectfully. "I can assure you, to rescue our Queen, I am fully prepared to offer the full might of our military."

"And I will accompany you." Virgil shifted.

Caterina blinked at him. "I beg your pardon."

Virgil bowed his head. "We have been inactive too long. Colonel Spencer and I have discussed it, and we request you allow me to accompany one of your main strike teams. We…cannot abandon our Lady, our Queen in her peril. If we are at last going to move, then I request to be included in the hunt." A thin smile touched his face. "As Father Nightroad can attest, I am not without resources, and weapons."

Caterina inclined her head. "As you wish." Her gaze turned to the silent, silver-haired man. "Well Abel? This is your idea. I hereby authorize you to use the full complement of the AX department, subject to my approval, of course. So…what are your plans?"

Abel bit his lip. Then he laid his hands on the table. "Leon."

"Yeah? What's up, Four Eyes?"

"I need you to lead the team in Hispania. You're from there, you know the customs and the ground better than anyone else. Take Tres and the Black Widow."

Leon made a face. "Black Widow? That crazy chick? You sure about this?"

"Yes. She's not very reliable, but if you get into a tight spot, her powers will be invaluable. And she's an excellent spy."

Caterina nodded. "I'll see she understands her orders very clearly. And Father Tres…if she deviates from them, you have my permission to do whatever you think best."

"Positive."

Abel took a deep breath. "Lord Walsh…can you arrange transportation to Amsterdam?"

"Easily. We have trade routes there."

"Very well. Lady Caterina…please contact Father Hugue and Sister Kaya. Tell them to meet Lord Walsh in the Amsterdam region, far enough away from the suspected area. Hugue can guide the other two."

Wordsworth raised an eyebrow. "I trust you are aware how both of them feel about Methuselah."

"Yes. But they'll need him. The troops the Order employs are mainly Methuselah. For reconnaissance, Lord Walsh will have a better chance of gaining entry to the compound. And neither of them are computer proficient. If Esther's not there, they'll need him to access any information there about the Order."

"I will do my best." Virgil inclined his head.

"And you, Abel?" Caterina fixed her subordinate with a piercing gaze.

"I will go to Old Berlin." Abel took a deep breath.

Seth shifted, fixing him with an anxious gaze. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

"Yes." Abel lifted his head to gaze around the room. "Sister Kate, I'll ask you to provide transportation to a certain point. We'll make the last day's journey on foot. Father Wordsworth…I'll need your technical expertise. Father Vaclav…I'd appreciate it if you would assist me with the recon."

"I'd be more than willing." The slender man turned to face the Cardinal. "Your Eminence, is this all right with you?"

Caterina nodded and folded her hands in front of her. "We need to resolve this. At the moment, Father Nightroad's plan presents our best option."

"What about us?" Astha stepped forward. "I beg your pardon for interrupting, but we of the Empire also wish to be of assistance."

Abel nodded. "We'll need couriers between the forces, and watchers. Both of you are too well known as Imperial envoys to be a good strike team, but as messengers your enhanced speed and strength would be invaluable."

Astha studied him a moment, then nodded. "Understood." She turned to Wordsworth. "We'll need maps, so we know where we're going."

"I'll have them to you before dawn."

Abel turned to look at Petros. "Brother Petros, I'd like you to remain on standby." The faintest grin touched his mouth, then disappeared. "Please hold the relief troops for all of us in readiness, with Colonel Spencer. And if you could…if you and Lady Caterina could keep monitoring for any information, or any signs of change, please do so."

Petros scowled at him for a long moment, then nodded curtly. "I will do so." He turned slightly. "Sister Paula, you will assist Cardinal Sforza. I will speak to Cardinal Borgias."

"Yes sir." The young woman bowed.

Abel turned back to the woman seated at the head of the table. "Caterina…how long will it take to arrange the mission?"

Caterina frowned. "The Iron Maiden needs to be refuelled and checked. We need to arrange a safe rendezvous for Lord Walsh to meet Hugue and Kaya. And we'll need to get authorization for the back-up troops. In addition, we need to set up strike points and meeting points. With all that…" She sighed. "I'd say we need at least three days. I'm certain we can be ready within the week, but any earlier than that, I can't be certain."

Abel's jaw clenched for a moment, then relaxed. "I understand." He bowed his head. "Thank you."

Leon grinned. "Hell, Four Eyes, I didn't know you had such a head for strategy. If I didn't know better I'd almost think you'd had practice commanding troops."

Abel winced at the words. Then his eyes came to Caterina. "If you'll excuse me, I have preparations to make." He turned and left.

Leon blinked. "Damn…what set him off?"

Caterina shook her head. "That's not our primary concern." She fixed them with a stern gaze, then rose to her feet. "We have a great deal to do. I suggest we get started."

*** [+] (AN) smcandy: **The song used in this chapter was 'Within You' © of David Bowie and Labyrinth Movie.


	23. Eighteen: Escape and Safety

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Happy Holidays everyone. I am _**extremely**_ sorry for such _long_ delayed update then before. I have been having _**major**_ PC problems and need to get not a whole new Pc with tower and all. My old one burned out the motherboard anyway and I need a new one badly not what I wanted for the xmas but I do love it. I also got some new accessories to add along with cash I need desperately to pay some more expresses of mine and bills. I hope you all are having a fun holiday season and vacation of from school and work for a while.

Fortunately while I was semi **MIA **a week ago for my editor sent me this chapter before she left, she is not gonna be back from her family trip until the 3rd of _**2011**_ by then I hoping another update soon to bring you guys some you all been waiting so long for this one to come. So for now enjoy and have a great holiday season see you all in the new year of mon amigos ^^.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to one of my editors and co-partners in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her own TB stories on which are awesome. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage Against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Eighteen - ****Escape and Safety**

Esther sighed and settled back against the couch, watching Sieglind put away the cloak she'd worn for her daily trip to the north tower. She wanted to relax, but she couldn't. There were too many thoughts whirling through her mind. Instead, she contented herself with opening the book she'd taken from the shelves, idly scanning it while she considered the issues that bothered her.

The past week had been exhausting. Her days were spent in wary watchfulness, careful of every movement. Her time outside her rooms was spent searching for possible escape routes and avoiding Dietrich. Within her quarters, she was careful not to do anything to put Sieglind on guard, or to arouse the suspicions of the Order members who dropped by to see her every so often.

Isaac had come by once, to check her health. Remembering, Esther fingered a half-healed mark on her elbow, the site of a needle mark from where he'd drawn blood. He claimed it was for tests and the thought of what kind of tests he might conduct was one she didn't want to examine too closely.

Balthasar had come by twice, bearing flowers and wine. He'd been polite, and more than courteous enough, but there was something in his voice, in the offhand way he said things, that was unnerving for her. She had learned from him that both the Vatican and Empire were apparently looking for her, but he'd given her no details. Instead, he'd turned back to comment on the wine, saying he had no interest in discussing vulgar things like battles, bloodshed and violence. He'd offered to send Kaspar by with more information, but she'd declined. She didn't trust the odd man, and the memory of his mouth on her neck, and his comments about her blood made her stomach clench. She didn't dare go near him.

To her surprise, even the Ice Witch had come by. She'd been insulting, and her manners had been cool, but all she'd done was deliver the message that the Contra Mundi wanted to see her. That, and comment on the inferiority of Esther's taste in decorations.

Esther shivered, her fingers tensing on the spine of the book. Cain…she bit her lip, trying to control the fear that went through her at thoughts of him.

He'd summoned her every day for the past week. He'd made no more attempts to take her blood, and she half suspected that the blood Isaac took had wound up in his system. The thought comforted her a little, but…it wasn't her main concern.

Cain had returned to his cool, detached self since that night, but his remarks about Seth, Abel and Lilith had become much more pointed over the past week. And much darker, more violent. Though his manners were polite enough, he'd developed a habit of standing closer to her, and every now and then his hand would brush her arm or her face. And not a day went by when he didn't suggest she join him. Subtle hints and gentle touches, but they still reminded her of when he'd seized her in that iron grip and kissed her. They also reminded her of just how powerless she was against him.

Esther's fingers clenched hard around the book. She bit her lip, gritting her teeth against the feelings of frustration and despair that welled up inside her. She'd hoped, at first, that Cain's apparent attachment to her meant she could gain more freedom. But while he'd granted her permission to carry weapons, she'd gotten nothing else from him. In fact, it felt more as if he were trying to tighten his grip around her.

"Mistress, are you unwell? Your readings indicate significant agitation." Sieglind's monotone broke into her thoughts.

Esther immediately forced her hands to relax. She lifted her head and gave the Doll a quick smile. "It's all right. I was just thinking…ever since that incident with Dietrich, I've been having trouble sleeping." Which was true. She let her expression turn rueful. "I'm a little embarrassed about it, but…I can't help worrying he'll try something again."

"Negative. Master von Lohengrin has been ordered to remain away from your apartments. As your guard, I have been authorized to use whatever methods necessary to ensure he does not bother you." The voice held no emotion, but one hand flicked up to brush the sword she wore. "Mein Herr has authorized use of maximum force. Failure to comply with orders may result in the Puppet Master's termination. My Lady has no need for concern."

Esther stared at the Doll, surprised. She hadn't realized that Cain had given orders for Dietrich to be killed if he approached her. Esther felt her shoulders tense. She was relieved that Cain was protecting her, but…her hand stole to the faint scar on her wrist. He'd barely noticed when she was attacked then, and she wasn't sure what to make of his new behavior. She pushed the thought carefully to the back of her mind, and returned her attention to the book.

She'd almost managed to relax a little when knock on the door startled her out of her half-doze. She blinked, then rose to her feet as Helga entered. "Lady von Vogelweide. Is there something I can do for you?"

"Hmph. As if I would need anything from you." The dark-haired woman gestured imperiously. "Mein Herr wishes to see you. Come." She stopped and studied Esther a moment, then sniffed critically. "Change your clothing first, girl, and freshen yourself up. Even a Terran should know better than to appear before Mein Herr like that." She waved a hand irritably. "I will wait, so do not waste my time."

Esther tensed. "You needn't wait." She lifted her chin slightly, straightening her spine. "I'm certain I can manage."

Helga shrugged. "I do not care if you can manage or not." She flicked her fingers in an impatient gesture. "I have been ordered to bring you to Mein Herr, and I will do so. Hurry up, or I will inform him you do not wish to come." A faint, malicious smile touched her mouth. "He will probably send von Kampfer or von Lohengrin for you then. If you do not wish to see them, run along and get changed."

Esther clenched her fists at the tone, but drew herself up proudly. Just because Helga had hit a nerve, didn't mean she had to give the woman the satisfaction of knowing it. "If you'll excuse me then. I'm sure Sieglind can offer you refreshment while you wait. I won't be long." With a curt nod, she turned took the clothing Sieglind offered her, and moved into the bathing room to change. Once inside, she shut the door, then sighed and turned to lean against the wall, looking into the mirror across the room, thinking.

Helga was wearing an Order jacket with silver insignia embroidered on the shoulders and breast. The jacket was cut to compliment her figure, fastening at the waist in a way that showed off her ample chest, and flaring just enough to show her hips to good advantage. The three quarter sleeves revealed her slim wrists, adorned with bracelets, and the ring on each hand. Underneath, she wore a dark purple-black dress, formfitting, but simple and elegant in design. It had a low collar and hugged her frame, and though the skirt was nearly to the floor, it was slit provocatively up the sides to mid-thigh, revealing her slim legs. Her six inch heels made her taller, almost a match for the Contra Mundi in height.

Esther sighed, looking at her own reflection. The plain rust-red dress she wore was no match for Helga's elegant attire, any more than her shoulder-length red hair was a match for the waterfall of blue-black tresses Helga wore tied back. Though they were both fair, but Esther's skin had long been tanned and roughened by weather and work. It was no match for Helga's alabaster beauty.

Esther started to pull off her dress, then frowned. _Why…why does it matter so much to me if I compare to that woman? _She pulled the dress over her head and went to the sink to run warm water for a quick scrub. She frowned. She knew Helga wanted Cain but…_It's not as if I want that man interested in me. So…we aren't competing for anything._ And being in the AX, she'd gotten used to being the plain duckling. Noelle had been beautiful, Monica dressed like a boy, Caterina was stunning, and even Kate was extremely pretty.

She puzzled over the thoughts as she dried off and drew on the silver-blue formal dress Sieglind had chosen for her. The low cut made it fairly easy to fasten in the back. She settled it over her shoulders, brushed out her hair, and returned to the other room.

Sieglind immediately stepped over and began to adjust the dress for the best fit. Helga gave her a grudging appraisal, then sniffed again. "Well, you do clean up well enough, for a Terran wench."

Esther stiffened, trying to fight back her first response. As she gazed at the other woman's frown, she understood. _I…may not want the attention of the Contra Mundi, but she does. And right now…he's watching me. But…he's the only protection I have against the other people in this place. So even though, under other circumstances, I'd yield, I can't afford to right now._ Without his protection, the best she could hope for was to be at Isaac or Dietrich's mercy. More likely, he would kill her, just to break the Alliance and to hurt Abel. Esther clenched her fists, determined to do whatever it took to prevent that.

Helga made a soft, disparaging noise. "Well, at least you do have some spirit, for a Terran girl." She shrugged and turned toward the door as Sieglind rose. "Were you not Mein Herr's favored woman, I would teach you your place. However, we have kept him waiting long enough."

Esther followed the other woman down the familiar hallway to Cain's rooms. At the doors, she quickly stepped forward, around Helga, and took the handle. "Thank you for your escort. I will announce myself." Before Helga could comment, she stepped inside, hoping she'd managed to hide her nervousness.

Cain was standing in the main room. He was also fully dressed, in his usual dark pants and red-trimmed white jacket. Esther breathed a sigh of relief. He turned at her entrance, and an empty smile touched his mouth. "Lady Esther." He studied her a moment. "That took a while."

Esther shook her head, bowing it slightly to hide her expression. "Lady von Vogelwiede was kind enough to suggest I change before I came."

Cain nodded, his eyes distant. "Well, the Ice Witch does know my preferences, even if she is jealous of you." Esther looked up, startled, and his smile widened a fraction. He moved forward suddenly, to brush one hand across her cheek. "Hadn't you guessed, my dear?" There was a faint note of amusement to his voice. But before she could respond, he'd moved away again, staring at the wall. "But you know, that isn't why I asked to see you." He paused a moment. "It appears my dear brother is on the move. He seems quite incensed this time."

Esther stiffened. "Father Nightroad? He's…I don't understand." Esther swallowed hard, hoping not to betray her hope for more news.

Traces of amusement and affection echoed in Cain's voice when he spoke again. "Well, it does appear that 02 has been searching everywhere for you, my dear. I've even heard that he went all the way to America."

"America?" That was a reference Esther didn't know, except for vague references in pre-Armageddon stories.

"Of course. That is where 03's lab was." Cain shrugged. "But it seems Abel returned. I've heard that 03 asked him to come and assist her." He shrugged again. "My dear brother's done quite a bit of damage to my operations in the Empire." His gaze was unconcerned, and his voice, when he spoke, was actually slightly amused. "Ten minor encampments, but it looks like 02 destroyed all of them. It appears he didn't even take prisoners." He tilted his head, gazing at her with amused eyes. "It might be that he's just getting a little low on energy again, but it's rather refreshing to hear that he's doing so well."

Esther felt a chill run down her spine. Cain's words evoked the memory of when Abel had rescued her from Fleur du Mal. The room full of bodies rose in her memory, along with Abel's anguished expression. She shoved the memory away and snatched for something else to say. "You said…bases in the Empire. But…why?" She hesitated a moment, forming the connections in her mind. "Why do you want to destroy them? I mean…the Empress…" She swallowed hard.

"If the Empress is your sister, then why?"

A faint, thoughtful line touched his face for a fraction of an instant. "03 always was rather distant with me. She likes Abel much better."

Esther blinked. "But still, if she's your sister…shouldn't you protect her?"

Cain shrugged. "I don't really think so. After all, she's giving Abel so much trouble, asking him to come clear things up for her." he regarded her with that cool smile of his. "Besides, my dear…I am the Enemy of the World." He reached out, brushed a feather-light touch along her jaw. "Really, I went to such lengths to destroy that place…the lab where that woman was created. But then 03 went and restored it, and now she's hindering my attempts to access the information I want. She should know better."

Esther shivered. The tone of his voice was exactly the same as it had been months ago, when he'd blown a hole in Abel's chest. She clenched a fist, trying to think of a way to change the topic, when something he'd said leaped out at her. "You said…the place where…where she was created?"

"Of course. Hasn't Abel told you?" Cain turned to regard her with eyes that carried a ghost of amusement. Then the ever-present smile widened just a fraction. "02 didn't tell you? All of us, Abel and 03 and I…we were all born in labs, my dear. And now, 03 is protecting Lilith's old lab, and she's asked Abel to help her." He shrugged, the slight interest leaving his eyes. "Really though, it's better for Abel if it's all destroyed. I thought I'd completely laid waste to that place, but since 03 revived it…" He shrugged again and turned from her. "I suppose I'll have to destroy it again."

Esther stiffened, reeling mentally under the shock. _Born…in labs? But how…why? Father…what…what does he mean?_ She wanted to demand an explanation, but she couldn't think how to. She wanted to argue against Cain's plan of destruction, but she knew he wouldn't listen. He genuinely believed that destroying human civilization was the best thing for Abel. She clenched her fists, unable to think of a single thing to say. Her head was suddenly pounding. Finally, she bit her lip and lowered her gaze, speaking softly. "I…I beg your pardon but…I'm afraid I don't feel well all of a sudden. I didn't sleep well last night, so I'm afraid I'm a little tired. If you'd excuse me…"

"Hmmm." Cain's glance returned to her, then he studied the back of his hand. "Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt for me to return to my regeneration." He turned his back on her and waved one hand in a graceful dismissal before entering the other room.

Esther didn't wait for a second thought. She turned and exited, heaving a sigh of relief as she closed the door behind her. Helga was nowhere in sight, though Sieglind was standing at attention in the hallway. Esther gave the Doll a quick nod, the hurried down the hallway to the sanctuary of her own rooms. As she changed into a light lounging robe and settled down to the meal Sieglind served her, her mind was turning over the things Cain had told her.

_Father Nightroad…he's looking for me. _Her head was spinning, and her heart felt like it was pounding in her chest. _Father…why? After everything I said to you…are you still trying to save me?_ The thought that he might still care for her gave her hope, and a strange sort of joy, but still…she wasn't sure she wanted him to come for her. Her fingers clenched tight around her utensils. To rescue her, he'd have to come here. She had no doubt he'd use the violence he'd used before, rescuing her from Fleur du Mal. But she remembered the pain it had caused him, and she wasn't sure she wanted to see that expression on his face again. Worse, to save her, he'd have to face the man who'd already killed him once. Her shoulders tensed. _Father…please, be careful._

Her thoughts wouldn't settle. She tried reading, but her mind kept circling back to Abel. Finally, she set the book aside and retired for the night, still thinking about him.

She wasn't sure what woke her, much later. The room was dark, courtesy of Sieglind. Esther frowned, puzzled. She was used to waking with bad dreams, but she'd been sleeping fairly peacefully. She sat up, looking around the darkened room.

The curtains hadn't been drawn, which was unusual. She blinked, then stiffened as her eyes finally made out the darkened shape standing by the corner. She pulled the sheets up defensively, her hand going for the knife tucked beneath her pillow. "Who's there?"

"There's no need to be concerned, Esther." Esther froze, as a light flared and Cain stepped forward into it. He was wearing only pants. She couldn't see his eyes in the dim lighting, but there was amusement in his voice.

Esther swallowed hard, her fingers clenching on the knife hilt. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged, and settled on the edge of the bed with a lazy grace. "Well, you did say you were having trouble sleeping. I thought I'd come and make sure you were well tonight. After all, Abel would be terribly upset with me if I didn't do something like that."

"I…I'm fine." Esther bit her lip. "Last night, it was just…I was a little tired today. I appreciate your concern, but…it really is unnecessary."

"I see…well then." He studied her. "If that's the case, then perhaps you won't mind letting go of that knife."

Esther swallowed, but forced her hand to release the hilt. She knew it wouldn't hurt him anyway. Cain reached past her, and lifted the blade, studying it. "This is something Sieglind gave you, correct? But what were you doing, sleeping with something like this, my dear?" His eyes were amused, but there was something dark within them that Esther didn't dare examine too closely.

She looked away. "After…after Dietrich…I didn't know you'd given orders for him to leave me alone. And Dietrich…he's the type who will do something just because someone told him to stop, sometimes."

"Hmm…That is true. After all, he's attacked 02 twice, and I did give orders that my brother was to be left alone."

"I…I was concerned, that he might do something, so I kept that with me."

He laughed softly. "Well, I suppose that kind of caution is wise. However, my dear, if you were truly concerned, you really only needed to speak to me."

Esther felt something twist in her gut. "I…I don't understand."

He smiled, and one hand brushed her cheek. "Well, I did say it, didn't I? 02 and I, we're really quite a lot alike. And Abel...well, he does worry about you. So…if you were concerned, all you had to do was ask me. After all, even Dietrich won't bother you if I'm here, my dear."

Esther felt like her blood was freezing in her veins. "I…but…"

He shifted, moving closer. "You know, you never did answer my question about 02." He met her eyes. "Did you want to be with my brother?" His hand came up to her face. "If you want me to protect you, I'm sure I can manage at least that. And if Abel was what you wanted, well, I don't mind showing you how it works with us. After all, even in this form, I can manage that much. Ice Witch was kind enough to help me determine that."

Esther bit her lip. She didn't want to examine that thought. She didn't want to think about what he was offering her. She averted her eyes from that odd expression in his face. "I…I'm very sorry, but I really…I really don't understand." She shifted backward a little. "I…appreciate your concerns, but I'm fine now. And I…well, I don't think it's proper for you to be in here like this." She took a deep breath. "It's kind of you to offer to protect me, but I really do feel like it's all right now. I'm sorry if I concerned you, but I'm sure if I can just go back to sleep, I'll be all right in the morning. So you should probably return to your regeneration, and get some rest yourself."

For a long, awful moment, she thought he'd refuse. Then he shrugged and rose from the bed. "If you say so, my dear. Though you know, I wouldn't need my integration chamber if you agreed to help me."

"I…well, I can't really help you in this condition."

"Very well." He turned and vanished, and a moment later Esther heard the nearly soundless click of the door latch sliding into place.

She clenched the covers around her, shivering in reaction. She had no doubt that Cain had wanted for more than protecting her. Her heart was pounding and her hands were shaking as she tried to fight back the panic that overwhelmed her.

Things were getting out of control. She'd planned to be patient, and look for an opening, or try to gain his confidence and win her freedom that way. But now…she had no choice. She had to escape soon, before either Cain or Dietrich got tired of waiting. She bit her lip, fighting back tears.

She knew where she was. She had weapons and clothing. But still, she couldn't find the way out. She was barred from the front doors, barred from the plane hangar, and followed by Sieglind unless she was actively talking to another member of the Order. She had no chance of getting past Cain, and she doubted that any of the others would help her. Helga might want to see her gone, but even the Ice Witch wouldn't defy Cain for her sake. And none of the others had even that motivation. Dietrich might have helped her simply for the pleasure of defying the Contra Mundi, but she knew that he'd never do so now that he was determined to possess her. Esther sat in bed, wrestling with her fears, until sleep finally claimed her once more.

The next morning, she woke in a bleak mood. Her feeling of despair had abated somewhat, but she couldn't shake the dark mood that still hung over her. She sat up, shaking her head to clear it. As she did so, her eyes fell on the knife Cain had left resting on the bed. The sight of the gleaming hilt reminded her of what she'd told him regarding it's use. And as it did so, a plan came to her. _Dietrich. He's…cocky, and he must be irritated at being refused by the Contra Mundi. It's dangerous, but if I can prevent him from using his strings on me, I can possibly overpower him. And if I can do that…there might be a way for me to escape. But if I fail…_ One fist clenched. If she failed, her chance at escape would be gone. More than that, Dietrich would exact a full revenge for her attempt. And being raped by him would be the beginning of her worries. _No…I can't think of that now._

"Mistress?" Sieglind stepped around the bed.

"Sieglind. I'm sorry, is it breakfast time already? I was thinking about something else."

"Positive. Mein Herr has requested your presence as soon as you have finished eating and getting dressed."

Esther nodded and rose. "I understand. And if you don't mind, there's a message I'd like for you to carry to someone for me." She moved over to the desk, and wrote a quick note. "Please, take this to Dietrich von Lohengrin for me."

"Contact with von Lohengrin is not recommended at this time." The Doll made no move to accept the note.

"I know. But, if I keep avoiding him, I'll only continue to be frightened. I want…I want to settle things between us, and make things clear with him. Otherwise, I will have to keep running from him. So please."

"As you command. However, I will inform My Lord." Sieglind took the note.

"I understand. But please, tell him my reasoning as well."

"Positive." With that, the Doll turned and left the room.

Esther took a deep breath, then settled at the table. Her eyes drifted over the bottle of fruit juice left for her morning meal, then the bottle of wine she'd had with dinner for the past few nights. _All right. I guess this is it. From here on, I'll either escape, or I'll be trapped._ She bent to her food. It felt like sawdust in her mouth, but she knew she couldn't afford not to eat. Otherwise, she'd have no strength for what she intended.

Sieglind appeared as she was finishing. "Master has approved your actions. Are you ready to bathe and dress, Mistress?"

"Yes." Esther set aside her napkin and rose from the table. "I'd appreciate it. And if there's something special in the wardrobe, I'd like to wear it please."

"Positive. I will make an appropriate selection." Sieglind exited into the bathing room, and returned a few moments later. "Your bath is ready, Mistress."

Esther nodded. She entered, stepped into the steaming tub, and settled back, letting the heat relax her muscles. She felt tense, but she knew she didn't dare to show any signs of the nervousness she felt. This whole plan required her to appear confident. She took a few deep breaths, then began washing up. Cain was waiting for her.

Half an hour later, she was out, dressed, and surveying herself in the mirror. She'd asked Sieglind to pick something impressive, and she had to admit, the Doll had surpassed even her expectations.

The dress she wore was black and gold, full length with a golden translucent cape falling from the shoulders. The sleeves were another set of the wide, off-the-shoulder straps, black and attached to the body of the dress with golden braid. From there, the top was low cut to just cover her chest with a pale gold bodice, then slashed down the middle, nearly to her navel. A small sapphire and gold brooch settled at the bottom of the hollow, just over her belly button. The waist of the dress was decorated with a golden belt of sorts, which dipped into a v shape at the front. The body of the dress was black, but the belt supported a thin golden veil that fell over the skirt, reaching to just an inch or so above the floor. It was just short enough that she could avoid stepping on the skirt in her heels.

For jewellery, she'd allowed Sieglind to give her a gold necklace, adorned with a pendant of jet and dark sapphires. She'd also consented to having her hair brushed and decorated with a black and light blue bow, fastened with a golden clasp. Altogether, the ensemble was striking, and the colors made it oddly reminiscent of an Order uniform. Esther studied it, then nodded. This was exactly the kind of effect she'd been hoping for.

Sieglind let her study it for a few moments, then gestured. "My Lord is waiting."

"Of course. I'm coming." Esther turned and strode to the door.

Dietrich was standing in the hallway, an amused look on his face. As she stepped out, he looked her up and down. "Well now, Esther, that's very nice. You do look quite impressive."

Sieglind was immediately between them. "You have orders to avoid this premise. You will depart."

Esther held up a hand and touched the Doll's shoulder. "It's all right. I did say he should come to speak with me. And he's not in my rooms." She turned her head to face Dietrich, meeting his amused gaze with her own. "I…there's something I want to say to you. I have to go speak to the Contra Mundi right now, but afterward…I want to speak to you."

Dietrich flicked his fingers in a careless gesture. "Well, I don't mind, but I suspect your Doll here might have an issue with that. And I was ordered to avoid your rooms."

"I know. But if it's all right…after I speak to him, I'll come to your rooms, all right?" She held his gaze.

He shrugged. "Well, it's fine by me. But do make sure you get Mein Herr's permission. I'd hate for there to be a misunderstanding." He offered her a dark grin. "Well then, I'll see you later."

Esther nodded, and Dietrich walked away. She turned and followed Sieglind.

Cain was standing in the main room when she entered, the light glinting off his golden hair. He was wearing all black again, and he was barefoot, but she was relieved to see him dressed. He turned as she entered an odd smile on his face. "Esther. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, actually." She moved forward to stand near him. "I…after you left, I had some trouble getting back to sleep, but…I really did sleep quite well last night."

"I see. But if you had trouble falling asleep when I left, then perhaps I should have stayed." His hand touched hers.

Esther shook her head quickly. "No. I really…I'm not comfortable with having people near me when I sleep. Even though I used to live in a church, I still find it…disconcerting. And with Father Nightroad, and how much you resemble him…I really wouldn't feel comfortable with you there right now."

"Ah…well, if that's the way you feel…" He shrugged, disinterest in his eyes. "You should tell me if you ever change your mind." He studied the painting on the wall for a moment, then spoke again. "Sieglind tells me that you've decided to speak to Dietrich again."

"Yes." Esther swallowed. "I…I want to confront him about what happened. I can't afford to be afraid of him forever. And I want to make it clear how I feel about things."

"I see. However…if you wish, I'll eliminate him for you." Esther looked up to see a faint smile in his eyes. "Really, he is such a troublesome boy. If you want him taken care of, it's not a problem for me."

"No. I appreciate the offer, but this is something I want to handle for myself." She met his eyes. "I don't want someone else to take care of it for me. I'll get my knife from my rooms before I leave though."

True amusement shimmered in his eyes. "I suppose that's one of the things 02 likes about you. He likes to handle his own problems too." He shrugged again. "Very well. I won't interfere for now." He gestured. "You might as well go take care of things, my dear."

Esther nodded. "Thank you." She turned, and left, trying not to let her relief show too much on her face.

She returned to her rooms, found her knife, and settled it into the back sheath. She considered changing her dress, but she liked the effect. And she hoped that wearing it would put Dietrich off his guard. She needed him as relaxed as possible. If he suspected anything, she'd be in trouble. She turned to the silent guard beside her. "Where are Dietrich's rooms?"

"I will escort you."

Esther shook her head. "It really isn't necessary. I'd rather handle this on my own, this time. If I need you, I'll call. But right now…I'd rather talk to Dietrich by myself. And, you're probably due for some maintenance, right?"

"Positive. I will escort you to von Lohengrin, and then return to Master Melchior." Sieglind turned away and Esther followed her. Together, they descended to the second floor. Sieglind stopped by the third door on the left. "These are Master von Lohengrin's quarters."

"Thank you. I'll let you go now." Esther nodded to the Doll, took a deep breath, then pushed the door open.

Dietrich was lying sprawled across a couch, playing idly with a rose stem. He looked up, the rose to his feet. "Esther." A cold smile touched his face as she shut the door behind her. "You know, I really didn't think you'd come. After our last little session together…well, you've seemed a bit reluctant."

Esther bit her lip. "I know. But…Dietrich…do you remember Istvan?" She met his eyes.

"Well, I suppose I do. After all, I did meet you there. But I don't see how that quite applies to the situation." He regarded her coolly.

"I…it's just…well, I thought we were friends. Even…even knowing you lied, that you used me…I still can't help remembering that. How you encouraged me, and helped me. How you went and got things to assist me. You even…you even did cleaning duty at the chapel, because I asked you to. I…I was angry you betrayed me…but it was because you had your orders, right? And…those times in the Empire…that was because of your orders too, wasn't it?" She looked away from him, trying not to let him read her gaze.

"Well, it was orders, but…" Suddenly he was standing before her, one finger touching her cheek. "I have to admit, it was fun too. I do like toying with people. You should know that by now, Esther."

"I know…but…" She couldn't figure out what to say.

"Well, since we're on the subject…" He leaned down. "You know, we never did get to finish. I was under the impression that you were rather against it, but…"

She pulled away, then turned to face him, allowing her anger to rise to the surface. "I hate being forced to do things like that. Being manipulated, being held against my will and forced to do something like that…that was what I hated."

"Hmmm…" He tilted his head. "So, are you saying that if I didn't force you, you'd be willing to do something like that?" He took a step forward, and laid a finger on her jaw. "That if I asked you without my little toys, you'd actually take me up on it?"

"I…I don't know. I just know…I hate being forced into something like that." She looked away.

"I see. Well, that certainly is an interesting development. But, I wonder…why the sudden change of heart?"

"I…it's just…" She swallowed. "I…the Contra Mundi…what he wants from me…I don't want to do that either. And we're both humans. And…after we were partners and friends in Istvan…even if it meant nothing to you…I had to know. And I thought, perhaps…"

"That I'd help you out, for old times sake? Is that it?" Cruel amusement touched his voice. "Really, you should know by now that I'm not that sentimental."

"No. Not that." Esther tensed. "I thought…that at least we might be able to talk." She met his eyes. "I won't be used by you like that…but I…I'm willing to at least speak to you."

"I see. Willing to bargain with the devil? Really, you are such a naïve young girl. But…you're so forceful too." He laughed. "I suppose that's something I love about you, the way you can be so determined, and so innocent." He stepped forward again. "So…shall we play again?" his eyes drifted over her outfit. "I have to admit, that does look stunning on you. But if you want to talk…I rather like my outfit for you better. It's much more…relaxed, shall we say."

Esther pulled away. "I told you…I won't be used like that. I…right now, I'd rather stay like this, if you don't mind." She met his gaze. "I did bring something to share though, for that apology you wanted." She held up her hand, revealing the bottle she'd seized off the table in her rooms. "I know… you said you don't like alcohol, but this is just fruit juice."

"I see. And this constitutes a peace offering?" He raised one eyebrow. "I trust you know I can get something just as good for myself. Or better, seeing as how I have freedom to go outside."

"I know. But this was all I could get. And besides…" She turned, and set the bottle on the table. "Well, my throat is a bit dry, from talking to the Contra Mundi. I thought, perhaps, this would help me relax. And after that…"

"Well, that is an interesting suggestion. I will admit, Mein Herr is a little difficult, but I shouldn't think you'd have a problem. After all, not only is he fond of you, but he is like that Father you like so much."

Esther bit her lip. "Father Nightroad and I…we had an argument. If he's really so much like him…then I don't…I'd really rather not deal with it."

"Really? That is an interesting development." He shrugged, then moved to the table. "Well, I suppose I don't mind drinking with you, just this one time. However, I'd prefer it if something more interesting were to happen. After all, if you really want me to take you seriously, you're going to have to offer up more than a bottle of fruit juice."

The only safe thing to do was ignore that statement. Esther looked around. "Where are your cups?"

"Over there." Dietrich gestured. Esther moved to the cabinet, withdrew two cups, then set them down. She poured them both full, then turned and held one out to Dietrich. He eyed her with amusement. "Were you planning on serving me?" He looked her up and down. "Well, it does sound a bit amusing. If that's what you like, I have no objections to playing with you like that." He caught her gaze, perversion in his eyes. "Would you like that, Esther? Being my servant, in that angel dress with nothing else on? Bringing me drinks, and letting me have my way with you? Is that what you'd prefer? Or perhaps, you'd like to give me a little…extra service?" He took a drink, then stepped close enough for her to feel his body heat. "It's a little awkward in a dress like that, but with that kind of cut…we could have all sorts of fun." His finger traced the slash between her breasts, and he smiled coldly. "I wonder, how much do you have on under that?"

"I…Dietrich, please stop. I don't…please, not right now."

"Well, if you're going to be hesitant…" He shrugged and took another swallow of his drink. "I suppose I can wait, after all. Since you've already agreed that we can talk." He drained the glass.

Esther took a swallow of her own drink. Dietrich blinked, then his eyes widened. "Esther…you…" He swayed, then suddenly crumbled to the floor.

Esther released a soft breath, then turned to look at the bottle. While Sieglind was out, she'd emptied part of it, and replaced the contents with the wine from her dinner bottle. She'd hoped to make him intoxicated, then knock him out, but apparently he was more susceptible to the alcohol than she'd thought. She took another drink, then looked around.

The room was elegant, if sparsely furnished. Esther noted the furniture, but it was the wall across from her that caught her eyes. It was covered in heavy drapes. She moved over, curious, and pulled one back, then caught her breath.

The entire wall was windows, twice as tall as she was. A small balcony extended beyond, and a moment's search led her to the small, glass-paned door. She pushed it open, shivering slightly in the cool air, and stepped out. There was a smaller wall not far from her, that she recognized as the wall surrounding the enclosure. She stared. _This is the west wall. I'd have preferred the south, but that's where the main courtyard is. But…if I could escape here, then I'd be able to run for the barren areas, then circle around. _She studied the sunlight streaming through the windows. _It's still day. The Auto-jagers aren't nearly as smart as the night guards. And only Dietrich or Sieglinde could come in pursuit. Or perhaps the Contra Mundi. The rest would have to wait until night, I think. If I could get away now…I might even manage to get a good head start._

Esther whirled and stepped back inside the room, her heart pounding. She took a few deep breaths. _I have to think calmly about this, maximize my advantages._ She took another breath and forced herself to think rationally. _I need weapons, clothing, and food. I have my knife…and there's food on the table…so…. This dress isn't really suitable for running though. So let's see what Dietrich has._

She took another breath, then began to go through his rooms in a systematic search. She worked quickly, afraid of being caught by a summons, or of his awakening. The food she found could easily be tied in a napkin, and the wine she poured out and filled the bottle with water. Then, she went through his room, looking for anything that might be of use. When she opened the third drawer, she stopped, staring.

A small pistol lay in the drawer, with a spare clip. It looked exactly like the gun Dietrich had once given her, to force her to shoot Abel. She stared at it a moment, then reached down and picked it up. The weight told her it was already loaded. _It's light, and it's not big like Father Tres' guns. I could carry this. And Dietrich…back at the church, he used silver coated bullets. These are probably more of the same. A weapon like this…I could even defend myself properly. _She scooped up the gun and clip both, then shut the door. _Now all I need is clothing._

She went to Dietrich's closet. As she'd feared, there were a number of dresses, obviously meant for her. All of them were as bad as the angel garb he'd forced on her, and some were so skimpy she wasn't sure they could be called dresses. None of them were practical for running in. She was about to give up, and see what she could do about shortening her skirt line, when she stopped frowning at the walls that contained Dietrich's clothing.

_Dietrich and I…he's a little taller, but not that much. Not nearly as much as Father Nightroad. And even though we aren't built the same…it might work. And his clothing would be a sort of camouflage._ She studied the outfits before her.

The uniform, she immediately rejected. The tailoring would make it impossible to wear well. Besides, having his uniform missing with him out cold in his room would be a dead give-away. She studied the other clothing, the casual things he wore. Finally, she reached out, and pulled a set of dark pants and a shirt off the racks.

Moving quickly, she pulled the dress off and laid it aside, then all the jewelry. The pants were tight, but she did manage to fasten them. The shirt was a little tight in the chest, but not too noticeably. She rummaged in his closet, stopping short when she came across as stash of feminine wear. The thought of why he'd had it made her feel sick, but it didn't stop her from selecting a bra to flatten her chest a bit more. She stopped, eyeing the shoes. They were a bit too big for her, but…she seized four pairs of socks, doubled them over her feet, and slipped the boots on. Though still a little loose, it would do for most things. Another quick search presented her with a long scarf she remembered him wearing, that she could wrap around her face and such to conceal her features. She pulled it out, then snatched the pocketed jacket she'd spotted and raced to the other room. She pulled on the jacket, wrapped the scarf around her face, then took a look in the mirror. It wasn't the best, but if she walked carefully, then it would pass. She nodded once, then turned to cram all her clothing into the farthest, darkest corner of his closet, and rearrange the clothing in front of it.

Dietrich was still unconscious. And there was no sound of anyone at the door. She stuffed the food into a pocket, tucked the gun in her belt, and the knife down one boot, then straightened, thinking. _Going out the door would be easiest. But if anyone saw me…there'd be no question as to what I was doing. _ She turned to the windows, and stepped out onto the balcony. _ Its pretty far to drop but…the wall is uneven, and I've climbed better maintained ones in my Church uniform. From there…_ her eyes flickered to the wall. She knew there were guards. _If I walk like Dietrich, act like I know what I'm doing, then they might not notice me. And then…all I have to do is wait for one moment when they aren't looking. The wall there isn't nearly as high. I can simply jump down, and move for the broken area._

Esther took a deep breath, then flung one leg over the railing and took a quick look for the first hand and foot holds. Her heart was pounding, and her stomach was knotted with fear. Even knowing that Dietrich was knocked out, and that the others were unlikely to be up by day, she half-expected the alarm to be raised. But it was still quiet. She flipped the rest of her body over the railing, then began to shimmy down the wall. It was even more battered than it looked, and she found good purchase, even in her over-sized boots. She hit the ground, took a few calming breaths, then straightened. Nonchalantly, she stuffed her hands into her pockets to hide the bulk of the food and water, and strolled toward the stairs leading to the wall top. She focused on maintaining a jaunty saunter, with a touch of arrogance to her step, as if she knew had every right to be there.

The auto-jagers were on patrol, one on her right, one on her left. She felt terrified, afraid they'd instantly notice she wasn't Dietrich. But she couldn't think of that. Instead, she focused on imitating Dietrich's careless grace, his lazy steps and his tendency to tilt his head to one side. He walked with his hands behind his back too, usually, but she couldn't do that and still hide the food, so she settled for squaring her shoulders and putting a little extra strut into her step.

By the time she reached the wall top, her heart was pounding like a drum, and she was almost shaky with adrenalin. But the auto-jagers ignored her. Either they weren't well enough programmed to be concerned, or her disguise was good enough. Esther strolled up to the dividing wall and, still imitating Dietrich, threw her legs over it, sitting on it like a boy perched on his favorite seat. She'd seen Dietrich sit like that any number of times, and had no doubt he did it here too. Sure enough, the guards never gave her a second glance. She sat slouched there for a few minutes, playing it cool and watching their movements. Then, in a quick, graceful motion, she leapt off the wall to the ground below. On the outside.

It was a long drop, and she nearly knocked the breath out of herself, hitting the ground. But she rolled to her feet quickly, backing up against the stone and leaning against it, as if relaxing. She waited a few minutes, but there was no sound from the guards above. No indication they'd even noticed her disappearance. She took a breath, and a swallow of water, then took off at a fast trot for the broken area. She wanted to run, but that would definitely attract notice. She ducked behind the jagged stones, rested a moment, then cautiously peered around the outcropping she'd landed behind.

The guards were still patrolling, exactly as if nothing had happened. Esther felt a grim smile flash across her face, then she pulled back. Saying a mental prayer that her luck would hold, she began the journey around to the southern wall, and the road home.

It took nearly an hour before she made it to the roadside. She wanted to leap onto it and run for all she was worth, but it would have been a disaster. She settled back, took a drink, then began working herself through the ruins paralleling the road, staying on the southern side of outcroppings when she could, crouching low and moving fast when she couldn't. Finally, the dark walls of the building faded into the distance. Esther blinked up at the sun, startled to see that it had passed noon already. She bit her lip, turned to look back at the dark structure. Then she stepped out onto the broken pavement and began to run.

The rest of the day passed in a daze for her. She ran as much as she could, until her legs felt rubbery and her eyes were blurring, her chest heaving for air. Then she'd slow to a fast walk, drinking small gulps of water from her bottle, or eating a little while she waited for feeling to return to her legs. In her right hand, she clenched the pistol she'd stolen from Dietrich. It was awkward, but she was determined that if her pursuers caught her, she'd get as many of them as she could. As soon as she felt stronger, she broke into a run again.

Far too fast, it seemed, the shadows began to lengthen into dusk. Esther felt a brief rush of despair. She was staggering with weariness. She'd been running for hours, and she could barely manage a staggering trot, let alone a proper run. The pistol felt as though it weighed a ton. And as fast as she'd tried to go, she knew that her pursuers would be able to move faster. Even if they didn't bring vehicles to chase her down, they were Methuselah. They could probably smell her blood, and they could certainly run both faster and longer than she could.

For a moment, she wanted to sit and weep. Then her hand tightened around her pistol. _I will not give up! No matter what happens…I will not give in. Even if they catch me…even if they catch up to me, I'm still going to do my best to get away from them. I won't give up now!_ She gritted her teeth, took another drink, and forced herself to quicken her pace again.

The hours passed, and dusk gave way to night. Esther found herself staggering uncertainly as the last daylight faded. She didn't dare stay on the road too much further, but to run in the dark was dangerous. The double moons gave her some light, but still… She pushed herself forward, trying to ignore the spots swimming in front of her eyes.

Her head was pounding, her throat sore, and her chest aching. Staggering with fatigue, she stumbled against a rock and slumped against it, trying to rub the dirt and the exhaustion out of her eyes.

A soft sound, a scrape against pavement, jerked her upright. She tensed, frozen with her hand tightened around the gun. Then the sound came again. Esther looked in the direction, then eased herself around the boulder and looked. The sight that met her eyes made adrenalin surge through her system and set her hear to pounding.

There was a small group of people, walking the road in front of her. She saw three of them, before she ducked back down behind the boulder. There wasn't enough light to make out features from this distance, but the sight of them, here in this desolate place, scared her. She crouched down, holding her breath.

They were coming toward her. The soft scrape of shoes against the road was getting louder. They weren't speaking either. Terror thudded through her veins. She bit her lip, trying to decide what to do.

If they were Methuselah, they'd smell her there, hear her breathing. She wanted to curl up and hope they'd pass her by, but that wasn't an option. If they'd gone to the trouble of getting ahead of her, then they'd be looking behind every boulder. She shifted her grip on her gun. Her best move was to wait until they were closer, then try something drastic.

The soft footsteps were almost on top of her. Esther tensed, then burst from cover. She didn't bother to aim properly, just fired wildly at the three dark figures. All three flinched, and she heard one curse softly. She gave them no chance to recover, simply fired another shot to get them to duck, then ran for it, running blindly in hopes of losing them.

"Wait!" The voice sounded vaguely familiar, and that familiarity only served to frighten her further. She tried to force more speed out of her trembling legs.

"Wait a moment!" A strong hand seized her shoulder, stopping her flight. The sudden stop caused the scarf concealing her features to fall away. The figure holding her gasped. "Esther?"

With a cry that was almost a sob, Esther whirled and slammed her pistol into the nearest part of her captor's anatomy she could reach. She felt her fist connect, and he flinched, but didn't let her go. What little sense she had vanished into panicked hysteria. She sobbed and struck at him again. The figure holding her gasped as her hand, and the gun-grip, slammed into his body. Then a strong hand caught her wrist, stopping her terrified flailing. "Esther! Miss Esther, stop! It's all right!"

Esther froze as the words penetrated her terror. _'Miss Esther?'_ Dietrich and Cain both called her by name. The rest of Rosenkreutz called her by Lady Esther, or Your Majesty, or something of that sort. In fact, there was only one person she knew of who consistently called her that. She stood still, breathing hard, then blinked up at her captor through tear clouded eyes.

Dim light glittered off a heavy chain, falling to a wide, ornate crucifix. She let her gaze travel upward. Silver hair, not gold, touched his shoulders, wrapped in the black uniform of a priest. She looked up, finally. The moonlight glimmered off of oval wire spectacles, behind which winter blue eyes stared at her with concern. She gazed up into that face for a moment, only dimly aware of the gun clattering to the ground. One shaking hand reached up, almost of it's own accord, to rest against his chest. "Father?"

"It's all right, Miss Esther." His eyes were worried.

"Ah…" All the strength seemed to drain out of her in an instant. "Father…Nightroad…" She swayed, as darkness washed across her vision. The last thing she felt was his hands catching her shoulders as she toppled forward.

Abel caught Esther's slim frame as she fell forward, pulling her to his chest, then lifting her into his arms, just as Wordsworth and Vaclav rounded the boulders.

Wordsworth stopped, then ran a hand across his face. "Hah. I'm not nearly as young as I used to be." He took a breath. "So, Abel, you managed to catch our mysterious assailant. Any idea as to who he is?"

"She. Call Kate and have her inform the others…we've located and retrieved Esther." Abel looked down at the slender frame in his arms. "Tell Kate to rendezvous with us as soon as possible."

"Esther?" Vaclav stepped forward, as did Wordsworth. Both men looked at the girl lying limp in his arms, then William let out a surprised chuckle. "Well, so it is. But, honestly…how on earth did she get here? She must have escaped from the Order's grasp somehow, but still…"

"That's not our primary concern. We need to get her to safety as soon as possible. They're probably already looking for her. If we don't hurry, we might find ourselves fighting for her, and it's too dangerous."

"Relax Abel. I've already called Sister Kate." Havel lowered his hand from his comm clip. "I've given her our information. She says to return to the road and travel towards her. She'll fly towards us and pick us up as soon as possible. In the meantime, she'll pass word to the other strike teams.

"All right." Abel turned and moved back toward the road, moving with quick easy strides. Both men saw him shift to pull Esther closer to his chest. William and Vaclav exchanged a look, then hurried after their companion.

Esther woke slowly. Her mind still felt blurry with exhaustion. She blinked. There was a faint vibration around her, almost unnoticeable. It felt as if she was on an airship. She blinked again, looking at the darkened ceiling above her, then sat up slowly.

The sight that greeted her was a familiar ships infirmary room. She stared at the dimly lit walls, bewildered. _This looks…this looks like the medical rooms on board the Iron Maiden. But I…how did I wind up here? _She frowned, trying to recapture memories through the haze of exhaustion. _I…I leapt the wall around the compound, disguised as Dietrich, then went to the road. I was running, and then…there were those men. I tried to get away, but they caught me and…_ She blinked at a hazy memory of winter-blue eyes and silver hair. She shifted in the bed, and her hand brushed something warm. She gasped and looked down.

Abel was sitting next to her bedside. Or rather…he had been sitting there. He'd apparently fallen asleep watching at her bedside, and he'd slumped over. Her fingers were brushing his left hand, partially pillowing his face. His glasses were askew, his silver hair disordered, his head and upper chest resting on the side of her mattress. Esther smiled. "Father Nightroad."

Abel didn't even stir, and Esther blinked, surprised. He was usually such a light sleeper. Generally, the slightest sound could wake him. She touched his shoulder lightly, shaking him a little. "Father Nightroad."

He didn't even move. She could feel the warmth of his body, and see that he was breathing, so he was alive, but he didn't even shift away from her hand. Esther felt her back tense. She stared at him.

He looked tired. Even in sleep, he looked haggard, worn, and the silver hair was not only disordered, but a little greasy, when she ran a finger through it. His breathing was low and even, but he wasn't moving at all. Concerned, Esther touched his face. He didn't feel fevered, but then, she'd never really been able to tell if he was sick or not. He never really got ill. She bit her lip. "Father Nightroad?"

The door slid open, and Professor Wordsworth walked in. He stopped, then smiled. "Well, you're awake. I have to say, it is something of a relief. How do you feel?"

"I…I'm all right." She offered him a wan smile, then turned back to the man sleeping beside her. "But Professor…Father Nightroad…he…"

"Hmmm?" William pulled the pipe from between his teeth and stepped closer. "Is he asleep?" He studied Abel for a moment, then smiled. "Well, finally. I was beginning to think we'd have to drug his tea. And he'd never forgive me for it if we did. But if he's finally resting…well, we should probably just let him rest. Unlessis he bothering you?"

"I…no, not really. I didn't even notice him there when I woke. It's just…the way he was sleeping…I thought there was something wrong with him."

William shook his head, and leaned over to take his companion's pulse. "No, no, not at all. There's nothing to be concerned about. He's simply very tired." He smiled, and reached over to lay a blanket across the sleeping man's shoulders. Then he moved to Esther's side of the bed, and reached out to take her pulse as well. "It's nothing serious. But he's been pushing himself non-stop since you disappeared. Sooner or later, something like this was bound to occur. And since we've managed to get you back, he might actually let himself sleep for longer than an hour this time."

"I see." Esther let her gaze drift back to Abel's still frame. "Father Nightroad…he was looking for me?"

William chuckled softly. "Abel hasn't done anything but look for you since that night. Really, he's been quite the handful." He studied his watch a moment. "Well, your pulse is normal. How do you feel?"

Esther blushed. "A little tired still, I suppose."

"Hmmm, well, given your condition when we found you, that's hardly surprising. You were half out of your mind with shock and exhaustion, even if you did manage to hit Abel fairly hard." He laughed softly. "Don't worry, you didn't even hurt him. But…I'd recommend you try to get some more sleep. Another few hours should make a world of difference for you. You can rest until we return to Albion."

He turned around, then turned back with a cup. "Here. I've mixed you a mild sedative. It should help you sleep." He offered her a gentle smile. "I suspect you'll be plagued with questions about how you escaped, so I'd recommend you stay here with Abel for now."

"Thank you." Esther took the cup and drained it, then leaned back. She could already feel her eyes getting heavy. Minutes later, she was sound asleep.


	24. Nineteen: Abel's Past

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Yes another update one and all. Sorry and more on time to.Okay…so this was a really long chapter. But Abel has a bit of a history, and I wanted to get it across. That and his feelings, and everyone else's reactions. To all those who know the Untold Stories and spoilers. I hope I did this okay. For those of you who don't…I hope this did okay, and didn't bore you too much. Thanks.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to one of my editors and co-partners in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her ownTB stories on which are awesome. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage Against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Nineteen- Abel's Past**

_The Methuselah surrounded her, and Dietrich held her. She struggled, but she couldn't get free, and her strength was fading. Her wrist bled, and one Methuselah after another was drinking her blood. Kampfer's fangs, and Helga's and the others. Then a blond haired man seized her wrist, and licked the blood off of his fingers. He smiled a cold, amused smile that didn't reach his empty eyes, and bent his head to her wrist._

Esther shot upright in the infirmary bed, gasping in terror. Her heart was pounding with the aftermath of the memory-nightmare. She shuddered, pressing her hands over her mouth and fighting back tears.

"Miss Esther? What's wrong?" A hand gently touched her shoulder. She blinked back tears, and looked into Abel's concerned face.

The gentle eyes were enough to restore some of her composure. She brushed a hand across her face. "I'm sorry Father. I didn't mean to disturb you. I just…" She stopped. Even in the dim lighting of the room, she could see he still looked pale and tired. The memory of their last conversation hung between them, and she didn't want to trouble him further. "It was just a nightmare, Father. I'm sorry if I woke you."

"No, not really." He shook his head. "Well, I was dozing a bit but…I'm fine." He shifted slightly, and when he spoke his voice was soft. "Miss Esther…are you sure you're all right? You sounded…very upset."

She shook her head. "It was just…I had a nightmare."

"I see. Well, you really should try to get some more rest." His hand was gentle on her shoulder. "If there's something I can do for you…"

"No. It's all right." Esther shook her head. "I'm…I'm all right now." She settled back into the pillows. Her heart was still pounding, but she felt much calmer.

"Well then, I should probably let you rest." He shifted, then pushed his glasses up his nose and started to stand.

Esther felt a vague sense of panic. She reached out and touched his wrist. "Father…if it's not too much trouble…could you stay for a while?"

"Oh…well, if that's what you want." He hesitated, then settled back into his seat. His hand caught hers with a careful grip. "I'll stay here as long as you like."

"Thank you Father." The feel of his warm touch settled her. She relaxed back into the bed, and let her eyes close. Within moments, she was asleep again.

She spent most of the next day sleeping or resting. Abel was gone when she woke again, but Kate was there, to serve her a solid meal and a calming tea. By the time the lights of Albion appeared in the forward viewport, she felt…well, not rested, and not really relaxed either, but at least calmer. She stood watching the lights of the Palace, feeling a sense of relief so deep it threatened to reduce her to tears.

"Here, now. We wouldn't want you to be upset over coming home. Here you are." Wordsworth's cheerful words cut across her swirling emotions. She turned, to find him holding out a handkerchief. "Here you are."

"Thank you Professor." She took the handkerchief, and dabbed at her eyes. She offered him a trembling smile. "I'm sorry. It must seem rather silly of me. It's just…I was so afraid I'd never be able to get back here…I suppose…I'm just a little overwhelmed."

He smiled gently. "On the contrary, it's not unexpected at all. In fact, it's quite reasonable. I have to confess, I feel the same way whenever I return to my offices after a dangerous mission, or something of that sort."

"Thank you." She sniffed once more, then turned back to the window. "Was there something you needed to tell me?"

"Only a few details. Kate informs me we'll be docking in about half an hour. Caterina will be waiting to meet you, along with Lord Walsh and Colonel Spencer. And if you don't mind putting up with us, I believe everyone involved in the rescue mission will be remaining at Buckingham Palace for a few days."

"I'd be happy to have all of you there." She frowned, staring at the window. "I don't mean to be rude, but…what of Father Nightroad? Will he be there as well?"

He chuckled. "Unless you request it otherwise, I think Abel intends to go right back to his duties as your guard. Actually, he's already at the docking bay doors, waiting for landing." He hesitated for a moment, and when he spoke, his voice was more serious. "I'm aware that you and Father Nightroad quarreled just before your disappearance. If you'd rather we assigned someone else…"

"No. Actually, I'd prefer it if Father Nightroad were to remain here." Esther let one hand tighten around the handkerchief still in her hands. "I…it's true that we had a fight, but…that's really part of the reason. I don't want to have things like this between us. I was concerned that he'd just leave, though."

The Professor shook his head. "I don't think you need to be concerned about that." He frowned out the window, chewing thoughtfully on his pipe-stem. "It might not be my place to say this, but I think at the present time, that Abel will not leave your side. Not unless you wish him to go." He shook his head. "You didn't see him, of course, but he was frantic when you were taken. Even with all of us, we barely managed to keep him from losing his head and doing something foolish."

"I see. Thank you." Esther returned her gaze to the lights outside. She wasn't sure what to think. She was relieved that he wasn't planning to leave, but at the same time…she remembered what she'd said, what she'd done. Even more, she remembered what Cain had said of him, and it troubled her. She wasn't sure how to bring up the subject, and she feared she'd only hurt him if she did. After a moment, she turned back to the quiet gentleman standing by her side. "I suppose we'd better get down to the landing dock."

"Quite right. I'll escort you there myself." He smiled and held out a hand.

Abel was at the port when they arrived. In the light of the bay, he looked better, but still…Esther frowned with concern. His uniform looked looser than she remembered and there were dark circles under the blue eyes. He'd obviously gotten cleaned up again, but he still looked over-tired, and though he smiled at her approach, even the smile looked exhausted. "Miss Esther. How are you feeling?"

"I'm all right." She moved to stand beside him. "What about you Father? You still look tired."

He laughed a little. "Well, I'm sure it's nothing serious. I'm really quite all right." He didn't sound it though. He offered her his gentle smile once more. "Really, Miss Esther, there's nothing to worry about." His head tilted, and Esther felt the slight shift in vibration. "It looks like we're landing. You should probably get ready to greet your advisors. I'm sure they'll be relieved to see you." He smiled once more, then dropped back to stand in her escort with the Professor and Father Vaclav. Esther nodded, and turned back to the doors.

Minutes later, they were on the ground, and Kate opened the hatch. Esther stepped forward, her guards following.

Virgil and Mary were both waiting at the end of the ramp, with Caterina and the others standing a few yards back. As she approached, Virgil bowed his head. "Your Majesty." Then to her surprise, he and Mary both went to their knees on the deck, heads bowed. "Welcome home."

"Please rise, both of you." Esther held out her hand.

Virgil raised his head, but neither of them made any move to rise. "Your Majesty. I appreciate your kindness, however…." His head lowered again. "I wish to offer my sincerest apologies for this regrettable incident. That you should be taken from within the very walls of the Palace…I can only offer my deepest regrets. I am fully prepared to accept whatever penalty you choose to impose. If you wish, I will submit my resignation as Your Majesty's advisor immediately."

"I as well." Mary didn't even lift her head. "As the head of your Guard, I have no excuse for allowing this to happen. If Your Majesty wishes, I will leave now. I have a list of men I can recommend as my successor, if you wish."

"No." Esther shook her head. She studied the two before her. "Please, stand." She waited until both of them came to their feet. "I don't wish to dismiss either of you."

"Your Majesty…" Mary started to speak, but Esther held up her hand.

"You both did the best you could. But our enemies…they are very devious." She smiled reassuringly. "No one could have guessed they'd try something like that, right after such a major assault. And I didn't help anything by going off on my own."

"Nevertheless…" Virgil spoke softly. "If we cannot protect you…"

"How can you expect your replacements to do any better?" She looked at both of them, meeting their eyes with a firm gaze. "Right now…even if there are problems, I need people who understand the threat Rosenkreutz represents. I need people who understand what we're facing. Colonel Spencer…can you honestly tell me that the men on your list are aware of all the things Dietrich, or von Kampfer can do? Or that they've faced our true enemy?"

Mary held her gaze for a moment, then bowed her head. "I fear not, Majesty."

"And Lord Walsh…who will protect the Underground for me? I know Lady Vanessa is quite capable, but she doesn't have your contacts within the court. And Father Nightroad is needed for other things as well."

"It is true. However…Your Majesty…."

"Enough." She smiled at both of them, and tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ears. "Something…something regrettable has happened. But even so, we can't allow that to come between us. If I dismiss you, I will only do the Order's work for it, by depriving myself of my wisest and most capable advisors when I need them most."

Mary stared at her for a long moment, then bowed her head. "As you wish, Your Majesty."

Virgil echoed the gesture. Then he turned. "Your Majesty, I believe your allies are waiting to greet you. And if you do not mind my saying so, I recommend you retire soon. There is much to be done."

Esther nodded. "I'm sure there is." She sighed, then moved forward to shake hands with Caterina. "Cardinal Sforza. Thank you for greeting me here. I'm sorry to have taken you away from your duties in the Vatican."

"There's no need for concern." Caterina smiled. "As I've said before, one desk is as good as another. At the moment, things are well in hand within the Vatican. And considering that I placed all my agents at the disposal of your advisors, it made sense for me to come here."

"I see. Then it hasn't been too much trouble I hope." Esther made a face. "I imagine Cardinal di Medici wasn't too happy about this."

Caterina snorted. "Francesco understands the necessity. Besides, His Holiness was very concerned for your safety. He even requested I retain the services of Brother Petros and Sister Paula." She gestured to two of the forms behind her. "And Her Majesty, Empress of the Empire, has requested that you accept the services of her two envoys."

"I'd be more than happy to." Esther stepped around, and bowed slightly. "Thank you all, for all your assistance. I appreciate everything you've done for me, and for my people."

Caterina laughed. "I fear we didn't do much. And I understand that you managed to rescue yourself. Still, we're glad to be of assistance." She studied Esther for a moment in the lamplight of the platform. "I suggest you get some rest. I can tell you from experience, you'll have a great deal to do over the next few days."

Esther nodded. "I understand. Thank you." Then she turned to where Virgil waited with her escort a few paces behind. "Lord Walsh…I believe Her Eminence has a point. If it's not too much trouble…"

"I will escort you to your quarters myself, and see that your guests are settled in." Virgil bowed, and the entire group moved from the dock.

An hour later, Esther was settled back in her familiar bed. Her last thought, as she fell asleep, was that she still hadn't managed to speak to Abel.

The next few days were hectic. Esther rose early and went to bed late. The Court had to be reassured that she was all right, and that she was still ruling. More than one person called for both Lord Walsh and Colonel Spencer to be replaced, and those nobles had to be dissuaded. Even the servants had to be taken care of. Her third day back, she took a carefully guarded tour through Londinium to make sure her people knew she was safe. She would have found it to be a chore, but the heartfelt cheers made her heart feel much lighter.

She also made time to call her allies, and thank them for their generous support and assistance. Both Seth and Alessandro greeted her calls with enthusiasm, and friendly enquiries. She reassured them of her safety, but she didn't dare go into details of her experience. Instead, she shared general details about the compound, the troops she'd noted, and the Order members she'd met. She remembered what Balthasar had said of Kaspar, and passed on that warning, with all the urgency she could put into it. Beyond that, there were discussions of how to increase guards within all three major capitals, without alarming the common people.

She also read over the reports of the three rescue teams that had been sent out. She was gratified to know that her advisors had come for her. Unfortunately, the reports were all negative. Though both Leon and Hugue had elected to press forward to their initial destinations, they'd found the sites abandoned. There were signs of large forces there, but there was no data left behind, and no clue as to where they'd gone. Father Vaclav made a brief expedition to Berlin, only to report that it too, had been abandoned.

Whenever she wasn't in Council, or meeting her allies, Esther was swamped with paperwork. Virgil and her steward had done their best, but there were a number of things her signature was needed on. Sensitive documents relating to the Council, judgments from the battle, that hadn't been handled before the treaty signing and the celebration. Then there were the basic day-to-day petitions to the crown. Some of them were fairly mundane. Some of them, like the request to double the budget for the city guards, were fairly serious and had to be taken into carful consideration.

At other times, Esther scheduled time for both Virgil and Mary to instruct her in fighting. She was determined to be better prepared for the next assault. She learned about grappling, and several of the back-alley tactics that Virgil had witnessed, though she guessed he'd never employed them. At Caterina's suggestion, she even approached Sister Paula, and requested her expertise. The Inquisition Second-in-Command had a reputation as a wicked fighter. Despite her cold manner, she was willing to pass on her knowledge after Petros agreed, and she turned out to be a reasonable teacher.

In a way, Esther was grateful for the exhausting pace. Her nights were often disturbed by nightmares, and memories of what had happened during her capture. She dreamed, more than once, of Dietrich's attempt on her, and Cain's seductions. Nights after a particularly exhausting day, she often fell asleep and slept till her maids came to wake her. But other nights, she woke three and four times a night, sweating and shaking. She knew Virgil noticed, because he commented on it, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him what had happened. She wanted to tell someone, to get the weight off her mind, but still…she couldn't. The words stuck in her throat. The memories of fear and shame made it far too difficult. She made excuses, of being concerned over this or that, or distracted. After the first few days, there was something at the back of her mind, disturbing her, but she couldn't pin it down. Finally, after the fifth day, it struck her.

She hadn't seen Abel since her return. She knew he was probably in the Palace, with Caterina here. And she'd seen lights on in his rooms, across from hers, once or twice. But he hadn't showed up for guard duty, and she'd not run across him in the halls. It was odd, given what the Professor had said about him.

"Your Majesty?" Virgil's gentle question drew her out of her thoughts. She blushed.

"My apologies, Lord Walsh." She looked back at the paperwork she was supposed to be looking over, mostly reports on the Palace functions. They weren't actually thing she had to review, but she'd developed a habit of looking at them, in case of possible anomalies, even before her capture. "I'm afraid I got distracted."

"It is understandable. However…if there is something in particular on your mind, I may be able to assist you." He stood before her, watching her with his silent, solemn gaze, then spoke for a moment. "If you'll forgive my intrusion, you've seemed a bit troubled of late."

She shook her head. "It's all right. I've just had a bit of trouble sleeping. But I was wondering…I haven't seen Father Nightroad around recently. I heard from Father Wordsworth that he was planning on returning to guard detail, so I was a little surprised. Although, I suppose with Lady Caterina here, he'd be helping her. She is his superior, after all."

Virgil shook his head. "I believe Father Nightroad will return to his duties as your guard within a few days. However, it was recommended that he be given time to recover before resuming his post. Given his condition, as it was reported to me, I've elected to give him a few more days."

Esther stiffened. "Recover? Is there something wrong with him?"

Virgil sighed, and looked away from her. "I cannot say precisely. I do not fully understand his condition, Your Majesty. I am aware that he possesses the force known as the Crusnik, and that his strength and endurance are…impressive. But…" He frowned. "According to his comrades, Father Nightroad's body has been…somewhat strained, since you disappeared. I have not been given all the details, but it appears his activities have driven him perilously near the edge of his strength. His compatriot, Father Wordsworth, suggested we give him time for his systems to reset at a more reasonable level."

Esther bit her lip. "You mean…because he was looking for me…he drove himself so hard?"

"Perhaps that is part of it. Certainly, he did more for our search to locate you than any other. The rescue plan we devised was his suggestion. However, he was also called upon by the Empress of the Methuselah Empire to help prevent a major incursion by the Order and their allies. And…" He shook his head.

"Did something happen?" Esther met his gaze. One fist clenched in her skirt underneath the desk.

"I cannot say for certain. I can only tell you what I know, Your Majesty." He took a deep breath, refusing to meet her gaze. "I can tell you that, after your kidnapping, Father Nightroad returned to the Vatican, and was held by the Inquisition for some time. What occurred during that time, I have no information, and in truth, I do not wish to ask. However, I believe, given the presence of Brother Petros, that it was not too serious. Besides that…Father Nightroad has worked tirelessly. I know he made one month long journey overseas, apparently to gather information. Father Wordsworth informs me he has not rested more than an hour since you were taken, and my own observations confirm that fact."

Esther felt her stomach clench. The idea of Abel in the hands of the Inquisitors….she repressed a shudder. "Can you tell me what his current condition is?"

"He has been eating and sleeping a great deal. In fact, aside from reporting briefly to the Cardinal, and to Father Wordsworth, I believe he has done nothing else." He offered her a smile. "I truly believe there is nothing worse than exhaustion. A few more days should see him perfectly well. However, if you wish, I will speak with him this evening, and apprise you of his condition."

"Thank you, but it isn't necessary." Esther smiled. "I'm sure he's fine." She studied Virgil a moment. "Which reminds me, what about you and the others? You look a little tired as well." And he did. There were lines across the brow similar to the ones she'd seen before, during negotiations, when he'd stayed up for three and four days straight.

Virgil smiled again, genuine warmth in his eyes. "I assure you, I am quite all right. Vanessa has been working to make sure both Colonel Spencer and I get a proper amount of rest."

"I see. Tell her I said thank you." She relaxed a little, and looked down at the papers on her desk. "Well then, I really ought to get back to work." Virgil nodded, and both of them bent once more over their desks.

She was busy enough that she managed not to think about it anymore that day, but later that evening, she was too restless to sleep. Thoughts of Abel kept intruding. She lay in her bed, trying to get some rest, but she couldn't stop thinking about him.

He'd come to look for her. And in the process, apparently pushed himself so hard that he'd had to take time to recover. She knew Abel, he had more stamina and strength than anyone she'd ever met, in spite of that deceptively slender frame. That he'd been pushed that hard…it was difficult to imagine. She bit her lip. _And I…I still haven't apologized to him. Not for what I said, not for striking him that night. I haven't even apologized for hitting him when he rescued me._ She knew she'd connected at least twice with her gun. _I haven't even thanked him properly._

That last thought decided her. She slid out of bed, and slipped on a long robe. As expected, there were guards outside her door, but they were a discreet distance away. She looked across the hall, and sighed with relief. There was a light on under Abel's door. She pulled the belt of the robe a little more firmly around her, and slipped her feet into a pair of slippers, then stepped across the hall and knocked gently on the door.

There was a startled noise, then Abel's voice came, muffled by the door. "Enter."

She opened the door, then stepped inside and shut it behind her. Abel was sitting sprawled on the bed, a book in one hand, but he sat up quickly. "Miss Esther…"

"It's all right Father. Please, don't get up." She held out a hand, then looked away from him. "I'm sorry to drop by so late, but…I was wondering how you were. I haven't seen you for a few days, and Lord Walsh said you were recovering from something."

"Ah." He set the book aside. "Well, there's really nothing to worry about. I was just a little tired, that's all."

"Father…" Esther bit her lip. "It…it wasn't just that, was it? Virgil said you…you went to the Inquisition. And…"

"Miss Esther." Abel stood, and moved to her side. Esther looked up, startled, as his gentle hands took her shoulders. "Truly, I am all right. I did go to the Inquisition, and I was imprisoned for a time, but I swear to you…I was not hurt. Brother Petros and Lady Caterina took very good care of me." He smiled. "I was just…I'm afraid I let my metabolism get a little out of balance, and, well…" He sighed, and the smile fell away. He looked away from her. "Well, I suppose you could say…that…my other side…it was a little harder to control. That's all. I didn't want to worry you, but Professor Wordsworth thought it might be a good idea to let things settle back to normal before I resumed my duties. But it's all right now."

She could see the tension in his face. "I'm sorry Father."

"Ehh?" He blinked, and his eyes, when he looked at her, were startled.

She smiled, a touch of irony to the expression. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Actually…" She stepped away, putting some distance between them, and settled on the edge of one chair. "Actually Father, I wanted to thank you. For coming to my rescue. And…I wanted to apologize. For my behavior."

Abel blinked again. "Miss Esther, you don't have to…"

She interrupted him. "I do. After all…even though you rescued me…I struck you. And I haven't apologized for that."

Abel smiled. "Well, you were rather upset, and I don't think you knew it was me, just then. So that's all right."

"Perhaps. But before…" She clenched her hands. "That night…I said some terrible things to you Father. I…I said I hated you, and I struck you. And that…that was terribly unfair of me. I shouldn't have been so cruel. And for that…I just wanted to tell you…I'm sorry, Father."

"It's all right." His voice was soft. "I…actually, you know, I've been meaning to apologize as well. I'm afraid I didn't handle things very well that night." She looked up at him, but he was looking at the far wall, his eyes distant. Then his gaze came back to hers, full of regret. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

She shook her head. "It isn't your fault." Another ironic smile touched her face. "Really, I was thinking…it really is my fault after all." She stood, looking at one of the paintings on the wall, trying to find a way to say what she meant. "When…when I first met you, you were so strange to me. You weren't like anyone I ever met. And I…when Gyula spoke to you, after the Star of Sorrow was destroyed, I was surprised. Seeing you…I felt as if I was watching two different people. And you…you seemed so lonely. But…I…when I came with you to the Vatican…I was looking for answers. About what happened, but also about you."

"Esther…" Abel spoke hesitantly from behind her, but she held up a hand. She wanted to get the words out.

"All this time, I've been trying to find out all your secrets, your past, everything like that. But…it's not fair to you. I've been demanding to know about your past, and the Crusnik, and all that. But…I never took the time to understand even the little things about you. Even though I've known you for years now, even though I've pried into things that were none of my business…I was never even courteous enough to ask you the simple things that friends and colleagues are supposed to know."

"Ummm…well, I'm not sure I understand."

Esther swallowed. "Well, simple things. I know Professor Wordsworth is from Albion, like Sister Kate. I know Vaclav likes brighter colors. When…when I knew Sister Noelle, I knew she liked getting dressed up. And I know Father Garcias likes motorcycles, and women. I even know that Lady Caterina likes chamomile and lemon in her tea. They're just…little things. Likes and dislikes. Birthdays and things like that. But I…I've never even thought to ask you about anything like that, Father. I don't…I don't know what your favorite food is, what your hobbies are, or your favorite color. I don't even know when and where you were born." She stared at the wall. "All this time…I've been trying to force you to tell me personal things, but I never asked those questions. And I guess…I'm a little ashamed of myself."

"It's all right." His voice was gentle. Then to her surprise, he spoke again. "Actually…I like to read, and I like to travel. That was one reason I became a travelling priest, you know. The assignments are a bit difficult, but I do enjoy travelling around. It's nice to see the countryside. And with a good book in hand, why, it's practically heaven."

Esther turned around, startled at the disclosure. Abel was seated on the bed again, smiling. "Father…" She stopped. "You…" She stopped again. "I didn't know that."

"Hmmm…well I don't really get much time to read. And I do have a bit of a problem with being seasick, sometimes." The gentle smile widened. "And really, I don't have much of a favorite food, except…well, I am rather fond of sweet things."

Esther blinked. "I thought…the Crusnik…"

He nodded. "I do require more sugar to help offset the effects, but the truth is…I enjoy sweets. I didn't get much of them as a child, not until I was much older, in fact. Since then, I'm afraid I've developed quite a fondness for them." There was a flash of sadness in his eyes, and pain, but it vanished so fast she had no time to ask about it. "And…if you wanted to know my favorite color…well, actually…" He flushed. "Red, usually. But it's more…well, it isn't so much a color as a thing, really."

Esther blinked at him. "I…I don't understand."

"I like…well, I like certain scenes, rather than colors. The sky on a bright autumn day, a good sunset, the colors of the Vatican in the noon light. Sometimes even the sky at night, with all the stars shining. It's things like that." He ran his hand through his silver hair, looking self-conscious. "I really…can't choose a favorite color. Every color has…well, memories, attached, I suppose you could say. Good ones, and bad ones, so…"

"I understand." And it did make sense, of a sort. Even without knowing his past, she knew he'd seen a lot. "Well, if you don't mind my asking Father…I've never heard where you come from, or…when is your birthday? If you tell me, then I can ask the kitchens to make you something special. After all, you haven't had much time to celebrate it, have you?" She smiled.

Abel swallowed, and she was surprised to see his expression turn serious. "I…well…I'm afraid I can't tell you exactly when I was born." Something bitter, and painful, touched his face. Then he shrugged it away. "But as to where I was born…actually, Miss Esther…I was born in Albion."

"In Albion?" Esther stared. "I…I didn't know."

"Hmmm, well, not even Caterina knows, really. It was a very long time ago, after all." He offered her a smile, but it didn't touch his eyes. "Actually…" He stood, a restless gesture. "I was really born right here in Londinium. It's changed a great deal since then, but…I…was born here in this city, in a manner of speaking. I could probably even show you the place, if you wished."

Esther stared at him, startled. The fact that he'd been from Albion was strange enough, though she could hear the faint accent of the area in his words when she listened for it. But for him to have been raised in Londinium….that was truly odd. She wanted to ask more questions, to see the place he'd been born, but at the same time, she could see the tension in his frame. She studied the lean profile, uncertain what to say next.

It was Abel who broke the awkward silence. "Miss Esther…you said, earlier, that you wished to know…that you wished to know about my past." His voice was low, with a tense undercurrent she couldn't quite name. "Do you…do you still want to know?"

Esther blinked. He wasn't facing her, but she saw the lean shoulders tense slightly. "Father? What are you…?"

"If you want to know, still, about my past…I will tell you." He still didn't look at her. "If you…if you truly want to know…who I am, what I've done…what's between Cain and I…I will tell you." His head bowed. "Everything. I can…show you where I was born…and everything…everything else. You have only to ask it of me."

Esther stared at him, unable to speak. She knew what he was offering her. She'd demanded once, to know what held him back, and now he was offering to tell her. But…she could see his tension, see his pain, already so close to the surface. She knew whatever he told her would be a terrible experience for him. She didn't want to torture him like that, not for mere curiosity. And yet…he was willing to speak to her. Even knowing how bad it would be, he'd offered this to her. And she sensed that to turn him away, even to spare him this, might also hurt him.

Finally, she stepped forward, and laid a hand on his arm. "Father…I do want to know. But only if you want to tell me. And if it's going to hurt you…please, don't."

He looked at her for a long moment, so many emotions in his eyes that she couldn't properly read what he was thinking, or feeling. Finally, he bowed his head. "If you're going to come with me, you should probably wear something else. And I need to speak to Lord Walsh."

Esther nodded, and slipped across the hall to her rooms. It only took a minute to find a dress that she could slip on without help of her maids, and a pair of shoes. She dressed quickly, surprised to find her hands shaking. A part of her wanted desperately to hear what Abel was going to tell her, but…she was frightened as well. This close to his secrets, she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

Abel was waiting outside her door, robed in his cassock. He looked up as she emerged, then nodded. "Lord Walsh is a few doors down." A small smile touched his features. "He and Caterina have been talking."

Esther nodded. Abel took her across the hall, stopping at Caterina's door. He knocked once, then simply opened the door. "Lady Caterina."

Caterina raised an eyebrow. "Father Nightroad." As Esther entered, the Cardinal rose from her seat. "Your Majesty. Is there something wrong?"

"No." Esther shook her head, lifting a hand to forestall the others who were rising. It was quite a gathering. The Professor was leaning against the wall, and had apparently been talking with Vaclav and Father Leon. Ion and Astha were also standing on the sidelines of the discussion. Mary and Virgil were both sitting, where they'd apparently been speaking to Caterina, and Petros stood behind her. "I'm surprised though…I had no idea there was a meeting tonight."

Caterina shook her head. "It's nothing formal. I simply thought it would be wise for us to get together and speak." She smiled a bit ruefully. "I should have asked you to join us, but I was informed you had a rather heavy schedule." Her eyes shifted to Esther's companion. "Abel. How are you?"

"I'm fine." Abel's voice was soft. "Actually…I came to request a favor, if I might." His gaze shifted to Virgil. "Lord Walsh…Her Majesty asked me a question, which I think I need to answer. But…I'll need to take her to…well, down into the sealed area of the Ghetto."

Virgil shifted. "That is…hardly a safe journey. It would be best if you had an escort."

Abel's mouth tightened. "I know…but…I'd really prefer it if as few people as possible…."

"Abel." Caterina interrupted. She moved forward to stand in front of him. "What is it, Abel? You look troubled."

"I…I am going to tell Esther the truth. All of it. From the beginning. I…everything starts here, in Albion, but I'd prefer…I can't…" He trailed off, and his head bowed.

Leon stepped forward. "Hey, Four Eyes. If there's something bothering you, just say it already." He frowned.

Caterina studied him a moment, then touched his face. "This is personal, isn't it? Do you intend to tell her…even what you would not tell me?"

"Yes." Abel's eyes met hers. He seemed to be struggling with himself, then he spoke. "I suppose…it's only fair. Actually…" His eyes rose, drifting over the group. "I…if you wish to accompany me, I…"

"Hey…" Leon's frown deepened. "You look like we're taking you to be whipped. What the hell is going on?"

Abel met his gaze. "I…there's somewhere I need to take Esther. But it's only fair for her advisors to request an escort. But I… this is…this…well I'm afraid it's rather personal."

"Let me get this straight. You need to go somewhere, but you don't want to take regular guards?" Leon shrugged. "Well, I don't mind going with you. Unless, you think you can't trust us."

"No, I…" Abel swallowed, then looked away. "You have a right to know this. After all…as much as I wish otherwise, it is relevant to the battle against the Order of Rosenkreutz. So…if any of you wish to hear this….I…I will not ask you to stay here."

"Very well. I will accompany you." Petros straightened. Caterina said nothing, simply measured Abel with a long look, then turned and picked up a cloak. The others also straightened.

Abel turned to Virgil. "Lord Walsh…"

"With your permission, Colonel Spencer and I will accompany you as well."

Abel nodded. "I was going to ask you." A faint, bitter smile touched his mouth. "After all, you've been the faithful guardian of that place for a long time, haven't you? It's only fair, to let you see what you've been protecting." His glance touched the assembled group once more, then he turned and left. Esther and the others followed him.

Abel was quiet as he led them to one of the main elevators. As they all stepped in, Virgil took his place at the console and turned to him. "My lord?"

Abel nodded. "You'll need the lowest level." Virgil inclined his head, then turned and tapped out a destination code on the elevator console.

The ride down was a long one. Esther had gone down to the Underground before, but always into the first few levels. From the length of the descent, she guessed they were going at least twice as far.

When the elevator finally stopped, Esther blinked. The corridor in front of them wasn't exactly dark, but it was clearly disused. The light was even enough, but there was a sense of age, and dust in the metal walls. Abel stepped forward without a word, leading them all to another elevator. He flipped the panel open, then removed one glove and rested his palm across the screen. There was flare of green light, and then the compartment slid silently open. "Here. We'll need to go down about three more levels."

The second elevator was much smaller, but they managed. Leon frowned as Abel stepped into the compartment. "I hate to ask, Four Eyes, but where exactly are you taking us?"

It was Virgil who spoke. "Deep within the Underground, there is a section which no one may enter. It's been guarded by the Manchester family for a very long time, but even we do not know who it was made for, or why. The founder of the Underground said only that it was to be sealed and protected for its master. We cannot even enter that place."

"So…why would we go there now?" Astha spoke up. She turned her gaze on Abel. "Tovarish?"

"Because that's where we need to go." He flashed her a wan smile. "Don't worry, I have access there."

"Okay, but what is it we're going to see?" Leon shifted impatiently.

Abel swallowed. "Well…" He sighed. "Before Armageddon, there was a program…the Genetics Research Program. You've probably heard of it."

"Indeed." Wordsworth frowned. "A program to modify human DNA, to produce healthier, longer lived people. We studied it in the University. The goals were very diverse. Everything from longer life-spans, to psychic powers. People were tested for resistance to disease, quick healing. However, the project was eventually abandoned. No one knows why. Even today, the results are still being seen. Witches and enhanced humans are all results of that program."

Leon frowned. "So…it's stuff like that guy, Professor Barrie, was into?"

"Something like that." The elevator stopped, and Abel motioned them out. Esther found herself standing in front of a large door. Abel stepped forward. "But the scientists in the Genetics Manipulation and Research teams then were far more sophisticated than Barrie could ever dream of being." He gestured. "This is the Albion Underground Genetic Manipulations Lab."

"I see. Fascinating." Wordsworth stuck his pipe between his teeth, thoughtfully. "But…I thought you said there was something relevant to our current situation."

"There is." Abel's head bowed. "The truth is…the research wasn't abandoned. But the last stage of the Genetic Manipulations Project was so controversial, that it was decided to avoid publicizing it as much as possible."

"What do you mean?" Vaclav frowned.

Abel sighed, and leaned against the wall. "Some of the scientists gathered together all the data from the experiments. They combined that data, and found what they believed to be the genetic make-up of the potential perfect human being. 'The Template of God', they called it. And when they had it, they decided to take the research one step farther. Instead of simply altering human DNA, they decided to create life." His face twisted, but Esther couldn't read his emotions.

"To create life?" Caterina frowned, and then her gaze turned to the doors in front of them. "Then this facility…"

"This facility is one of four that chose to participate in that final project." Abel moved forward, and touched his hand to another scanner. The doors slid open. "This place…this is where Albion chose to try and create the perfect human being."

Esther stepped inside, curious. As she crossed the threshold, lights came on, startling her. She turned, to meet Abel's haunted gaze. After a moment, he nodded slightly. She turned away, back into the depths of the lab. She wanted to know what was going on, but she sensed he needed time to compose himself. Whatever this place was, it was deeply troubling for him.

It was a strange place. There was a room that was clearly an infirmary of sorts, and several rooms she couldn't guess the purpose of. One room held a huge glass cylinder, broken now. Several rooms were clearly meant for sleeping or eating, and one she thought looked like a room for an adolescent.

Abel was still standing by the door as she returned. She hesitated, uncertain of what to say. But Leon spoke first. "Okay, I'll grant this place is pretty impressive, Four Eyes, but I still don't see what it has to do with now."

"Well, everything." Abel sighed. "This place, it's one of four labs. There's one in the Empire, which…" His gaze touched Astha and Ion. "You've seen it, both of you. It's in the Imperial Palace. There's also a place like this in Old Berlin." His gaze touched Esther. "That's where you were being held, Miss Esther." He sighed. "And the other…"

"Is in the ancient American continent." Wordsworth spoke. "Where we went to look for clues isn't it?" Abel nodded. "So…why is it so important? Is it because the Contra Mundi wanted that information?"

Abel nodded, his face pale. "That is…part of it."

"Well, then what's the rest?" Leon folded his arms, looking impatient. "Why bring us to this place?"

"Because…" Abel swallowed hard. "Because…this is the place where I was born."

Esther felt the bottom drop out of her stomach. _He was born here? But why…?_ She had a terrible feeling all of a sudden.

Vaclav frowned. "Were your parents trying to revive the lost technology here?"

"No." A bitter, anguished smile touched Abel's face, and he turned away from them. "I…I don't…" He stopped, and when he spoke again his voice was rough. "Didn't you ever wonder, why there was no record of my family name, why I never gave you my birthday, or my home?" Anguish touched his voice. "The truth is…I don't really have parents. Not like you. I…all four of the labs that participated in that final project produced viable, living results. Living children. And the result of the Albion Genetics experiment….is me."

Silence fell, and Esther felt as if she might faint from the shock. Looking around, she could tell that even Caterina looked startled. The only person who didn't look completely taken off guard was Virgil. He stared at the other man, compassion in his gaze, but no surprise.

Leon recovered first. "You've gotta be kidding me. For one thing, that'd make you about almost a thousand years old. And for another…I hate to say this Four Eyes, but I don't think you're a perfect human being."

Abel laughed, but there was no amusement in the sound. "Well, being that old…it's been a long time since I worried about it. But…as to being perfect…I've no doubt the scientists agreed with you."

There was such pain in his voice that Esther moved forward. "Father Nightroad…"

He shuddered, and leaned against the wall. "I…grew up in this lab, from the time I was taken out of the incubation tube, until I was about 15 years old."

"Incubation tube?" Wordsworth blinked. Then his expression lightened. "That room with the large glass cylinder?"

"Yes." Abel nodded, his face pale. "I…that's where they…well, I'm not sure what you'd call it." That bitter expression touched his face. "Bred me, I suppose. Or grew me. It really doesn't matter." He bowed his head. "It was an experiment, to see if they could actually bring a child to term. And after they proved that…well, then everything else was an experiment as well."

He wasn't looking at any of them, and Esther didn't dare interrupt. She saw Leon start to open his mouth, but Astha elbowed him. Abel just spoke, his voice low and almost expressionless, except for the pain.

"I…every day, from the day I first began to walk and learn how to speak…it was all the same. Or nearly so. It was…I don't know how to explain…" He winced. "Every morning, they'd run tests of one sort or another. Sometimes mental aptitude tests, sometimes physical. Or they'd run health tests, draw blood, that sort of thing. Or they'd check my development. Sometimes I didn't even know what it was they wanted, they just ran the tests. And then, after that…there were lessons. Schooling. Everything was controlled, what I could read, what I needed to study. Mathematics, languages, literature, history, everything. I…I wouldn't have minded, but…it was all at their pace. I couldn't, I couldn't take any time to adjust or learn things, or go over things. And any time I didn't get everything right…"

He stopped, took a deep shuddering breath. "I…was an experiment. Anything I did right, it was all someone else's success. They would stand around congratulating each other on how well I turned out. But…when I didn't do as well as they wanted…they'd say I wasn't trying hard enough. That I'd failed them. That according to their aptitude tests, I should have done better. And there was nothing I could say about it. If I tried to protest that there was something wrong, they'd just take me and run more tests. When I argued, they'd run psychological tests, and have someone 'talk' to me."

His face was white in the lighting. Esther had no idea what to say. Then William stepped forward and laid a hand on his shoulder. Abel started, and Wordsworth regarded him with compassionate eyes. "Professor…"

"It's all right." He sighed and shook his head. "I've always wondered why you were so uncomfortable about my experiments, why you've always been so resistant. But this…this is why, isn't it? And when I asked you a few months ago to come down here for those tests…"

Abel looked away. "I…I couldn't. Even if we hadn't come here…to be in a lab, in Albion…I couldn't bear it." He leaned his head back. "Even knowing it's necessary…every time you come near me with a needle or a stethoscope…"

"I understand, my friend. I'm only sorry I caused you so much pain. I had no idea I reminded you of something so terrible."

Abel shook his head, his hand coming up to take the other man's. "Please…this isn't…I just…" He met the other man's eyes. "You don't…remind me of them. Not really. You're compassionate, and kind, and those men…" He shook his head, his eyes going back over the lab.

"I…it wasn't just the tests, or the pressure. But I…I felt stifled. Do you know…" His eyes came to Leon's. "I saw the sun maybe once, twice a month. They took me out to 'study' the city. The rest of the time, I was confined to the corridors of the lab. I never saw anyone my own age, only the scientists." He shrugged, bitterly. "I…well, perhaps one or two of them were kind, in a way. But…everything I did, from the clothing I wore, to the food I ate and the things I was allowed to read, was controlled. And everything I did was watched." He gestured. "It's hard to see, but there's a camera, even in my room. I found it when I was ten."

"Damn." Leon made a face. "That sounds worse than prison. Hell, even I get outside at least once or twice a week. And I get to pick what I eat and read."

"But I didn't. To me…this place was a prison. And I…I hated it." He leaned back, pain and anger mixing in the thin, pale features. "I couldn't fight. And I…if they'd just once acknowledged it when I succeeded, that _I'd_ done something…" He swallowed hard. "But everything…I felt as if I was just a tool, just…nothing. And so I…I hated it. I tried to stay angry, because it was the only thing…being angry was the only thing that felt like it was truly mine. It was the only thing they couldn't take away from me."

Esther felt her heart breaking for him. She wanted to comfort him, but she couldn't think of the words to say. She hadn't known her parents, but she'd had Bishop Laura taking care of her, and she'd been as good as a mother. To have been raised by people who thought of you only as a tool, as an experiment, and raised in isolation…she couldn't imagine it.

Astha stepped forward. "Tovarish?" Abel opened his eyes, pain in his gaze. "Why are you telling us this?"

"Because…this…it's where everything starts. This feeling…the anger I felt…that's what started everything." Abel sighed.

"I don't understand." Esther reached up, to touch his shoulder. "Even if you were still angry, how did that…"

Abel shook his head. "By the time I'd turned 15, I…I was always angry. I'd gotten a reputation for being rebellious, temperamental, violent. And it was all deserved. When I fought them, it was…a relief in a way. Even if they simply locked me away, at least they couldn't force me to stop being angry. But then…well, they'd begun to realize they had to do something with me. And with the others. So they…donated us." A bitter smile touched his face. "They decided to offer us to the United Nations Aerospace Force, to become the leaders of the Red Mars Project."

"The Red Mars Project?" Ion looked surprised.

Abel nodded. "They…wanted to try colonize another world, from Earth. All of the major Earth governments were involved, and the plans had been started for a few years. When I turned 15, they were beginning to choose personnel, and move them to the orbiting space station for training. The Genetics Research Project offered their results to the Mars Program. And so I…so they swore me into the military, gave me my basic training at the nearest Albion base, and shipped me to the station. And there…everything changed."

He sighed. "The station…was where I met the other three Gene Manipulation Births. Lilith…she was the eldest of us. She was raised in the East, what's now the Empire. And Seth, my younger sister…and _him._" He took another deep breath. "That place was where I met the twin I'd never guessed I had. My brother, raised in Germany. Cain."

Esther heard the sharp intakes of breath from some of the others. She was still focused on Abel. His eyes had gone distant again.

"There on the station, it was so different. They'd already decided we were going to be the Project leads, they just weren't sure where. But…there was a lot of resentment on the part of the other colonists." That dark smile touched his face. "I really couldn't blame them. After all, except for Lilith, we were all children. And truth be told…I resented them too. To be forced into the military, forced into the colonization with no choice as to what I wanted to be…I hated it as much as I hated the lab. And they knew it. But by that time…I couldn't control my anger anymore. I…didn't want to stop hating everything. I was…too afraid. I didn't dare try to believe anything."

"But something happened." Caterina spoke softly.

Abel nodded. "Cain, and Seth and Lilith. I…couldn't hate them as much. After all, they were just like me. Even though they'd been raised in different places, different ways…we were still very much alike. Seth…she took a lot of teasing and harassment. She was only a child…she didn't understand. I…wanted to protect her. And Lilith…well, she was gentle, always kind. Even when I was rude, even when I derided her. I'd get into fights, and she'd tend my wounds. And Cain…"

He stopped for a moment, his breathing ragged. "Cain…I…truly resented him. He was…everything I wanted and should have been. And it was…no secret, to anyone…that Cain was the 'perfect' twin and I was just a…well a backup." He shook his head. "He never lost his temper. He was smart, polite…everything everyone wanted. He took everything so easily. He was a natural leader. Even the colonists who resented us liked Cain. I was…I couldn't accept his attitude, but at the same time…I was jealous of him. Of how well he was liked. And he knew it."

He shook his head. "We fought a lot. But then…when I was 17, he…Cain…he changed my world around." He turned away, walking away from the group. "I'd gotten into a fight with some of our military superiors. The General of our mission. So they threw me into isolation. And Lilith and Cain came to see me. I didn't want to see them, to have them see me there. And I…I just couldn't hold back anymore. When Lilith…when Cain asked me what I'd done, I just…exploded. Lilith was horrified, but Cain…Cain just…gave me his hand. And he…offered me a promise."

"A promise?" Esther stared at him. "Father, what…?"

"He asked me what kind of future I wanted. He knew we couldn't change the past, but he…offered to help me. With whatever I wanted. And I…I knew he meant it. So I…accepted his help." His fist clenched, then relaxed slowly.

He shook his head. "After that…I still had problems with my temper, and I still…I still didn't like or trust anyone, but…I was able to manage. By the time I'd turned 18 they'd trusted me enough to give me military training. The plan had accelerated and they were getting ready to assign us all."

"Huh. So you really were in the military." Leon grinned. "I gotta say, I wouldn't have figured you in the military, Four Eyes."

A small pained smile touched the corner of Abel's mouth. It was gone so fast Esther wouldn't have seen it if she hadn't been looking for it. "Well, it's not like the military now. Besides…I didn't exactly have a choice. And once I'd settled enough that they trusted me, well, it was a good enough outlet for my frustration."

"So…what rank did you make?"

"Lieutenant Colonel." Abel sighed. "It was the highest they could make me, without over-ranking my brother. And they'd raised his rank to just below the leaders of the project, so…"

No one spoke. After a moment, Abel continued, his voice soft and low. "When I turned 19, they'd chosen our positions. My brother was chosen as the head of the Mars Colony, the Colony Administrator. Lilith took over the Medical Section. Seth…well, she was still a child, but she was extremely bright, and they decided to place her as the head of the Science Division, under Lilith's supervision, and Cain's. And I…well, I became…"

"The Head of Security." Petros growled out from his corner. "The rank you once gave me, as a password to access the information in the database."

Abel nodded. "Yes." He shrugged. "It was the best place for me, I suppose. Dealing with things like that…it was a good vent. I wasn't…I wasn't the best person, but at least I…at least I managed. And then I was 20, and they sent us to Mars."

No one spoke. All of them were listening intently, afraid to break into his words. Abel wasn't looking at any of them, just speaking in a low, almost toneless voice.

"Mars…it's a…desolate place. No green. No plant life. There's water, sort of, near the Ice Cap. But nowhere else. You can't breathe there, not without a suit. And there are sandstorms that make the Ibilis look like nothing. They can last for days, months even. And they'll grind steel to nothing. It's a wasteland, but it's rich in minerals. The mining is…impressive. Between that and the research opportunities, they thought it would pay off. So…they sent the Mars Colony. We set up a city, a mining facility, and a protective dome, and began to live."

He hesitated, then began to speak again. "Everyone settled in fairly quickly. Cain was…everyone loved him. As the leader of the colony, everyone trusted him. And I…" He laughed, a small bitter laugh. "I did my job. But I…I wasn't well liked. Actually, I was hated. I enforced the laws with…well, a rather heavy hand. And among my men, the soldiers assigned to work with me, I was…fair, I suppose, but only because I never did anyone any favors. I didn't give commendations for work well done, didn't give promotions. If my men didn't do their best, I issued warnings or threats, but I never recognized a true effort. I wasn't even generous about letting men who were injured on duty take time off. If it hadn't been for Cain, covering for me…well, they'd probably have taken me to a back alley and beat me senseless. As it was…" He trailed off.

The silence lengthened. Abel seemed reluctant to speak any further. Finally, Vaclav spoke, his voice quiet. "Something happened."

Abel nodded, a quick, jerky nod. "They…the soldiers and the citizens of the colony both, they put up with me for a time. It was most likely because they knew Cain and Lilith cared for me. And that I was Seth's brother. Everyone loved my brother, and Lilith was well liked. Seth…she wasn't as popular, but she was young, and bright, and no one wanted to hurt her. So they…put up with me. The black sheep of the Mars Colonists. The…failed experiment, I suppose you could say. But finally…they had enough. I never even knew who it was that finally lost their temper. Certainly I never saw it coming. But finally…they decided they'd had enough."

"So what did they do?" Leon shifted. "In the military, we'd give a commander the rough end of a sharp stick, most of the time."

A dark smile creased the corner of Abel's mouth, then vanished. "It was…something like that. A couple of the junior lieutenants, and about half a dozen colonists came up with a plan to be rid of me. They went out, supposedly to do some scouting for mining, then called me with an…emergency. That they'd had a rockslide. As the Head of Security, it was my job to take care of them. I…didn't want to be there. But…Cain did, and for his sake I did my job, and took care of my people. So I went out."

"And walked into a trap." The Professor spoke from where he was leaning against a table.

"Yes." Abel swallowed. "I got to the rocky area they called me to and I didn't see them. So I got out of the vehicle, and…and then, they attacked. They weren't carrying much in way of weapons, but then, they didn't need them. A heavy rock to the back of the head stunned me in the first few seconds. By the time they stopped striking me I was barely conscious, dizzy, and I couldn't stand up. They released some of the air out of my suit, then took my vehicle and left."

Leon made a rough noise. "If they were gonna go to that much trouble, I'm surprised they didn't just finish it."

Abel flinched. "Well, they might have. But…they didn't want it to look like murder. And they didn't want to…to upset the others. So they set it up that I would…well, die of natural causes. Either the air in my suit would run out, and I'd die of that. Or the sandstorm we were tracking would hit, and I'd be caught in it. There was no way one person outside in that would survive. Even if I could get out of the sand and wind, it was supposed to last a few days, and I had no food or water with me. And if I tried to make it back to the city…I wouldn't make it in time." He shivered. "It almost worked, except….except for Lilith."

He swallowed again. "Lilith…she'd guessed there were some people who were…unhappy. One of my duties was to start sandstorm preparations. When my second-in-command took over, she got uneasy. She went looking for me. By that time…my attackers had returned, so my vehicle was there, but my suit wasn't. She didn't like what I did, but she knew I wouldn't do that. So she alerted Cain, and came out looking for me. All of the suits had trackers, and she located mine and drove out to find me."

Esther's heart was in her mouth, but she didn't dare interrupt him. Abel simply stood there, leaning against the wall as he continued his recitation.

"Lilith…she found me just before the sandstorm hit. But…I had a concussion, fractured ribs, and I was…rather bruised up. And there was a slow leak in the suit, on one arm where I'd tried to protect myself. She didn't have time to administer aid and get me back, and she couldn't lift me into the car without help. So she patched the leak in my suit, and hauled me into the shelter of a rock cave and parked the car in front of it, just before the wind and sand hit us. And Lord help me…I almost wish she hadn't."

"Why?"

Abel took a deep breath, but he didn't raise his head. "The sandstorm lasted for five days. I was mostly recovered in two, but…we ran the risk of running out of air. Lilith had spare tanks, but I was so low to start with…well. But…it was a bad storm, and once I'd recovered, I opted to have us move in further, to be safer. Besides the danger of the sand, there were occasionally oxygen pockets below the surface, and water. And since we were stuck, I thought we might as well do some exploring, maybe find some natural mines, so it wouldn't be a complete waste of time. Lilith didn't want to, but she was much lower ranked than I was." A rueful expression touched his face. "I'm afraid I played on her professional instincts as well. I was her patient, and if I insisted on moving, she had to come too. So I led her into the mountain. And that was when…when we discovered it."

William shifted. "You discovered something? Underneath the surface?"

Abel nodded. He took a deep, shuddering breath. "We discovered…the ARK. Proof of alien life on Mars. A treasure trove of science that could advance us a hundred years. More information than we dared even imagine we could study. An entire ship full of secrets. Most of them we left alone, until much later. But, when the sandstorm ended, we…made a mistake." He swallowed again. "There were hundreds of alien bodies, preserved in the ship. We thought…we thought there might be two different types, so we…we brought them back. And we…we brought _that_ back with us as well."

His eyes came up, slowly, to meet Ion's then Astha's. "It was…the beginning of the Methuselah race, that day. We discovered the Bascillus, and what it could do. With it in our bodies, we could run faster, work longer and harder. We didn't need as much food or water to survive. We could even walk the surface of Mars with less trouble." He shrugged, and his voice softened. "At the time, it seemed like a reasonable trade-off. In fact, becoming Methuselah seemed to be our best option. Even Lilith agreed to it."

"But you didn't go crazy." Astha blinked. "How did you avoid the Thirst?"

"Because it was controlled. And because Mars is further away from the sun than Earth is. It's just far enough away that the UV effect isn't as bad, and neither are the other issues." Abel shrugged. "I think a few of our people were anemic, and there were some who didn't actually take the Bascillus, but it wasn't nearly as troublesome as it is here."

There was another of those long pauses, and when Abel spoke again, his voice was heavy. "By that time…Seth had already begun her studies of what else we'd found. And it didn't take us long to discover the Crusnik. From the beginning, Lilith argued that they shouldn't be touched. We'd already seen what the Bascillus could do. Granted, it did give us some advantages. The quicker healing, the need for less food and oxygen…the worst part of it was rigging the City dome so that it would out the UV. It's even worse on Mars. But we did manage. But the Crusnik…well." Faint amusement touched his mouth. "I was probably the least scientifically inclined, and even I could see how much more powerful they were. And how much more dangerous. When Lilith argued that we shouldn't use them, I agreed. Seth wasn't so sure, but Cain…well, Cain was willing to let it lie."

"Except that somehow, at least you were affected." William frowned.

"Yes. Because...there was…" Abel swallowed, and his voice went ragged with pain. "There was an accident. At the main mining facility. Some of the equipment…well there was a failure, and we knew it was a dangerous one. But that facility was critical. So Cain…he went down to try and repair it." Abel's fists clenched suddenly. "I didn't go with him. The place he needed to be was too small. And I didn't….couldn't take his place, because he'd ordered me not to. Lilith had warned him that my 'near-accident' had been an attack, and he wouldn't risk leaving me where it could happen again. So he went down to try and repair the damaged equipment before it broke completely. And he…didn't make it."

Abel's voice was shaking, his eyes far away. Esther felt her heart aching for him, but she didn't know what to say to him. She simply listened with the rest as he spoke, ripping open wounds in his soul from old memories.

"We…we were waiting in the upper levels. And then….we heard it, felt it, like distant thunder beneath our feet. Knew something had gone wrong. I…I broke. I raced down there as fast as I could, but…one of the pipes had exploded, and triggered a cave in. Cain had been standing right next to the pipe, he and the man working with him. And by the time I got there…my brother…"

Abel's voice broke, tears streaking the pale face. He choked for a moment, then began again. "There was…massive damage. Broken ribs, a punctured lung. His heart had been grazed. Head trauma, even with the helmet he wore. His whole body was battered. I could barely feel his heart beating beneath my hands. Lilith was right behind me, and we carried him up as fast as we could, but…but even then…we were…I knew we were too late. We put him on full life support but…we knew it wouldn't save him. And then…Seth…"

He stopped and took a deep shuddering breath. "Seth was never very fond of Cain. But she saw me…knew how close to breaking I was. She guessed…what would happen without Cain protecting me. So she helped Lilith, trying to save him. And when she realized that nothing Lilith knew would work, she decided to…to take a risk. And she…she injected both Cain and the other man with the activated Crusnik nano-machines. For the other colonist, it didn't work. But for Cain…"

"It did." William shifted.

Abel nodded. "I…Lilith and I knew after three days that life support would only prolong the inevitable. I was coming to…to say farewell, and the door to Cain's ICU exploded. Just…a cloud of darkness. And then it…withdrew…and he was standing there. Alive. I just barely saw the transformation…and then he…well, he bit me."

"He must have needed…" Vaclav trailed off.

"He needed blood, to settle the transformation. Cain…he…well, the Crusnik fused with him 100 percent. Right then. At the time…I didn't…none of us realized what it would mean. What it could do to him. All I knew at the time was…he was alive. And really, he didn't take much of my blood. I've lost more in combat. I passed out, and when I woke…he was there. Sitting by my bedside, alive, just as I'd always known him. He was…apologizing, for attacking me. And I thought everything was all right."

He stopped for a moment. When he continued, his voice was low, almost expressionless. But the tears still stained his face. "Cain…he wanted Lilith, Seth and I to have the nano-machines as well. And it…seemed reasonable. He said it was so that he wouldn't hurt us. And given that he'd bitten me…well, it didn't seem like a bad idea. And when he didn't suggest trying to inject the rest of the colonists…we thought it was because the other man failed to fuse."

He was leaning against the wall again, his face turned away. "I...Lilith insisted that we go more carefully. She didn't want a second explosion. So instead of an active fusion…well, we decided I should go second. And instead of giving me an active injection, Seth fused me with a mostly dormant form of the nano-machines. And I…well, you've seen what came of that."

He swallowed. "It was…I've no idea what Cain felt. I never really asked him. But I felt…it was so strange. I can't even explain what it felt like…when I realized that my body was combining with something…something almost intelligent. Something that was adapting to me. But I…told Lilith. She was observing me rather closely."

He stopped again, and his voice was almost inaudible. "Lilith…what I told her made her suspicious. She couldn't stop Seth from fusing with the Crusnik, but I know she was more reluctant than the rest of us. I think…I think, if she hadn't been so concerned about the effect on us, she'd never have taken them. But…we really didn't have time to think about it, because…word had gotten back to Earth."

He stopped. "We'd sent word back, of course, when we found the ARK. And when we discovered what was on it. And what we heard back was…terrible. Because Armageddon…well, I can't remember if it had started, just then. But I know that the United Nations were coming apart. And I know…we were at least a part of the reason. Some people wanted our power. Others were deathly afraid of it. And of course, there were fights over whether or not the colony should be allowed to remain."

He took a deep breath. "It might have…it might have blown over, but then…we found out something. Something we hadn't realized before. We found out…the Bascillus slowed our aging. Before that…well, those of us from the Genetic Manipulation project were engineered to live at least twice as long as the others. But when we all became Methuselah…suddenly, we were about the same as everyone else. And that…well, that was trouble. And then…Lilith discovered…the true power of the Crusnik."

A small bitter laugh escaped him. "We were…weapons beyond believing. Powerful beyond thinking. All of us…especially Cain, had incredible powers of regeneration. But then…we found out the truth. That in addition to that…the Crusnik…stopped our aging. Froze us at the age we were when we first activated them."

His eyes rose slowly to Leon's. "I've been…25 years old for over nine hundred years. Cain was frozen at the same age as I was. Lilith stopped at barely thirty. And Seth…Seth is…forever a child. Locked into the age of 15."

Leon whistled. "Damn. And I get offended when people call me an old man. Geez, Four Eyes, you're old enough to be a grandfather twenty times over."

There was silence in the room, then Caterina spoke up again, her voice gentle. "What happened next, Abel?"

"We heard…Cain heard about the trouble on Earth. Particularly about the debate over us. And he…he decided to…he decided to return to Earth. But not…not in the colony ships. At Cain's direction, we cut off the mining, and we…we built an ARK of our own."

Abel's gaze tilted upward, drawn to the ceiling. "It took years. Decades even. All the time that the United Nations fell apart, all the time that Armageddon raged, we built our ship. A ship that was a colony. That carried every spare bit of technology we could develop, or scavenge off the original ARK. A ship, that was a world of it's own." His voice dropped. "You've even seen that ship."

"What? I'm pretty sure we'd have noticed." Leon shifted.

Abel's mouth quirked, but there was no humor in it. "You have." His eyes came to Leon's with bitter amusement. "When you look into the sky at night, you see the second moon. The Vampire's Moon. And that…what that really is…that is the ARK."

"That's a ship?" William's eyebrow rose into his hairline. "But that…the size…that's quite impressive."

He nodded. "By the time we were done, by the time we returned…Armageddon was over. The scattered remnants of human civilization were struggling to form some sort of cohesion. And then…we came. Out of the night sky, in a ship like that. And of course, most of us were Methuselah. In a world so recently devastated, the result was…exactly what you'd expect. We terrified them. And…it didn't take much. One trigger happy person, I never even knew who it was that started it, but…"

"The Methuselah-Terran War began." He sighed. "I know Cain was with the original contact party, and that it was someone else who got shot. But I…didn't descend to the surface. I only…I was there when Cain came back, and…he told us he'd been fired upon. And that was…that was enough. We went to war. And I…I took my place at my brother's side."

"You mean…you were on the side with the Methuselah." Leon frowned.

"Yes." Abel looked up, and met his eyes. There was no apology, but deep, anguished shame. "I was…we all were on the Methuselah side. You have to understand…we'd been gone from Earth for eighty years. If we hadn't been…what we were, that would have been a lifetime. The colonists…the Methuselah…they were my people, as much as I had one. And the only real memories of Earth that I had…were here."

He gestured, and Esther felt herself go cold. That the only memories of his home world could have been here, locked in a lab, as an experiment….She didn't blame him, and could see the uncomfortable sympathy on Leon's face. Even Petros didn't look condemning, though his scowl deepened.

Abel sighed again, looking away from them. "Lilith…Lilith thought differently. She still…she still loved this world. And she…she believed we did as well. Even me. She always said that… that I hated Earth because I felt betrayed…and that I could not feel betrayed unless I truly loved this world. I…didn't want to hear her, but I…might have listened. Seth I know…she was uncertain as well. But Cain…Cain was…"

He swallowed, and his words stopped for a moment as he bit his lip. When he spoke again, the words rang with anguish, a pain too deep for words. "He was my brother. And…all the time we'd stood together, he'd done everything…_everything_…he could to protect me. After the transformation…after the Crusnik…he changed, became more distant. And there was an edge to him. Almost a…kind of cruelty, or at least disregard. I told myself…I tried to believe that it was just the adjustment. After all…I felt unsettled, myself, and he'd had a much more difficult time. He'd been more or less resurrected. That's what…that's what Seth and I told ourselves. And when he began the war against the Terrans…when he sent us into battle, or used the guns…we thought he was just…protecting us. It was extreme…but…we thought…he was protecting us. Lilith…she had her misgivings, but…even she almost believed it. Until…finally, Cain went too far. He destroyed the place where she'd been born. And when she asked him…asked him why…he said…" Abel stopped, and nearly whispered the next words. "Igne Natura Renevatur Integra. By fire will this world be renewed."

Ion stiffened. "That phrase…that's the phrase the Order…"

Abel nodded. "Yes. It is. That is the phrase the Order of Rosenkreutz uses as it's motto, it's goal. And my brother…my brother Cain…." His eyes came up, touching each face with a gaze so tortured that Esther could hardly breathe. "My brother is now…the Contra Mundi…the Enemy of the World."

Even knowing that, Esther flinched at hearing the words spoken aloud. Everyone else was wearing similar expressions of startlement. She saw a flare of anger in Leon's, and in Astha's, and wondered if they felt betrayed. She saw Caterina, white faced, and remembered that she'd already known this. After a moment, William stepped forward, his eyes filled with a mix of compassion and pain and realization. "Abel…"

He shook his head, brushing away whatever the man might have said. "Now you know…the truth. The rest is…easy enough. Lilith…she joined the Terrans eventually, as the Nia Sancta, the Black Saint. Eventually…Cain took her life. But I…I was coming to my senses, and that was the last straw. And Seth…well, she was always more afraid of him than I was." A bitter smile touched his face, with more pain than anything. "I was the last one to come around. But…I was angry…that he'd taken Lilith's life. So together, Seth and I managed to incapacitate him. We even thought we might have killed him. I…retreated from the world. And Seth…she stayed with our people, with the Methuselah, and helped give them a place to go, a place to live. She helped found the Empire. And that…"

"That brings us to where we are today." Caterina's cool voice cut across his words. The quiet practicality in her tone somehow eased the heavy air of the room. She sighed, and ran a hand through her hair, her eyes surveying Abel. "Certainly, this is all very enlightening. However…I'm afraid I'm far too fatigued to figure out what to make of your…confession, Abel." Her eyes moved, to touch Petros, standing in the corner. "I for one, intend to retire and sleep on this. We'll talk further in the morning. I recommend the rest of you do the same."

Virgil nodded. After a moment, Petros growled and levered himself away from the wall. "Your Excellency is correct. This information will require much thought."

None of the others spoke. After a moment, Leon shrugged, and turned to the door. Astha moved up beside him. Caterina hesitated a moment, and Esther saw the compassion in her eyes. Then she gestured. "Your Majesty."

Esther took a step forward, but Abel spoke, softly, hesitantly. "Miss Esther…if you…would you please…stay a moment more?"

Esther froze, wondering what it was that held him back. She glanced at Caterina, and the slender Cardinal nodded slightly. She turned to look at Virgil and Mary. Her advisor held her gaze for a moment, then turned to his colleague. "Colonel Spencer…I believe her Majesty has some questions still to be answered. However, I need to escort our guests back to the Palace. If you could come with me as far as the elevator, and remain on guard, I would be grateful."

"I believe I can do that. I assume that only Father Nightroad and yourself can access these tunnels, so it should be safe enough."

Virgil nodded, and turned to Esther with a bow. "Your Majesty, I will return shortly." He turned to Caterina. "Your Excellency."

Caterina nodded. She stepped forward, and laid a hand gently on Abel's shoulder for a moment. If she spoke, Esther didn't hear the words. After a few seconds, she turned away and vanished through the door, Virgil and Mary right behind her.

Silence descended. Esther waited for Abel to speak, but he simply stood there, looking away from her. Finally, she took a step closer. "Father…what…was there something else?"

"Yes." His voice was barely audible. "I…I promised, I would tell you…everything. Petros and Caterina…already know but…you know I was at Cain's side for the war."

"Well, yes…but I…"

He stopped her, his words breaking free from him in an anguished confession, as though he couldn't bear to keep them inside. "I…I was…you have no idea what I did. Cain was…Cain was the Enemy of the World, but the one who actually attacked those towns…the one who destroyed whole cities, and ordered the guns of the ARK to fire…it was me. I…I destroyed this world."

Esther froze. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Father…"

"I…the big guns on the ARK…they were worse than the Star of Sorrow. Worse than the weapons Kampfer used when he attacked Londinium almost a year ago. When they were fired…it was terrible. And I used them." His shoulders tightened. "We went for America first. It was the strongest of the broken countries. Armageddon…destroyed it very thoroughly, but we…finished it. I finished it. We rained fire on the countryside, leveled cities until you couldn't see a building from space. Not even with the strongest distance lens. Until there was hardly anything more than a smoking crater. And when we got to where Seth's lab was…" His head bowed, his shoulders hunched with shame. "I…I went there. I used the Crusnik…used my powers at an eighty percent fusion. And I…destroyed them." Bitterness touched his face. "I…most of them were just scientists. None of them were soldiers. And some of them, of the people in the towns around them…they had nothing to do with us at all. And I wiped them out. All of them."

Esther stood frozen, shocked by what he was saying. The things he was confessing were things she'd have killed any of the Order members for. A part of her wanted to fly at him, strike him and spit in his face. Part of her wanted to shake him, to say he was lying, and tell him stop. But the anguish in his voice held her still. She listened as he continued, unable to stop him.

"After that…we focused here. By then…the Vatican had organized. And Albion and a few of the others. But not much. It was mostly the Vatican. And we just began…firing. Cain had us wipe out most of the eastern countries. What is now the Dark Lands…" Abel swallowed. "It used to be two or three countries. But we…destroyed it. The same way we did America. We bombarded the land until humans were caught between the Dark Lands and the ocean." He swallowed again. "And then…we destroyed the place where Lilith's lab was."

He stopped a moment. He stood for a moment, then he turned completely away from her, facing the wall. One hand came up, digging into the wall. "Lilith…she left us then. Left and took those among the Methuselah who didn't want conflict. They came here, to Albion, and established the Underground, in exchange for her assistance, and what information and aid the Methuselah could give the Vatican and Albion. And before she left…Lilith disabled the guns on the ARK. Not just disabled, she destroyed some of the key components that would allow them to fire. If it had…if that had been our only weapons…we might have stopped there. But…"

His hand clenched suddenly. "I…Cain sent me out. He sent me to pursue the ones who fled with Lilith. More than that…he told me to destroy this place. And I…I wanted to. He knew what he was doing…ordering me to destroy this place of nightmares and torment. And I…I would have. If Lilith hadn't faced me…if she hadn't spoken against me, and reminded me that I was supposed to be protecting my people…I'd have burned Londinium to the ground. To rubble and less than rubble. I'd have burned this place to ashes." His fist clenched tighter. "I…Lilith stopped me here, but…there was only one of her. Cain had…ships, warriors…well, we were a trained military, after all. The Vatican needed her in far too many places at once. And sometimes…she wasn't there to stop me."

He stopped again, and shame choked his voice. "I…destroyed Old Berlin, at Cain's request. He didn't want them to access his lab. And I…destroyed Barcelona, the first time, and other places. Key cities in Amsterdam, in the Franc kingdom, on the borders…wherever Cain sent me…I leveled it. Even…even Istvan was my doing. I…in one city alone, I took over _seven million lives_."

Esther's hand went to her mouth in horror. She wanted to scream, and she felt tears of shock, horror and pain dripping down her cheeks. She almost fled him. The only thing that stopped her was the agony in his voice. He stood against the wall, his fists clenched against the metal so hard his nails cut into his hands. His head was bowed, and every word was drenched in pain and shame. It was as though the words were torture to him, as though every word he spoke was a whip that slashed into his soul. She wanted to comfort him, to stop him, or to run from him. Indecision held her there, as he continued.

"I…finally the Vatican realized. They had to use Lilith…to counter me. There was nothing else. So finally…at Carthage…they sent her against me. They'd managed to rebuild the city, along with some others. But that was a key one. They knew I'd come. So…we faced each other."

He stopped for a moment, choking on the words. "Lilith and I…we'd fallen in love on Mars. It was still…I…I was so unused to the feeling. And I…even loving her…I didn't want to turn against Cain. When she defected…I wanted so much to hate her. I tried…I tried to believe she'd betrayed us. Betrayed me. But I…I still loved her. When she faced me there in Carthage…when she warned me off…and when I met the woman she fought beside…I…I couldn't take that city. I couldn't…hurt her. Not then. Not later, when she taught Istvan how to generate electricity. Not when she gave the Vatican weapons to fight us. I just…I felt as if I was being torn apart. And as the war continued, and I saw what was happening…I wasn't sure I could keep fighting. I wasn't sure I wanted to. And Seth…she was the same. But Cain…he was…and I…didn't want to betray him. I wanted…I wanted to hide it, but…Cain…Cain saw it. Cain saw my indecision, my changing mind. And he…connected it to Lilith."

Abel stopped, then slowly, he dropped to his knees. He remained turned away, so Esther couldn't see his face, but she could read his anguish in the way he knelt. "He told me, he was considering ending things. He called Lilith up to the ship…to discuss peace, he said. But he…I never knew…if he deliberately gave me the wrong time, or if I was just late. But I was out on a routine inspection, and when I returned…she was…he'd killed her. I…walked into the meeting room, and it was empty. Then he was there…and he said I didn't need to worry anymore. And he…he just…he dropped her head in my arms and walked away."

Esther gasped. "Father…" She couldn't imagine how much that had hurt him. She moved forward and knelt to lay a gentle hand on his back. Abel flinched away.

"I…I snapped. I went after him. I…attacked him. I wanted to…I don't know. I wanted to kill him. I thought I did. Everything…everything was so confused in my mind. All I could feel was anger, and pain, and all I knew was that it was…that Cain was at the center of it. Then Seth came…and she shouted at me…and we…I threw my own brother out an airlock, into the atmosphere, and watched him fall to Earth, burning to ash as he fell."

Esther could see the tears falling to the deck, knew he wept. But she had no idea how to console him. She reached out, but stopped short of touching him. "Father…"

He shook his head. And after a moment, he pushed himself to his feet, never looking in her direction. "I…fled. Took her body and fled to Earth and hid. I left Seth…and everything behind. I locked myself away, until Caterina found me. That's when…when I took up Lilith's work, protecting humans. And then, the Order arose…and now…now…everyone is caught up in our war once more. And that…that is what I am, Miss Esther. That is what kind of person I truly am, the monster I was afraid you'd see."

She bit her lip, caught between horror at his confession, and compassion for the tortured, agonized soul before her. "Father…you're not…"

"I am. And I…" Bitterness and fear mixed into his voice. "Cain…I wanted so much to blame his change on the fusion, on the fact that he was resurrected by a 100 percent fusion and lost his mind. But…if that's true…then I…I also…no matter how much I want to control it…I can become like that. My body is already changing, because of that fusion that saved me. And I have always…been far more angry than my brother. If I…if I lose control…then…my brother's darkness will be nothing compared to mine."

She wasn't sure what to say. Esther stood, staring at him, unable to find words to bridge the sudden silence. After a moment, Abel turned his head, tilting it slightly. "Lord Walsh has returned for you. You should go with him."

Esther took a step forward. "Father, I…"

He turned, and she flinched at the suffering and shame in that blue gaze. "Now you know. I wanted…I wanted to give you fair warning. And now…I'll leave you." He held her eyes a moment longer, then turned from her and opened the door. Virgil was standing there, outside, but he said nothing. Without a word, Abel slipped past him and disappeared into the corridors.


	25. Twenty: True Feelings

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Hi everyone again another update and on time too, in tis chapter you all gonna get a little more insight and information on what _**pure bloods**_ are. They were something I made a long time back for this story and even my editor fond this concept for them quite interesting. Also I have a feeling you are all gonna enjoy what come at the end form long waited question about the main couple. So…this was kind of a long chapter…but Abel's past is a really complicated issue, and me and my editor wanted to look at the whole thing from more than one angle. Plus…the whole thing at the end…hope you had as much fun reading it as I did writing it! Take care and read on everyone!.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to one of my editors and co-partners in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her own TB stories on which are awesome. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Twenty - ****True Feelings**

Esther felt numb, shocked. As she watched Abel vanish into the darkened halls, she couldn't even begin to sort out her feelings. She caught Virgil's eye, and he gestured. He didn't quite meet her gaze, but his own was sympathetic as he held out his hand. "Your Majesty, you should retire soon. I fear that tomorrow will come too early as it is."

"I…you're right." Esther nodded, and allowed him to lead her from the room. She followed him as he took her to the elevator, but her mind was so full of questions that she barely noticed where she was going. She hardly registered it when Mary fell into step behind her, and didn't even realize they'd returned to her rooms until Virgil cleared his throat. She looked up with a start to find him holding her door open. "Thank you." She stared at him, knowing she wanted to ask him about his feelings, but her own were too unsettled. After a moment, she simply offered him a nod, and entered her quarters. Mary came in, and helped her undress, then left. Esther lay, staring at the ceiling, until finally, sleep overtook her.

She woke the next morning, feeling slightly calmer, but still…she felt confused. She ate, let her maids help her dress for the day, but her mind was still going over what Abel had told her.

She knew he hadn't lied. The sheer agony in his voice told her that. Besides, there was no reason for him to tell that sort of story. But as much as what he'd _done_ horrified her, she was equally shocked and appalled by all he'd suffered. The story of his childhood made her feel slightly sick, and the thought that his own people had beaten him and left him to die…she understood the photograph Cain had given her much better now. Faced with that kind of past, she could understand why he would have wanted to destroy something. But…it didn't excuse him. She knew he hadn't asked her to forgive him on those grounds. But…if he'd told the truth, then he'd killed far more people than she could imagine. She remembered seeing the face of the uncontrolled Crusnik, in Carthage, and the thought that he'd knowingly unleashed that on defenseless cities made her want to run from him. Esther bit her lip, caught between the conflicting emotions of horror and pity.

The knock on her door announced Virgil's presence. She gestured her maids away, then rose to meet him. "Lord Walsh."

He stopped. "Your Majesty." He inclined his head in a graceful nod. "Did you rest sufficiently?"

"Yes, I suppose so." Esther blinked, and looked away from his golden eyes.

"Your Majesty…you seem upset. Is there something I can do for you?" He moved forward. "If there is something you require…"

"It's not that." She shook her head, and looked at him, suddenly remembering the night before. Of all of them, he'd been the only one who hadn't been surprised at the knowledge that Abel had been from Albion. "I was simply remembering last night. And I…if you don't mind my asking…"

"You may ask me anything you wish, Your Majesty." He bowed his head again.

"Last night…when Father Nightroad told us he was born there, you didn't seem surprised. Did you…already know about him?"

He nodded. "I was aware of his origins. When he first entered the Ghetto during the attack on the Pope, I knew. The entrance he used was unused, to the point that even I was not sure where it was. And that door can only be opened by a palm-print scan. The computer told me who he was the moment that door was opened." He shook his head. "I thought I had gone mad, or delusional. But when the elevator opened for him, and displayed the genetic coding sequence, there was no longer any doubt."

"I see." Esther looked away.

"I apologize for not telling you. I was not aware at the time that it was relevant." Virgil did sound truly contrite about that, and Esther shook her head.

"No. It's all right. After all, I should have guessed it was odd. I already knew Father had some strange talents, and I just assumed it was more of that." She hesitated. "I…what did you think…about what he told us?"

Virgil stood silent a moment. "I think…that Father Nightroad has had a difficult time of it." He stood still, then moved to the windows. "He reminds me of Vanessa, in a way, and for that, I cannot condemn him. Too…I think perhaps he was trapped. There are times when a man can be forced to choose only what he will betray, and I fear he must have done so. I confess, I would perhaps not have chosen as he did. But I cannot say which of us would have made the better choice." He bowed his head slightly "To be honest, Your Majesty, I do not know that I could have done what he has done. Nor what he does yet."

"I was just wondering, if you hated him."

Virgil shook his head. "I cannot. I am aware, that he did not tell us as much as he told you. But I…do not hate him. Nor do I distrust him. I believe that, having made his choice, even with the price it carries, he is not a man to unmake it. And I know…I have some records from the computers, of the experiments carried out here. He does not exaggerate his story." He stopped, but Esther was grateful he did. She didn't want to know what had been done to Abel, to drive him so close to madness.

After a moment, Virgil turned. "Your Majesty, I am aware that there are several things that must be done. However…Father Nightroad is indeed critical to our efforts. I recommend you take the time you need, to decide what your own decision is on the matter. Colonel Spencer and I can handle things for today."

Esther flushed. "That doesn't seem very fair to you. Besides…I don't want it to seem that I'm shirking my duties."

"We will manage." He hesitated, then spoke. "You have been working non-stop since your return. However…given the ordeal you have so recently come through…I do not think the Court will begrudge you one day."

Esther bit her lip a moment, then nodded. "Thank you, Lord Walsh."

"You are welcome." He surveyed her a moment longer, then bowed, turned, and left.

Alone, Esther turned and settled into the chair at her desk. She knew she should be working, but Virgil was right. She needed to sort out her own emotions. She knew she'd never be able to concentrate, not like this. With a sigh, she stared at the papers in front of her, not really seeing them.

She wanted to speak to Abel. She wanted to ask him to clarify things. She wanted to ask him why he'd revealed so much now. But the pain she'd heard in his voice stopped her. She knew, no matter what she asked him or why, that he'd hear her confusion. And that he'd likely guess the cause. And she was afraid, in her turmoil, that she'd let slip an accusation. Or at least, something that sounded like one.

Esther's fist clenched. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. _I can't…I can't let my emotions run away with me. I have to figure things out properly. Otherwise…I might do something harsh to Father Nightroad again. Even if…even if he has done some terrible things, he's still Father Nightroad. He's still the man who's protected me for all this time, and he's still the one who came to rescue me. I need…I need to think things through, before I confront him, or before I decide to ignore what he said._

She took another deep breath, feeling her mind calm. A small smile touched her face. She knew Virgil was right, that she'd never be able to concentrate on her work but still, she could have used the distraction. She needed to think about something that wasn't emotionally charged. She cast her mind back over recent events, trying to focus on something that would distract her. Then a spare thought leaped out at her. _Father Nightroad said that some people couldn't actually take the Bascillus. At least, I think that's what he said. But…that man…Kampfer…didn't he say something similar? Something about…about my blood. That there was special blood. What did he call it?_ She frowned. _That's right…he said it was a Pure Blood strain. That Virgil would know, because the House of Manchester has always bonded to the Royal Family because of that special blood._

Now that was something she needed to investigate. Esther stood, grateful for the chance to consider something else. She was halfway to the door when she stopped. _Lord Walsh…he said he'd take care of things for me today, so I could think things over. But if that's the case, then he's probably working really hard right now. Even for something like this, I shouldn't disturb him._ She frowned. _Is there…someone else I could ask? Colonel Spencer would know, but…that's the same. She's also working very hard right now. Seth might…but…it's not fair for me to call her just over something like that._ She felt her teeth grit in frustration. Sighing, Esther reached for the door. If she was going to be frustrated, she might as well go to the garden. As least the scent of the plants would soothe her nerves. And the roses were in their last season of blooming.

"Hey there Red." As she emerged into the hallway, a familiar voice greeted her. She jumped, then turned to see Leon lounging against the wall. "What's up? Four Eyes keep you up too late last night?"

"Father Garcias." Esther smiled and moved to stand beside him. She sighed, and looked down at her hands. "No, it's not that Father Nightroad kept me awake last night. It's just…there was something I wanted to know, and I'm not sure who to ask. Lord Walsh and Colonel Spencer have the answers, but right now they're working, and I'm not sure who else I could ask."

"Well, did you try Four Eyes?" Leon snorted. "I haven't seen him, but he's gotta be around here somewhere."

"I…no I haven't seen Father Nightroad." Esther swallowed. "After last night…I haven't spoken to him yet."

"Hmph. That guy…" Leon let the sentence trail off. "Well, what did you want to ask about?"

"Umm…there was something about the Albion Royal Family, and something one of the Order members said came back to me. I wanted to check it out, but…"

"Well, why don't you ask the Professor?" Esther started, and Leon grinned. "He may not know everything, but he's pretty smart. He's from the Albion nobility, so he knows a lot of stuff about this place. And you can never tell what he'll have stored in that head of his."

Esther stared at him for a moment, then blushed. "You're right. I never thought of it, but…Father Wordsworth might know. I'll see if I can find him."

"He's in the library." Leon made a face. "Probably researching what that idiot said." He pushed himself straight. "Why don't I escort you down there? We wouldn't want to take a risk, letting you wander around by yourself."

"Ah…thank you Father. But I don't want to take you from your duties."

Leon waved a hand dismissively. "Ah…I was bored anyway. Havel's in with Caterina, and so is Petros. It's not like she needs another guard. So…shall we, senorita?" he grinned and held out his arm.

Esther nodded and moved to stand beside him. She walked beside him, lost in her thoughts, until suddenly, his voice startled her out of her reverie. "So…I guess you're still bothered, huh?"

"What?" Esther blinked up at him, then blushed once more. "Sorry, I'm afraid I wasn't paying attention."

Leon shrugged. "No big deal. I just thought you look like you're still troubled. What? Grandfather Four Eyes say something else to bother you after we left?" His eyes glittered dangerously, and he cracked a couple knuckles. "If you want, I can beat him up for you."

"I…well, it's not…it's not quite like that, I don't think." Esther sighed. "It's just…well, it's a little confusing. I haven't really decided what I think about it yet." She looked up at the man beside her. "If you don't mind my asking, are you…are you bothered? By what Father Nightroad said?" She swallowed. "I know…I saw you looked angry, when he told us his brother was the Contra Mundi, but…I was wondering if you were really upset about it."

"Hmph." Leon made a rude noise under his breath. He stopped and folded his arms, a frown on his face. "Well, normally, I wouldn't say this, but since it's you…" He shook his head. "That guy…it would have been helpful to know that he's been in the military. After all, if I'd known that, I'd be better able to work with him. And hearing that he's that old…geez. I thought the Professor was a bit grey around the edges, but that guy…it's a little spooky honestly. And hearing that about his brother…geez. It's a hell of a mess that guy's gotten into. It makes me want to punch him, for being stupid."

"I see." Esther looked down at her hands. "Did it…did it bother you, that he said he was on the side of the Methuselah, during the war? Or that…or about his brother?"

"Well, I guess that depends. Sure, it bothers me some, but…" Leon shrugged, then turned and met her gaze. "Everyone chooses their side during a fight. It can't be helped. I was a soldier for a while, and what I learned is…everyone fights for their own reasons. And everyone chooses their side for those reasons. Fighting, is all about the reason for your choice. I may not like what side Four Eyes was on, but…I can't say I fault his reasoning. And since he and I are on the same team now, I guess it doesn't matter. No matter what may have happened, I've fought enough battles with that clumsy guy to know…I trust him at my back. Or standing beside me. The rest is just the past. After all, there was a time I wouldn't have sided with the Vatican either." He made a face. "As for that crap about his brother…that's his business. He'll have to take care of it on his own. And if he screws up, I'll beat the daylights out of him. Simple as that." He gave her his wolf's grin.

"I see." Esther nodded. She noticed then that the doors of the library were just a few feet away. "Well then. Thank you for escorting me."

"No problem. I'd better get back to my post though. And hey, I hope the Professor has the answers you need." He gave her a jaunty wave. "Take care, Red."

"Thank you." She bowed slightly, then turned and pushed the doors open, walking into the lit room.

The musty smell of books enveloped her, oddly reassuring. She loved the openness of gardens, but the warmth of the library was comforting in it's way. _That's right. Father Nightroad, he said he liked to read. I wonder…if he'll be here too._ She wasn't sure what she'd do about it if he was. With a shrug, she moved forward into the shelves, looking for Professor Wordsworth.

She found him at a small table, near the center of the library. There was a stack of books near his elbow, and he was sitting with one open on his lap, looking deeply engaged, but he looked up at her approach. A warm smile touched his features. "Lady Esther. This is a pleasant surprise. I thought you'd be busy this morning."

"Yes, well, I had some things I wanted to figure out. Lord Walsh kindly suggested I take a day to think about them." At his gesture, Esther settled into the chair next to him. "Actually, Professor, if you don't mind, I have some questions I'd like to ask you."

"Well, of course you can ask me." His smile widened, and he set the book aside, moving to set his pipe a little more firmly between his teeth. "Now then, why don't you tell me exactly what it is you want to know about."

Esther fidgeted a moment. "Well, I recall last night, Father Nightroad mentioned something about people who couldn't become Methuselah. And while I was being held captive…Isaac von Kampfer…he took some blood for tests. It seemed…he thought there might be something special about it. And he mentioned…he said there was something called a Pure Blood. He didn't tell me what it was though."

"Ah, yes. I was just reading about that myself." Esther blinked at him, startled, and he offered her a boyish grin. "I was also intrigued by Abel's comment. But…about that, I have gathered some information. Would you like to hear it?"

"Ah…yes please." Esther settled back.

"Well then…as it happens, there are several different types of people in this world, as I'm sure you've guessed. If you exposed all of them to the Methuselah Bascillus…what they call the Kudluk Bascillus, most people would probably just become extremely ill. Eventually, they would die of anemia, or the side effects of the Bascillus. This is what usually happens to someone when they're attacked. Assuming they don't die of blood loss first, of course." He saw her expression, and made a rueful face. "Sorry. I didn't mean to sound so clinical."

"It's all right." Esther forced a small, answering smile. "You said that happens to most people. Is there some other reaction?"

"Well, naturally. There are some people who can accept the Bascillus. For those individuals, they integrate it into their bodies, just as Methuselah do. They become what are known as converted vampires. Actually, a while back, we were ordered to stop an individual who was trying to make such beings. Professor Barrie…I think it was."

Esther gasped. "The man who was responsible for the Silent Noise?"

"In part. But he also did some…rather unfortunate experiments involving trying to turn young children into converted vampires. But I suggest you ask Lord Walsh about that, or Father Leon and Father Nightroad."

"I…why those three, Professor?"

"Because Leon and Abel were the ones who handled the matter. And after it was over, I understand they transported Barrie's children here. I'd be surprised if Lord Walsh didn't know about it, in that case." He smiled. "But, I'm getting a little off track here. You wanted to know about Pure Bloods."

"Yes, please."

He nodded. "Apparently, for whatever reason, there are certain people who are completely immune to the Bascillus. No matter what happens, they cannot be affected by it's power. I was reading today, in these books…" He gestured to the pile before him. "Apparently, the Albion Royal Family has some connection to Pure Bloods, though it isn't clear if the it's one of those lines, or simply related in some way. It may simply be that they have a number of them in families under their protection. The references are a little vague. But they do give some information regarding such people."

"I see. And what do the records say?" Esther flushed. "I suppose I should just look it up for myself but…"

"It's perfectly all right. I don't mind explaining." The Professor nodded, then his eyes went a little distant. "As I've said, a Pure Blood can't be affected by the Bascillus. Not only that, they're extremely resistant to other forms of viruses and such. In fact, the reason they are called Pure Bloods is for precisely that reason. Very little affects their bodies. They'd have to be under a great deal of stress, or severely injured." He frowned. "Offhand, I can't say whether even the Crusnik could affect such a person. It's possible even such a power as that would be useless. But even if it wasn't, I highly doubt the effects would be at all similar to what a normal human would experience." He shook his head. "It's a fairly useful trait, but it also causes certain problems."

"Problems? What are those, Professor?" Esther stiffened.

"Well, since it's so pure, and untouched by the virus, Pure Bloods are very highly sought after by Methuselah. One assumes they taste different from normal humans, but more than that…" He frowned. "Normally, any blood a Methuselah drinks would be returned to their systems. But after a while, of course, it too is affected by the Bascillus, which is why they must continue to drink, or have iron supplements. However, a Pure Blood, or the blood from such a person…."

"It wouldn't be absorbed, would it?" Esther shivered. "So it would be helpful for longer, because it can't be affected."

"Exactly. More than that…some Methuselah have an affinity for finding or recognizing the scent or feel of a victim. But as I understand it, such awareness would only last as long as the untainted blood. But if such a Methuselah took the blood of such a human, then conceivably, they would always be able to locate that person. And that…could be rather troublesome."

Esther felt a cold chill run down her spine. She clenched her right hand over her left wrist, fighting back the memory of the Order members drinking her blood. She didn't know if any of them had such a talent, but if they did…she felt her muscles tense.

"Esther, is something the matter?" She looked up to see the Professor watching her, concern on his face. "You've gone rather pale."

"I'm sorry. It's nothing, really." The forced a small smile. "I…well, it's just, I was thinking what it would be like, if the Order had someone who could track a person like that. If they got the wrong person's blood….or something like that. It sounds a little terrifying."

"I have to agree with you there. But you know…you look as if you're a little troubled by something." He gave her another of his reassuring, fatherly grins. "If you'd like to talk to me, please, feel free to say whatever is on your mind."

She wanted to tell him. But…telling him about that meant she'd have to tell him about the rest as well. The thought of revealing what Cain had tried to do with her, or worse, what Dietrich had done, still worried her too much. She shook her head. "It's nothing really. It's just, I was thinking over the things I heard last night, and that came back to me, so I wanted to find out more, if possible. But really, I'm all right."

He made a soft noise. "Thinking about all the things that you heard last night, hmm? I confess, I've been doing a lot of that myself today. That's one reason I hadn't already finished my research." He gestured to a pile of very old, very battered books lying on the far side of the table. "I believe those books may contain documentation of the experiments Abel mentioned. I was wondering whether or not I ought to read them."

Esther blinked. "You were wondering…whether or not to read them? But why, Father? Surely if they contain information…"

"Well, they might. But…even if they do, and even if it's written down as mere facts and reports, that information…" He sighed, and his face fell into worried lines. "Even if from here it looks like simple reports, that information is likely to be highly personal to Abel. It will probably embarrass him. After all, he obviously revealed as much as he felt comfortable with last night." He smiled ruefully again. "Actually, I would venture to say he gave us far more than he felt comfortable with, last night. To pry deeper, even with the best of intentions, might cause him further trouble. And whatever else he may be, Abel is my friend. I've no wish to cause him further anxiety if it's unnecessary. So…I was considering putting those back where I found them, and leaving them alone."

"That's right…you and Father Nightroad have been friends for a long time, haven't you, Professor?" Esther looked up at him. "And he really…you didn't know about him?"

He shook his head. "Not a thing. Abel's never been very forthcoming about his past. In fact, he avoids it more than any other subject I've ever asked him about. I've only gotten glimpses here and there." He bit his pipe, considering. "Actually, the only time I've ever gathered anything concrete, he wasn't actually speaking to me. He was caught in the grip of a rather vicious nightmare. I heard him muttering just before he woke up screaming, and he let it slip that he'd remembered something. But then he covered it up again." He shook his head again. "I've never really pressed him. I've always assumed that Caterina knew, and trusted him. And that was enough for me."

"I see…then…what you know now…hasn't changed your opinion?" Esther looked away from him.

"Well, I'm not sure how to say this…in a way, no. But…in a way, of course it has." He leaned back. "Naturally, knowing what I know now…well, in many ways it's a little disconcerting. After all, to find out a man who looks half my age was old enough to witness Armageddon…well, that was rather startling. And to hear that he once fought against the Vatican, is also a little disconcerting. But really, I think what bothers me most is hearing how he came to be that way."

Esther sat up a little straighter. "I don't understand. If you don't mind telling me…"

"Not at all. Actually, it would be a relief to talk this out with someone, if you don't mind." He looked at her, his eyes serious. "Although, if you'd rather not discuss it…"

"No. Actually, I'm a little confused myself. I spoke to Father Garcias, but…"

"But Leon has his own way of looking at the world. And it's quite different from what you're used to." He chuckled. "I quite understand." He eyes turned grave again. "Let's see now…how shall I put this?" He frowned. "I don't doubt anything of what Abel told us. For one thing, he's a rather poor liar at the best of times, which is why he prefers misdirection. Not that he can't lie, but he dislikes it."

"That is true. I know…Father has lied occasionally, but only to protect someone, or something important to him." Esther looked down at her hands.

"Exactly. But if the story Abel told is true…well then…I feel I owe him an apology. But not one I know how to make, nor one I think he'll accept."

"Apology?" Esther stared at him. "But why….?"

"Because, the greatest source of Abel's suffering lies in the scientists who abused him…or at least failed to understand him. Moreover, despite what Abel said to me last night, those men and I were probably very similar. Immersed in our search for knowledge, and occasionally oblivious to the harm we might do." He bowed his head. "I've been in charge of keeping an eye on Abel's condition for quite some time…and I won't deny there have often been times when I dragged him into a research project, with and without his consent. In fact, I did so the first time we met, if you recall."

Esther smiled, remembering. "I do. The incident with the siren, when I first came to Rome."

"Exactly. And Abel has always taken it with good heart. He fusses, and sulks…but it's rare for him to actually fight me, or lose his temper, or even refuse to do something." He sighed. "Hearing what he feels, after all this time…I can't help wondering what he truly felt, all those times." He shook his head. "When he first returned, and after you were taken…Abel fought me hardest then. He was…extremely reluctant, and I thought he might strike me once or twice. And now, I wonder if that's how it's always made him feel. Pained, and defensive. I wonder if every time I touched him, I was triggering torturous memories, and he was forcing them back. If he was sparing me, for the sake of friendship, or simply because I'm human and happen to be his comrade in the AX." A small, hurt smile touched his face. "It would be very like him, wouldn't it? To let himself feel such things and not tell anyone, for the sake of preventing pain in others."

Esther bit her lip. "That's true. Father would…Father would be like that, wouldn't he?" She felt tears trying to gather in her eyes, and shook them away. "But still…I think…I think he didn't want to cause you trouble, Professor. And when I've seen you with him, it looked to me as if the two of you were….very good friends. I think…even if it was troublesome for him, Father Nightroad might not have minded helping you much. And he did say, last night, that he doesn't think of you the same way as he felt about those men."

"Well, that is true." William smiled tightly around his pipe-stem. "But then, he could just be protecting me again."

"Even if that's true…he wouldn't do so if he didn't care for you, Professor. Besides…I don't think Father Nightroad was protecting you, last night. I think…for him to tell a story like that…I think Father must have been completely honest, at that time." She felt herself flushing a little. "Of course, it's not like I have any proof or anything. It's just…the way Father made me feel."

"Well, there is that. And as it happens, I agree with you. Abel…that's not the sort of story he would tell, even to protect someone. Certainly, he wasn't protecting himself." He shook his head. "To be honest, I can't imagine what it cost for him to reveal so much, nor why he would have done so now. The information certainly is useful, and rather revealing, but to place himself in such a position, now after all this time…well, it is rather strange."

"Yes. It is." Esther forced herself to agree, but her heart was suddenly pounding. _Father Wordsworth is right. After all this time…it is odd. And yet…didn't Father Nightroad say it himself? He did this…revealed all of this…because I wanted to know about his past. Because he knew…because I had confronted him about it, he decided to tell me. And since he couldn't take me to…to that place…without a guard, he chose to let everyone else know as well. Even though…even though it was extremely painful for him, he did this because I asked him too._ A hot flush of shame scalded through her, as the knowledge of what she'd asked, and what he'd done for her sake, sank in.

"Lady Esther? Are you all right?" She jerked out of her thoughts to find the Professor staring at her, concern in his eyes and the pipe on the table beside him.

"I…oh yes." She shook her head, unwilling to tell him of her thoughts. "I was just…thinking about everything…and…"

"You're still rather confused about Abel, aren't you?" Esther stiffened, but the smile he offered her was gentle, and kind. "He did tell you some things, after the rest of us left, didn't he?"

"I…yes, he did." Esther looked away.

"Those things…they're probably things Abel couldn't bear to reveal to anyone else. Things that were truly terrible for him." Esther managed a short, jerky nod, afraid that if she spoke, then she'd reveal something. But the Professor only inclined his head, looking thoughtful. "In that case, if what he revealed to you was even worse than what he dared to tell us, then it's not surprising you'd be confused. And if that's the case, then I think I know just the person you really need to talk to."

"You do?" Esther blinked, her fear momentarily forgotten in her surprise. "But who…?"

"Talk to Caterina." He smiled at her surprised expression. "It's really the only logical choice, if something about Abel troubles you. Well, you could talk to Abel himself, I suppose, but I got the impression you didn't want to do that just yet."

"No, I…" she looked down at her hands, absently twisting a handkerchief around her fingers. "I'm afraid, if I talk to him right now, that I'll say the wrong thing. I might…I might hurt him, even if I didn't mean to. Or I might…say something that he can't hear. And I don't want to do that."

"Well, in all fairness to you and Abel, you're both a lot sturdier and more sensible than you seem to fear. And underneath everything, Abel is…well usually, he's a very sensitive person. As are you. But…I understand." He gestured with the pipe. "That's why I advise you talk to Lady Caterina."

"Lady Caterina…that's right, she has known him a long time, hasn't she?" Esther considered.

"She has. But she also knows more _about_ Abel than most of us." He frowned. "She's never shared the details, but I suspect she'll know at least some of those things that are bothering you. And even if she doesn't, I suspect her advice will be very good." He chuckled. "In my experience, it usually is, even where…or perhaps I should say, especially where, Abel is concerned."

Esther thought about it. She'd once been very intimidated by Caterina Sforza, and she was still a little in awe of her, but…recent events had turned a superior/employee relationship into a surprisingly comfortable friendship. And Caterina's previous advice about her advisors had been very good indeed. She looked up at the man sitting next to her. "I think I'd like to do that, but I don't want to disturb her if she's working."

"Well, I don't think she's doing much at the moment. Probably finishing after-incident reports and answering Cardinal di Medici's questions." He smirked. "The Cardinal is…rather incensed. I think he's angry that we didn't attack the Order headquarters as soon as possible."

"Oh?" Esther settled back. "But...were you planning to?"

"Not at all, which is exactly Lady Caterina's point." He gestured. "The whole point of our mission at the time was to find out where you were and recover you. Of course, if we'd had to fight our way out, or something of that nature, we certainly would have. And I don't think anyone would have been adverse to doing some damage. But no, the only solid mission objective was to find you and bring you back. We weren't equipped to do much beyond that, to be honest." He chuckled again. "And then, of course, you saved us the whole thing by dropping neatly into Abel's arms on the road about forty miles out."

Esther blushed. "Well, I didn't think I should wait around for someone to rescue me. I'm simply grateful it all worked out."

He nodded. "So are we. Thanks to that, Albion is settling again, the Pope has stopped twisting up his handkerchiefs with worry, and Abel is being…well, about as reasonable as he gets, and a great deal more so than he was. And this peace you helped construct is still standing."

Hearing those words made her feel warm. And the image of Alessandro, sitting on the Holy Throne and twisting a handkerchief, with his usual solemn expression, was enough to prompt a smile to her lips. "Thank you, Professor."

"It's no trouble at all." He smiled and gestured with his pipe. "Now, why don't you go talk to Caterina for a bit, and let her help you sort out some of the rest of your concerns."

Esther stood. "I'll do that, Father." She paused as her gaze shifted to the stack of books he'd indicated. "About those…are you going to read them?"

His eyes tracked her gaze. After a moment, he shook his head. "No, I don't think I will. After all, it's Abel's business. And if there's something he wants me to know, he will tell me. So it's fine."

"I see. Well then, be sure you return them to the shelves properly." She spoke softly, as if she were teasing, hoping that he'd read her unspoken request. She was grateful that he wasn't going to read them, and she didn't want anyone else to do so either. Though she still felt conflicted, she didn't want to expose Abel's secrets so deeply to the world.

He blinked, and met her eyes. After a moment, he nodded very slightly, and she saw that he understood her intent. "Of course. I'll do my best to make sure they get back to their proper place." He gestured again, every inch the absent-minded professor. "I believe Caterina is in her rooms at this hour. If not, you can ask Father Vaclav where she is. I'm certain he'll know."

"Thank you." She gave him another nod, then turned and walked quickly out of the library.

Knocking on Caterina's door a few minutes later earned her a soft invitation to enter. She stepped into the room to find Caterina seated on the sofa, dressed in casual working clothing and reading a report. The Lady Cardinal looked up at her entrance, then set the paper aside and rose gracefully to her feet. "Your Majesty."

Esther blushed. "There's no need to be so formal, Lady Caterina." She blinked, spotting Petros standing by the far wall. "If you could spare a moment, I was hoping to speak with you."

"Of course." Caterina nodded and resumed her seat. Her eyes flicked to Petros. "Brother Petros, if you'd be so good as to find Father Vaclav that I'd like to delay lunch a little, and that he should bring enough for two."

The knight stiffened, but after a moment, he bowed. "As you wish, Excellency." Then he turned and strode out the door.

Caterina turned back to face Esther, brushing a strand of long golden hair out of her eyes with an absentminded gesture. "I guessed you wish to speak to me alone. Actually, I'm not that surprised to find you here." She smiled, but there was sadness in her expression. "It's about Abel, isn't it?"

Esther started. "How did you…?"

The Duchess of Milan shook her head. "Even I was a bit unsettled last night. But when he held you back…I guessed. He told you, didn't he? About his role in the war, all those years ago."

Esther nodded. "I…he did." A stray thought came back to her. "He also said that you and Petros already knew."

"Yes. Abel's told me a few things over the years. But in addition to that…" Caterina sighed. "When the Inquisition held him, he asked the Lady Seth to provide us with some documentation. Petros and I both read it. There were some accounts of the war in there. There's also information in the Vatican archives, if you know what to look for."

"You…looked it up?" Esther stared at her.

Caterina's expression turned a little amused, or exasperated. "Abel let a few things slip, while he was watching over me as I grew up." She caught Esther's expression, and the smile deepened. "I was only fifteen or sixteen when I met him, for the first time. He never told me much, but what he did let slip made me wonder, so I accessed the files and looked it up. And afterward, when I spoke to him about it, he confirmed it." The exasperation returned to her face. "And then he disappeared for two weeks, and I had to hunt him down. I barely caught up with him."

"I see." Esther blinked, then focused her eyes on the wall. "If you don't mind my asking…what did you say to him? That time."

"I told him to fight with me. To fight alongside me. And he agreed. Rather reluctantly, but he did agree. Not long after that, we both entered the church."

"I see." Esther bit her lip for a moment, then began to speak, slowly and carefully. "Father Nightroad…he's been with me through so much. I can't help remembering all the things he's done for me. And he's always been good. Even when…even when I ask about things that aren't my business…even when I say harsh things. He was even…even willing to stand by my side when I rejected him, that time in Carthage. And Father Wordsworth told me…that he looked everywhere for me. That he even…he even went to the Inquisition to try and get more help in finding me."

"That's all very true." Caterina folded her hands. "So then, why are you troubled?"

"Because…he did…or said he did, such terrible things." Esther swallowed. "Those sorts of things…if we forgave everyone who did that kind of thing, then we wouldn't be at war with the Contra Mundi. We'd have let them win a long time ago. To forgive him…for something like that…I'm not sure about it. Even though…even though he's changed, and even though I understand why he must have reacted that way…I still…that sort of thing…I'm not sure what to make of it."

Caterina nodded. "A very valid point." She considered. Her gaze drifted to the far wall. "Of course, you must bear in mind: Abel does not expect you to forgive him. He has never, at any point, asked for such a thing. In fact, if you ask him, he will tell you very clearly that he considers himself a damned soul, a sinner marked forever by his sins."

"I know." Esther bit her lip. "But that too…it's very difficult. I believe in Father Nightroad, and I trust him, but still…" She swallowed. "I…I trusted Dietrich too, and Isaac Butler. I truly thought…that they were my friends. That they were allies who'd support me. But…"

"But they have both betrayed you." Caterina nodded. "That makes it hard for you to trust, even one such as Abel. And now that you know who he is, and the truth of his past…it's become even more confusing. Is that your concern?"

"Yes. It is." She fought back tears. "I know, you probably think I'm being very silly, but…"

"On the contrary, it's a valid concern. After all, Father Nightroad is a key figure in this battle with Rosenkreutz. Even more so than we realized. If you cannot trust him, then we must seriously rethink our strategy for the matter." Esther looked up, startled. Caterina held her gaze for a moment, then spoke more gently. "And Abel is…as you say, Abel has been close to you for a very long time. That is also important."

Esther nodded. "But, I'm not sure what to do. And I'm afraid, if I confront him…I may say the wrong thing."

"That is understandable. I felt the same way, when I faced him." Caterina smiled.

Esther blinked. "You did? But then…if you don't mind my asking…what did you…?"

The gentle, sorrowful smile on the Cardinal's face deepened. "I looked into his eyes. But when I met his gaze, all the things I wanted to say to him disappeared. All I could hear was his voice, the first words I ever truly heard him speak, in his own form. The first words he ever spoke to me." Her gaze looked beyond Esther. "When he saved me from vampires who'd attacked my family, I asked him who he was. And he looked at me, with those sad, solemn blue eyes and that gentle smile, and said, 'I'm someone who's come to save the lives of humans. Don't worry, I've come to help you.' Just that. I didn't even know his name then. But it was enough. And when I heard those words, I knew that I couldn't hate him. That I'd forgive him, even if he would not forgive himself."

Esther looked down. "Something like that…I remember his first words to me as well. They're very comforting in troublesome times." _He said he was my friend. That he would always be by my side._

"Indeed." Caterina looked over the rim of her spectacles. "The truth is, I can't tell you how to handle this. Only that you need to speak to Abel. You won't know what your true feelings are, or his, until you see him face to face." She sighed. "Abel is within the Palace at the moment. It shouldn't be too difficult to find him."

"I know. But…I'm still not sure…I'd like to think a little longer." Esther felt embarrassed, but she couldn't help it.

"I see. Well, in that case, I suggest we turn our minds other matters for the moment." Caterina offered her a smile. "If you wouldn't object, I have a number of things I'd like to discuss with you. And the Empress has sent along several documents I think might be interesting to you."

Esther nodded, grateful for the distraction. She shifted a small table closer, and together, she and Caterina spent the rest of the afternoon immersed in paperwork, and discussion. Vaclav brought them lunch, and supper, but the rest of the time was spent in working, or in the discussion of random topics, such as the gardens.

It was a relief from the troubling thoughts of Abel. Even more importantly, Caterina was well trained in politics, and much more experienced than Esther. She was also more than willing to share that knowledge, and she was aware of where the difference in personality altered the situation. They went over several documents, and discussed strategies for various alliances, plans of attack and so forth. Caterina was a shrewd woman, and Esther found herself somewhat envious of the other woman's obvious ease with the affairs of state. She was also grateful to have the older woman to teach her. As the day neared it's end, she felt as if she'd accomplished a lot.

The night had fallen when a soft knock interrupted. Caterina gave her permission to enter, and Virgil stepped into the room, bowing. "Your Majesty. Your Excellency."

"Lord Walsh." Caterina nodded her head. "I suppose you've come to take your queen back to her quarters."

"It is getting somewhat late." Virgil bowed to Esther. "Your Majesty, if you wish to remain, I will depart. However, I recommend you retire soon."

"I understand." Esther turned to look at Caterina.

The older woman smiled. "You may as well." She looked over the documents on her table. "I confess, I am getting a little fatigued, myself." She rose to her feet. "Perhaps we should continue this later tomorrow, Your Majesty."

"Of course." Esther also rose. She offered Caterina a half-bow of respect. "Thank you, Lady Caterina, for assisting me today. You've been very kind."

"You're more than welcome, Lady Esther." Caterina bowed her head very slightly. Esther nodded back, then left.

It wasn't until she entered the hall that she felt the vague sense of tiredness that had been bothering her. All of sudden, she felt she could barely keep her eyes open. She blinked and shook her head.

"Your Majesty?" Virgil spoke from beside her, and his voice was concerned.

"I'm all right." Esther smiled up at him. "It's just…we were working so hard, and I guess I never realized how late it was getting, or how tired I would feel. I felt fine, but now…I just felt so sleepy all of a sudden."

"I understand. Did you resolve some of the things you needed to?" Golden eyes surveyed her.

Esther smiled slightly. "Well, I'm not sure about that. I…I did talk to some people. And I think I understand things a little better now. But I'm not sure it will be resolved until I speak to Father Nightroad. And right now…I think I'd rather sleep."

"As you wish." He inclined his head, then opened the door to her room, and bowed. "Your maids are awaiting you. Please rest well, Your Majesty."

Esther nodded. She was so sleepy, she didn't really register it as her maids dressed her in a long nightdress. She wanted to think about everything she'd talked over with the others, but her eyes were too heavy. No sooner did her head hit the pillow, then she was asleep.

_The world seemed stained crimson. Esther looked around, but she couldn't see anything but the swirling red light. She felt…not afraid, more like anxious. She gazed around; looking for any clue she might find to explain things to her. Then, so soft she barely heard it, her ears caught a fait sound. She frowned, closing her eyes to listen better. After a moment, she knew what she was hearing. The sound was that of someone crying, softly, somewhere._

_Carefully, Esther began to move forward, toward the sound of that pained voice. After a moment, she spoke hesitantly into the crimson light. "Hello?"_

_There was no answer, just the soft sound of choked, agonized sobs. She stepped forward, peering through the red haze. Then, suddenly, it cleared, and she froze. _

_Abel knelt before her. His eyes were closed, and he didn't seem to be aware of her presence. He knelt before a dark metal cross. With a start, Esther recognized it as the one he wore as his secondary rosary, but this one was as tall as he was. Abel was kneeling, his arms wrapped around it in an embrace so tight she could see where the ragged edges drove into his uniform. Yet, the priest seemed unaware of it. Both hands reached around the crucifix, one reaching up to grasp where the arms crossed, the other pressing his pale face into the metal, so harshly she was surprised it didn't cut him. His face bore it's human aspect, with his pale skin, tied back hair, and glasses. But the dark wings of his Crusnik form stretched behind him, and his closed eyes wept tears of his own blood. The tears streaked his face, ran down the metal of the cross, and dripped into the red that surrounded them. Esther flinched, only then realizing that she and the priest stood in a pool of his blood, wept and shed on this cross._

_The sight filled her with pity, and sorrow. She felt tears sliding down her face, to mingle with the pool of his. She knew she feared him and yet, the tortured, suffering soul before her inspired nothing but a desire to ease his anguish. She took a step forward, reaching out to the figure before her. "Father Nightroad…"_

_With shocking suddenness, a hand grabbed her arm, whirling her around. She gasped, finding herself facing Cain. Terror burned through her. The pale white figure smiled coldly. "You know, it really isn't fair for Abel to have you as well. After all, he's already had his chance."_

_She struggled, but his grip was unbreakable. The cold smile widened and he leaned forward. "Well now, my dear, why don't you simply join me? With fire I will renew this world for my brother, with you helping me." Then his mouth shifted, and covered hers with a brutal kiss, harsh and demanding. Esther gasped for air. Then Cain broke away, and lifted her arm. "See? Just a little of your blood…" His head bent toward her wrist._

With a choked off gasp, Esther shot upright in bed, breathing hard. She felt sweaty and sick. For a long moment, she simply sat there, her hands over her mouth to stifle more cries. She took deep breaths, trying to calm her racing heart. _It was just a dream. That's all. I'm safe in the Palace._

Slowly, her heart rate and her breathing slowed and steadied. Esther swallowed, then reached for the water that was always left at her bedside. A few drinks helped cool the rest of her anxiety. She wiped the drying sweat and tears from her face, and leaned back against the pillows. Now that she was calmer, she managed to look back at the dream.

The second part had clearly been a rather distorted jumble of memories, most of them from Cain's attempted seduction. It was the first part that puzzled her. _Why, why would I see Father Nightroad like that? It's true…I know he's suffered. And he said…he's mentioned that he's trying to atone for his actions. Caterina said so too. But that…that was…so sad. To see him weeping like that…Is that…how I really see him? _

Suddenly restless, Esther sat up and tossed the covers aside. Sitting in the bed worrying over it wasn't going to help. Though a glance at her clock confirmed that it was extremely late, she wanted to simply have this over with. She wanted to face him, to decide how she felt. She wanted to know what he felt. She wanted to sort things out once and for all. She stood and threw a robe around her, then went to her wardrobe and selected a comfortable outfit that was easy to get into. She shrugged it on, then slipped on a pair of shoes and went to her door.

Virgil was standing outside, apparently taking his turn at guard duty for an evening. His eyes widened as she emerged. "Your Majesty. Is everything all right?" His pale golden gaze examined her. "You look a little pale."

Esther offered him a faint smile. "It's all right. I just had a…very disturbing dream."

"I see." He relaxed, just a fraction. "Your Majesty, it is very late. You should be resting. Is there something I can do for you?"

She looked at the door across the hall. It was still dark. "Actually…is there any chance you could tell me where Father Nightroad is? I'd like to speak to him, if I can."

He blinked. "If you wish, I can have him summoned. Or…perhaps it would be better to wait until morning."

Esther shook her head. "I'd rather walk myself, thank you, and clear my head a little. Besides…I don't think I'll be able to sleep for a while, so I might as well do something." She smiled sadly, then turned to look at him. "Do you know where Father Nightroad has gone?"

He sighed, very softly. "I believe he is in the rose garden, my lady. Shall I escort you?"

She shook her head again. "No. It's all right. I can find my way. There are guards, aren't there?"

"Yes Your Majesty." He bowed. "I hope you manage to resolve things to your satisfaction. However, please return soon. Your Majesty has need of rest."

Esther nodded. "I will." Then she turned and strode down the hall, before her resolve could fail her.

The guards watched her quietly and unobtrusively as she made her way out to the gardens. Descending into the green landscape, lit by lanterns every few yards, Esther shivered and pulled her lightweight cloak a little more firmly around her. Albion evenings were cool even in summer, and as summer edged into fall, there was a definite bite to the air. She swallowed once, then stepped down onto the path to the gardens.

She'd gotten just past the first row of hedges, when a voice from her right startled her. "Esther?"

She whirled, her heart pounding. Then she relaxed, as Ion Fortuna stepped into the lamplight from an adjoining path. The young Methuselah lord moved forward to stand beside her, his eyes bright with concern. "Esther, is everything all right? I thought you'd be resting by now."

She shook her head. "I'm all right. It's just…" She offered him a rueful expression. "I couldn't sleep, so I…I decided to come out here. And…there was something I wanted to take care of."

"I see. Well, as long as you're all right." Ion's boyish face relaxed into a smile. "You know, I hadn't had a chance to say this, but…I'm relieved you're all right, Esther. I was worried for a while there."

Esther nodded, relaxing herself. "Thank you for worrying." She looked away, blushing slightly. "To tell the truth, I was rather concerned for a while, myself. But everything turned out fine." She stopped, then looked up at him. "That's right…you were helping with the rescue operations, weren't you?" She smiled. "Thank you."

"I…" Ion blushed, visible in the lamplight. "Well I…I didn't actually do that much, really. And you rescued yourself, so…" He broke off, looking uncomfortable

"It's all right. You still helped with finding me." She looked down at her hands. "I wanted to say thank you. For being so concerned about me."

They stood in silence for a few moments. Then Ion spoke in a hesitant voice. "Esther…"

She looked up at the soft tone, and was startled to see his eyes gone grave and solemn. "Yes?"

"Esther I…" He looked away from her, red rising to his face. "I…really care for you. Ever since…ever since that time you were with me in Carthage…I've had really strong feelings for you. When we were…when you came to the Empire with me, I wanted to ask you…well, to ask you to stay with me. In my home. I know…now…well, of course you have to remain here, in your own country. But…if you wanted…I'd be willing to stay here with you." He met her eyes again. "I wanted to tell you that. I really care for you, Esther."

Esther swallowed hard, her heart suddenly pounding. Ion's confession sounded very much like her own, a few months prior. In fact, he'd said something similar just before her capture. She felt a painful clenching in her gut.

She didn't want to hurt him. Looking into those earnest eyes, she didn't want to hurt him. And yet, she knew very well that she thought of him as a friend. A very dear friend, and a wonderful companion, but no more than that. She valued his kindness, enjoyed his company, and respected his beliefs. But…she didn't love him. She knew she might have, once, but…she'd given her heart to Abel a long time ago. And even if he didn't return it, even if she felt confused, she wasn't sure that emotion had disappeared yet. She did know, though, that the only thing that would hurt the Earl of Memphis worse than an outright refusal, was if she gave him hope, and toyed with his heart. And that, she wouldn't do.

Ion was still waiting for her answer. Finally, Esther reached up one hand to touch his face lightly. She let a sad smile touch her lips. "Your Excellency…I'm…I'm very honored that you feel that deeply about me. And I hope you'll always support me, and grant me your friendship. But I…I'm afraid…"

His hand came up to touch her mouth. "You don't have to say it." She saw the pain in his eyes, heard it in his voice. "I understand." He looked away. "It's because…because the same way I care for you….you care for Father Nightroad, isn't it?"

Esther nodded. "I'm afraid so." She looked away. "I…I don't know if he returns my feelings, but…"

"I understand. And if that's the case…" Determination firmed his shaky voice. "Until you change your mind, or until that guy comes to his senses, I won't give up on you." The amber eyes were bright with determination. "But…for now…I'll be your friend. I promise you, no matter what…I'll be your friend, and if you ever need anything from me…all you have to do is ask, all right?" His eyes still looked hurt, but he managed a ghost of a smile.

Esther nodded. "Thank you, Ion."

He held her gaze a moment more, then carefully dropped his hand from her. "Did you…want to speak with Father Nightroad?"

Esther nodded once more. "Yes."

"Well, then, he's right down that path." Ion gestured. "You should probably go ahead, before you get chilled." Esther managed to nod in acknowledgement. She was halfway across to the path, when Ion spoke behind her. "Esther…" she turned, and the bright amber eyes caught hers. "I hope…I hope that this time…you'll be happy." Then he turned and vanished among the hedges.

Esther stared in the direction he'd gone for a few moments, her heart aching for the young Methuselah. A part of her wished she'd been able to give him what he wanted, but…she knew it was impossible. She took a deep breath, to steady herself, then turned and strode deeper into the garden.

Abel was standing near the center of the rose pavilion when she entered, looking up at the night sky. His face was turned from her, and she couldn't tell exactly what he was staring at, but she guessed. His gaze was turned in the general direction of the second moon, and under the torch lights of the garden, his frame was tense and unnaturally still. He didn't turn or speak when she entered, but she saw a slight shift in his stance, in the tilt of his head, and knew he was aware of her.

She hesitated a moment, trying to gather her thoughts, then stepped forward. "Father Nightroad."

"Miss Esther." He didn't turn. "You know, you should be resting."

She moved to stand close to him. "I know. But I couldn't sleep, and I thought a walk in the garden might help." She wanted to tell him she'd been looking for him, but standing there, she wasn't sure how to broach the subject. She couldn't see his face clearly, and the tone of his voice was neutral, hiding his feelings.

They stood in awkward silence for a few minutes, gazing up at the few stars visible from the gardens. Esther shivered as a cool night breeze snuck down the back of her collar. She'd been in colder weather, and she was aware of the changing season, but still, she felt a chill brush over her.

Abel shifted beside her, then suddenly she felt the outer jacket of his cassock being draped over her shoulders. She blinked and looked up at him. "Father…"

"We shouldn't risk you catching cold." His voice was gentle, though it still masked his emotions. "You should probably go inside soon, but until then, this will help you stay warm."

She nodded, and pulled it closer, inhaling. The scent of incense ozone and newly turned earth. It occurred to her, for the first time to wonder about that last scent. She knew why he smelled like incense, and guessed the ozone smell had something to do with his Crusnik powers. It seemed as safe an opening topic as any.

She started to speak, but Abel beat her to it. He bowed, just little. "If you'll excuse me, I'll leave you to enjoy the gardens in peace."

"Father…" Esther reached out, and just caught the sleeve of his shirt. "Are you…are you busy with something? If you have work to do, you shouldn't be out of uniform like this."

He shook his head slowly. "No. It's not that. I simply thought…well, perhaps you might find more relaxation without my presence. After all, I…"

"Father." She interrupted him, hearing a faint edge of pain lacing his words. "Why would you think you need to leave? You don't have to do that."

"I…you're very kind, Miss Esther but…" He met her gaze for the first time, and Esther nearly flinched at the terrible anguish in those eyes. His voice was softer, and the pain barely suppressed. "You know, now, what I am…what I've…what I've done." He looked away. "Knowing that…well, it's kind of you to ask me to stay but…I'm sure you'd rather not be…be around a monster like me."

"Father! You shouldn't say such things." She held his sleeve tighter. She could feel him shaking. The memory of his words, his terrible confession, rose up, then faded under a feeling of sorrow for him. "I don't think of you like that at all."

He was trembling harder now, his head bowed. When he spoke, his voice was an echo of the one he'd used the night before, as the words of his confession racked him with agony. "How can you not? After…after the things I've done…." He shook his head, and a terrible, bitter laugh escaped him. "The Contra Mundi…the Enemy of the World. The one everyone would do anything to defeat, is my brother. And yet…I…for all that Cain has done, I am far worse." He drew his hand gently out of her grasp. "Thank you, Miss Esther…for trying, but you…you shouldn't dirty yourself with these bloodstained hands of mine."

"Father, please don't talk like that." She reached out. "It's true, you may have done some terrible things in the past, but…that doesn't make you a monster. Even I've done things I'm not proud of. And I'm sure the others have burdens in their pasts as well. After all, isn't Father Garcias a convicted felon? And I'm sure the Professor and Father Vaclav have their secrets as well."

"Not like this." Abel shuddered. "I…after all the lives I've taken…I can't…" He turned from her with a suppressed groan. "I…Cain is the Enemy of the World…but I…I destroyed it. In the end…we're…exactly the same."

"That isn't true." Esther moved forward, her fear of him driven away by her need to comfort him. She laid a hand gently over his lips, and looked him in the eyes. The unguarded agony in his expression touched her heart with sorrow. _Father…this suffering…you endured this for me. This is…I did this to you. Dear Lord, please let me find the words to help undo some of the pain I've caused him._

Abel looked as if he was about to break from her, and she felt that doing so might break him entirely. She reached up, and took one of his hands, gently. It was much larger than her own, and stronger as well, but Abel froze. "Please Father, just listen to me, all right?"

He held still, and she took it as assent. "I know…you did some terrible things in the past. But…that doesn't make you a bad person, Father. After all, I think…given what you told us about your childhood, I think anyone would have reason to be resentful, and hurt."

He drew her hand away from his mouth. "That's no excuse."

"No. But…it is a reason. And Father…what you did, you did it because you thought you were protecting something important to you, right? You were…acting because you loved your brother, and that…that's not a bad thing. And what happened after that…well, it's like I felt when they killed Bishop Laura, isn't it? You were really hurt, Father. I think a lot of people do things they don't mean to when they feel really hurt. So, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself. After all, if you truly repent, then God will forgive you. And I think, so will the people around you. I don't think…after hearing your story, I don't think anyone is planning to leave you. And…you said Brother Petros and Lady Caterina knew, right? And they haven't left your side. Surely that's proof that you're not a monster. And I…I don't think you are either."

Abel shuddered at her words. In the light of the torches, she could see the sweat beading on his brow. "Miss Esther…"

She shushed him once more. "You are not a monster, Father." She kept her voice and eyes as gentle as she could. "It's true, I know you've done some things you regret. But…the fact that you regret them so deeply proves that you are a good person."

He shuddered again. Then something seemed to relax in his frame. He straightened, took a deep breath. "I…thank you, Miss Esther." He swallowed. "I'm grateful…that you could think of me that way. But still…" He lifted one hand, to look at the palm. "I still…with the Crusnik fused to my body… I could become like Cain at any time. Even though…even though I fight it…" He shivered. "I've seen it. That I can do the things he does now. That I am…"

"You are nothing like him!" The words burst out of her with a vehemence she hadn't planned. She shook her head, feeling her frame tense up. "You aren't anything alike." She spun to face him.

Abel stared at her startled. "Miss Esther." The shock banished the darkness from his eyes.

She looked into his eyes. Then she looked away and spoke hesitantly. "When I…when they held me prisoner…I saw him several times. And you…you weren't anything alike. That man..." she swallowed. "Father…you, you may get angry, and sometimes you behave carelessly, but…you care. I can see it, when I look at you. But he…that man…he didn't care about anything. He…there wasn't any emotion in his face, not like there is in yours. His eyes…were so empty…." She shivered. Cain's face appeared in her mind, and the other Order members. She felt herself shaking, and bit her lip, trying to regain control of herself. Tears filled her eyes, and she tried to blink them away.

Suddenly, gentle hands took her shoulders. She blinked, to find Abel standing there, his face hesitant. "Miss Esther…"

She tried to compose herself. "Sorry, I just…"

This time, it was Abel who gently interrupted her. "Miss Esther…I don't mean to intrude, but…did something happen? Did someone…do something to you?" His voice was soft, and his eyes were concerned now, for her.

"I…" She swallowed. A part of her wanted to tell him, to tell someone, but the memories still made her feel ashamed and sick.

Abel looked at her moment. When he spoke again, his voice was quiet. "If you wish to tell me…I will listen to you. But…if you don't want to say anything, you don't have to, Miss Esther. It's all right. If you simply need a shoulder to cry on…I'm right beside you."

That gentle encouragement broke her self-control. With a choked sob, Esther stepped forward into his embrace, reaching up to seize his shirt with both hands. She buried her face in the fabric of his cassock, no longer trying to stop the tears that welled up in her eyes and spilled down her face. They soaked Abel's shirt, but he said nothing. Esther swallowed. "I…they…the things they did….and Dietrich…and him…"

Abel remained silent, asking nothing. Somehow, standing with her face buried in his shirt, and his arms warm around her, she found the words breaking from her. Between breaths and tears, she found herself telling him everything. She told him how the Order members had drunk her blood, how Dietrich had molested her, how Cain had approached her. She told him how the other man had taken her blood, and the way he had spoken of Abel, and Lilith and Seth. The words and memories tumbled out in no particular order. She felt ashamed, but at the same time relieved. She even found herself telling him of the nightmares she'd been having, though she didn't tell him of the dream that had woken her.

Abel remained quiet, but she felt him tense when she spoke of Cain. When she told him of Dietrich's attempt on her, she felt his arms tighten around her, and his head bowed, and she knew he was upset for her. But he offered her no words, and she was grateful. It was easier, somehow, to speak to his silent presence.

Finally, her words ran out. She leaned against him, feeling drained, distantly aware that she'd soaked his uniform, and that he'd made no move to release her. She felt exhausted, but peaceful. Relieved.

Abel held her a few minutes, then spoke softly. "I'm sorry."

Esther blinked. "Father…"

He sighed. "I'm sorry…that you had to go through that. That you had to face that ordeal…" His face was sorrowed. "I…am sorry that…that Cain did such thing to you. And Dietrich…I am truly sorry."

Esther swallowed and pushed away from him, wiping her tear-stained eyes. "It's…it's not your fault. And…everything worked out. It's just…the truth is…I…" She looked away. "I was afraid, after what I said to you, that you wouldn't come. I thought….I thought I was alone."

"Nonsense." Abel's voice was gentle, but firm. One hand touched her shoulder. "No matter what happens, I promise I will always come to help you." She turned to find him standing with a gentle smile. "I did say, didn't I? I am on your side."

Esther swallowed, remembering her own doubts about him, and feeling oddly ashamed in the face of it. "Father…I know you mean it, but… you can't be certain that…"

"I promise, Miss Esther, I will always come for you. It might take me a little more time than I'd like, but…I will come." He reached up to his own collar, and then behind him. "And… if you ever find yourself in trouble again, and you're afraid…here."

He reached out, one hand clenched around something. Puzzled, Esther extended a hand, and he lowered something into it. Esther blinked, then opened her hand.

A fine silver chain lay coiled in her palm, and nestled among the links was a small silver locket. Esther drew it closer, trying to look at the engraving on the front. Frustrated, she moved to stand next to one of the torches, and gasped in surprise. The emblem was her own royal Albion Lion, but underneath was carved a rough, rayed cross, clearly enough rendered that she could see it was the one she'd dreamed of. She stared at it for a moment, then her trembling fingers reached up to undo the clasp.

The locket fell open, revealing two pictures already inserted into the frames. They were both head-and-shoulder shots. The left-hand one was Abel, his eyes gentle and a sad smile playing about his lips. The other was of herself, a bright grin on her face, the small hood over her hair marking it as having been taken when she was a Sister. She gazed at the pictures, shocked, then looked up at the man beside her with wide eyes. "Father…something like this…why do you…?"

He smiled sheepishly. "Well, actually…you'll have to blame the Professor and Lady Caterina for that." He swallowed and looked away. "I…when you were gone…I…I was having trouble, with maintaining my control. The professor…he thought…something like that…he thought it would help keep me focused on what we were fighting for. That it would…help calm me down. And it…well, I suppose it worked, a little. When…when the nights were the darkest…I could hold that, and promise myself I'd save you." He stopped, and when he spoke again, his voice was much softer. "I…there were times…when looking at that image was…all that kept me sane. I…Seth asked me to help her, and we had no leads. I thought…I thought I was going to go mad, but…being able to look at your face…see you smile, even just like that…it helped. It hurt…knowing you were captive…but…it…helped me stay focused, when I feared the Crusnik would overwhelm me."

Esther felt a lump form in her throat at the confession. She moved forward and held the locket out to him. "If that's the case, shouldn't you keep this, Father?"

He shook his head, and closed her hand over it again. "I want you to keep it. If…if something happens…I want you to have this, as a reminder of my promise to you." His eyes were solemn in the light.

There was something wistful about the tone of his voice, and a sadness in his eyes that startled her. She closed her hand about the locket. "All right."

Abel nodded as she slipped the chain over her head. "Thank you, Miss Esther."

She caught that wistful, sorrowed tone under his words again and looked back up at him. He was standing, looking away from her, toward the roses. Hesitantly, she reached up and touched his arm once more. "Father…I…is there something wrong?"

He shook his head. "No. It's all right."

She bit her lip. "It's just…you seem so sad. Is there…is there something else you need to tell me? Or something, you'd like me to hear?"

An almost invisible shudder passed through the lean frame. "I…it truly is all right, Miss Esther. I did…I did have something I want to tell you, but… it should probably wait."

"Why. Father? If there's something you need to say to me…"

Abel shivered again. "I…I think it's best if I don't burden you with this, right now."

Esther felt tears forming in her eyes once more, this time more of frustration and anger than fear. "Why? Are you…still afraid to trust me?"

"No." Abel spun to face her, his eyes wide. Gently, he reached out and laid one hand along her cheek. "Miss Esther…it isn't that. It's just…" He sighed. "I…you've been through a terrible time, lately. And…what my brother did to you…what Dietrich has done…that hurt you deeply. I don't…I don't wish to say anything that might…make things more difficult for you."

Esther reached up to touch his hand. "Please Father…tell me." She caught his eyes. "I've told you before…what I hate most…the thing that bothers me most…is seeing you afraid and ashamed. And seeing you like this…" She swallowed. "Even if…even if it's uncomfortable, I'd rather know what it is that troubles you."

Abel stood still for a long moment. Then he sighed, like a man releasing or accepting a heavy burden. To her surprise, he reached up, and hesitantly enfolded her in his arms. His voice, when he spoke, was barely a whisper, but so intense she had no trouble hearing him.

"I…Miss Esther, when we spoke, the night of the masquerade, I…" She heard him swallow. "I wanted to protect you. From Cain…and from myself. I did not…I did not want to expose you to the darkness of my past. Nor did I want to risk having my brother target you. I didn't realize he already had. But I wanted to protect you…even if…even if it meant putting you at arms length."

He swallowed again. Esther felt a painful lump forming in her throat. At the same time, she was aware of an odd tension in her body, as if she were nervous. She forced herself to remain silent as Abel spoke.

"I…never meant to hurt you. Certainly not as badly as I did. I simply didn't want you endangered for my sake. I am sorry for that." He stopped, and his voice was hoarse when he continued. "I…when I realized you were gone, and who'd taken you…I…I thought I was going to go mad. I felt as if heart was breaking…like my soul was shattering. If…if Leon, and William and Caterina…and the others…hadn't been there, I don't know what I would have done. If Petros…if Petros hadn't been there, I would have let the Inquisition tear me apart, if it assured me that they could find you safe. And I…when we found you, or you found us…I…I've never felt so relieved."

He stopped. Esther waited, but he seemed to be having trouble speaking. She looked up then, to see him gazing at her. "What…what are you trying to say?"

He sighed again, and closed his eyes, his face tightening in response to the tension she could feel vibrating through him. "I…cannot protect you, by keeping you away. And the truth is…the truth is…I don't really wish to try. I…if I could…I would prefer to stay beside you. That's why…when you asked me, last night…I…"

He stopped, and she saw his jaw clench. Then he stepped back, his hands dropping to his sides. "I decided…when we were looking for you, that I…that I would reveal everything. That I would tell you the truth. And that…if you could still…if you…did not turn from me…that I would….give you this."

He reached into a pocket, then took her hand carefully and laid something small and round into it. His eyes met hers. "I…I can't…I can't promise you anything, really. Not until I've settled things between Cain and I. And I…there's no guarantee that I…that I will survive that. But this…if you accept it…then I…well…" He stopped abruptly, and dropped his hands, turning his face away as if he were embarrassed.

Esther blinked, then opened her hand to look at the small object.

It was a ring, smallish but rather heavy. She held it up to the light. The center ring appeared to be a reddish-black stone. Someone had clearly taken a great deal of time to form it into the exact shape, then polish it to mirror smoothness. Braided around the stone were thin wires of what appeared to be gold and silver and copper, They glittered in the light, reflecting sparkles into the rich ore they surrounded. Esther gasped in wonder. "Father, this is beautiful. What…where did you…? I've never seen anything like it."

"No. You won't. I…that ring…I made it. Back on Mars. It was…one of the few things I created, rather than destroyed." He was still looking away.

"Oh." Esther's eyes widened. "But then…why would you…why are you giving it to me?"

Abel swallowed. "I can't…I can't promise, and I won't ask you to promise me, but…I…" His head bowed. "I wish…if I live through the fight with Cain and the Order. I wish to stay beside you. If you wish to have me. If you're willing to…wait for me."

Esther felt her heart beginning to pound wildly. Heat raced to her face, and she felt rather peculiar. Everything seemed distant, unreal, except for the man beside her. "Father…are you…?" she couldn't form the rest of her thought.

He turned back to face her, them dropped to his knees on the gravel of the path. "I am telling you…Miss Esther…what I mean to say is…" He stopped for a single heartbeat. "I am saying that I love you, heart and soul. And that…even though I can't make any requests now…that ring…that ring is my promise that…when everything is over, if it is possible…then I will ask to stand beside you. As…as your husband."

Esther felt herself stiffen in shock. She stepped forward, and laid a hand on his face. "Are you…asking me to marry you?"

He took her hand gently in his own. "Not yet. But…if you choose to accept this then this ring is my promise that I will ask you to marry me, when matters are settled."

The world seemed to rock around her. Esther wasn't sure which was stronger, the surprise that flooded her, or the joy that seemed to fountain from her heart. She felt as if her heart was exploding within her chest, as if the wonder of his request was too big to be contained within her. She felt as if she were floating, as if she were falling, as if the ground had somehow come to life under her feet. She stared at him, too stunned to say anything at first as she looked into the blue eyes.

She saw the consternation in Abel's eyes, and it served to help her ground herself. But the wondrous joy that filled her was still too great to be contained, and she wanted Abel to share it. She closed her hand around the ring, careful not to damage it, then moved forward to lay a hand on his jaw. She touched him tenderly, then leaned forward till their faces were nearly touching and smiled at him. "Well then, I'll hold you to that promise." Before he could respond, she leaned forward the last quarter inch, and kissed him.

Abel stiffened, clearly startled. Then, before she could react, his arms were around her, pulling her to him, down beside him, so that she was curled to his chest once more. Abel shifted as he drew her to him, his body moving to accommodate her movement, and the kiss deepened as Abel returned Esther's passion with his own, all the desperate hope and love, covering nine centuries of anguished loneliness. Esther melted, feeling the electricity and fire of that passionate embrace shorting her mind. She was aware of nothing but Abel's fierce embrace, all the love he offered in that kiss. Where Cain's kiss had been cold and demanding, forcing subservience, Abel's was warm, giving, a sacrifice and request in one. Passion held tightly leashed exploded between them, so deep Esther was almost surprised the very path beneath them didn't light up.

Finally, Abel pulled back. Esther gasped, feeling a wave of dizziness crash over her. She didn't want it to end, but she needed air. She leaned against him, aware of her deep breaths and her own. She wanted to kiss him again, but she had a feeling that another such kiss would destroy the last of both their self control.

Finally, Abel spoke, his voice as ragged as her breaths. "Miss Esther… you…"

She levered herself up, so she could smile into those wonderful blue eyes. "I accept."


	26. Twenty One: Warning of Intent

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **This is an early update folks and hi to all new and old fans of** TBWC. **I wanna say thanks to all the newbies whom have subscribed to me or this story please be sure to add your vote to my profile page in what will be my next story project since **TBWC** get closer to the finale.

Hope you all like and cross your fingers for next update and pray it will also arrive early then planed.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her own TB stories on which are awesome. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Twenty One - Warning of Intent**

There was a long silence after Esther's words. Through her euphoria, Esther gradually became aware of the cooling air and the rough gravel under her knees. She didn't want to move from his embrace, but it was a little uncomfortable. She was considering saying something when Abel shifted, then lifted them both to their feet. "You know, we really ought to be getting back inside. Your advisors won't appreciate it if I let you catch cold." His voice was his old, teasing tone, roughened by the emotions of the past hour.

Esther nodded. "You're right of course, Father."

"Abel, if you don't mind." She blinked up at him, startled, and saw a sheepish grin on his face, just visible in the lamplight. He shrugged, and rubbed the back of his head self-consciously. "After all that…you might call me by my name. Besides…having someone I've proposed to call me 'Father' is…a little odd, don't you think? Even if I am much older than you." She heard the teasing note in his voice, and felt an answering smile touch her lips.

"All right…Abel." It was a little harder than she'd expected, but she'd never before called him by his name aloud.

"That's better." He turned toward the path, and held out his arm invitingly. "Shall we, Miss Esther?"

She took his arm with one hand, holding the ring he'd given her with the other and flushing slightly with happiness. "You know, you can use my name as well. You don't have to call me Miss Esther. Besides, it's not as if you've never called me that before."

She felt him miss a step beside her. "That is true, I suppose. Although… considering I haven't actually asked you…" He sighed. "I know it's not the best thing but…I'd prefer not to…not to make too much fuss."

"I understand." And she did. Certainly, they didn't want the Order of Rosenkreutz to hear about it. Or his brother. For that matter, Esther wasn't entirely sure about how the nobles of her own court would take the whole thing. She knew he wasn't an ordinary priest, but she was one of the very few that did, and she doubted he wanted to expose his past to everyone. She shook her thoughts away from that path. After all, they'd just agreed to wait until the business with the Order was settled. There would time enough for all these considerations later. She smiled, and leaned into his warm presence. Her smile widened as he shifted his weight to accommodate her.

The journey back to the main Palace felt surreal, and far too short for Esther's liking. As they approached the stairs, she gently disengaged herself from Abel. She didn't let go of his arm, but she shifted her grip to the more informal handclasp the two of them had used before. His fingers wrapped obligingly around hers, warm and gentle. She felt the solid weight in her other hand, and looked down.

In the clear light of the Palace lamps, the ring he'd given her was even more wondrous. The stone wasn't ruby, she knew that, but it certainly glowed with all the intensity of a gemstone. A deep red, veined with black, it was like a fire-lit coal come to life, polished to a shine. It was a wide band, and braided around it were thin strands of metal wire, gleaming silver and gold and copper in the light. Esther caught her breath. "This is…it's magnificent. Did you…really make this?"

"Yes. I…I found the stone on Mars, while outside our dome one day. And then I…I scavenged the wire from around the colony." The odd roughness to Abel's voice made her look up.

He was looking ahead, up the hallway but, to her surprise, there were tears spilling down his cheeks, falling to his uniform. Esther stopped, looking at him in surprise and concern. "Are you all right? What's wrong?"

Abel blinked. "What?" He stopped beside her, then reached up one hand to his own face, his eyes widening as his fingers encountered the teardrops. "I…I'm very sorry. I…I don't know what came over me." He pulled off his glasses and began to fish for a handkerchief.

Esther reached into her sleeve and pulled out her own, then gently dabbed the dampness from his face. "It's all right. You don't need to apologize for your feelings. But if there's something bothering you…I'd like for you to tell me."

He shook his head. "It's not like that, really. To be honest…I hadn't realized it was happening." A smile touched his face, sweet and sad and sheepish all at once. "It's not that I'm troubled, it's just…" He took a deep breath. "I…really didn't think…I didn't dare hope that you'd…that you'd accept me. After what I said that night, and what happened to you. And after what I told you…I…didn't dare hope. And now…" He swallowed hard, and one hand came up, to touch her wrist, and stroke a thumb across the ring she held. "I cannot…" He stopped, then suddenly pulled her into a gentle embrace. "I cannot remember when I felt so overjoyed. I feel as if…as if I cannot get my balance, and I don't really care." He paused, and she heard the shyness in his voice. "I…suppose I'm just a little overwhelmed, that's all. Truly."

She heard the sincerity in his voice, and she knew quite well what he meant. She felt more than a little overwhelmed herself. And curled into the broad strong chest, she was also feeling a little off balance. She smiled against the uniform. "I understand. I was a little shocked myself. When you said those things…I was surprised. But I'm glad you did." She looked up into his eyes.

"Yes well…so am I." He returned her smile with a rather sheepish, silly grin. Then his eyes darkened slightly. "I was…truly afraid to. But…while we were hunting for you…I told the Professor…what you said to me, that night. And he told me…if I loved you enough to try and protect you…that I ought to tell you how I felt." The smile touched his face again. "Or at least, it was something like that."

Esther flushed. "He said something similar to me. Actually…I was a little confused this morning, and he told me to talk to Caterina, and to you. And he listened, when I spoke with him. He really is a very kind person, isn't he?" She paused, remembering what else she'd heard from William. "You know…you really need to talk with him."

"Hmmm, well I do owe him a thank you." Abel shifted slightly.

"That too." Esther moved to touch his face, bringing his eyes back to hers. "But it's more than that. I think you need to speak to him…for his sake." She saw the startled question in his gaze. "He thinks…he told me, this morning when I spoke to him…he told me he's afraid. He's afraid that his experiments and the fact that he keeps an eye on your health…that he's been tormenting you all this time. He said he was concerned, that you were suffering because of him. And I think he's really worried about it."

"Good Lord." Abel's words were a mere breath, and she saw shock and pity in the blue eyes. He took a deep breath. "I had no idea…you're right. I do need to speak to him." He shook his head. "I'll admit, he does make me nervous sometimes. And sometimes…I do have trouble. But he's always been very gentle, and he does listen to what I say." His eyes were thoughtful, and after a moment, he shook his head again. "I've sometimes been exasperated by his work, but he's never hurt me. Nor do I feel that he has caused me undue suffering. Actually…" A sad smile touched his mouth. "He's gone out of his way to protect me more than once, and he's taken very good care of me."

Esther touched his face again. "Well, if you feel that way, that's something you should tell him."

He nodded. "You're absolutely right." He turned his head slightly to brush her fingertips with a kiss, then looked into her eyes. "As soon as I've seen you to your quarters, I'll check to see if he's awake. If he is, I will tell him tonight. And if not…then I'll be sure to speak to him first thing tomorrow." He let out a deep, slightly shaken breath. "Really, I had no idea…"

"It's all right. I'm sure the Professor will understand." She smiled, and saw a ghost of a grin appear on his face. "Now then, I should probably be getting back to my rooms." Her smile turned rueful. "After all, it's late, and I have plenty of work to catch up on tomorrow."

"You're quite correct." Abel returned her grin with a matching one, then gently wrapped his fingers around hers.

Esther felt the pressure of the ring in her hand once more. She looked down. "It really is beautiful." She fingered it, then experimentally tried it on her hand. It was too big. She sighed. "It's a shame I can't wear it properly."

"Hmmm…and there's no way to resize it either." Abel made a face. Then he gently took it from her hand. "If you'll allow me." He slipped behind her, and she felt a slight tug on the chain bearing the locket. She felt the chain come loose, then refasten, and something heavy slid down to clink against the silver medallion. She looked down to see the ring nestled beside it. "Will that do?"

"I…yes, of course." She felt emotion threatening to make her knees weak again, and brushed a hand across her eyes. "But it really is getting late…"

"Yes. Sorry." He did sound genuinely contrite as he stepped up beside her and offered her his hand once more. Esther took it, and they made their way slowly back through the corridors.

The journey felt almost as unreal as the one from the gardens. Despite that, Esther found herself wavering on her feet, exhausted by the emotions she'd experienced. By the time they reached her door, she could barely keep her eyes open. Abel brought her to her rooms and opened them for her, then saw her settled in bed. He waited until she was settled, then lifted one of her hands in his and brushed a gentle kiss across it. "Good night, Esther. Sleep well." Then he turned to the door and vanished through it.

"Good night…Abel." Esther yawned, and within minutes, she was fast asleep.

She woke the next morning to sunlight touching her face from a half opened curtain. A glance at the clock told her she'd slept in. She sat up quickly, rubbing sleep from her eyes, and was startled by a slight clink. She looked down.

A red ring hung next to a small silver locket, still hanging from her neck. Feeling just a little dazed, Esther reached down and took the two items in her hand. _Last night…it wasn't all a dream then. Father Nightroad…Abel…he really did promise me. And he…he gave me these…._ She ran her fingers over the smooth ring, the braided wire, and the engraving on the locket, her mind reliving the events of the evening.

A knock startled her back to the present. She looked up, just as Virgil entered. "Lord Walsh." She remembered the time, and blushed. "I apologize. It appears I slept late again."

He shook his head. "There is no need for concern." He bowed slightly. "I hope you will forgive the liberty, but I ordered your maids to leave you to rest as long as you needed. I felt that you could perhaps use the time to recover your spirits. If you feel I have erred, you have my deepest apologies."

Esther shook her head. "I feel a little guilty, sleeping in like that, but… I don't feel you overstepped. Actually, I'm rather grateful. But I really do need to get back to work, don't I?"

"As you wish." He stepped forward and handed her a dressing gown, then gave her a hand up. "Breakfast is prepared in the other room, Your Majesty."

"Thank you. Have you eaten?" She looked up at him.

"I have. I have also gone through your paperwork. I have a list of the things that need to be taken care of most immediately. However, it can wait until after you've eaten."

"No. It's fine. I am rather behind." She settled into her chair, allowed him to serve her a plate of bacon and eggs and juice, along with some fruit. "Please, sit down."

"Thank you." He settled into the opposite chair, and withdrew a sheet of paper. He glanced up as he opened it, and his eyes settled on the necklace. "Your Majesty…if I may enquire…that medallion…"

Esther blinked, then felt a slow blush rising to her cheeks. "Oh, yes. Father Nightroad gave it to me last night. He said it was something to give me encouragement, in dangerous times."

One pale eyebrow rose. "Then I take it you have reached a decision regarding the Father?"

"Yes." Esther lifted one hand to touch the locket again. "It's all right now. He and I…we've come to understand each other." There was so much more she could have said, but she wasn't sure how to say it. As much as she liked Virgil, he was still nobility, and still her advisor. She had no idea what he'd say if she told him she'd fallen in love with the Vatican priest who'd been her mentor. Much less if she told him that she'd agreed to wait until after the war, and then marry him.

The eyebrow rose a fraction higher, but his face remained otherwise impassive. After a moment, he nodded slightly. "I am pleased to hear that, Your Majesty. Shall I request his return to guard duty, then? I was informed this morning that he has recovered."

"I…if he feels up to it, please do. After all, you have things you need to do as well. She nodded. "I'm sure you'll be relieved."

He inclined his head once more. "I confess, I am relieved that you and he have come to a reconciliation. And the more guards you have, the more at ease I feel." His eyes flicked to the paper in his hand. "Now then, Your Majesty, regarding the matters that need attending to…"

They went over the basic items for discussion while she ate her meal. Most of them were routine matters involving the city but there were also several suggestions and questions about increased Palace security, and security for the nobles. A system of password recognitions or facial recognitions had been suggested, but Esther knew both would be ineffective against the Order. After all, Dietrich could possess someone, and both Kampfer and Kaspar could transform. It wouldn't take much for them to get past the guards in either case. Even knowing that, she agreed that something needed to be done, if only to set the nobles at ease. As she finished, she requested Virgil gather Mary and Vanessa, to meet in her office as soon as she was done getting ready. The golden-haired advisor nodded and left, and Esther turned her concentration to getting dressed.

When she arrived at her office, escorted by the guards, all three of them were waiting for her. Unfortunately, the rest of the morning proved rather frustrating. Try as they might, none of them could think of a way to neutralize the advantage the Order possessed. After three hours of discussion, Mary sat back with a sigh. "This is very troublesome. We need to be assured of the safety of Your Majesty. However, with an enemy that can both transform his appearance, or possess a member of the court by touch, it's extremely difficult. A DNA scan might alert us if they tried to impersonate someone, but is no defense against this…Puppet Master. And passwords recognitions can be stolen, and used. And it's difficult, even with the best equipment, to be sure if someone is being coerced." She rubbed her forehead. "And all this assumes that the next assault won't be similar to the one nine months ago, where they simply went through the back routes, hijacked the computer, and destroyed half the Palace."

"Hmph." Vanessa sat back with a scowl. "Just for a moment, let's assume there isn't just one solution out there." She scowled at her brother, and transferred the frown to Mary. "The problem is, we all want there to be one simple solution to the whole problem. And that might not be the case."

Esther blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I say we take each problem one at a time, and figure something out." She frowned. "For instance…how do we prevent another attack?"

Mary frowned. "It's not feasible to prevent one. They can attack us whether we like it or not. However, it is possible to prevent the devastating outcome of the last few attacks. More vigilance is required." She folded her hands. "However, the problem lies in our inability to detect spies. If our opponents are capable of taking any guise, or possessing a member of the court, how do we prevent them from approaching?"

Virgil sighed. "One option would be to confine the Court. In a state of wartime emergency, it is possible to ask the nobility and such to remain within the Palace. That strategy was used during the White Rebellion."

"True. That is a good starting point. However…how do we prevent it if there are traitors among us already?" Mary's brow furrowed in concentration.

"It isn't just that." Esther spoke up hesitantly. "If we…If we confine everyone here, then the country will suffer, won't it? After all…they won't be able to take care of things. And that…that could be bad, couldn't it?"

"True. Of course, we could adopt the opposite strategy. In fact, that might be more feasible." Virgil frowned. "Winter is approaching. In such conditions…I'm sure many people would prefer to be at home. Your Majesty has only to announce that you've disbanded the court for such reasons, and most people will depart. The central council will remain, but the number of potential dangers will decrease drastically."

Mary nodded. "I agree with Lord Walsh. That does seem like a more useful solution."

"Then I'll make the announcement tomorrow." Esther nodded. Actually, she was rather relieved. She wasn't used to the crowds of a full palace, and she felt rather worn out dealing with everyone.

"Very well. The question then remains…how to protect you from other intruders." Mary sighed. "Even with the reduced numbers, we'll be at risk."

"We can implement passwords. Also, it will take time, but if you wish, I can have a set of passive scanners created, similar to the ones which guard our elevators. It's not perfect, of course, but they can alert us to someone in disguise." Virgil sighed. "Unfortunately, that will take some time. As will programming them with the appropriate markers for those we wish to allow access to you, Majesty. Until then, you will be at risk."

Vanessa sat back. "You know…the Vatican seems to have fewer problems with this. Why don't we ask that Cardinal if she has any ideas? She might know a temporary measure or something that we can use." Her gaze met Esther's across the table. "After all, part of an alliance is to share information, right? So let's ask."

"That is…I think that is an excellent suggestion." Virgil rose and bowed. "If Your Majesty will permit…shall I go inquire as to whether or not the Cardinal is available?"

"I…yes, of course." Esther smiled. "If we're going to implement new defense strategies, then it's only right to include Lady Caterina. Actually, we should probably include our Imperial envoys as well."

Virgil nodded. "I believe they are resting. However, Vanessa and I had planned to give them a full briefing of our plans this evening when they arise."

"All right." Esther nodded, seeing the logic of that. "Then, will you please convey my request to Lady Caterina?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Virgil bowed, and disappeared through the door.

He returned half an hour later, bowing for Caterina to enter before him. The Lady Cardinal was dressed in casual working attire, but she inclined her head with regal grace. "Your Majesty. I hope you'll pardon my attire."

"It's quite all right." Esther smiled and gestured the other woman to a seat. "I didn't ask you here for anything formal. I simply wanted to apprise you of the security plans we've made, and ask if you had any further suggestions." She laid out the plans they'd made, including the increased guard, and Virgil's plans for the sensors.

Caterina took notes, listening intently. When Esther finished, she laid her pen aside. "You're certainly taking several very wise precautions. In fact, if it isn't too much trouble, Lord Walsh, I wouldn't mind having a set of those sensors of yours to provide for His Holiness. I'm sure, with your assistance that the Professor can make the necessary programming and alterations."

"Quite correct. With Her Majesty's permission, I would be more than willing to provide them."

Esther nodded. "Of course."

Caterina folded her hands. "Your safest route is to limit contact with Her Majesty. While it's an unfortunate necessity, at the Vatican, very few people are allowed to see His Holiness unless they are vouched for and escorted by a select few individuals, or unless he gives his personal permission. Also, he is rarely alone with any such individuals."

"We had already considered that route. However, the problem is if one of those in a trusted position becomes possessed or is impersonated." Mary bowed her head. "I hate to even consider the possibility, but it isn't impossible that any one of us could be taken control of, or be overwhelmed and then replaced by an imposter."

"It would be more difficult than you fear." Caterina smiled grimly. "However…" She shifted one hand, and her cardinal's ring shifted, revealing a second narrow band. "In the Vatican, we've all learned to carry hidden trinkets, or some such. If our behavior is questioned, we have to produce those items, and give an exact recounting of where they came from, and from whom. I have more than one such, and so do all my agents. That was Father Havel's suggestion. It's unlikely that anyone attempting to impersonate you will have both the items and an accurate recollection of their history." She slipped the band back into place out of sight. "And, there is potentially one other precaution you could take, at least regarding Lady Esther." Her gaze slipped to Esther's face. "I'd heard that you and Father Nightroad have resolved your differences."

Esther blinked at the sudden change of topic. "I…well, yes, we did. But why…?"

"Then I'll lend him to you. I recommend you take him as a full time guard. If you can think of a way to do so without causing an uproar, take Abel to court with you at least once, before you disperse them." Caterina frowned. "As much as I may not like to say this, if you and he have reconciled, then he's your best protection."

Mary frowned. "I know Father Nightroad is strong, and skilled. However…it seems as if you have another reason for recommending him."

"I do. Abel cannot break someone free of possession, but he _can_ identify them, at least sometimes. And he can _always_ identify a change in identity or a shadow puppet such as the ones von Kampfer is known to favor." Caterina folded her hands in front of her face. "When the Order last infiltrated Rome, von Kampfer approached me in the guise of my uncle, the former Archbishop D'Este. The ruse was so good I confess even I fell for it. Abel did not. He's never met my uncle, to my knowledge, however when he arrived to help me, he was instantly aware that the man I faced was not who I thought he was."

"Impressive." Mary considered. "Now that you mention it, I recall that in the last attack, he used his powers, and managed to successfully target all of the possessed staff and shadow demons within eyesight. I was surprised. I didn't even see half of our attackers until the lightning struck."

"Precisely. If your greatest concern is the Queen's safety, then you need Father Nightroad at her side, as much as possible."

Esther flushed. "It's kind of you, Lady Caterina. But…if the danger is so great, surely you need him as much as I do."

Caterina shook her head. "At present, the Order appears to be targeting you, for some unknown reason. In that case, it only makes sense for you to have tighter protection. Besides, the Professor, Vaclav and Tres are fairly reliable. Even Leon is quite capable. Though I don't doubt the skills of your guards, I believe this is the best distribution of strength under the present circumstances." An ironic grin touched the corner of her mouth. "Besides, based on his recent behavior, I doubt Father Nightroad will accept any other terms."

Virgil made a soft noise that sounded almost like a chuckle. "It is true. He is rather interested in Her Majesty's welfare."

"Indeed." Caterina's gaze turned thoughtful. After a moment, she met Esther's eyes again. "With your permission, I will return to the Vatican." She frowned. "While it appears the Order is targeting you, it is still possible they are simply seeking to destroy the Alliance. If that is the case, then having two targets in this area increases Albion's danger drastically. I'd like to see how they move if we are spread out. It will tell us if their target is the Alliance, or if for some reason they are specifically targeting you."

Esther nodded. "That's true. Besides…" She gave the other woman a slightly rueful grin. "I know you have work that needs to be done in the Vatican, and His Holiness needs your support."

Caterina returned her smile with one of her own. "That's true. I have been away from His Holiness for a while this time." The smile widened, amusement in the steel grey eyes. "Brother's been quite irritable."

"Then…thank you for all your help. And I appreciate your loaning Father Nightroad to me for a while." Esther stood, then moved around the table and held out her hand. "Thank you, very much."

"You're quite welcome." Caterina took her hand, then rose as well, offering her a friendly glance. "I'll probably leave in two or three days. Until then, I believe we had some things we were discussing, Your Majesty."

"That's true." Esther turned back to her advisors. "Is there anything else we need to discuss here?"

"Not to my knowledge." Mary shook her head and rose from her seat. "Virgil, if you and Lady Vanessa would like to begin preparations for the sensor systems, I will escort Her Majesty and Her Excellency to the office, so they can attend to the matters they wish to handle."

"As you wish." Virgil rose. "If you will excuse me. I will begin work on the arrangements we discussed, and inform the Imperial envoy's when they awake of our plans. If you wish, Your Majesty, shall I send Father Nightroad to assist you?"

Esther felt a slow burn of red creep up her cheeks. She did want to see Abel again, but she wasn't at all sure how she'd react in his presence. The warmth of the previous night's conversation was still with her. Somehow, it didn't seem appropriate to kiss her guard, or a man who was supposed to be a Vatican priest. At least, not in front of witnesses.

Caterina saved her the trouble. "Actually, I'd appreciate it if you could send Abel to us. It's best if he knows what his new duties are and settles into them before I return to my post." She sighed. "Besides, with Abel, it's best to make sure he knows how to behave. Generally he's very competent, but if he's going to be representing the Vatican, I can't have him wandering around with candy in his pockets, or losing his ID card."

Esther stifled a giggle. "That is true. He is rather forgetful sometimes." She smiled at Virgil. "Please, send him to the office as soon as you find him."

"As you wish." He bowed, then exited the room, followed by his sister. Esther and Caterina exchanged a quick look, filled with amusement, and followed him.

They'd been working for over an hour when a knock interrupted them. Esther looked up as Abel opened the door and stepped inside. He moved forward, and bowed uncertainly. "Umm…excuse me if I'm interrupting anything, but….Lord Walsh said you wanted to see me."

"Indeed." Caterina studied him. "We've determined that you are to be Esther's permanent guard, until we've determined what the Order is going to do. I will be returning to the Vatican within the next three days. However, you will remain here." Her eyes were cool, appraising. "I trust you'll be able to handle the assignment?"

"Yes, of course." Abel blinked. "Permanent guard?"

"You are expected to remain with Her Majesty, or at least within earshot, any time you are not asleep or actively assigned a different task. If you are requested to do something, it had better be by one of her three advisors, and you had better make sure there is someone in place to protect her." Caterina's gaze turned stern. "Do you understand, Abel?" She rose and moved to his side. "This is a very important assignment. I expect nothing less than your best effort. If you can't manage that, you'd better say so now."

Abel flushed. "Of course I'll give it my best effort. Honestly Caterina…why would you even think I'd do anything else?"

"Because you've been acting oddly recently Abel." She looked him in the eyes. "Regarding that, I trust you've settled your issues with Her Majesty?"

Esther couldn't see the Cardinal's face, but she saw the low flush stealing over Abel's and she heard the faint note of teasing in Caterina's voice.

"Ummm, yes, of course." He swallowed, then stepped around Caterina, to bow in front of Esther's desk. "Ah…Miss Esther…it appears I'll be in your service for a while."

"Thank you, Father Nightroad." The words had just left her mouth when she realized that she'd called him by title once again. She almost corrected herself, but Abel looked up, and she saw the faintest nod of his head. She turned back to Caterina. "Since Father Nightroad is here, did you want to explain things to him, or shall we get back to work?"

"I'm sure Abel understands what's needed." Caterina settled back into her chair, and Abel took up a seat perched next to a window, his bright blue eyes watching both of them. Esther was astonished at how easily he settled into stillness, almost fading into the background of her awareness. Then she turned her attention back to her discussion with Caterina.

Hours later, the Cardinal rose. "It's been quite interesting Your Majesty, but I must confess, I'm getting fatigued. And I have a great deal to do, to prepare for my departure."

Esther nodded. "I understand." She felt a little tired as well, and her head felt almost full to overflowing with all the information she and Caterina had traded. "Please, have the guards outside escort you back to your rooms."

"I will, thank you." Caterina stretched. "Shall I leave you here with Abel?"

"Yes." Esther eyed the notes she'd been taking. "I need to get these organized before I settle in for the night. But…thank you." She stood, and bowed to the older woman. "Thank you for helping me. I appreciate all the things you've been teaching me."

A soft smile touched Caterina's face. "It's been a pleasure working with you." She inclined her head. "If you'll excuse me." Then she turned and left.

After Caterina's exit, Esther settled back at the desk. She started putting her notes in order, but her mind wasn't really on the task. After a moment, she looked up to see Abel still settled in his seat. It startled her to find that he was watching her as well. She blushed. "I…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to seem as if I was ignoring you, Fath…Abel." She blushed again. "Sorry. I know you asked me to call you by name, but I wound up calling you Father Nightroad earlier."

"It's quite all right." Abel shifted, and she looked up to see a faint flush staining his normally pale complexion. "I did say that I wanted to keep it quiet for now, so I suppose it's best this way, at least when we're with others. It's probably wise for you to continue to call me Father Nightroad when we're around the others." He stopped. "Ah…that reminds me. I wanted to thank you, Esther. For telling me about the Professor last night."

Esther blinked. "Did you get to speak to him?"

"Yes." He bowed his head. "He really was concerned about my feelings. I feel…well, a little ashamed that I didn't realize it before. But we spoke last night about it. And it's all right now."

Esther smiled. "That's good. I'm glad you managed to speak to him." She turned back to her paperwork. "Just let me get this sorted, and then I can take a break. And perhaps…would you like to go for a walk in the gardens? I haven't been out all day, and I could use the fresh air."

"That sounds nice." He smiled. "I'd like that, very much, Miss Esther."

The next few days passed in a whirlwind of activity. Caterina left three days after their discussion, taking Vaclav, the Professor, and Leon. Petros actually left two days earlier, determined to be at the Pope's side once more. Somewhat to Esther's surprise, Astha and Ion both elected to return home as well, to assist the Empress. Though there'd been no news of an attack or further incidents within the Empire, they were all aware that Seth was concerned. Both groups took a set of Virgil's sensors with them. The Count spent an hour or so with each representative, demonstrating how the technology worked, and how the programming could be altered to include new individuals.

The days following settled into their old pattern of work and rest. At Mary's suggestion, Esther disbanded the Court for winter, announcing that she intended to hold Christmas festivities at the appropriate time, and would make announcements about it later. A few days after, Virgil installed a set of the protective security detectors in both her office and the Council chambers. They weren't visible, but their presence made Esther feel better. But even better was the presence of the tall, slender man who stood watch over her.

Abel was always at her side. The day after Caterina's suggestion, she introduced him to the royal council as Father Nightroad, special security attachment from the Vatican. She, Mary and Virgil had agreed to announce it as an extra measure, offered to offset the duties her two advisors shared, and accepted as an example of goodwill. Abel escorted her wearing his formal Vatican uniform, complete with the partially armored outer cassock. He looked very dignified throughout the entire council meeting, and introduced himself with that grave, quiet courtesy she remembered from his first introduction to Ion.

Abel was a wonder to her. Though the intensity of the first few days soon settled, she couldn't shake the happiness that touched her whenever she looked into his eyes. Though she knew that he'd made her no promises, the memory of his words, of that intense, wonderful kiss, remained in her memory. Abel himself seemed more relaxed in her presence. In public, in front of her advisors, he was quiet, dignified, every inch the Catholic priest he was supposed to be. But alone, he spoke to her gently, and the warmth of their relationship bloomed. He'd even started embracing her before bed each night, just after he checked her room, and every now and then he would find a reason to brush her hand or her cheek with a light, gentle kiss. Light as those touches were, the love in them was evident, and they warmed her heart.

As the days passed, Esther began to relax. She and the others were still as vigilant as possible, but she felt herself start to calm some. Abel, on the other hand, seemed to be more tense than ever. He spent his time with Esther in her office, talking with the others. All three labs had been abandoned, so they were starting the search fresh. After the first few days, Esther noticed that Abel frequently emerged from those discussions looking worried. As the days went by she caught him, more and more often, staring out the window with an intense frown on his face. Though he never failed to brighten up in her presence, she wondered at the odd restlessness that seemed to possess him.

Finally, she woke one morning to find him at her window, staring at the gardens with that dark, thoughtful look. She watched his still profile for a moment, then slipped out of bed, and stepped forward to lay a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong?"

He blinked, then smiled down at her. "Sorry. Did I disturb you? I was just thinking."

"You didn't wake me. But…" She touched his face. "You've been so worried lately. It really doesn't seem like you to be so distant. And you've been speaking to Caterina and Virgil and Seth a great deal recently."

He sighed, and folded his arms carefully about her. "Yes, well…I admit, I am a little worried." He took a deep breath, and she felt him exhale into her hair. "The Order has vanished, and now that we don't know where to look for them, I'm a little concerned."

"But…we haven't heard anything yet." Esther blinked.

"I know." Abel's voice was soft, and heavy. "That's why…that's what has me worried. Cain…if he's retreated like this, then it means he's thinking of something. He always was a very good strategist. The fact that we haven't heard anything…it means he's planning something. And whatever it is, it will be devastating. I don't know yet, what he might be thinking, but…I am afraid."

She could hear the concern in his voice, and she wanted to comfort him. "Well, I admit, it is a little unsettling, not to know where he'll strike from next, but…" She reached up to touch his face. "We have each other to help. And we have the Alliance, right? And I'm sure that, whatever happens, you'll be able to handle it. After all, you're just as strong as he is, and just as smart. So I'm sure we'll be able to manage, and then we can defeat them."

He made a soft sound, one that sounded almost like a laugh. "Thank you, Esther." Then his voice turned sober again. "The truth is…I…I'm not sure. Cain is…he's always been…"

"It's all right." She laid her hand along his cheek, feeling the high thin cheekbones. "I'll be right here to help you."

"Thank you." He smiled, a faint smile but genuine, and tightened his embrace. Then he released her and stepped back, heading for the door. "I'll call your maids. You should probably get dressed. Lord Walsh or Colonel Spencer will be here to help you start the day soon."

She was just finishing dressing when Mary came for her. The Colonel knocked once, then entered. "Your Majesty."

Esther nodded. "I'm ready. So…what's on the schedule for today?"

"Father Nightroad is seeing to your breakfast preparations. After which, you have a short meeting with the Council, to discuss some of the plans for winter in the Palace. There are always some renovations that need to be done, to make the Palace more efficient about maintaining a decent temperature during the winter months. Also….the safe houses which were recently opened have been completing their renovations, repairs and alterations. Lady Vanessa would like to request you visit them, to make sure everything meets with your approval. And, of course, we have the usual petitions and letters and so forth. Virgil and I have already collected them, and I believe he's sorting through them now."

"I see. Thank you." Esther let her maid fasten a plain necklace around her throat, then moved toward the door. "Well then, I'd better get to work."

The rest of the day passed normally. Esther met with the Council. At Virgil's suggestion, she agreed to make a brief tour of the renovated safe-houses and passages underground two days later. Despite the potential danger of wandering around Londinium, she really did want to see what had been done. Abel stayed beside her, a silent steadfast shadow. He did take the time to contact Seth, and Caterina, and she knew he'd informed them both of the developments. But it wasn't until later that evening that he spoke with her. They were relaxing in her rooms, and she was reading, when he spoke softly from his seat by the window. "Esther…are you really planning to leave the Palace?"

"Yes. I want to see the work that's been done." She looked over at the slender frame, surrounded by moonlight. "Besides, I was thinking…those passages could become very useful. And anyway, you and the others will be with me. So it should be all right."

Abel sighed. "Well, you're probably right. But still…I really don't like the idea of this. It seems…well, a little dangerous." His voice deepened. "If I were Cain…if I were with the Order, then this would be a very good opportunity."

Esther stood, and moved to his side. "Do you really think something will happen?"

He shrugged. "Well, I can't really say for certain. But I…" He flashed her a sheepish grin. "When I was in charge of Security for Mars, I…well, I learned to be aware of things like that. And I…even now, I'm afraid I still have some of my habits from those days. So something like this…"

"It's all right. In fact, it's good that you're thinking about this." She touched his jaw. "If you're concerned about something, that means we can take precautions, right?" She studied his face in the light. "Is that what you were discussing with Virgil earlier this evening?" She'd seen the two men in deep conversation, but she'd been working on her own work at the time.

"Well, yes. I hope you don't mind." He offered her a sheepish grin.

"Of course not. After all, you're looking out for me." She returned the smile, then turned to look at the clock. "It's getting late. You should rest."

"Hmm…I think that's what I'm supposed to say." He rose from his seat. "Here. I'll call your maids, and you can call me when you're ready to retire, all right?"

"I….that's fine, but don't you need to rest as well?" She stared at him. "If you're concerned about the visit in two days, shouldn't you work to be at full strength then?"

"Of course I will." He grinned, suddenly completely his old self. "That's why I asked Lord Walsh to take care of watching you some tomorrow, and Colonel Spencer. Those two will guard you while I take a little nap. If you don't mind, of course." That strange, embarrassed look touched his face again, and Esther bit back a giggle. He looked so much like a child trying to avoid a scolding.

"It's fine. I'm sure I'll be perfectly safe." She gestured. "I need to get ready for bed now, so…"

"Oh, of course." Abel's ears went crimson, and he vanished through the door. Esther watched him go with a smile.

The inspection two days later actually turned out to be fairly simple to arrange. Acting under Mary and Abel's advice, Esther elected to have Virgil fly her out to the most distant safe house with Abel that morning, in the Palace helicopter. Afterward, she would follow winding route to the other two, using the car Mary would be bringing while she was involved in the first inspection. Both Virgil and Abel would be with her the entire time, and each location was staffed by Vanessa's hand-picked guards. The young woman had also announced her intention to be at each of the sites to help conduct the tour. While Mary took a wandering route through Londinium, the Count of Manchester and his sister would use the tunnels connecting to the Underground as a faster route to their destination. Not only would it help them move, it would also allow both Virgil and his sister to verify the condition of the safe routes. If at any time they became uncertain of the safety of the tunnels, or of the car, those who were traveling could contact the other team and request a pick up, or a transfer. Abel himself would remain with Esther, and be the first to enter the houses.

The whole thing went surprisingly well. Esther knew that her guards half-expected an attack. Abel certainly did. He arrived to escort her in his full armor, with his pistol strapped in plain sight to his hip, and two extra ammunition pouches on the opposite side. Throughout the entire trip, he was quiet, withdrawn from her. Not that he didn't speak, or that he was in any way discourteous. At each location, he handed her out of the vehicle with all the refined movement of a gentleman. Every gesture he made was correct to a fault. But Esther felt the tension in him, the sense of waiting, and the way his attention seemed to be divided.

For her own part, Esther was impressed with the three safe houses. Each one was comfortably furnished and decorated as a manor house, disguising it's nature so well that without the guards and Virgil's information, she'd never have guessed. There were small libraries, bedrooms, and a nicely appointed kitchen and dining area in each. The only difference from a regular house was the security system, and the monitoring room. Each location also had a cellar underneath, from which the inhabitants could enter the Underground. Virgil also showed her two more emergency exits, one into the sewer system, and one into the street, that could be used in an emergency. And each entrance was guarded by servants, and activated with a key that could only be acquired from the House of Manchester. Seeing the arrangements, Esther was impressed, as was Mary.

Abel was quiet throughout the tours, but she sensed his approval. He and Virgil spent several minutes at each location, discussing the design and possible improvements. She was surprised, listening to him. Though she knew there was far more to him than being a simple priest, she hadn't expected the level of detail he seemed to consider in regards to security. There were some things she'd never even considered, until he pointed it out, such as the way the windows could be equipped with small UV lights, to provide an additional barrier to hostile forces. Listening, in the monitoring room of their last stop, she understood why he'd once been a head of security.

Beside her, Mary shifted. "Impressive."

Esther blinked. "Colonel Spencer?"

The older woman shook her head. "I was aware of his strength, and his intelligence and programming skills, but I confess, I had my doubts about this. Even with proper military training, this level of expertise doesn't come easily. I was concerned about his ability to safeguard you, or this country. But it appears that he really does have a thorough knowledge of how to manage such matters."

"Well, Father Nightroad did tell us he managed security at one point." Esther looked back at the slender form, still pointing things out on a monitor for Virgil.

"He did. But he also told us that the military at that time was not the same as it is now. And given what he mentioned about world conditions, I wouldn't have expected him to need such a high level of concerns."

Esther frowned. "That's true. But Father Nightroad…he's been with Lady Caterina for quite some time. He probably learned those things while serving beside her."

"It's possible. However…" Mary turned and favored her with a small smile. "I think it more likely that he's simply become more cautious. He seems very determined to protect you, Your Majesty."

Esther felt a slow flush rising to her cheeks. "Well, yes. I suppose that's true." One hand rose to touch the locket and ring, worn beneath her dress. "Father is…"

"He cares for you, and you return his feelings." The faint smile on Mary's mouth widened. "I guessed, when I observed you held that locket. As did Virgil."

Esther felt her blush deepen. "I see. Then…"

"I approve of the discretion you've both shown, Majesty. As for whatever relationship you have…Father Nightroad is a good man. I do not consider it a problem." She shrugged. "The two of you will have to decide what you wish to do, but for now, I do not consider it a major concern."

"I see. Thank you." Her cheeks were still burning with embarrassment, but Esther couldn't help feeling relieved. It was good to know both her advisors were supportive of Abel, even if they hadn't formally announced anything yet. As the two men turned from the screens, she felt her heart lighten.

The drive back to Buckingham Palace was a quiet one. Knowing Mary wouldn't mind, Esther seated herself with Abel. He did look a little startled as she leaned against his arm, though. "Ah…Miss Esther?"

She wanted to tell him it was all right, to tell him what Mary had said, but the sudden skid of brakes startled her. Abel caught her as she lurched forward. "What…?"

"I don't know." Mary was leaning forward in her seat. "It appears the gate guard flagged us for something. Please, wait here. I will assess the situation."

Abel shifted. "I'd prefer to come with you, to be honest. If something is wrong, I don't think waiting in the car is a good idea."

Mary stopped, meeting his gaze. Abel's own eyes were serious. After a moment, she nodded. "Very well." Abel stepped from the car, and Esther followed him, with Colonel Spencer right behind her. Esther blinked. They were actually inside the main courtyard of the Palace. The guard in question stood several feet away, something in his hand. After a moment, Mary gestured, and the car drove away. She turned. "All right. What is it?"

The guard saluted hastily. "Colonel Spencer. I apologize, however…" He knelt, holding up his hand, with a thin envelope. "This was delivered to the Palace just over an hour ago. The man who delivered it said it was a message especially for Her Majesty, and the priest. We tried to detain him, but he escaped us. We can't identify the sender, but…the mark on the seal…indicates it is from Rosenkreutz. We've examined it carefully, but…"

"Understood. You wished to bring it to my attention at once." Mary stepped forward and took the envelope. "You're certain it contains no explosives or anything of that nature?"

"It appears to contain only a disk, Colonel. We've done everything we can, but there appears to be no signs of bombs, or tracking devices or anything." The guard bowed his head. "If you feel I've made a mistake…"

"No. You've done your job. Return to your post." Mary studied the envelope. The guard leapt to his feet and hurried away. She studied the envelope for a moment, then brought it forward. "Father Nightroad, what do you make of it?"

Abel took the flat package from her carefully, and examined the broken seal. Looking around his elbow, Esther saw clearly the device of the Order. "It looks like a message."

"Indeed. But from whom?" Mary's eyes were troubled.

Abel studied the crest a moment longer, then turned the envelope over. Esther felt him stiffen at once. She looked up to see his eyes widen, fear and anger in the normally calm gaze. Mary took a step forward. "Father Nightroad?"

"Call the others." Abel shuddered once. He opened the envelope and pulled out the disk, then turned to face Esther. His hand was starting to shake. "Tell them…tell them the Contra Mundi has sent a message to us. I don't know what it says, but they'll all want to hear it."

"As you wish. Please escort Her Majesty." Mary bowed once, then turned and strode toward the Palace, already on her communicator. Esther suspected Virgil would be there any moment.

Abel stood frozen, obviously fighting to get a grip on his emotions. Esther touched his arm. "Abel? Are you all right?" She looked at the disk in his hand. "That message, are you sure it's from him? I mean…"

"I have no doubts." Abel held up the envelope. "This message…it's from Cain, personally. His mark…" He shivered once, and turned it toward her.

Esther blinked. The back of the paper was almost totally blank, except for a small marking near the upper corner. She looked at it. "It looks like a number…"

"01. The first. Cain." Abel shuddered. "That's how…that's how he sometimes refers to us. By the order in which we first became Crusniks."

Esther felt a chill pass through her. She knew Abel was right. She'd heard Cain refer to all of them that way. She shivered. "We should probably go inside then. We need…if there's information on that disk, we should see it as soon as possible."

"Yes." Abel threw his arm around her and led her inside.

Virgil was already at the communications terminal when Esther and Abel entered the office, with Mary beside him. He looked up as she entered. "Your Majesty. I'm just completing the connection to the Vatican and the Empire now. Vanessa will connect in from the monitoring station in the Ghetto. We'll be ready in a few moments."

"All right. Father Nightroad?" She looked at Abel, already at the desk.

Abel had moved forward, and slid the disk into her computer terminal. "I'm scanning for any viruses or compromising software. Even if this is a message, I wouldn't put it past them to try and use an underlying source code to try and create a breach within our security defenses." His hands were flying over the keyboard.

Esther nodded. She didn't want to distract him. Seconds later, the holographic projectors in her desk lit up. Virgil straightened as the images of Caterina and Seth flared into view. He bowed and backed away. "Your Majesty."

Esther moved forward. "Your Excellency. Seth. Thank you for answering."

Seth grinned. "It's no problem. Besides, the incoming message from Lord Walsh said this was urgent." The playfulness in her eyes died out. "So…what is it?"

"We've received a message from the Contra Mundi. Father Nightroad is checking to make sure that it's safe to play, but…we thought you'd want to know."

Caterina inclined her head. "That is important. I'm grateful you contacted us." She turned her gaze slightly, though Esther wasn't certain Abel was in her line of view. "Abel?"

"I'm checking it now." He tapped out a few more sequences, and a frown touched his face. "There isn't any sign of a secondary code source anywhere on this."

Seth made a face. "Abel…if it really is from him, then he'd know you'd expect that." She shifted. "You're sure it isn't just from Puppet Master or that Wizard guy?"

"Yes. It had Cain's mark on it." He looked up. "It appears to be a simple video/audio recording." His eyes lifted to Esther's. "Shall I play it?"

Esther turned to Virgil. "Lord Walsh?"

He nodded. "Vanessa is online to monitor."

"Very well." Esther turned back. "Please, go ahead." Abel nodded and tapped the console, rotating it so that the screen would be visible to the others on the communication lines. The image crackled for a moment, then steadied. Esther stiffened.

Cain's image appeared on screen. He was wearing his usual white over black, with the red border, seated with one ankle crossed over his other knee. Though he sat in a simple, high-backed chair, there was something about his posture, and that level, confident gaze that made it appear he was sitting on a throne. Behind him, the white glowing wings of his Crusnik form stretched.

"_**Hello, Esther."**_ That characteristic, empty smile touched his face. _**"I hope you're doing well. And my dear brother Abel…is he with you? He should be, from what Isaac said, but…Isaac and Dietrich are so troublesome sometimes." **_He shrugged. _**"Ah, well. Abel, if you're there, I hope you're doing well too. After all, this won't be nearly as informative if you aren't at your peak condition, 02."**_

Abel stiffened, and his eyes were hard with rage. He'd moved back to Esther's side, and she carefully laid one hand over his clenched fist. "Father…it's just a recording. Please…you mustn't lose your temper."

Abel relaxed just a fraction. The image on the screen continued to speak.

"_**You know, my dear, that really was very rude of you. I'll admit, drugging Dietrich was a nice touch, but…to leave after all the care I've shown you…that is really rather rude, you know."**_ He shrugged again, and lifted one hand. _**"Of course, I suppose I can understand. After all, my Order members aren't very well-behaved. And I suppose 02 is preferable, since he's managed to keep his proper form and everything. But still…Abel. It really isn't fair of you, after all, you had your chance, didn't you."**_

Abel stiffened again, and Esther felt the shudder that went through him. But he said nothing, and she turned her attention back to the screen.

"_**You know, Esther…you really are rather brave. But 02, he's already had his love, and he has plenty of people already on his side. So…it's really only right, don't you think? And after all, with your help, I won't need to absorb 02 to have a complete body. So then…"**_ The figure on screen held out a hand. _**"You really should return, my dear. After all, I'll come and take you if I have to, but…that would just be a senseless waste of time and effort. Besides…Abel…when all's said and done, it is about time we finished things, isn't it? You might as well let him go, until it's time."**_ The hand dropped, and he tilted his head to rest it against his clenched fist, that cold smile still on his lips_**. "I'll be waiting for your reply, Esther. You really shouldn't make me wait too long. And until then…take care of 02 for me. I wouldn't want Abel to be too upset, after all. Goodbye, 02…Abel. And Esther."**_

The image flashed out. Esther stood staring at the screen for a moment, her mind reeling. She'd guessed Cain might target her, but to hear that he intended to attack her, that he intended to take her back by force…it was frightening.

A strangled noise from Abel brought her attention back to him with a snap. He was standing, his fists clenched, and a look of pure fury on his face. As she watched, his head bowed, and his teeth locked together. Esther stared at him with wide eyes, then touched his arm. "Father Nightroad…Abel…?"

He shook his head. "It's all right, Esther." He met her eyes, and she felt him relax. He even managed a ghost of a smile for her. "It's all right. I was just very angry for a moment. I'm sorry if I frightened you."

"It's all right. I understand." She returned his smile.

"Hmm…well, it's not the most productive response, but…I have to admit, I understand your feelings quite well, Abel." Seth shifted again. "The question is…how shall we respond?"

"We don't. At least not directly to the message itself." Caterina frowned. "I assume your response, were you to make one, would be a rejection of his demands."

"Of course!" Esther stiffened herself. "That man…I will never give into him." She shivered. "But…"

"Quite understandable. However, if we don't respond, it may give us some breathing space. He obviously expects you to drop everything. If that were the case, then even the Order of Rosenkreutz might anticipate a delay. In fact, it's almost inevitable. So we should have a little time before they decide to move. However, if we give them an answer now, they will act more quickly." Caterina met her eyes.

"Hmmm…at least now we know he really is targeting Esther." Seth sat back. "It's a little unfortunate for Albion, I'll admit, but we do know where he plans to strike next."

Esther froze. Abel put a hand on her shoulder and glared at his sister. "Seth…"

Seth grimaced. "Sorry Esther. I didn't mean to sound like that. It's just…" She sighed and ran a hand through her short black hair. "It's really rather frustrating. We have no idea where Cain might have gone, now that he's left Berlin. So to have some idea of his plans, even if it's something like this…I'm almost relieved. I know I shouldn't be, but…"

"I understand." Esther nodded, and closed one hand around the locket she wore. "It's just…what we should do now…I'm not certain."

"We'll have to wait, I suppose." Caterina frowned. "Of course, given that they know your present location, I'm tempted to suggest we move you. However…"

"That is inadvisable." Virgil shifted. "Another period of absence will cause unrest in the country. Even for the best of reasons…"

Mary nodded. "Also, we can't guarantee her safety on any journey. No matter what transportation we use." Her gaze flicked to the silver-haired man beside Esther. "Even with Father Nightroad standing guard the whole trip…there are no guarantees."

"That's true." Abel shifted. "Besides…for better or worse…it's safer for me to be here." He sighed. "I don't like risking the people here, but…I know the ground. On board a ship or a plane…there's more risk. And if we were to be attacked…"

"Understood." Caterina considered. "I think it's best if I remain in Rome for the time being. Even if you are the main target for now…the Order as a whole may decide to attack more than one location. And if I leave, it will leave His Holiness vulnerable. We can't risk it, simply on the basis of one message. However, with your permission, I'll send Leon and the Professor to you once more, and have Hugue standing by to watch. And Father Tres, of course."

"But Cardinal Caterina…surely you need someone to watch over you." Esther shifted.

Caterina smiled. "Havel and Kate will still be here. Besides, since our return, Brother Petros has been keeping an eye on me, as well as my two brothers. I assure you, Your Majesty, that I am quite safe."

Seth nodded. "I have a few things I need to take care of here, but…I'll send Astha and Ion to you when I can. They'll be able to help you as well."

"Thank you." Esther's gaze turned to her two advisors. "Lord Walsh, Colonel Spencer…about the people of this city. Is there anything we can do?"

Mary sighed. "Unfortunately, not much. If we'd been able to apprehend the messenger, we might have some information to go off of. But since we didn't, tracing the message is impossible. So we have no idea of where in the city to search for any potential trouble."

"There is one thing." Virgil took a step forward. "We can increase the city guard with our inactive reserves. Also…we can open the safe houses. While it is risky, with enough guards, we should be able to handle it, even if we must transport the whole city population underground temporarily. And using the tunnel system, we could then organize a safe route out of the Palace, and the city, if need be."

"That sounds best. I'd like to start preparations for that as soon as possible."

Virgil bowed. "I'll see to it at once." He turned to offer a shallower bow to the two monitors. "If you will excuse me." Then he left.

Esther sighed, and turned back to face her two fellow leaders. "Is there anything else we can do?"

"I fear not. The only thing we can do is wait, and pray they show their hand at a time when we can respond quickly." Caterina sighed. "In light of that, I should return to my duties. His Holiness, and Cardinal di Medici will want this news as soon as possible. And I'm certain brother Petros will be interested in hearing it as well."

Esther nodded. "Of course. I won't keep you."

As Caterina's image vanished, Seth stretched. "She's right. I guess all we can do is wait. But before that…" She grinned at Esther. "I'd like to speak to you a moment alone, if I could, Esther. So then…Abel, if it's not too much trouble, maybe you and Colonel Spencer could go take care of something?"

"I…" Abel stuttered, and Esther turned to offer him a smile.

"It's all right. I'm sure I'll be fine."

After a moment, Abel nodded. "All right. I'll be waiting outside." He turned and left, Mary on his heels.

Esther turned back to the screen with a sigh. It was only then that she noticed the outfit the Empress was wearing. It was very formal looking. The top was form fitting, with wide shoulders. Green short sleeves ended in gold cuffs, studded with rubies. From there, the sleeves were white, fit close to the arm until they flared into wide cuffs, bordered with black and green and fastened with dark emerald cuff links. Golden braid attached the sleeves to the top at the shoulder, connecting to the high collar, trimmed in white and fastened with a golden oval brooch. A slender ruby pendant dangled from the brooch, highlighting the white trim, and the place where the green gave way to white. The rest of the shirt was white, save for the broad golden stripe that fell down the center. The jacket was tightly fastened until it reached the other woman's hips, where it flared in a wide border of emerald green, trimmed with black and decorated with more rubies at the corners. Underneath, Esther could see a paler green skirt, trimmed in white, and she spotted the black-trimmed top of white thigh boots when the girl moved. The whole outfit looked very formal, save only for her tousled black hair and the bright red flower tucked behind her ear, tied with a white ribbon.

"Esther?" Seth's voice brought her out of her thoughts. The Empress grinned at her. "You look like you were off in space somewhere?"

"No. Not at all. It's just…that outfit…I hope I didn't call you away from something important. You look like you were busy."

"Hmmm?" Seth glanced down at her ensemble, then chuckled and crossed her feet with a grin, allowing Esther a glimpse of the rubies in the top of her boots, and the practical brown soles at the bottom. "Well, I was in a council meeting, earlier, but when you called, I was really just taking a break." Her grin widened, and she reached up to finer the flower in her hair. "I really do love my gardens, you know, and sometimes, I just take a walk. That's all I was doing when Mirka told me you were calling for me." She smiled for a moment longer, but then her expression turned serious. "I did want to apologize for being so rude, earlier. After all, as a ruler, I know quite well how hard it can be protecting your kingdom. And I understand very much, how uncomfortable being targeted can make you feel. I really didn't mean to sound so callous, earlier." She grimaced. "I know Abel won't agree, but sometimes… I can't help taking things far too lightly."

"It's all right. I really do understand." Esther smiled back. "After all, you were in a similar situation when I first met you. And I do appreciate the help you've given me."

"That's good. I'm very glad to hear that. But…actually, there was another matter I wanted to ask you about." Seth sighed. "You saw my brother's reaction just now. I generally don't meddle with Abel too much, but…the last I heard, the two of you were…not on the best of terms. So I was a bit concerned. If you don't mind my asking…have you and Abel come to an understanding, Esther?"

Esther blinked, and her hand went once again to the locket and ring that Abel had given her. She knew he didn't want to make much fuss, but…Seth was his sister. She did deserve to know. After a moment, she nodded. "He and I…actually, we had a discussion, after I returned."

"I see." Seth sighed. "Abel is…well, he really can be rather foolish. I hope he didn't do anything too troublesome."

Esther swallowed. "He…he told me about his past. About…where he was born, and the Red Mars Project, and…some of the things that happened. And about…what he did, during the wars."

The youthful eyes widened. "Abel…he told you all of that?" A worried expression touched her face. "Abel…he must really care about you, you know, to risk telling you that." She sighed. "So then…what did you tell him?"

"I…it wasn't just me. He told all of us."

Seth's eyes widened further. "Abel…he risked that? Astha didn't mention it."

"No. We agreed, not to speak of it too much. After all…he was very troubled. But after…he and I, we had another talk. And he told me…he still cared for me. Actually, he gave me these." She drew the locket and ring out from underneath her dress. "He said the locket was a good luck charm. But this…" She fingered the ring, uncertain how to put words into the events of that night.

Seth actually left her seat, moving forward in the holograph. "Abel… he really gave you that? That ring? Abel gave it to you himself?"

"Yes. He said I should keep it, until he's settled things with Cain. And after that…" She stopped.

"Huh." Seth looked away, and a tiny, rueful smile touched her face. "So then, my brother has finally admitted how he feels. And he's chosen to make a commitment at last." Her gaze returned to Esther's. "I was afraid, you know. I feared that, after Cain and Lilith, Abel wouldn't dare to try and love anyone again. He even seemed to withdraw from me. But he…he's always deserved much better than that. But if he's given you that ring…then it means he's chosen to allow his heart to thaw once more. And even though it may only cause him further anguish…I have to say I'm relieved. I didn't want to see my brother lock his heart away like that. I was afraid…afraid he'd disappear back into the darkness he knew when we were children." She smiled then. "However, if it's you, I'm sure I can count on you to take care of him. Right, Esther?"

Esther clenched her fist around the ring. "Of course. I…I'll do my best. And you can be sure I won't let the Contra Mundi get between us. If it's possible to prevent it, I…I won't leave his side."

"I believe you." Seth nodded. Then she sighed, her gaze flicking to something Esther couldn't see. "I suppose I'd better get back to the Council. After all, there's a great deal to be done, especially if I'm going to loan you my two best envoys again." She grinned once more. "I'll leave Abel in your hands. And Esther…" The dark head bowed, and Seth drew the flower out of her hair with a flourish. "As your fellow ruler, and as Abel's sister, allow me to say…congratulations. I'm sure…I'm sure the two of you will do quite well together." With a final bow, she threw the flower in a salute, and the image winked out.

Esther stood staring at the empty space for a moment. She wasn't sure how she'd expected Abel's sister to react, but somehow, Seth's support was bracing. She stood a moment, then let a smile curve her lips. "Thank you Seth. I'm sure we'll be all right too." Then she settled the necklace on her chest and squared her shoulders. There were things that needed to be done. And one way or another, she was determined to keep her promise to the Empress. No matter what Cain's next move was…she wasn't going to be parted from Abel.


	27. Twenty Two: Sibling Visitation

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Okay, another update one and all for this late Valentine's day for you sweethearts alike out there ^^ so…long chapter. What can I say? Seth was raising mischief, and I wanted to show the way everyone was interacting in a sort of…down time. Hope you all enjoyed it. Take care until the next update everyone.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf** check her own TB stories on which are awesome. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Twenty Two - Sibling Visitation**

That night, Esther went to bed with Abel outside her doors, and Mary ensconced in a chair by her bedside. She'd wondered about the necessity, but neither Abel nor her advisors had been willing to be gainsaid. Long after the lights had been turned down, Esther found herself shifting in bed, trying to get comfortable. She was aware, even though she tried not to be, of Mary's silent presence in her rooms, and what it meant. Finally, she sighed and sat up.

"Your Majesty?" She'd just barely gotten upright when Mary came to her side. "Is there anything amiss?"

Esther shook her head. "I'm fine. It's just that…having you in here like this is a little uncomfortable." She looked into the Colonel's eyes. "Are you sure this is really necessary? I mean, from what Lady Caterina said…"

Mary sighed, and settled back into the chair. "It is true. In theory, we should have at least a few days' grace before the Order makes an attempt at taking you. However, I feel it is unwise to test fate by assuming that is the situation. For one, we don't know how long ago that message was recorded, or when it was intended to be delivered. For another…" A frown line appeared on her face, and her eyes in the dim lamplight were solemn. "They have already proven themselves to be an unpredictable foe. It's entirely possible they would know that we expected some time to plan. In that case, this guard is not only necessary, we may be underestimating them."

Esther shivered at the thought. "I understand. But it's hard to sleep, thinking that everyone I depend on is staying up guarding me." She smiled, just a little. "And I guess I'm not used to having someone standing guard over me, either. Father Nightroad and I would watch over each other on the road, but back in the Vatican, it wasn't a concern."

Mary shifted. "It would be considered improper, but if you wish, I will send Father Nightroad in and take his place outside the doors. Or I can give you something to help you sleep. Virgil left a medication for you to take, in light of the difficulties you were having recently."

"No. It's all right." Esther felt her cheeks warming. She knew she would be more comfortable with Abel there, but Mary was right. Having Abel in her sleeping chambers too much would arouse unneeded speculation. As the Queen, she'd likely not be too inconvenienced, but…he was a priest. Even if the vows of celibacy were optional, it would arouse comment. She shook her head once more, and settled back down. "It's fine. I'm sure I'll fall asleep in a bit. I guess I'm just more restless than usual tonight." She pulled the blankets around her shoulders and closed her eyes.

"As you wish, Majesty." She heard the sound of Mary shifting in her seat, but she didn't open her eyes. Instead, she concentrated on taking deep, even breaths, and relaxing, until finally, she fell into sleep.

The next few days were difficult. There was a sort of tension in the air, a feeling of waiting. Both her advisors were more solemn than usual, and Abel was quiet and withdrawn, pulling into himself. She knew why, knew the message from his brother had upset him, but she couldn't think how to ease the weight that seemed to hang over him. She did her best, letting light touches of her hand across his wrist or face conveys her concern for him. Though he always responded, and sometimes even smiled for her, she knew it wasn't helping. Not enough.

She was working on her paperwork, a week after the message, when Virgil entered. "Your Majesty, there is a call from the Empire coming in."

Esther set aside her pen. "Please, put it through."

"Of course." Virgil stepped forward. "I was not aware that we were expecting any calls from the Empire this evening."

"No. Neither was I. But they're probably calling to arrange for the Duchess of Kiev and the Earl of Memphis." Esther straightened, and made sure there were no creases in her dress.

"Of course." Virgil's finger's tapped out a sequence on the console. "It's coming through now."

The holographic image flared to life, and Esther smiled. "Good evening, Seth."

"Good evening, Esther." The Empress was dressed in much less formal attire, this time wearing a set of loose robes that looked more comfortable than they did anything else. "How is everything?" She grinned. "Go ahead and sit down. This isn't a formal call."

"It's all right." Esther settled back into her seat. "So far, nothing has happened. It's been difficult, arranging the guard, but it's all right. And Lady Caterina's AX members are scheduled to arrive tomorrow evening, and that will help."

"That's good." Seth grinned. "I was calling to tell you, I'll be sending Astharoshe and Ion your way tomorrow, so you can expect them in a few days. They ought to be able to help you as well."

"Thank you."

Seth sat silent a moment, and her voice was soft when she spoke. "So tell me, how is my dear elder brother Abel these days?"

Esther winced at the question. She'd been expecting it, but still, she wasn't sure how to respond. She folded her hands together, and spoke hesitantly. "Father Nightroad…Abel…he's well, but he…I'm not quite sure what's going on. Ever since that message, he's been very different. He's been withdrawn, and I think…I think he's pulling back from everyone. I know he's upset, and he must be preoccupied with trying to keep me safe, but…I'm a little worried about him."

Seth sighed. "I was afraid of that." She shook her head slightly. "Abel's a great person, and I love him, but he's entirely too serious. I can understand it, at a time like this, but still…if he pushes too hard, he'll collapse. And if he can't learn to relax and calm down a little, then he's going to be in trouble."

Esther swallowed. "I've tried to get him to talk to me, but…"

Seth shook her head. "Abel's not one to share his concerns with others. He doesn't like to burden anyone." A small grin touched her mouth. "He really is foolish like that." She leaned her head back, silent for a moment. "Hey Esther, I have a favor to ask."

"Of course. If it's possible, I'll do whatever I can." Esther straightened a little

Seth gave her a grin. "It's nothing like that. But…when Astharoshe and Ion come…do you mind if I come as well?" She sat up. "I don't intend to visit you as the Empress, nor with any sort of formality. I'll be posing as an attendant to the others. But I…" She broke off, and the emerald green eyes were serious. "I too, am worried about Abel. And, after nine hundred years, you get used to sensing things, a little. And what I feel now, I do not like."

Esther blinked. "What do you mean? Is there something…?"

Set shook her head. "It's nothing concrete. It's just…people are afraid. I can hear it, when I'm down in the city, working as a tea seller. And in the Court…we are waiting. Even my nobles who are unaware of the entire matter are uneasy. And I…I fear Abel is right. Cain is waiting, because he is planning something, something in addition to taking you. And I think Abel…Abel is waiting too."

Esther felt one fist clench. Now that Seth had spoken the words, she knew they were correct. Abel was waiting. And knowing that, she understood the terrible tension in him. To wait, for his own brother to strike him…to wait for his own fate to come with so little notion of what to do, or how it would happen, it had to be terrible. She took a deep breath, to try and ease the sick feeling in her gut. "Is there…is there anything we can do?"

"I don't know. That's why I wanted to visit you." A sudden half grin touched her features. "Well, that and other things. I know I told you last time, that I approved of you and Abel, but I haven't told him yet, and I'd much rather do it in person. Besides, between the two of us, we ought to be able to distract him, at least a little. It isn't much, but it might help."

Esther found herself relaxing a little, even smiling in return. "That's true. But how do you plan to prevent your people in the Empire from becoming concerned?"

"The same way I always do. Mirka will stand in for me. Actually, except for Council meetings, my court isn't doing much either, so it's pretty easy. And I can announce that I'm setting her some task or another relating to the Alliance, so they'll expect to see her missing. Then it's not really a problem at all."

"I see." Esther looked up, to where Virgil was standing quietly to one side. "Lord Walsh, do you think it's possible? Can we manage?"

"I believe so." He considered. "I would not consider it too much problem were the Empress to visit, so I do not think that Lady Nightroad should present much difficulty. Particularly if the matter is handled circumspectly."

"I see. Then please inform Colonel Spencer and the others that we'll be receiving three guests of the Empire, instead of two." Esther felt her own smile widen.

"Thank you, Esther." Seth grinned, and there was mischief in her eyes. "If it's possible though, I would like to surprise Abel. It'll do him good."

There was a glitter of amusement in Virgil's eyes as well. "I believe that can be arranged, my lady." He turned to Esther. "Shall I begin making preparations?"

Esther nodded. "Please do." She turned back to the image of the Empress. "When can we expect you?"

"Hmmm…about ten days from now, I think." Seth grimaced. "I'd like to say sooner, but if I'm going to visit you, then there are things that have to be taken care of first." She shifted, and stood. "Speaking of which, I'd better get started. After all, I really do want to see my brother." She gave Esther a wave, half salute. "Well then Esther, I'll see you soon."

"Yes. I look forward to seeing you as well." Esther smiled, and moved to terminate the connection. As the holographic image sparkled into nothing, she rose and stretched, then turned to her advisor with a smile. "It appears we have a great deal of work to do as well."

"Yes." Virgil inclined his head, and the two of them moved over to the desk to begin forming plans.

The next evening, Esther and the others gathered to meet the Vatican personnel. Esther insisted on going to the Palace doors. Abel and Virgil insisted on staying within them, while Mary went to meet the AX agents. As the Colonel and the three Ax members strode up the walkway, Esther was aware of Abel's silent tension. She turned to face him. "Are you all right?"

He offered her a quick smile. "Yes. I'm just…well, I wonder how they'll take the news. That my brother…"

"Hush." Esther stilled his words with a touch. "I'm sure they understand it's not your fault. This could have happened at any time. And since he kidnapped me…I'm sure it's a result of the times we saw each other." She offered him a quick, gentle smile, then turned to face the AX priests. "Good evening."

"Hey there, Red." Leon was the first to reach them. He grinned and threw an arm around her shoulders. "See, I always knew you could catch any guy's attention. Comes with being the second best woman on the planet. But you know, you're gonna have to pick your dates a little more carefully. After all, if you go with the wrong guy, he might take your holy virgin powers."

"Leon!" Abel looked shocked, his face turning an abrupt scarlet. He looked as if he weren't sure whether to grab the other AX priest and yank him away, or simply duck and run.

Esther blushed crimson. "Father Garcias…"

Professor Wordsworth chuckled as he came up the steps beside Tres. "Come now Leon, you're embarrassing the poor girl. Besides, I'm sure Esther isn't going to be accepting any invitations from the Contra Mundi any time soon. After all, that is why we're here, to make sure he doesn't get a chance to take her from us."

"Positive." Tres stopped, and surveyed the group. "Father Garcias, that is not the correct way to address the ruler of a country. Nor is such contact permissible. Lady Esther's readings indicate heightened discomfort. I recommend you restrain yourself immediately."

Esther felt her blush deepen slightly. "It's all right, Father Tres. I know Father Garcias is just teasing."

Leon grinned and let go of her. "Yeah, well, I figured things would be a little tense around here. And that joker…" He jerked a thumb at Abel. "He's so serious about all this crap, he probably wouldn't realize that both of you need a break. Seriously, Abel." He turned and frowned at the silver-haired man. "One look at your face is enough to tell anyone that. You've let this guy get to you, haven't you?"

Abel winced. "Leon…you know…"

"Yeah, yeah. He's your brother, and he's a psycho, and he's after your woman again. I got it." Leon made a dismissive gesture, ignoring the way Abel and Esther both turned red. "My point is, you can't let it upset you too much. Otherwise, he's won half the battle right there." He smirked and threw his arm across Abel's shoulders, leaning into him with such force the other man staggered. "Besides, if you get all worried and moody and stuff, you'll go and upset Esther. And then I'll have to beat the daylights out of you again. Got it?" His arm tightened warningly, then he released his comrade.

Abel swallowed once and made a face, but his shoulders had relaxed some, and some of the strain had left his expression. He even managed a ghost of a grin. "I understand. Thank you, Leon."

Wordsworth chuckled. "Well, I will admit Leon has a point. But, all teasing aside…" He looked his friend square in the eyes. "How are you holding up, Abel? Is everything all right?"

"I…I am all right." Abel sighed. "Leon is right, I have been brooding a bit. But I…well, I really can't help it I suppose. And besides that, I'm fine. There's really no need to worry. Miss Esther and the Walsh siblings have been taking very good care of me. And having you here to help, it really does make me feel relieved."

"That's good. And I understand Imperial re-enforcements will be here in about a week?" Esther nodded confirmation, and Wordsworth smiled. "That's good. Then we should be fully prepared to handle whatever happens." He moved forward, and laid a gentle hand on Abel's shoulder. "I know what you're worried about, my friend, but please rest assured…we're all standing beside you, ready to help. Even if this man is, or was, your brother, that doesn't mean your friends will desert you. On the contrary, I at least intend to be beside you as long as you need, so feel free to call on me. All right?"

The words were so soft Esther barely heard them, and she could see Leon staring at a wall, apparently fascinated by the stonework. She felt a lump in her throat, and saw Abel swallow hard, his eyes suddenly misty. Then he bowed his head, and took the Professor's hand in his own. "Thank you."

"That's the spirit. Now then…" Wordsworth clapped him on the shoulder. "I suggest we get out of this doorway, and get settled in. Then we can plan our strategies for how to handle the current situation." Abel nodded, and the group entered the Palace. As she stepped through the doors at Abel's side, Esther was relieved to note that his eyes were calmer, and some of the lines of tension had been smoothed away. There was still concern in the blue eyes, but not the withdrawn, silent brooding that had driven him earlier. He even allowed Leon to draw him into a conversation about the palace life.

The next few days were much easier. Abel remained with Esther, but Tres, Leon, and Wordsworth took over part of the guard duties. The Professor helped Virgil install some of the security systems and protocols. Tres patrolled the grounds, and appeared frequently to report. Leon was her guard, some nights. He was relentless about teasing Abel when he and the silver-haired priest shared guard duty, and between his efforts and William's gentle encouragement, the other man began to relax, and some of the haunted anguish disappeared from his gaze. Though Esther knew he wasn't entirely easy, she was relieved to see him return to the state of seemingly absent-minded relaxation that she'd grown used to. He still embraced her every night, but now he seemed more at ease, no longer pulling him to her as if he feared she would be lost to him in the next breath. And when she returned his loving touch with her own, she was happy to see fewer shadows underlying the joy in his eyes.

A week and a half later, the group gathered to greet the Imperial ship. Tres had chosen to go on patrol, but Leon and the Professor were there. As they watched the Imperial courier ship descend from the sky, Leon grinned and nudged Abel with his elbow. "Yo, Four Eyes, you think that pretty lady from last time will be coming?"

"Umm…you mean Miss Astha?" Abel blinked at him. "Well, I suspect she will. Is there some reason you wanted to know?"

"Are you kidding?" Leon gave him a look. "Come on, surely you noticed, Four Eyes. That is one stunning woman. And I think we had some good chemistry going, you know. I wouldn't mind, well, making some further advances." He gave his companion a grin that was almost a leer.

"Leon!" Abel went red. "You can't be…you're not planning to…"

"To what? Seduce a member of the Methuselah representatives?" Leon smirked. "Well, why not? She is a good looking woman, you know, and I don't really mind. I could use a little fun."

"Leon! That is…well, that's highly improper. Besides, you can't just toy with Miss Astha like that. It's inappropriate. And who knows what she'll do to you, if you upset her…" Abel looked worried, and Esther couldn't blame him.

"Well, then why don't you give it a try?" Leon cocked an eyebrow. "After all, you don't seem to have any women troubles. If you're that concerned..." He trailed off, but the glint in his eyes was positively evil. "Might even distract you some."

"Absolutely not!" Abel's face under his silver hair was a crimson to rival the Albion flag, and his eyes were wide. "Really now…how could you even think…I…" His words degenerated into a confused stammer. Esther grinned and fought back giggles.

"Now, Leon, that really is enough." William was also grinning, but he shook his head in mock seriousness. "Abel's likely to explode if you keep teasing him. Besides, I happen to know he has someone else he's interested in. So you have an open field. But please, be discreet. We don't want to cause Lady Caterina any trouble, all right?" He turned and eyed his companion with amusement in his eyes. "Really Abel, get yourself under control. After all, if you still look like that when they get here…" He gestured to where the door of the ship was opening. "…they're likely to wonder what it is that has you so flustered. And I doubt you want to be the one to explain."

Abel swallowed hard. "Professor…" He sighed, but the color in his face did start to recede. By the time Ion and Astha had reached the steps to the Palace, he looked almost normal.

"Hello, priest." Astha grinned at him, her eyes flickering over the others before she bowed formally to Esther. "Your Majesty, I bring you greetings from the Imperial Court."

"Thank you. Welcome to Buckingham Palace, Lady Astha, Ion. Please, make yourselves at home." Esther smiled, gesturing both Imperial envoys to stand up straight.

"Thank you. That reminds me, tovarish." Astha turned with a glitter in her eyes. "I've brought you a visitor."

"Wha…" Abel blinked, but he didn't have time to say anything more as a small slender figure came striding out of the ship at a fast walk.

She hurried up the walkway with quick, light steps, then took the steps three at a time to jump forward and wrap her arms around Abel's waist. "Hello, Abel. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

His eyes widened. "Seth? But what…? How on Earth…?"

Seth stepped back to grin at him. "I came with Astharoshe and Ion, of course. As to why…well, I just wanted to visit with you for a bit. After all, I haven't seen you for months, and we never seem to have a chance to catch up properly." She sighed. "Honestly, you're always getting into trouble and everything."

Abel looked absolutely dumbfounded. He simply stood, staring at the young girl before him. Finally, Leon broke the silence. "Hey, I remember you. You're that young lady Four Eyes escorted to that dance a few months ago." He made a face, then turned to the silver-haired man standing on the steps with his mouth open. "So, is this that girlfriend the Professor mentioned? Seriously, I think she's a little young for you. After all, she doesn't even look fifteen yet." He ran a hand through his hair with a distracted expression. "And really, you call me a pervert, Four Eyes?"

Abel snapped out of his stupor, his ears turning crimson once more. "Really! It's not like that at all! Leon, how could you even suggest such a thing?" He looked utterly mortified.

Seth laughed. "Well, it's good to see you doing better than last time." She turned to the AX members. "Actually, I ought to introduce myself properly. I'm Seth. Seth Nightroad. And…." Her eyes glittered with mischief. "I'm afraid I'm not Abel's girlfriend. He's actually my dear older brother."

"Little sister, huh?" Leon frowned. "That's right. He mentioned he had one." He shrugged. "You should have told us you had such a cute sister." He studied the youthful looking girl. "You know, now that I look again, you're really pretty, even if you do look a bit young. I'll bet me and you could have a good time…"

"Leon!" Abel glared at him, putting an arm around Seth's shoulders. "Don't you even think about such a thing." He regarded his sister with an exasperated gaze. Seth was giving the other man a grin. "You really shouldn't encourage him."

William chuckled. "Yes, she really is a great deal like you, Abel." He moved forward so he could look into the emerald green eyes, then took one hand and bowed over it. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I know I've seen you before, but I don't recall if we've been formally introduced. I'm Professor William Walter Wordsworth, Professor at the University of Rome and AX official for Lady Caterina. This gentleman with me is Father Leon Garcias, also a member of the AX."

Seth smiled, offering a quick curtsey. "Well, we haven't been formally introduced, but you're right, we have met. And I've heard a lot of things about you from my elder brother. He seems very fond of you, Professor." Her smile quirked wider, and she turned to look at Leon, one finger tapping the side of her nose. "I remember you. Aren't you the guy who took Astha to that party? The one in the matador's costume." Her eyes were still sparkling mischief. "You know, I rather think you should stick with Astha. I know I still look like a young girl, but I think I'm a bit old for you. Besides, the Duchess of Kiev suits you much better."

Astha turned red. Leon's eyes widened, as did Ion's. Esther found herself fighting back a snicker at the expression on the man's face. Beside his sister, Abel was making no effort to control his laughter. Granted, it was very quiet laughter, but he was definitely enjoying himself.

"Your Majesty." Virgil stepped forward. "I recommend we take our guests inside and get them settled."

"You're right, we should. Thank you." Esther turned back to Astha. "Shall we?"

"Thank you, Majesty." Astha stepped up. Just before she entered the doors, Abel spoke.

"Miss Astha." Esther and the Methuselah woman both turned. Abel still stood at the bottom of the stairs, his arm looped around his sister. Though the amusement was fading, his eyes were still warm with affection. "Thank you for bringing my sister to visit me."

Astha smiled, a surprisingly gentle expression on her face. "No problem. Just remember, tovarish…" The smile took on an edge of danger. "I brought her all the way here so she could see you, so you'd better not wind up disappearing on duty, or hiding."

Abel flushed. "Well, I do still have my duty guarding Esther, but…I'll certainly keep that in mind."

Seth grinned and tightened her grip on his arm. "Well, if Esther doesn't mind, I don't mind working with you. After all, we used to work together often, didn't we? It'll be like old times, when we were living as siblings."

Esther smiled. "I don't mind at all. In fact, I'm sure I'll be safer with you there as well."

"Thanks." Seth turned that impish smile to her, then released Abel and moved forward. "Of course, we ought to ask your advisors as well." She shrugged. "I'm not sure how the Albion court would take it, having me beside you, after all. And I certainly don't want to get you into any trouble."

"The Albion Court is currently disbanded." Virgil spoke from where he paced beside Esther. "While I would not recommend that you attend the Council with Her Majesty, I see no problem with your presence at other times. As a matter of fact, I understand that you are also a representative for the Imperial Court?" His blue eyes came to meet hers.

Seth shrugged again. "Well, I guess you could say that. Although…I'm not exactly well known. And really, I'd rather not be." She gave him that impish grin again. "I'm just Seth, you know. A simple pretty girl in the service of the Empire."

Abel made a soft sound that might have been laughter. Virgil's eyebrows rose, but he didn't refute the statement. He merely nodded his head in acknowledgement of the words. "I understand. However, that is precisely why I believe your views would be helpful on certain matters. If my understanding of your activities is correct, then you have a vantage that few achieve. Is it correct that you work frequently on the streets?"

"Sure. I enjoy it. Usually, I go as a tea seller, but I also work in the hospitals sometimes." She grinned at him. "That's not a very well known secret, so please keep it quiet, all right? It'll be troublesome if my identity gets compromised."

"You need have no concern. However, if you would care to offer us the benefit of your observations…" he sighed. "Her Majesty is very well informed, and of course, Father Nightroad has much knowledge of his own. However, I confess, Colonel Spencer and I do not have such a general understanding. My own understanding is more of court politics, and the difficulties of being a governor. My sister does her best to offer me her opinions and knowledge; however, I fear that she is rather…biased, at times."

Seth laughed. "All right. If you put it like that…I came to visit my brother, but I don't mind being helpful as well. Especially since Esther happens to be a good friend of mine." She looped her arm through Esther's. "I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all." Esther returned the smile. She was surprised at Virgil, but then, he'd known how much seeing Abel meant to the girl before her. What really amazed her was the smoothness with which he'd managed to arrange everything. He'd even come up with a plausible excuse for Seth to remain with the two of them during Esther's work hours. After all, he was right. Seth did have a very good understanding of both street feelings and court feelings.

An hour later, the three Methuselah were settled into their rooms, and Esther retired to her own. Abel, as usual, waited outside while she finished dressing for bed, then slipped inside. He checked all the windows, examined the suite, then moved to her side and enfolded her in his arms. "Thank you."

Esther didn't have to ask what he meant. "Well, she really wanted to visit you, you know. I suppose I should have told you, but we thought the surprise would do you good."

She felt and heard him chuckle. "You're right. Although…when she came running off that ship, I honestly thought I was hallucinating for a moment. But it's all right."

"Well, I hope so." Seth's voice startled both of them. Esther turned, still in Abel's arms, to see the young Empress standing just inside the closed doors. She offered both of them a sheepish grin. "Sorry to startle you, Esther. But I wanted to speak to you before bed, and when I heard Abel's voice…well, I can't help being curious." There was no apology in her voice, but the bright, impish smile was enough to prompt an answering grin from Esther. Seth studied the two of them for a moment, then flopped onto a couch. "You know Abel, you and Esther really do look rather good together."

"Seth…really…" Esther looked up to see his face turning red in the dim room lights. "It's just…"

"I know what it is." Seth fixed her brother with a level look. "Esther showed me the ring you gave her, when we had that call about Cain's message. I know very well what you must have been thinking, to give her _that_, Abel." She stood, and moved forward until she could reach up and place a gentle hand on his jaw. "Actually, I'm very happy to see it, my dear brother. I was afraid you might try to lock yourself away again. But Abel…you do know…?"

"I know. It's risky. But I do love Esther, even if it took me a while to realize it. And I intend to do whatever I can to protect her." Abel's arms tightened around Esther's waist.

Seth smiled. "That's good. As long as you feel that way, I shan't worry about you. But do be sure to take care of yourself, okay?" She grinned up at him, though there was a trace of sadness in her eyes. Then her gaze came to Esther, and her smile banished the darkness in her gaze. She laid her free hand on Esther's arm. "And to both of you…you have my heartfelt congratulations."

Abel smiled at his sister. "Thank you." He bent his head to brush a feather-light kiss across Esther's hair, then released her. "I should let both of you get some rest. I'll see you in the morning."

Seth nodded. "He's right. See you tomorrow, Esther." She gave her one last impish grin, then followed her brother out the door. Esther smiled, then got into bed, and fell asleep, still smiling.

The next few days were some of the most enjoyable she'd had. Seth usually joined her for breakfast, then after the Council meetings. She proved to be very good company, bright and cheerful. Her manner lifted, not only Abel's spirits, but everyone else's as well. By the end of the second day, she and Mary had developed a warm companionship, and she and Virgil were well on the road to becoming good friends.

Ion and Astha were settling into the group nicely as well. Esther had been a little concerned, knowing that the AX members and the Imperial envoys hadn't had much chance to work together. To her surprise, they got along well. Ion searched out Tres, and the two of them could be found talking quietly in the gardens, or occasionally holding sparring practice for Ion. He also spent a great deal of time with Virgil, and the two of them shared an amiable relationship. Astha and Leon spent more than one day in each other's company, though Esther heard at least one loud shouting match, and rumors of others. She was also witness to at least one occasion where Leon left a room holding the side of his jaw and muttering about 'crazy women'. However, it didn't stop the dark-haired priest from flirting with Astha over dinner.

The Professor spent time with everyone. He spoke to Astha, developing an easy friendship with her. Ion he engaged in matters of Imperial scholarship, and how it differed from the Albion and Roman Universities. He also took discrete care of Abel, stopping by every now and then to speak to the other man, or offer a few quiet words of encouragement.

True to her word, Seth spent most of her time with Abel, but she also spent several hours talking things over with Esther. Like Caterina, Seth's experience was far greater than Esther's, but her approach was radically different from the Lady Cardinal. While both of them preferred to be in the middle of things, taking a hands-on approach, they preferred different methods. Caterina favored using her agents to deal with things, remaining near the seat of power while sorting things out and deciding a plan of action. Seth, on the other hand, was far more likely to use her agents as distractions, while she dove into situations on her own, using street techniques and the power of the Empress to sort things out. Though she did have envoys she could send when needed, it was clear she preferred to be right at the scene of the matter, just as she had when they'd foiled the attempted assassination over a year before.

Esther found it odd, that two such women of similar temperaments should have such different approaches, but when she mentioned it, Seth shook her head. "It's really not that odd. It's true, the Cardinal and I do have a lot in common but…there are two critical differences." She stood, pacing to the window. "Cardinal Sforza was raised near the seat of power, as a proper noble. I wasn't raised like that at all, so I'm more used to doing things on my own. But the other thing is…" She stared out at the landscape. "I've had my position, and my power, for a long time. Even if something happened to take me from it…well, you saw what happened with Suleyman. So I can afford to take chances sometimes. But Caterina does not hold the position I do, nor is it as secure as my own. After all, I understand her brother holds equal power, and wishes it otherwise."

"That is true." Esther frowned down at her hands. "Cardinal di Medici…he can be very helpful, but he and Lady Caterina do seem to fight an awful lot."

"Exactly. For the sake of the position she holds, Lady Caterina has to be much more careful. However, I think if our positions were reversed…she would choose more of a direct approach as well. And while I've never been in her place…I would probably make the same decisions she does." Seth grinned. "How people handle things depends as much on their circumstances as it does their temperament. But I'm sure you've realized that by now."

"That is true." Esther nodded, and studied the report in her hands. It was a request for guards in a certain sector of the city. She understood the need to be cautious, but she feared that people would feel threatened if there was too much evidence of government and military in the area. The extra police would only enforce the impression that there was danger. Too, there might be people who felt the government was interfering too much in local actions. The balance of power on the streets was as delicate as that of the Ghetto, and for much the same reason.

Seth drifted over to look at the paper. Esther lowered it, allowing her to read it, and the youthful mouth frowned. "That is a tricky question."

"It is. I understand the desire for more security, but too much…" Esther sighed.

"Yeah. I've run into that problem as well." Seth grinned and settled onto a chair. "It's on questions like this that taking a few days and posing as a tea seller is a real benefit. Getting out to see the town, hear the people talk…this is the sort of thing I usually use that disguise for."

Esther sighed and set the paper down with a sad smile. "You're right. But even so, I don't think that's something I can do right now."

"I beg to differ." Virgil spoke up softly. He and Abel had been on the opposite side of the room, working on something on the computer. Esther looked up to meet the man's eyes. Virgil met her gaze with a level one of his own. "If you truly wish to, Your Majesty, I can have arrangements made for you to take a tour of Londinium."

Esther blinked. "Are you sure? I mean…security and everything…"

"I will accompany you, along with Father Nightroad. And, of course, I recommend going in something of a disguise. However…" He paused, considering. "It has been over two weeks since you received that threat, and we have yet to see any sign of action. A trip to Londinium would be beneficial for a number of reasons. One, if they expect you to hide in the Palace, it will move you at least temporarily away from your anticipated location. Two, as Lady Nightroad indicates, it will be a good strategy to get a feel for temperaments in the city. Vanessa has been keeping me apprised of the mood in the Ghetto. At present, there is a great deal of tension, but no fear as of yet. Also, the safe houses are operating, and many of the modifications suggested have been made. This would be an ideal time to examine their functioning."

"That's true. But…my responsibilities in the Palace…is it all right?"

"Yes. Without the full court here, your workload has been reduced, as I'm sure you noticed. As for the Council…" He stopped a moment, and reached down to pick up a piece of paper. "There is little enough business, that I suspect a short holiday will not go amiss. To be honest, even without the reason provided by our guests, I would still recommend taking a break. After all, it is possible to become over-tired of the Council and day to day workings of the Palace, and I do not wish to see you in that condition."

"I see." Esther sat for a moment, studying her desk. She hadn't thought about it, with Abel by her side, and the threat of Cain looming over her head, but Virgil was right. It was…a little boring, with nothing to do except talk to nobles and go through paperwork. She'd always been more involved in doing things, after all. And the inactivity only gave her more time to think of the threats made against her.

"You're right. I guess I hadn't thought about it, but I could use a bit of a holiday, if you don't think it will cause a problem."

"Not at all." Virgil set his papers down and bowed. "If you wish, I can have the necessary arrangements made by tomorrow."

"Please do that." Esther smiled. "Will we need guards?"

He shook his head. "Guards will only alert people to your identity and your presence. No, I think this trip would be better made with just the four of us, and perhaps Father Wordsworth, if he wishes to accompany us. After all, he is a native of the city, and would serve as an excellent guide."

"Very well then. If you would see to things…I'll just finish up my work here, so we don't have anything to worry about."

"As you wish." Virgil bowed once more, then left.

Seth grinned. "Wow. I must admit, I'm curious about this city, but I wasn't expecting to get a guided tour." She turned to her brother. "You will be coming with us, won't you, Abel?"

Abel blinked. "I…umm, well yes. Lord Walsh did say I should. And I do know the city reasonably well, I suppose. Though it's changed a great deal from my first impressions of it."

Seth made a soft noise. "Everything has changed a great deal from our first impressions. Besides…isn't it better this way? For you, I mean." She wasn't looking at him any more, and her voice was soft. "After all…your original memories of the city…that's why I wasn't sure you'd want to come tomorrow."

Abel stared at her for a moment, then stood and crossed the room to fold his sister in a gentle embrace. "You don't need to worry. It's all right now. Even if…even if I'm faced with the memories from then, I assure, I'm all right." His voice took on a rough, but thoughtful tone. "You know…I even went...I even went there. I took Esther to the lab a few weeks ago, when I told her…"

"She mentioned that. That you told her. I figured you'd be all right, but…I don't want to trouble you too much right now." Seth shifted in her brother's arms.

"It's all right." His voice lightened suddenly. "Actually, I'm looking forward to it. I'm afraid I haven't spent much time in Londinium, not unless there was trouble of some sort. I'm looking forward to building some new memories of the place, and getting to know the city properly, you know. It's rather like Rome." His eyes came to Esther's twinkling with a sort of strange anticipation. "You remember what I told you, Esther?"

She did remember. She'd asked him once, on their way to Rome the first time, if he thought she could fit in there. If he thought she'd get lost and what he thought of the city. His answer had been odd, but also comforting and rather helpful, in its way. _'It's stunning, but…every city has its own character. It has its good points, and bad points, and they shape your opinion. Esther learns Rome…and Rome learns Esther.'_ She smiled at the memory.

Seth made a soft disgusted noise. "You know, if the two of you get any more obvious, you might as well just announce that you're married already. And even if Esther understands you perfectly well, I don't have a clue what you're talking about, brother mine. And if you don't explain, I might be tempted to do something drastic, like hide the sugar."

Esther grinned. Abel made a soft noise of amused disapproval. "Really now!" But he smiled, and he still had his arms around his sister. "I told Esther once that cities had character, and that you had to learn a city, and let it get to learn you as well. And I haven't really gotten to see Londinium in a fair light before. So I think I'll enjoy this."

Seth grinned. "You mean, you'll enjoy spending time with Esther out on the town. After all, this is almost like a date for the two of you, isn't it?" Her grin turned into a smirk.

Her brother colored slightly, but the smile didn't slip from his face. He simply shrugged. "Well, there is that too." He gave Esther a warm smile over his sister's head, then ruffled the dark hair affectionately. "Now, if you don't mind, I think Esther and I need to get back to work."

"Hmph." Seth made a soft noise as her brother released her, but she didn't tease him any further, just settled back in her own chair, beside Esther. "So then, about this matter of security in the city…."

The next day dawned bright and clear. It was a little cool, by Esther's standards, but the sun was out, warming the city walks, and the air was crisp with a bright blue sky overhead. To her surprise, Wordsworth had agreed to come with them, as a guide. Leon and the others chose to remain in the palace, both to keep an eye on things, and to hint that Esther was still in residence.

Esther met the others at the garden door. Virgil wore a casual suit, for him, and has exchanged the long trench-coat for his other favored option, and dark cloak. This late in the year, it wasn't likely to be much noticed, and the hood would serve to somewhat disguise his distinct hair and face. Abel and the Professor wore their cassocks, of course, though they wore casual, plain garb instead of the partially armored attire they generally had as AX agents.

Esther wore one of her very informal dresses, the kind she wore for working in the garden, or for going outside. It was longer, going to about mid-calf, with long sleeves and a light cloak thrown over it. She wore none of her jewelry, or anything denoting her rank. Dressed as she was, she knew no one would look twice at her. She looked like a young merchant's daughter.

Seth had chosen to go even more casually. Her dress was white, with lace bordering the short sleeves and hem, and floral patterns stitched into the skirt. The stitching was well done, but subtle, a white on white that blended in and yet caught the eyes at the same time. The dress was form-fitting, but not in any way snug, tailored to fit well without being troublesome. The only decoration was a bright green, ruffled collar with a white bow, and a curling vine that ran from her left shoulder diagonally across to her right hip. The vine was dark green, embellished here and there with leaves and yellow flowers. Over it, she wore a pale green vest, open with no means of fastening. It was sleeveless, but both hem and armholes sported more of the forest green vines, creating the illusion that they were seamlessly part of the dress. To finish the outfit, she'd worn white mid-calf boots, with turned down tops and golden highlights, and a bright, grass green bow settled firmly in her dark hair. Esther thought the dress was a bit short for the weather, since it ended above the knees, but she couldn't deny the other girl looked very fetching, and every inch a charming teenager instead of the Empress. She wondered if Ion or Astha had a chance to see the outfit, and what they'd thought of it. The thought brought a grin to her lips.

Abel blinked as the two girls came up to the doors. He studied his sister for a moment. "You know…I don't normally comment on fashion, but…I'm not sure that's quite appropriate for fall. After all, we'll be in big trouble if you catch cold, you know."

Seth grinned. "Oh, stop worrying. You know as well as I do, it's not like I ever catch cold." She let her grin widen, and moved closer. "Of course…I know you have trouble with the idea of protecting your cute younger sister, but I'm sure you'll manage." She patted his arm. "I also know you have no fashion sense whatsoever, Abel, but maybe we can try and change that while we're out today."

Her brother made a face. "Really now…you know I can't do that. After all, as a member of the Vatican, I do have a uniform to wear, you know."

William chuckled, but he laid a hand on Seth's shoulder in a friendly fashion. "I fear Abel's right. As a priest, he really does have to stick with his uniform, unless it's a special circumstance."

Seth sighed theatrically. "Oh well." She studied her brother carefully. "Well, I will admit, he did look good in those Imperial clothes Astha bought for him, but it might be just as well that you don't dress up all that often. After all, it's really not fair to Esther if girls start fighting over you. And as much as I hate to admit it, you really do look rather good in just about anything. If we dressed you up, even you might notice that."

Her brother turned red. "Now then…really…" He was saved from his indignant spluttering by Virgil's return from checking preparations.

The aide straightened his shirt sleeves, then bowed. "The gateway is clear, majesty. We should have no problems, and I've let them know to expect us sometime this evening."

"All right. We should get going then. But…" She smiled at him. "Please remember, Lord Walsh, you do have my permission to use my name."

"As you wish, Lady Esther." He held out his hand, not to Esther, but to Seth, allowing the Vatican priest to take Esther as his escort. William fell in beside them.

The day was wonderful. Esther had never had a chance to really explore her capital, though she'd wandered it quite a bit. But Virgil knew all the historic spots, and several places of interest. Abel knew even more, and occasionally would ask where this or that structure was, or had been. William, on the other hand, was experienced in picking out random places to go, remarking more than once at little secrets of the city he'd discovered during his student days. He gave them a grand tour of the University of Londinium, pointing out all the more interesting sights, and led them to a small café with excellent sandwiches for lunch.

Virgil, for his part, led them to several historic spots. He took them to the Londinium Tower, and to Londinium Bridge. Abel called it London Bridge, and Seth started humming a song that Esther had never heard, but a catchy tune that made her brother smirk. They also went to a giant clock tower. Abel called it Big Ben, and appeared slightly surprised to hear that the original clock had been destroyed, and an exact replica had replaced it. The newer clock was only a few hundred years old, but it had taken the name of its predecessor.

From there, they meandered through the city, looking into whatever happened to interest them. Seth and Esther both dragged the men into the formal city gardens. William and Abel countered by introducing them to the theaters, including a circular one Abel called the Shakespeare Theater. Hearing that name, his sister had groaned and pounced on him, clapping a hand over his mouth and swearing that if he spouted _any_ nonsense, she was going to hit him herself. Virgil, for his part, introduced them to what he called the old House of Commons, and the House of Lords, two seats of ancient political power that had lost every meaning but the symbolic in Armageddon. To her surprise, Abel knew as much about them as Virgil, and even managed to dredge up the names of a few representatives he'd known, or known of. But he didn't seem willing to speak much about it, and Esther didn't ask him. Instead, they wandered off to a place that Virgil called Trafalgar Square, and then beyond that.

The day was wonderful. Esther had always been curious about her capital city, but she'd never gotten to see it like this. She even persuaded Abel and Virgil to engage a short cruise for them on the River Thames, reveling in the view and the cool water splashing against the side of the boat. She was also aware of Seth. The younger Nightroad had glued herself to Abel and Virgil, peppering them both with questions. She seemed fascinated with everything about the city. With her eyes shining and her hair tousled by the wind, she looked every inch the innocent carefree young woman she frequently pretended to be. Her enthusiasm and laughter was infectious. By the time they stopped halfway through the afternoon for ice cream at a street vendor, everyone was caught up in the excitement. Even Virgil, usually so calm and impassive, was smiling, his fair hair mussed by the wind and his eyes speaking of a relaxation she'd hardly ever seen in him. How he still managed to appear dignified was something Esther didn't know, and didn't care. Beside him, Abel was laughing sheepishly as William and Seth teased him about the fact that he'd asked for three scoops of ice cream, while the rest of them had asked for two. Esther watched him, feeling light-hearted with joy.

It was just turning to sunset when they finally returned to Buckingham Palace. Mary greeted them at the small gate they'd exited from that morning. Her eyes roamed over the group, all of them with flushed faces and wind tossed hair. Then she smiled. "I take it you had a good day, Lady Esther, Lady Nightroad?"

"Yes, we did, thank you." Esther grinned self-consciously as she tried to smooth her hair into some sort of order. She caught movement beside her, and turned to find Virgil doing the same thing, visibly re-cloaking himself in the dignity of an aristocrat, though his eyes still sparkled.

Seth grinned. "It was pretty neat." She fixed Virgil with an appraising look. "You really do know your way around the city, Lord Walsh. I think you even know more than my brother here." She offered him her hand. "I really did enjoy today. Thank you for arranging this for me and Abel." She frowned. "Speaking of Abel…" She turned, and surveyed her elder brother. "Well, Abel? Was it everything you hoped for, this time?"

"Indeed. I quite enjoyed it." His blue eyes were glittering with the emotions of the day, sparkling with the remnants of the enjoyment of the afternoon.

Seth relaxed. "That's good to hear."

"I'm pleased to hear that." Mary smiled at both siblings. "Please, let us know if there's anything else we can assist you with."

One corner of Seth's mouth turned up in a wry grin. "Well, I do appreciate the offer. And there is one more thing I was hoping to do, but I'm afraid it might be a little more troublesome."

"Indeed? May I ask what that was?" Virgil's pale eyebrow rose.

Seth's wry grin widened. "Well, what I'd like to do is visit the Vatican with Abel." She locked both hands behind her and stretched, rocking slightly on her heels. "After all, he's worked there for over a decade now, and I really haven't had a chance to see what its like. I was hoping, with the new alliance, that I might get to visit there."

"Well, that's hardly a problem." William grinned. "After all, I'm sure Lady Caterina would be more than happy to give you a tour. And at the very least, I could arrange to come with you and guide you."

"I'm sure that's true." A touch of sadness entered Seth's eyes. "But…what I really want to do is see the things that are so important to my brother. And, well…" She grinned, looking sheepish. "I would like to meet His Holiness, as well. After all, he runs an Empire fully as vast as the one I represent. I have to admit, I'm a little curious about him. Especially with his siblings and all. He sounds like he has as much trouble with them as I do with mine." The grin turned impish.

"Really now." Abel made an exasperated noise. "Lady Caterina has always been most supportive of His Holiness."

"Well, you've always been my support too, Abel, even when you don't realize it. However…" His sister turned and poked him in the chest. "That doesn't mean you haven't been troublesome as well."

William chuckled. "She has you there."

Abel flushed. "Well, I can't say I really have room to deny it, but…" He turned back to his sister. "Aside from checking out my workplace and meeting the Pope…you know, you really don't have to go to the Vatican for that. I am a wandering priest after all, and I work here now, so…"

Seth laid a hand on his lips. "I know. But I'm still curious. Besides…" She stopped for a moment, and a wistful expression touched her face. "The Vatican…that's where you left her, isn't it? That's where Lilith is buried. There, or somewhere nearby." She met her brother's eyes. "I guessed it, when you turned up at the church, and when I heard you'd been found by the Cardinal, and how you were saved." She smiled again, this time faintly tinged with sadness. "It's been quite a while since I saw her. But…I never really got a chance to tell her good-bye, you know?"

Abel's eyes softened, and he pulled her to him in a gentle hug. "I know. I'm sorry."

Seth made a soft noise. "You don't have to apologize. I just…I thought I might like to see her."

"Lilith?" Mary's voice was questioning, neutral.

"Lilith Sahl. The Dark Holy Woman. She who also founded the Albion Underground." Virgil spoke softly. He turned his pale gaze to meet Abel's. "Am I correct?"

"Yes. And she is buried, not far from the Vatican." He sighed. "Normally, I'd be quite willing to take you, but…"

His sister sighed as well. "I know." She broke from him, leaning against the wall. "Right now, you need to stay with Esther. Especially if he's after her for some reason. I can't ask you to leave her side right now. Normally, I'd just ask her to come with us, for a couple days, but with things the way they are…" She shrugged. "Well, that's why I said it would probably be troublesome."

Esther saw Virgil's light gaze flick over the two siblings. Then he turned and motioned. "Colonel Spencer, Father Wordsworth…may I speak with you a moment?" He motioned a few feet away, then bowed to Esther. "If you will excuse me a moment, Majesty." She nodded, and watched as her two advisors and the AX priest moved off to one side.

Abel blinked. "Now what on Earth…?" He studied Virgil's back, puzzlement in the blue eyes.

"I think they're trying to figure out exactly what to do with us." Seth sighed, and gave Esther a sheepish grin. "Sorry. I didn't mean to cause so much fuss."

"It's all right. I can understand your feelings. And really, I don't mind if you take Abel for a day or two." She knew she'd miss him, but she understood, and he was Seth's brother.

To her surprise, the dark-haired girl shook her head. "I really think it's best if he stays with you right now. And while I don't mind having you come along…your advisors might feel differently."

"As a matter of fact, I believe we can arrange for a short trip, if you wish." Virgil had turned back to them. "Given the lower activity in court, it would not be impossible to arrange for your absence for a few days. And, as I said before, if the Order anticipates your presence here, then it is not unreasonable for you to take some time away from the Palace."

"I see. But…won't they know I've left?" Esther frowned. "And what about my responsibilities here?"

"They can be managed. And in truth, we had hoped to avoid making it known that you have left the Palace. It is not as simple as the arrangements for Lady Nightroad…" Virgil nodded his head in Seth's direction. "…but it can be done. As we have already announced that you were taking a brief holiday, if your trip is taken within the next few days, it should not result in any difficulties."

"How do you plan to avoid letting people know Esther is gone?" Seth rocked back on her heels. "I mean, with the morning Court and all….Esther's pretty visible as a monarch."

"True. However, we can simply announce that she has chosen to take a temporary vacation, or retreat. The former Queen also did so, from time to time." Virgil studied the walls, then quirked one eyebrow thoughtfully. "With the winter coming, and the start of holidays, we can announce that Your Majesty has chosen to take a break to consider how to best manage your first Holy Season at court. Her Majesty, Queen Brigitte, did celebrate Christmas. And considering our new Alliance, I suspect the season will have special meaning this year. I doubt anyone will question that your Majesty is arranging matters. And if the envoys and your advisors remain here, then most will assume you are simply doing so in the privacy of your own offices."

"He's right about that." Wordsworth smiled around his pipe. "I agree. If you want to go to Rome, you go right ahead with Abel and his sister. The rest of us will stay here and provide a distraction. I'm sure between us, we can manage to create a reasonable pretense of your presence." He smiled. "I'm sure Leon will be more than happy to assist."

"I…thank you. Do you think it will really be okay?" She felt a little concerned.

Seth grinned. "Don't worry. I'm sure Abel and I can handle anything that might happen. I mean, if it were just Abel, then I'd be a little worried, but with me along, you'll be fine."

"Really!" Abel made a face as his sister. Then he sighed and gave her another hug. "Well, I suppose two are better than one." He turned to smile at Esther. "Would you like to come to Rome with us, Miss Esther? For a short trip, at least."

In the face of his invitation, Esther felt her fears and doubts shrink. She returned his smile. "Of course I would." She bowed her head. "Thank you for inviting me."

"There's no need for all that." Seth grinned and ducked free of her brother to throw an arm about her shoulders. "After all, we are old friends."

"That's true." Esther straightened.

The Professor chuckled. "Well then, if that's all straightened, then we really should get started on your travel plans, shouldn't we? So let's see what we can do." Together, the small group moved down the hall.

Travel plans weren't nearly as hard as Esther feared. Ships went from Rome to Albion on a regular basis, and vice-versa. They were lucky; an Albion passenger ship was scheduled to depart the next evening, to return three days later. Virgil listed all three of them, Abel by his own name, Seth without a last name, and Esther under a pseudonym. The money for the ticket came out of the Vatican budget. A quick call to Caterina established the story that Abel wished to return to discuss some security measures, and to introduce his sister, who was working with the Empire, to the Church. Leon griped a little about being left behind while Abel got to travel with two good looking women, until William pointed out that it left him to his own devices with Astha. Ion and the Professor were planning to spend the time discussing life in Albion, while Virgil and Mary would maintain the cover that Esther was still within the country's borders, and the Palace walls.

Abel was quiet during the planning, though he did help Esther pack. Considering the shortness of the trip, he packed a small bag, while the two girls shared a suitcase. They also agreed it was better to book a room on the liner, but only one. After all, the flight was only scheduled to take an evening. Esther packed one good dress, for their meeting with the Pope, and then two or three lighter ones, for their wandering.

The following evening, Virgil presented them with their tickets. "Vanessa will be here shortly, to drive the three of you to the Albion main airport. You will board the _Tristan_ there. I've secured a first class cabin for you."

Abel's eyebrow went up. "The _Tristan_? Ummm…that wouldn't be the same ship that nearly got crashed into the Vatican a few years back, would it?" His eyes looked slightly concerned.

"It would. Is there some problem with that?" Virgil regarded him. "I assure you, we've increased security measures, and the captain of the ship is said to be very cautious."

"I don't doubt it in the least." Abel offered him a quick smile, but he looked distracted. "At any rate, I don't suppose…" He shook his head. "Ah well. We'd best be on our way." He quirked a smile, much less distracted, at his two travelling companions, then picked up the suitcases. "And there's Miss Vanessa with the car, so…" He gave Virgil a nod, and turned to take the bags to the vehicle.

Esther took their tickets, exchanging a startled look with Seth. She had no doubt that something had crossed Abel's mind. He didn't seem to be too worried, more as if he'd remembered something odd. But she did wonder about what had prompted that particular reaction. Her companion shrugged, then made a face and an exasperated gesture. Then both of them turned and headed for the car, following their silver-haired companion.

Esther wanted to ask Abel what was on his mind, but the trip was a fairly short one. Besides, Abel sat up front with Vanessa, and she and Seth sat in the back seat, where they would be safer if something happened. But the trip was made without incident, and within twenty minutes, the three of them were exiting at the loading platform of the liner. Abel took their luggage to be checked, while Esther and Seth took up positions in the line of passengers waiting to board. Both women were careful to keep a hand discretely on their weapons while they waited for Abel to return. Nothing happened, but Esther was still relieved when he re-joined them. She sighed, and allowed herself to relax.

Boarding took only a few minutes. The guards checked them for weapons, but all three of them had a special permit to carry, so it was all right. Then they were taken on board, and escorted to their rooms. Seth and Esther settled in with twin sighs of relief. Abel had just wandered over to check the drink counter that came with the room, when the door to the cabin slid open, and a young woman walked through.

She looked to be a few years older than Esther, with long brown hair, pulled back neatly away from her face, and brown eyes. She had a pretty face, with a splash of freckles across her nose, and she was wearing the uniform of a ship's pilot. She took two steps into the cabin, her eyes on the silver-haired priest. "Father Nightroad, is that you?"

Abel turned at the voice, and his eyes brightened. "Miss Jessica." He moved to stand before the young woman. "I was wondering if you'd be on board." His eyes drifted over her uniform. "Well, so you did make pilot after all. Congratulations!" His smile widened, faintly teasing. "See, I told you, you could do it if you tried."

The girl, Jessica, blushed. "Yes, I did. I passed my examination a month after we met, Father. And actually, I'm the Captain. They said, after the way I flew into Rome that night…that I ought to have the position. So now…"

"Well done! I thought you'd do all right!" Abel placed his hands on her shoulders. "I hope you'll let my friends and I have a drink with you to celebrate, later on."

"Of course." She smiled at him. "I have to get to the bridge now, Father, but I wanted to tell you…if you want anything, just go to the stewardess on this deck. I've left instructions that anything you or your friends want is on the house. So don't hesitate, okay Father?"

Abel blinked. "Well, that is very generous, but you don't have to…" He stopped when Jessica laid a hand over his mouth. Now she was the one smiling.

"Of course I do, Father. After all, I never got to thank you properly. And things were so busy when we landed, I didn't even get to give you your sandwich. Consider it a return on our promise, with interest, okay?" She smiled at him.

Abel smiled sheepishly back. "Well, if you insist…I suppose I'll accept, just this once."

"Good. I'll send someone by with your tea in a few hours, all right?" She grinned at him once more, then vanished back into the corridor, shutting the door behind her.

There was silence for a few seconds, then Seth let out a whistle. "Well, that was unexpected." She shook her head. "Honestly Abel, you know the most unusual people. And what was that all about, anyway?"

Abel shook his head. "It's nothing much. I…happened to do Miss Jessica a favor, once. I didn't really expect her to remember me quite so well though."

"A favor?" Seth eyed her brother. "Abel, I've been on ships like this before. She just gave you, gave all of us, a free ticket to anything we wanted. That's not a small thing."

"She's right." Esther blinked, remembering the trip she'd taken on board the _San Ariel_ when travelling to Rome the first time. The Professor, with the help of the Vatican, had footed the bill, but even the simple meal they'd eaten had been over fifty dinars per person. Ships like this were expensive to travel on. "She did say we could ask for anything, too."

Seth jumped up and poked her older brother in the chest. "Start talking. What exactly happened between the two of you, Abel?" She crossed her arms, a wicked glint in her eyes. "I hope you haven't been unfaithful to Esther."

Abel blushed scarlet. "Of course not! I hadn't even met her when I met Miss Jessica. And really…it wasn't anything." He sighed. His eyes turned dark, and distant with memory. "I was…assigned a mission in Albion a few years back, and Caterina booked me a flight on this ship to return to Rome. It was the quickest way home, after all. But…there was a member of the Fleur du Mal, who snuck onboard. He was…working for the Order. On their instructions, he hijacked the computer, and threatened to crash the ship into the Vatican. Caterina contacted me, and told me to stop him. So I…well, I did my best."

"I see. So then, where does she fit into this?" Seth jerked her head at the door. "I saw her expression, Abel. She practically worships the ground you walk on. What on Earth did you do? And what was all that about a sandwich?"

Abel's ears went a little pink. "Well I…Miss Jessica was a stewardess. I was hungry, but I…well, I was a little short on cash. So I asked her for some tea, but it got spilled…and she offered me a sandwich. But…she got called to the bridge, and just after that, I got a call from Sister Kate, about the hijacker."

"So then, you rescued her?" Esther blinked up at him.

"Well, I suppose you could say that. He did have her captured, and I did manage to get her free. But really, she did all the hard work. I took her to the sub-bridge and unlocked the plane controls for her, but she's the one who flew the ship into Rome." He smiled, nostalgia touching his features. "Really, she's an excellent pilot. Even then…she did quite well. Even though Cardinal di Medici tried to end the threat by blowing us out of the sky, she did very well. She even dodged two of the missiles. I was quite impressed."

"What happened to the hijacker?" Esther couldn't help feeling curious, drawn in by Abel's story.

His eyes darkened. "Well, he did follow us." He sighed. "I hurt him, and in retaliation, he killed some of the passengers. But…I managed to get him outside the ship, and then…well, the rest…I'm sure you can guess." He grimaced.

She could guess. Against a threat like that, he'd probably used the Crusnik. She stood, and moved over to lay a hand on his arm. "It's all right. I'm sure you did the best you could."

"She certainly thinks so." Seth grinned. Then she stretched. "I say we take her up on her offer, later." She looked at Abel, still standing with a distant look on his face, then moved over and punched him lightly. He blinked and looked down at her, and she shook her finger in his face. "Don't you dare go getting all depressed on me now, Abel. Otherwise, I'll have to do something drastic. I'm not sure what yet, but I'll think of something. Even if I have to lock you in here alone with Esther and tell the stewardess not to disturb your 'personal time'." She winked at Esther.

Abel blushed. "Don't you even think such a thing." He made a face at her for a moment, then smiled. "Besides, I'm all right. And really, knowing she's done so well, I'm very glad."

"Good." Seth grinned at him, then turned back to Esther. "Well then, what shall we do now?"

The rest of the trip was quiet. They stayed in the rooms, most of the time, relaxing and talking together. Midway through the trip, a quiet young stewardess delivered tea, complete with thirteen sugars, to Abel. Shortly after that, Esther and Seth went and got food for all three of them. Despite Jessica's assurances, they both took money with them, but the stewardess took their order and brought them their food, all without a word about payment. When Esther asked how much it was, the young woman shook her head. "There's no charge, ma'am. Captain Langston said everything for your party was to be handled with her account." Esther and Seth shared a glance, but neither of them pushed the matter. Instead, they collected their purchase and returned to the cabin.

Several hours later, the ship docked in Rome. Abel led the two girls down the ramp. He was just moving to collect their bags when a voice spoke. "Here, Father."

Jessica was standing, holding their suitcases. She smiled. "I hope I got everything for you."

Abel nodded. "It looks fine." He smiled. "So, Miss Jessica, will you be our pilot on the way back?"

"Of course." Her grin widened. "I hope you'll let me treat you again on the return flight, Father."

His ears turned pink again. "Well, that's very kind of you, but really, I…"

"Don't be silly. It's the least I can do." Her eyes glittered with mischief. "After this though, you're on your own, okay Father?"

"All right. Well then, I'll see you in two days, Miss Jessica."

"All right. Take care of yourself, and your friends. I'll see you when it's time to return to Albion." The young captain smiled once more, then turned and vanished back into the ship.

Abel sighed. "Really…" He shook his head, then turned to his waiting companions. "Well then, I suppose we'd better go. After all, I suspect there's someone waiting for us, to take us to the Vatican."

He was right. Vaclav was waiting with a car. He bowed them into the vehicle, then settled into the driver's seat. "Abel."

"Yes?" Abel sat forward.

"Cardinal Sforza sent me to get you. She said to inform you that she will meet you at the Vatican. She also said to inform you that His Holiness would like to greet you this evening, if you are not too tired." He glanced at the three of them. "If you like, I can inform the Cardinal and His Holiness of your arrival, while you change."

"Yes, I think that would be best." Abel sighed. "I suppose I should just report in, but…I really don't think it's wise of me to leave my sister, or Miss Esther."

Vaclav smiled. "Lady Caterina is of the same opinion. She said you don't need to worry about it, this time." A few minutes later, he pulled up to the Vatican and ushered the three of them inside. He brought them to a suite of rooms, and gestured them inside. "I'll return to fetch you in about an hour. Please, make yourselves at home."

Abel nodded. "Well, now, this is a much bigger room than my usual." He nodded. "I think this should do quite nicely, don't you, Miss Esther?"

It was a suite of rooms, with a single bedroom, a living area, and a bathroom. None of the rooms were incredibly large, but they were very comfortable. It wasn't the rooms you'd use for visiting dignitaries either, but Esther understood. After all, they were supposed to be here in secret. She nodded. "I think it will work rather well. Seth?" She turned to look at the Empress.

Seth grinned. "Well, I have to admit, it isn't what I'm used to, but then, it's about like my apartment in the city, isn't it? So it's just fine." She looked around. "I'm a little surprised they didn't pick something fancier, but then…the whole point was to avoid notice, so we're doing pretty well." She looked up at Abel, then beyond him. "This place…it's pretty big, isn't it, Abel?"

"It is. And Rome itself is huge." He smiled. "It took me forever to learn my way around, but you needn't worry. Esther and I know all the best places to go."

"Oh, I'm not worried." His sister glanced at the wall. "Speaking of going, didn't your friend say we were going to meet the Pope this evening?" She grinned. "In that case, Esther and I had better get dressed properly, hadn't we?" She shoved her brother in the direction of the bedroom. "Why don't you go in there while Esther and I freshen up, all right Abel?"

He blinked. "Seth…what…" His sister only smiled, and shoved him in, kicking the suitcase in after him.

She sighed and leaned against the door. "That brother of mine…" She shook her head, then smiled at Esther. "Well then, would you like to use the bathroom first, or shall I?"

Forty-five minutes later, they were ready. Esther had chosen to wear a formal gown in a pale pink, with a ruffled collar and long sleeves. She wore a small coronet, dangling ruby earrings, and the necklace Abel had given her. It wasn't the fanciest outfit she'd ever worn, but it was perfectly suitable for a young woman coming to meet the Pope. She snuck a glance at Seth.

She was obviously taking her role as an Imperial representative very seriously, and anyone familiar with Court customs of the Empire would know at once she was from the household of the Empress. But she'd also clearly selected this outfit to complement the robes of a Cardinal. There was an odd echo to them of Caterina's robes, a subtle way of hinting at her importance without stating her identity.

The robe itself fell to mid-calf. Underneath it, she wore a simple white shift, the same length and with a high collar. The robe itself was an emerald green, with white cuffs, and a white ruff around the collar. The collar itself fell to a v-neck cut, the ruff cut in a deeper, off-center v that dipped to the right side of her chest. Both ruff and collar were trimmed in gold brocade, and the right side of the v was decorated with a delicate gold flower brooch, set with a ruby at its center, and further enhanced by a small golden tassel. The left side was also decorated with a brooch, but this one supported a slender white sash, that fell to Seth's right hip before tying off in a small knot. Her sleeves were full length, almost too long, with turned back white cuffs that were at least four inches wide. The white was also simply decorated with a double strand of the gold brocade. From the collar, the rest of the robe was simply cut, and undecorated until a third of the way down her thigh. From there, it split to reveal the white shift. Each section ended in a v, to echo the cut of the collar. The slits, as well as the tapered points were outlined in a slightly darker gold, and embellished by metallic needlework, done in the Imperial insignias. There was more than one, and each one was made differently. The main panel, on the front, sported Seth's personal emblem, the two to either side showed the Imperial standard, embellished somewhat with small rubies. Below that, the other woman wore white boots, the tops decorated with glittering golden curling vines, winding three or four times around her calf. Small laces of emerald thread formed the leaves.

To crown the outfit Seth wore a hat that, if it hadn't been made to mimic Caterina's, was certainly the closest Esther had ever seen anyone come. It was triangular, with a white interior, and a two inch white border. The edge was trimmed with still more gold, to echo her outfit, and supported by delicate golden arcs of metal, pointing from the green center. At the very front of the cap, white silk stiffened almost into a board rose in the shape of a crown, surmounted at the center of her forehead with a white enameled brooch, depicting a circlet of rose vines, with ruby red thread to denote the flowers. It would have looked almost too formal, except that Seth had added a wide green pin, depicting a leaf, with green painted metal and gold outlines to one side, and a large black bow with long dangling ribbons to the other. Between that and the uncontrollable, wildly tousled look to her hair, the outfit went from unbearably formal to perfect. And the care in her attire did help offset the devilish grin on her face as she pirouetted before her brother. "So Abel, how do I look?"

Her brother studied her a moment. He hadn't really changed his clothing, aside from choosing a clean cassock. He took in the outfit, then smiled. "You know, I'm very glad Leon isn't here right now." He stood, and moved over to his sister. "I think you look absolutely stunning. Between you and Esther, I'm sure His Holiness will be quite impressed." He turned to smile at Esther. "You look lovely too." The smile turned impish. "I don't suppose you have any lipstick to go with that, Miss Esther? Not that you need it, but…"

Esther blushed. Abel released his sister, and moved to stand in front of her, to take her chin in a gentle grip and raise her gaze to meet his. "Truly. You look beautiful." An almost wistful smile touched his mouth. "I really almost feel under-dressed."

"Nonsense." Esther smoothed a crease out of the black fabric of his uniform. "You look just fine, Abel. Very handsome and distinguished."

Seth made a soft noise that might have been either laughter or exasperation. "You know…you two…Abel, if you hold her much tighter, you're going to put wrinkles in Esther's dress."

Both of them blushed slightly, and Abel took a small step back. "Well, I suppose she is right." He smiled at her again, and raised one hand to kiss. "But you do look lovely."

A few minutes later, Vaclav knocked on the door. "Are you ready?" He studied the two women, then bowed. "Your presence graces the Vatican. If you'll come with me, Abel and I will escort you to see His Holiness." He held out his hand to Esther, which she took, leaving Abel to escort his sister.

Within minutes, they'd been brought, not to the formal audience chamber, but to one of the Pope's private reception rooms. Petros stood on guard, but when he saw the three of them, he nodded and shifted aside. Vaclav rapped on the door politely, and was greeted by the invitation to enter. He pushed the door open, and ushered the three of them inside. Then he shut the door, led Esther forward, and bowed. "Holiness, Cardinal Sforza, and Cardinal di Medici, I present Lady Esther Blanchett, of Albion, Father Abel Nightroad of the AX, and Lady Seth Nightroad from the Empire."

"Lady Esther." Alessandro rose from his seat, along with his siblings. To her surprise, he wasn't wearing his full ceremonial garb, only a slightly more ornamental version of his usual attire. He stepped forward off the dais, offering her a shy smile. "It's good to see you, Lady Esther. I mean…it's been a long time…since we met face to face. And…well, I hope…are you doing all right? After all…with everything…" He stopped, clearly uncertain.

"Everything's all right, Holiness." Esther smiled, and moved forward to dip him the half curtsey that was appropriate for their ranks. "I'm really doing quite well. But I did want to thank you once more for sending your people to help search for me."

"Ummm…well, it really….it wasn't really that much. After all, you….you escaped by yourself, right?" Alessandro flushed.

"That's true, but still, it is appreciated." They'd been friends long enough for Esther to feel comfortable reaching over to take his hand gently.

He blushed. "Well then…I guess…you're welcome." He smiled at her, then looked beyond her, to the two who still waited by the door. "Father…Father Nightroad."

"Holiness." Abel stepped forward and started to drop to his knees, but the young Pope held up a hand.

"Please…there's no need…you don't have to be so formal tonight. I don't think…it's not necessary for you…for you to kneel." The young man stopped. "Please…just for tonight at least…"

Abel nodded his head and straightened his long frame. Past him, Esther caught sight of Caterina, smiling, and Cardinal di Medici, scowling like a thundercloud. Then Abel took his sister's hand, and drew Seth forward. "Your Holiness, if I may, I'd like to present my sister, Seth. She's come this evening from the Empire."

"Oh…well, it's very nice…very nice to meet you." Under Seth's direct gaze, the youth flushed. He looked at her. "But really…you and Father Nightroad…you don't look much alike." His blush deepened. "I mean…I didn't know he had…that he even had a sister…and…you're from the Empire?" He stammered to a halt, clearly embarrassed.

Seth grinned. "It's okay. Honestly, you're not the first person brother Abel has surprised with this news. And we really don't look much alike. Abel takes after one side of the family, and I take after the other." She shifted, and her gaze crossed the two Cardinals. "I did come from the Empire, though. I'm working with the Duchess of Kiev and the Earl of Memphis right now."

"Oh…I know them. Sister…I mean, Lady Caterina, she…she's been working with them for a few months. But…I didn't know there was another envoy."

Seth shook her head, and laid a finger to the side of her face, tilting her head with a winsome smile. "Well, normally I just work in the Imperial Court, or out on the streets, in the service of the Empire. But right now's a special case. Besides…" She turned her grin up to the silver-haired man by her side. "I wanted to come see my big brother. We haven't had much chance to talk for a really long time."

"You haven't?" Alessandro blinked. "But…"

She shook her head again. "Well, Abel came here, and I was already over there. Considering the way things have been until recently, it didn't seem like such a great idea to try and contact him. Besides…" She cast another mischievous glance at her brother. "Abel's kind of silly. He ran off a while back, and I lost track of him. I wasn't sure quite where he was, until I heard he'd been seen with the Vatican."

"Oh. Well…I guess I see. I mean…it sounds confusing…and a little sad, but…I guess…is it all right now?" Alessandro blinked.

"Hmmm…well, it isn't perfect, but it's better than it could be. After all…" Seth shrugged. "I have another brother too, and I don't get along with him at all. Abel and I at least speak to each other." She studied the Pope a moment longer, then a wide grin split her face. "You know, I think I rather like you. I can see why Abel works for you and Cardinal Sforza." She moved forward, looking into his eyes, her own filled with amusement. "You're a lot shyer than my brother is, and definitely a lot quieter, but I think you two have a lot more in common than you think."

"How dare you!" Francesco di Medici exploded off the dais, his face crimson with rage. Alessandro flinched. He stopped. "To compare His Holiness to a mere priest, and such a man at that…you speak blasphemy! I should…"

"Brother, that's enough." Caterina's stern voice cut through his tirade. She moved forward to stand beside her younger brother. "Please remember, Lady Nightroad is a guest. And I'm sure she intends no insult whatsoever to His Holiness. After all, Father Nightroad is her brother. I suspect it was meant as a compliment, not a slur." She tilted her head, though whether she turned to the Pope or the Empress was unclear. "My apologies."

"It's…it's all right. I'm not offended. Actually…I think it was…very nice." His eyes shifted to Abel, standing quietly in the background. "I don't think…I don't mind…being compared to Father Nightroad. I mean…" His eyes slipped to Seth. "It seems like you like him a lot, so…"

"I do." Seth smiled, warm and genuine. "I love my brother Abel very much, and I respect him more than he'll ever know." Abel's ears turned pink, and he looked as if he wanted desperately to interrupt. Then Seth shrugged, and the merry mischief returned to her eyes. "But…I think it's all right. After all, even Abel has a few things he needs to work on. And I'll bet you feel the same way about your siblings." Alessandro blinked, and Seth offered him a wink.

"You…" Francesco looked scarlet with fury. "How dare you speak so casually, in the presence of His Holiness."

Seth grinned, a faint light of challenge in her green eyes. "Well, I guess I'm just used to it." She stepped forward. "I've already met Cardinal Sforza. I'm guessing you're the Cardinal di Medici, right? The head of the Knights of the Inquisition, right?" There was nothing amused in her expression. "I've heard of you. I even heard it said you gave my brother a hard time a few months ago."

"I did what was necessary." Francesco scowled.

Seth might have said something more, but Abel moved forward to lay a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Enough. I am all right, and everything turned out fine." Blue eyes met green for a moment, and then the priest looked up at the enraged cardinal and bowed his head. "My apologies. I'm afraid my sister is a little…protective of me, sometimes. And of course, coming from the Empire…"

"Of course. I'm sure we understand." Caterina moved to separate the two. "I beg your pardon as well. And you brother, please recall Lady Nightroad has quite a high status in her Majesty's court."

Francesco scowled furiously, but Alessandro brightened. "You are? I didn't know…what do you do?" He looked genuinely interested.

Seth smirked at him again, and tapped a finger to her lips. "I do whatever I need to. Sometimes, I go to Court. But usually, I prefer to be just Seth, a simple pretty girl in the service of the Empire."

"I see. Well, that sounds…really interesting." He twisted a handkerchief, looking suddenly shy. "I mean…I don't really…I don't know much about the Empire. I'd like to hear more, if you don't mind."

"Not at all." Seth nodded, ricking back on her heels in the way she did when she was excited. "Actually, I don't mind telling you. After all, I rather think we could be friends." She shot a glance at Francesco. "If that's not a problem."

"No. I don't mind at all." Alessandro's thin face lit up. "Actually…I think I'd like that. I think…I'd like that a lot."

Francesco made a disparaging noise, but he did not dare to confront the youth. Instead, he maintained a sullen silence while Seth and Alessandro chatted, occasionally Abel, Esther and Caterina into the conversation. Finally, Caterina laid a gentle hand on the Pope's shoulder. "Holiness, I hate to interrupt this, but it is getting late. I'm sure Father Nightroad, Lady Nightroad and Lady Esther need some rest. And please, don't forget that you yourself have early Mass to attend to."

The younger man nodded. "I understand, Sister." He turned back to the others. "I'm sorry. I mean, you're only going to be here for a little while, but I…"

"It's not a problem." Seth offered him a reassuring smile. "I'm sure, now that we've met, we'll be able to chat more often. Besides, I fear Cardinal Sforza is right. I confess, I do feel a little tired. And I don't want to let Abel get over-exhausted either."

"I'm fine, really." Abel blinked at her.

His sister turned and gave him an exasperated glare. "You'd say that even if you were about to keel over. And don't tell me otherwise." Abel had the good grace to blush. She turned back to the Pope. "So then, we really should let you get some rest as well."

"I…umm, well, all right. If you're sure that…that you're not offended. And maybe…maybe…we could talk again before you leave?" Alessandro blinked at her.

"Sure thing." Seth grinned, then turned to Caterina. "I guess we should take our leave for the evening, then?" She dipped her head. "Then I wish you good night, Holiness, Lady Caterina." She paused, then offered Francesco another nod. "And you as well, Cardinal di Medici."

The man snorted. "I need nothing from you."

"Well, then. I guess we're even." She waved at the Pope. "See you later." She turned. Abel and Esther both bowed and said their goodbyes, then Abel turned and escorted both women through the door.

He was silent on the way back to their rooms, but Esther could see the concern on his face. When they finally entered their rooms and shut the door, he sighed. "You know, that really was rather reckless of you. Facing the Cardinal like that…and besides, if you don't want people to guess your identity, you really should be more careful."

Seth made a soft noise. "I know. But…you know I never learned that sort of thing. Besides, they're probably going to have to find out sooner or later exactly who I am. It just makes it easier this way. And as for that Cardinal…" She made a face. "I don't really like his attitude. He reminds me a little of some of the hardliners I had to chase out of the Imperial court. And I know he made things difficult for you." She removed her cap, then moved to lean her head on Abel's chest. "Even if you won't see it, Abel, I saw in his eyes….he really doesn't like you. And if you're not careful…one day…I don't want to see anything happen to you."

"I know. But it's fine. I have Caterina, and Brother Petros, and even His Holiness looking out for me. So I'm sure it will be all right." he sighed. "I suppose there might be a problem if he discovers the truth about Cain, but I…don't intend to tell him."

"I know." Seth sighed again. "I just worry about you sometimes." She stood leaning on her brother for a few more moments, then stretched. "Well, I guess we'd better figure out our sleeping arrangements."

There was only one bed. It was fairly large, and there was a large couch in the front room. Abel made a quick survey of the rooms while the two girls took turned getting changed. He came back in, holding a pillow and a blanket under one arm. "Well, if you don't mind sharing, it looks as if the bed is big enough for the two of you."

Seth stepped to the doorway. "And where are you planning to sleep, Abel?"

He gestured to the couch, a carefree smile on his face. "I'm sure I'll be fine, right here."

Seth made a face. "I'll admit, it is a big couch, but still…it's not big enough for you to be comfortable on. I know you Abel, you'll get a crick in your neck like that."

Abe shrugged. "Well, I suppose I could sleep on the floor."

Seth made an exasperated noise. "Really now, there's no need for all that. That bed is quite big enough for the three of us to share." She grabbed his hand. "Come on."

Abel turned scarlet. "Seth! You know I can't…it would be highly improper. To share a bed with two women, even if you are my sister…really now…"

Seth grinned at him. "It'll be just like old times, remember?" A wistful, nostalgic look touched her face. "After all, we used to share quarters when we were kids, and even on Mars, you used to let me stay with you sometimes."

Abel's eyes misted over for a moment, but his voice was firm. "Be that as it may…there is Esther to consider. Even if I could get away with sleeping next to you…I highly doubt…"

Esther blinked. "I don't mind. After all, we've also shared rooms before. Granted, it may be a little tight, but…she is right. The bed is big enough." It was as large as her bed back at Buckingham Palace. Besides, she'd slept nearby Abel on more than one occasion, and his warm presence was always comforting. And given the current circumstances….she colored slightly and shoved that thought away.

Abel blinked at her. "Still…propriety…"

Seth grinned. "Don't worry. I'll sleep between the two of you, to make sure you can't try anything, brother mine." She grinned, then shoved him gently in the direction of the bathroom. "Shoo. Get out of those robes, so we can all get some sleep."

Abel made a face, but gave in. Esther and Seth were settling into bed a few minutes later, when he appeared in the door, wearing his black pants and a loose shirt, his hair falling loose down his back. Esther felt her heart skip an odd beat, but she just nodded to him. Abel stood in the doorway a moment, then sighed and turned off the main lights. A moment later, Esther felt the bed sink on the far side and heard the rustle of sheets. A touch of light glinted off of silver hair. From her left, there were soft rustling noises, then Seth spoke. "That's better." Her voice was contented and drowsy. "You're as warm as ever, Abel." There was a short pause, and then she spoke again. "I've missed you a great deal, Brother Abel."

His voice was equally soft when he responded. "I know."

Esther almost considered leaving herself. She felt like an intruder. But then a small, gentle hand took hers, pulling her closer. She wasn't used to sleeping beside someone, but the Empress pulled her into the group, and she found herself settled quite comfortably amidst the pillows, Seth's light breathing soft in her ear, and a welcome warmth beside her. She snuggled down, feeling a wave of sleepiness wash over her. The last thing she felt, or thought she felt, as she drifted off to slumber, was a gentle hand, much larger than Seth's reaching over to smooth her hair.

Esther woke the next day slightly confused. She was seeping near the edge of a bed, in a room not her own. Then she sat up. The walls of their room in the Vatican looked back at her. She stretched once, then looked down. Seth was still curled next to her, and on the far side, Abel was also still asleep, his sister curled against him like a kitten. Esther smiled, wishing she could have a camera. She started to slide out of bed, to leave them undisturbed, but at her movement, Seth stirred, and opened sleepy eyes, and her shift woke Abel as well. He blinked, then sat up abruptly, looking more than a little embarrassed. Then he muttered something that sounded like a cross between 'good morning' and 'excuse me' and left the room. Seth and Esther exchanged a look, then burst into giggles.

An hour later saw them all dressed in their informal clothes. Seth settled on the couch, and glanced at her brother. "So then, Abel, what shall we do now?"

"Well, I was thinking…you did say you wanted to see Rome and the Vatican, right?" At Seth's nod, her brother smiled. "Well then, why don't I leave a note for Havel, and then Esther and I can take you out and show you the sights? I'll even treat you to breakfast, and maybe lunch as well."

"That sounds wonderful." Seth hopped up. "Let's get going then."

The day that followed was like a repeat of the trip they'd had in Albion only a few days ago. This time though, Abel and Esther were the guides, instead of Virgil. Esther took Seth to one of her favorite café's for breakfast, then the three of them set out on a long, meandering journey over the city. It wasn't possible to see all of Rome in a day, but they certainly gave it their best effort. In light of Seth's words, Esther let Abel lead, introducing his sister to all the places he held fond memories of.

They spent the day in a wonderful haze of wandering. Sometimes, they walked, though once or twice, Esther and Seth paid for a driver, to ease the walking. It was a big city, after all. Esther found herself easily as fascinated as Seth, and for much the same reason. Sister Noelle and the others had sometimes mentioned places where they knew Abel liked to go, or that held memories, but it was clear during their tour that the stories they'd heard only scratched the surface of Abel's memory.

From the café, Abel took them to the University of Rome, pointing out buildings where he'd taken seminary classes, where he and Caterina had spent time, and other such. He also led them to a larger building where he'd first encountered Professor Wordsworth. From there, they took a cart back to the main city, and wandered a long, rambling loop of city parks, cathedrals, theaters, restaurants, and fountains that Abel knew. Their trip took them past the fountain stairway where he'd first met Noelle. He spoke of it softly, but Esther was relieved that, despite the sadness that lingered in his tone, he was no longer the grief-stricken man she'd coaxed off the steps. And by the time they'd made their way to one of his favorite outdoor restaurants for lunch, he was smiling again. From there, he showed them the small facility where he'd first gone to collect Leon, and the bridge where he'd first encountered Hugue de Watteau, then in the care of the Professor for wounds received in Amsterdam. From there, they continued, slowly making their way back to the Vatican main complex.

They ended the day as the sun set, in the informal clergy gardens. The flowers were fading this time of year, though one or two roses still bloomed, and a few of the late fall flowers were bursting into full color. Tired, but happy, the three of them wandered the gardens, until finally they reached the doors leading back inside. Seth sighed, and settled on a bench, her eyes fixed on the fading sunset. She stretched. "Wow." She looked up at her brother, a smile across her face. "I thought you might have a few places to go but, you know, I'm a little surprised. You've only been here for ten years, and I know you spend a lot of time away, but it seems you've built a lot of memories here."

"Yes. I have." Abel smiled, dropping to the bench beside her, while Esther perched next to him. "When I first came here with Caterina, I wasn't sure what I was going to do. Only that I'd promised to work with her." He reached down, and plucked a blade of grass with an absentminded gesture. "But you know, working with her…time simply passed. And…I was so busy, before I knew quite what had happened, I was a part of things. I had people that I'd come to admire, to value. And when I realized that…well, after that, I decided that I would…do the best I could."

"I'd hoped you might. When I heard from Astharoshe that you were with the Vatican, I hoped you might have finally decided to become a part of this world." She reached up, and laid a hand on his face. "I was worried, you know." She looked out across the gardens, and her voice was soft. "I was worried, that you'd shut yourself away. That even if…even if you returned, you wouldn't let people close to you. I wish I could have been more of a part of it, but…I'm glad you've done so well, Abel."

"Yes, well…" Abel's voice trailed off. They sat in silence for a moment or two, watching the sunset. Then he spoke again. "Did you enjoy it? The tour, I mean. We didn't really get into a lot of Rome, you know, but…"

Seth stopped him with a hand across his mouth. "It was perfect. Really, I got to see the things that you love, and that's the important part." She dropped her hand and stood, stretching. "Of course, there is one place I'd still like to see."

Abel nodded. "Well, it's a little late now, but I'll take you there tomorrow." He moved to stand beside her. He looked down at his sister, and spoke softly. "She's buried outside the city, but it isn't far. Esther and I will take you in the morning."

"All right." Seth stretched again. "You know, I think I'd like a shower and some rest. It was a pretty exciting day." Abel nodded, and the three of them moved indoors.

The next morning dawned fair. Esther rose and dressed with the others, but she was conscious of the somber air of the place. Seth's normally lively gaze was dark and distant, and Abel was quiet, not speaking much. Esther and Seth dressed while he went and got them some breakfast, and then the three of them left, exiting through the gardens.

The trip outside Rome was longer than Esther remembered it. She supposed it was because they weren't taking a direct route. Abel led them out of the city, then up into the hills. Esther blinked as the ruins came into view. She thought she recognized them, from her previous trip, but they looked different in the daylight. She wasn't surprised, however, when Abel led them to a wide cleared area, and gestured them closer. Within moments, they were descending into the darkness below the ground. Minutes later, he led them into the familiar chamber, and Esther found herself staring once more at the clear lid of the coffin, and the beautiful woman inside.

Seth stopped, looking at the scene. Then she moved forward, and one hand touched the lid of the casket. "This…Abel…is this really…?"

"Yes. It's the same stasis chamber you put her in for me. I…never moved her." He moved forward, to stand beside his sister. "I couldn't bear to. I…after what happened, I…couldn't even touch her. This was all I could do."

"She looks just the same as always though." Seth's hand traced over the still, beautiful face, and the closed eyes. "She looks so peaceful…I almost expect her to look up at me. But…" She sighed and leaned against her brother. "I suppose it's not possible."

"No. I…I tried, once or twice, to revive her. But…even before, she never…" His voice broke, and he looked down at his own hands. "And now…"

Seth looked up, then took his hand gently in her own. "You can't blame yourself for that, Abel. And you shouldn't blame Caterina either. You know as well as I do…even if she'd had a chance to say so, this is exactly what Lilith would have done on her own. She would have saved you. So don't…"

"I know. But really, I still…" He sighed.

"It wasn't your fault." Seth squeezed his hand. "I know you don't believe me, but this wasn't your fault, Abel."

He only looked at her silently. After a moment, she sighed and turned away. Her hands traced the glass of the casket once more. "Hey, Abel. She really was…very beautiful, wasn't she?" Something soft, grief or something else, tinged her tone. "I thought…I thought after so long, that I might not remember her properly. And I certainly didn't think I'd get to see her like this. But…she really was special, wasn't she?"

"Yes. She was." Abel's hand shifted, ran over the top of the casket. "You know…I still remember, the first time I saw her. She was so different then…."

"So were you." His sister nodded. "I remember that. She wore her hair in two separate ponytails, one to either side, but she always wore those long robes, at least when we were off duty. And she liked jewelry." Her hand dropped, to trace the gold collar. "Did you get this for her?"

"Yes. I couldn't…I couldn't bear to look at her…to see that wound…" Abel's voice broke.

"That's good. I think she would have liked it." Her hand moved, to touch the cross that dangled from his chest. "Is that when you took this?"

"Yes. I…I don't even really know why." Abel's hand fingered the cross. "I just…"

"I'm sure it's all right. She would have wanted you to have it. After all, didn't you help her make that?"

"No. Not this one. Another one. She liked them, so I…" He trailed off.

"I remember." Seth leaned against his elbow once more.

Esther remained quietly to the side, watching the two of them. She felt uncomfortable, like an outsider. She'd never known Lilith after all, knew nothing of the memories, the two shared of the woman in the tomb. Listening to the two siblings, she was uncomfortably aware of the fact that she didn't share their memories. With that thought came another, even more troubling one.

She'd known for a while that Abel had loved Lilith, long ago. Caterina had told her that night she'd first come here. More than that, she'd seen the sorrow in his face. And he'd told her himself that he'd loved Lilith, loved her enough to defy his brother. Loved her enough that her death had driven him to madness, and later to the arms of the Vatican, for the sake of her dying wish. She knew too, that the wish for peace was something he had learned from Lilith. Her hand went to the carved ring that hung beneath her dress. She knew Abel had said he loved her, and she didn't doubt his sincerity. But still…she had to wonder if his feelings for her were any match for this. He'd loved Lilith for centuries, and she couldn't think how she could even begin to compare.

That thought served to make her feel like even more of an outsider. She bit her lip, then turned away. She knew she couldn't possibly walk back to the Vatican alone, but perhaps she could make her way to the entrance, to wait for them. Then at least, she wouldn't be intruding.

She turned toward the passageway, but at the sound of her movement, Abel lifted his head and turned. "Esther?"

She flushed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you. I just thought…well, I thought I'd leave the two of you alone."

Abel blinked. "Now, why on Earth do you feel you need to do that?" he stopped, looking genuinely puzzled.

Esther flushed deeper. "It's just…well, I don't know her at all. Not like you. And you…" she stopped, then whispered the next words. "You…you loved her. I know that. And…well, I suppose I feel I'm intruding. And I don't want to do that."

"Nonsense. You aren't intruding at all." Seth moved forward and took her hand, then pulled her forward. "It's all right for you to be here. After all, you're a part of our lives now. And really, I think Lilith would be happy to have you here. After all, you're a lot like her, you know. And even besides that…" Seth stopped a moment, looking from Esther to the coffin. "Well, I think Lilith would want you here. She'd want to meet someone so important to my brother. After all, he gave you that ring, so you're someone Lilith would want to know."

Esther bit her lip. "I…it's just that…" She looked at Abel for a moment, then at the woman in the coffin. "I know you…Abel, I know you loved her. Caterina said you…you mourned her for nine hundred years. And I saw you that night…the way you wept. So I…wasn't sure what to think. She's so important to you…"

Abel stepped forward, and enfolded her in his arms. "It's true…Lilith is very important to me." His arms tightened about her, a gentle but firm embrace. "However, that does not make you less important, Esther. Seth is right, you are very precious to me. And I want you to be here, to see her. Because she was such an important part of my life, because she influenced me so much, I don't want you to not know her. Even if it's just this, to stand beside her, and me and Seth, while we share stories…even if you'll never meet her, I want to share Lilith with you. As a part of my heart." His voice was low and intense.

Esther swallowed. "It's just…how much you loved her. I'm not sure…I'm not sure I can, that I can ever take her place."

"Well, if it comes to that, I don't think you should try to." Seth spoke softly. "Lilith was…very special. There isn't anyone else like her, for me or for Abel. Maybe not even for _him_. But you're special in your own way, Esther, so you shouldn't worry about it. And trust me…" She looked up with a hint of a smile on her face. "Abel loves you now." Her eyes drifted up to her brother. "You aren't Lilith, but I wouldn't worry about it. I'd say you have Abel's heart, maybe even more than she did."

Esther swallowed again, but managed a tremulous smile. "I doubt that." She looked up into Abel's face, solemn and still. "I don't doubt your feelings, but…I find it a little hard to imagine that you'd weep nine hundred years for me."

Abel sighed, and his head bowed. One hand rose to touch her face. "Well, I suppose that's true. I probably wouldn't weep for nine hundred years." Esther felt a stiff stab of hurt, but then his hand cupped her chin, bringing her gaze to his. His voice was solemn and intense and full of emotion. "If something happened to you…if I lost you…Miss Esther…I would not live that long. Truly. It would destroy me, body and soul." His gaze drifted to Lilith, in the coffin. "It is true…I loved her deeply. And yes, in some ways I will always mourn her. She was…a truly radiant individual. But…the thing I am most grateful to her for, now, is that she taught me to love. She taught me, so that I could love you. So that I would be here for you. That I lost her…is a wound I thought would bleed forever. Until you touched my heart and healed my soul, as much as it could be done. Not even she could do for me what you have done."

He stopped a moment, then bowed his head over hers again, pulling her to him tightly. "I'm sorry. I know…it doesn't really sound convincing. But I…cannot put it into words, what you are to me. Lilith was…my light, then. But you…Esther, please believe me…you are more precious even than that. I wish….I could tell you, but I don't…I'm sorry. I just…I can't express what it makes me feel, when you look at me. The way your smiles drive away my darkest despair. The way any pain in your eyes rips through me. I'm sorry. All I can do…is tell you, once more, Miss Esther...I love you. Heart and soul and forever. For as long as I live, that will be true."

Esther wallowed hard, feeling the burn of tears in her eyes. She had no more doubt of him. The rough passion, love and pain and a thousand other things, burned too deeply in his voice. She laid a hand on his jaw, trying to convey her acceptance of his words, helpless to find anything that wouldn't sound trite. She met his gaze, seeing the emotion in his eyes. "I love you too." There was so much more she wanted to say, but somehow, those words were the only ones that sounded appropriate.

Silence fell. Esther could see Seth, pointedly looking away from her, and from Abel. She turned her gaze back to the strange looking coffin. She studied the face of the woman inside. The face looked stern, regal, strong. And of course, beautiful. She looked at the figure for a long moment, then back at the man who still held her. "If you don't mind my asking…what was she like? Lilith? What kind of person was she?"

Abel sighed. "She was…many things, I suppose. Strong. Brave. She had to be. And very responsible." He chuckled slightly. "When we all came to the Mars training station, Lilith was the eldest. Cain and I were in our teens, and Seth was still a child. Only about six or so. Lilith was technically an adult, though she didn't look it. So she wound up taking care of all of us. And I…wasn't the best behaved."

Seth chuckled too. "She was always breaking up fights between Abel and Cain. It used to make her so frustrated. Lilith…I won't say she never got angry, or anything…but Abel's temper really baffled her." She paused, rocking on her heels slightly. "I always thought of her as kind of a mother figure, to be honest. I looked up to her, but…she was a great deal older than I was. I was never sure whether she was a substitute mother or an older sister." She grinned. "I remember though…she used to tease you, Abel, about acting like a kid. Especially when you fussed about having her take care of your injuries."

"Yes. She did, didn't she?" A small smile touched his face. "She used to laugh, and pat my cheek, and smile. It always frustrated me, but…it was always soothing too."

"Yeah, but then, you usually went and bought her something, like a necklace or something, to apologize. Not that you ever _said_ you were sorry. You'd just walk in, give her something, and then walk out, with that odd look on your face."

"Yes, well…" Abel chuckled. "At least she always understood me. I can be grateful for that."

The three of them stood for a while. Esther listened to Abel and Seth, swapping stories. Her unease had been replaced by a quiet sense of curiosity. As the two of them spoke, she became aware of an odd sense of lightening in the atmosphere. The sorrow was still there, but it was overlaid by fondness, and a feeling of peace. Abel's eyes, when she looked into his face or he looked into hers, were no longer shadowed and tormented, no longer haunted. Instead, he looked thoughtful, and perhaps a touch nostalgic. His arms around her were relaxed, gentle, and she could feel that relaxation in the rest of his body. Beside him, Seth looked much the same.

She wasn't sure how long they stayed there, talking and sharing stories, but finally Abel tilted his head back to look at the ceiling. "We should probably be going soon. It will be night soon, and I had a note from Vaclav saying Caterina wanted to see us this evening. Besides…there will be Mass this evening."

Seth made a face. Abel saw it, and gave her a grin, reaching out to tweak her hair. "Well, you did want to see where I lived and worked. Mass is a part of that, so you really ought to attend, at least once. Besides, His Holiness is delivering the main sermon tonight, and it's a good chance to listen to him. You might even get another chance to speak with him afterward, if you're polite."

Seth made another face, but she nodded. "All right. I guess we should go back then." She turned, and saluted the silent figure behind the glass lid. "I'll see you later, okay?" She and Abel both turned and headed for the door.

Esther lingered a moment. She stood, then stepped forward, to lay a hand on the coffin. "Thank you. I know…you must have really loved him too. I promise, I'll do my best to take good care of him." She bowed her head briefly, then turned and re-joined the others.


	28. Twenty Three: Challenge

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Sweet joy everyone another update, this one I think you`ll find most heart warning in some area while in other semi interesting. Do not worry about the cliff-hanger at the end the action is going to come back in chapter 24 and onward form there. **BTW**to clear some things up in case anyone asks in reviews of this chapter Esther knows that Mary`s her half-sister as shown and explained in chapter 49 of the manga _**the King and I**_. Most of you whom have read the last update of the English translation know where I am heading with this or read from the info on Wikipedia. Also Chapters **50-53** of the raw manga of **TB** are out and available so far no new English translation have been made but if anyone wants the links to the raws let me know and I still send to you via email or private message on ASAP.

**(*)** As always many _**special thanks**_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support threw this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Twenty Three - Challenge**

They emerged from the ruins into the light of the setting sun. Fortunately, Abel had chosen a different route out of the tomb, and the journey to return to the Vatican was much quicker than their outward trip. They made it with plenty of time to freshen up for Vespers service.

Esther enjoyed services. She wasn't sure how Abel felt about them, but when she snuck a glance at him during the Mass, he appeared to be listening intently. Seth, on the other hand, looked a little bored. She did brighten up when the Pope spoke, but the rest of the service she was fidgety. Esther didn't blame her. She suspected Seth felt about the service the way she sometimes felt in Council.

Afterward, they met Alessandro, for brief congratulations on the ceremony. He smiled when Esther thanked him, and blushed when Seth commented on his speaking. True, he had stammered a little, but the Empress was gracious, and kind. She didn't offer him false compliments. Instead, she simply walked up to him and smiled. "You know, you're pretty good. But, it'll help if you straighten a little. And if you're crowd shy, like my brother here…" She grinned wider, and nudged Abel in the ribs. "Well, he always looks _above_ an audience if he has to talk to them, or to the side. Believe it or not, I've used that trick, and it helps. Or you can do what Mirka does."

"Oh?" Alessandro blinked. "What…what does she do?"

Seth grinned. "Part of my job is to keep information on all the people at Court. Every so often, she goes through my files, and picks one fact about each of the main Council members and such. She says she remembers them, and when she looks at that person, she keeps it in her mind. Little things, like new pets and such. She says that remembering details makes them more human, less intimidating."

"Oh…that sounds like a good idea." Then his face fell. "But…there are so many…I'm not sure…"

"Well, she only picks a handful at a time. But it adds up after a while. I've actually started using that trick myself." Seth smiled, obviously remembering something amusing. "Like the head of the Yenceri, the Palace guard…he likes kittens. He's a big man, and kind of intimidating when he wants to be…but…knowing that helps me a lot."

"I see. I'll try to...to remember that." Alessandro looked very thoughtful. Moments later, his servants came to escort him away.

Caterina spoke to them later. She offered both Seth and Esther her best wishes, and her greetings. The three of them discussed security and how the Alliance was doing, while Abel sat in a corner, reading again. He looked immersed in the book, but Esther had no doubt he was listening for the slightest sound of trouble.

The next day passed quietly. Around midafternoon, Vaclav came to get them. They were packed, and ready. They boarded the _Tristan_ just after sundown. Jessica greeted them again as they came on board, and ushered them to their cabin. Esther wondered if there was going to be trouble, but, the return trip was a quiet as the outgoing one. Hours later, she sat watching the lights of Londinium come into view. She smiled. She felt relaxed, and much happier. The trip had been fun, but she was also looking forward to being home. Beside her Abel and Seth also looked relaxed. She smiled again, and turned to watch the approaching lights.

To her surprise, both Vanessa and the Professor were waiting for them. Esther and Seth greeted them, while Abel collected their bags and said a quiet goodbye to Jessica. There was a smile on the Professor's lips as he watched Abel, and as he greeted them, but he politely refrained from saying anything until they were seated in the car.

Once they'd settled, Wordsworth turned to face them with a smile. "So then, I take it you had a good trip? Nothing happened?"

"No." Esther smiled back. "It was very quiet."

"Yeah." Seth grinned. "Abel took us on a tour of Rome. But I did get to meet the Pope."

The Professor's eyebrow raised. "You actually obtained an audience with His Holiness. I'm impressed."

Seth's smile quirked upward. "He's a good kid, and he's got a lot of potential, I think." She sighed. "I have to say though, I like Caterina, but I don't much care for the other one."

"The Cardinal di Medici? Yes, I imagine the two of you probably didn't get along." There was a glitter of amusement in his eyes. Then his gaze turned to Esther. "And how about you, Esther? Did you enjoy yourself?"

"Very much." She smiled. "It was very relaxing. I had a wonderful time, wandering around the city. Father Nightroad was an excellent guide."

William chuckled. "It's almost a surprise, considering how frequently Abel gets lost. But then..." His gaze turned to the silver-haired man. "I've always wondered if you really ever get lost, or simply fail to pay attention." Abel flushed. His companion studied him for a moment, then shook his head with a smile. "Well, whatever the truth my be, it's good to see you've relaxed a little more. I was beginning to worry, even with Esther and your sister here."

"I know. Thank you." Abel smiled, very gently.

There was silence in the car for a few moments, then Esther spoke up. "Professor, how have things been here? Has anything happened?"

To her surprise, it was Vanessa who answered her. "Virgil can tell you. It's been pretty quiet, but there have been a few things concerning him lately. He'll give you the details when we arrive at the Palace."

Wordsworth nodded. "She's correct. As far as I can tell, there hasn't been much trouble. However, most of my role has been to present the appearance of being busy with work for you, and behaving as if you were still here to speak with. I'm afraid I haven't been keeping a careful eye on everything. But Lord Walsh and Colonel Spencer will be better able to inform you." He paused. "I will say, however, that I believe our subterfuge was successful. There have been no indications that anyone has realized you left the Palace."

"Thank you." Esther settled back into her seat. She knew she'd be getting back to work soon, so she relaxed, leaning back and closing her eyes to enjoy the last few minutes of her vacation.

She must have dozed some, because the next thing she was aware of was Abel's gentle hand on her shoulder, and Seth speaking in her ear. "Hey Esther, we're almost stopped." She blinked, then straightened and opened her eyes, just as the car pulled up to the back entrance of the Palace.

Vanessa pulled the car to a stop, then she and William got out and opened the doors for the passengers. Abel stepped out cautiously. Seth jumped out of the car and stretched. Esther followed them, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She watched as Abel pulled their suitcases from the car, but when she moved forward to take hers, he shook his head. "It's all right, Esther. I'll just take these in for us." He smiled at her. "Lord Walsh is probably waiting for you." The grin widened. "And the sooner you see him, the sooner you can go get some sleep."

Esther flushed. "Well, I didn't mean to fall asleep. I just..."

Seth chuckled. "You're finally relaxed enough to catch up on your rest. Don't worry, it happens to me as well, sometimes. Even Abel does it, though it is hard to get him to relax enough." She stretched again. "Abel's right. You should go see your advisers, and then crash for tonight. I'm sure tomorrow will early enough to start work again."

"You know, she's quite right." William chuckled. "Why don't you let Abel and I take care of these bags. I'll be sure to send him to join you shortly." He gestured to the stairs.

Virgil and Mary were both waiting inside the doors. Virgil bowed. "Lady Esther. How was your trip?"

Esther smiled. "It was very nice, thank you. Has there been anything going on?"

Mary shrugged. "There have been some minor disturbances in the streets, but primarily, things are quiet." She studied Esther for a moment, then a smile crossed her face. "I'm pleased to see you look much more relaxed, Majesty."

"Thank you." Esther let her own smile widen, just a fraction. "You know, you can call me by name. I did tell you to, before. After all, we're friends, right?"

"Of course, Lady Esther." Mary nodded. "However, if you don't mind my saying so, you should probably get to bed. It is after midnight, and there will be plenty to do tomorrow."

Esther blinked. "Are you sure? I mean...I just returned, and I've been away from my duties for a few days now, so..."

"It's quite all right." Virgil nodded. "Colonel Spencer is correct. There will be time to attend to everything tomorrow. And you need not worry. In your absence, the Colonel and I have handled the paperwork. You will find everything sorted and ready for you first thing in the morning. And I will see you at breakfast with the list of questions for morning council, as usual." He stopped. "I fear the nobles will have expected you to come up with some ideas for the Christmas season, so please be prepared to answer those questions, Majesty. In the meantime, I am certain some rest will be beneficial."

Esther stifled a yawn, then smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I can't think why I'd be so tired. Especially since I wasn't doing anything much."

"It's quite all right." Mary turned slightly to include Seth, who had remained a discreet distance away. "Virgil and I will escort you to your quarters."

Half an hour later, Esther found herself in her own room. Her servants helped her get ready for bed. Abel came in, just as she finished smoothing down the last creases in her nightdress. He checked the windows and doors as usual, then came over to embrace her. "Esther, did you truly have a good time?"

"Of course I did." She smiled up at him. "I enjoyed it very much. Thank you for bringing me with you."

"Thank you for coming." He exhaled softly into her hair, then leaned down to brush a feather-light kiss against her cheek. "Sleep well, Esther." His grip tightened just a fraction, then he turned and left. Esther stood for a moment, savoring the warmth he always brought her, then climbed into bed. It surprised her, how odd it felt to sleep alone after only two nights sleeping with Abel and Seth. Still, she missed the warmth of Seth's grip, and Abel's touch, and the soothing sounds of their breathing. She yawned, then burrowed deeper into the blankets. Before she could consider the issue any further, she was asleep.

The next few days were busy. As expected, despite Virgil and Mary's assistance, there was a great deal of work to be done. The papers were sorted, and noted, but she still needed to review and sign them. Reports had to be read and initialed, to make sure she was up to speed on the various concerns of the kingdom. And there was morning Council to attend. Virgil had been right about their questions. Fortunately, she'd had a chance to discuss the matter with both Caterina and Seth before. In light of the threats that had been made, she suggested a quiet celebration. No formal balls or huge banquets would be held, which Esther felt somewhat relieved about. Instead, each noble would receive a gift from the crown, to finance whatever celebrations they saw fit to have on their own properties. Those who were at the Palace would be invited to a formal dinner with the Queen and the envoys of both Rome and the Empire on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. More than that, funds would be distributed through Londinium so the people of the capital could celebrate. Esther laid the plan before the Council the morning after she returned, and to her surprise, it was approved with virtually no trouble.

If the necessary precautions were planned for a quieter Christmas celebration than normal, Esther's companions were also determined to make it festive enough. She knew Abel and William were plotting on how and when to get a Christmas tree of the appropriate size, and Leon had cornered the castle steward to ask about decorations. Astha and Ion, on the other hand, were completely bewildered by the whole thing, and Esther suspected Seth was getting a great deal of amusement out of explaining the whole thing to her subordinates. Despite the fact that Christmas was still well over a month away, the preparations in the Palace added a little excitement.

Everything else was business as usual. Esther did her work, spent time in the gardens to relax, consulted with her advisers, visited the Ghetto, and chatted with the visiting envoys. Abel remained at her side, as always. Though he sometimes disappeared for brief moments, it was never very long. Then he would return.

It felt peaceful, and happy. But as the days rolled by, Esther was conscious of a sense of waiting. Though nowhere near as sharp as before, there was a very subtle edge of tension in the air sometimes. She was conscious, too, of the ultimatum that Cain had delivered in his message. Much as she would have liked to forget it she knew that, sooner or later, it was going to be obvious to the Order that she wasn't leaving her position as the Queen of Albion. And she certainly wasn't rushing to the side of the Contra Mundi. She and Abel were careful about displaying affection in public, but it was impossible to hide how closely he guarded her. Though she saw no obvious threats, she still wondered what was going to happen.

She was guarded. She'd contacted Caterina at the Vatican at least once a day, and knew both the Cardinals, and the Pope were under the protection of the Department of the Inquisition, as well as Caterina's AX officers. According to the Lady Cardinal, Brother Petros himself had taken over the assignment to watch over the three of them. Caterina commented wryly at one point that it was like having a mountain of steel for a shadow. Seth's calls to the Empire produced no signs of trouble either. Except for the uneasiness in her mind and the watchfulness she saw in Abel and Virgil's eyes, she might have believed that there was no threat.

Ten days after she returned from the Vatican, Mary woke her. "Your Majesty."

Esther blinked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She often ate breakfast with her half-sister, but usually Abel or Virgil came to wake her, or her maids. She sat up. "Colonel Spencer. Good morning."

Mary bowed. "Good morning. I have a message for you, from Lord Walsh and Father Nightroad. They apologize, but said to tell you they would be late for breakfast, possibly even late to the morning Council. Apparently, there was an incident in the Underground last night. Virgil went down to investigate around midnight, and called Father Nightroad to him early this morning. Father Wordsworth and the Earl of Memphis are currently standing guard; however, they both felt it would be inappropriate for either of them to enter your chambers in the morning."

Esther stifled a smile. The Professor, she knew, was a perfect gentleman. Ion was probably far too embarrassed. "That's true." She stretched. "Well then, please tell them I'll be right out."

"Yes, of course." Mary turned away, and a few seconds later, Esther's maids entered the room to help her prepare for the day.

She was finishing breakfast with Mary, just over an hour later, when there was a knock on the door, and both Abel and Virgil entered. Virgil bowed. "Your Majesty."

Esther smiled. "Good morning, Lord Walsh, Father Nightroad." She gestured to the table. "Please, be seated. Have you eaten yet?"

Virgil inclined his head. "We have not, Majesty."

"Well then, please do. I'm sure your report can wait until you've had something to eat." At Esther's gesture, a servant came forward and offered both men tea, and began to lay out breakfast for the two of them. Virgil took the offered tea with a nod, and Abel with a barely suppressed sigh of gratitude. Esther finished the last few bites of food on her plate and sipped her juice, watching both men.

Both of them looked distracted, and faintly worried. Virgil was staring off into nowhere, his fingers restless on the teacup. Abel settled into his food willingly enough, but she could see the faint frown line between his eyes, and he was eating slower than normal. He did offer a polite smile to the young maid who refilled his cup and offered him more bread, but her long partnership with him helped her hear the distracted tone in his voice.

Finally, both men pushed away their plates. Virgil inclined his head once more. "Thank you, Majesty."

Esther smiled. "It's fine." She hesitated. "Mary said that something happened last night. Was it serious?"

Virgil sighed. "I cannot say for certain, Majesty. Certainly, it was a threat, but as to how serious it was...I am not entirely certain. It had the potential to be quite dangerous to you, Majesty, which is why I summoned Father Nightroad, however..." He trailed off.

"What happened?" Mary straightened in her seat. "I was informed that you both were summoned to the Ghetto. Was there another attempted access?"

"Not exactly." Abel pushed his glasses up to rest on the bridge of his nose. "Someone attempted to hack into the Ghetto computer systems, and it appears they may have intended to use that as a bridge to access the main Palace systems." He sighed. "We were very fortunate that we managed to catch the attempt. Otherwise, I'm not sure how far they would have gotten."

Mary frowned. "If you caught them in the act, how did you know what their intentions were? And how did you intercept them in the first place?"

Abel sighed. "As you may recall, shortly after Esther became queen, Lord Walsh placed an alarm on the computers, to respond to certain codes that were used to infiltrate the computers, and the Underground."

Virgil nodded. "Actually, I installed several such warning systems. Each one was keyed to a different set of access codes. After Father Nightroad arrived, I further refined those safeguards. Last night, I received a warning that one of the alarms had been tripped." He frowned at his notes. "Someone, working outside both the Palace and the Underground, attempted to access the main computers of the Underground systems. The code used is one of Father Nightroad's."

Abel nodded, his eyes distant. "Fortunately, Lord Walsh and I agreed when I arrived that I would restrict my usage to codes he and I both access from the Underground lab. There are a select few I was granted as a child, that I gave to him. I never even granted Lilith that kind of permission. The attempt was made using a password identification I was granted during my training in the Mars Colonization Project." Abel sighed. "Those codes can access almost any system, and it's impossible to fully block them with a standard security system. Unfortunately, it got through the first few layers of protection before Lord Walsh called me."

Esther shivered. "How far did they get?"

Virgil shook his head. "Not far enough to cause any real damage, or access any critical information. Father Nightroad and I managed to intercept and begin blocking the codes. Whoever it was stopped within minutes of our interference." He sighed. "We attempted to trace them, however, they covered their tracks well. We've spent the past few hours attempting to back-track the signals, and to analyze the access patterns." He didn't quite sigh again, but there was a faint look of frustration in his eyes. "The protocols they accessed can be used to connect to the main Palace computers. Had they gotten that far, they could have completely undermined the security of both Buckingham Palace and the Underground. However, they did not succeed." He shook his head. "Unfortunately, we were unable to track the source. It was re-routed several times, and all I can tell you is that it originated outside the Palace, possibly even outside Londinium."

Half of what he said sounded like gibberish to her, but Esther knew from his expression that it was serious enough. "Do you think it was Rosenkreutz?"

"Yes." Abel spoke softly. "Those codes...they weren't widely used on Earth. They were meant for the Mars Colonists. And I never wrote them down, or left them to be used by others. As far as I know, there are only two people in the world who could have learned them. And Seth..."

"And I, what, Abel?" The door to the dining room swung open, and his sister strode in. "I was planning on saying good morning to Esther, but then I heard you talking, and you always get that tone in your voice when you're upset." She frowned at her brother. "You look like you haven't slept at all."

"No." Abel gave her a quick update on the incident. "Given the way things were done..."

"You think Cain gave one of his pet experts some of your information, and set them on the computers?" Seth settled into a chair. She frowned a moment, then shrugged. "It does seem like the sort of thing he'd do. Not that he can't work a computer fairly well himself, but he's never been very interested in that sort of thing. Personally, I'd put money on it being one of those top two...you know, Wizard, and that bratty kid who tried to take over the lab in the Empire a while back. The Puppet Master, I think."

"Dietrich von Lohengrin, or Isaak von Kampfer." Mary's eyes sharpened. "How certain can you be?"

Seth shrugged again. "Not at all, I'm afraid. I don't know either one of them very well, of course."

Esther frowned. "It's probably Dietrich. He seems to deal with that sort of thing more often than the others. At least, I know he was sent to Istvan, for the Star of Sorrow. And he...he also came here, and to the Empire. I think he was also involved in the Carthage incident, but I can't be sure."

Mary nodded. "Very well. I'll have my people and the city guards on the lookout for someone of his physical description." Her gaze shifted to Virgil. "Are there any further precautions we can take?"

He shook his head. "Not at this time. Father Nightroad and I have done what we can in regards to the computers. Any further arrangements that might protect Her Majesty would also hinder the efficiency of all our work, and make it difficult to communicate."

"I see." Esther frowned. "Well then, I suppose it can't be helped. The best we can do is watch and wait to see if something else happens."

"I fear so. However, I assure you, the guards will be notified to be careful." Virgil rose. "If your Majesty can spare me, I would like to take the information to Vanessa, and to the safe houses. I want to check them again."

"Of course. Please, do whatever you feel is necessary." Esther turned to Mary, seeing the concern and slight impatience in the other woman, though she didn't say anything. "Colonel Spencer, I'll be counting on you as well."

"Yes Your Majesty." She rose and bowed, and both she and Virgil left.

Seth heaved a sigh. "So, I guess they've finally begun moving, huh?" She eyed her brother. "Abel...are you sure you're ready for this?" Her gaze slipped to Esther, apology in it. "Sorry Esther, I know this has to be stressful for you too." She made a face. "I can't say I like this whole thing, waiting for them to move."

"No. But there isn't much we can do." Abel set his glass to one side. His voice was soft, apparently addressing his sister, but his eyes met Esther's. "I wish we could do more, unfortunately, we haven't got enough information. In the meantime, I will do my best to protect you, Miss Esther."

"I know." Esther looked into the blue eyes for a moment, then shook herself and rose. "I need to get ready for Council. Father Nightroad?" Abel rose and came to stand beside her, and escorted her quietly to her rooms.

The rest of that day passed quietly. Esther went to her meetings, called to inform Caterina of the incident and did her work. She tried not to be aware of the AX agents and Imperial envoys standing guard over her. It helped that Abel remained with her, while the others took turns outside her office and the rooms. Both Virgil and Mary returned later that day, and she knew they were both keeping an eye on her as well, but they were both casual about it, disguising their concerns with the business of the kingdom.

The next day was the same, but the third morning, Esther woke to find Abel perched, not by the door, but by the windows. His face was partially averted, but his profile was tense, and she could see the harshness of the lines around his jaw. He was standing still, poised, and his gaze was restless as it flicked over the room and toward the gardens. Then his eyes met hers, and a small smile touched his face. "Good morning, Esther. Sorry if I disturbed you."

She shook her head and sat up. "It's all right. You didn't disturb me." She stepped out of bed and drew on a robe, then moved forward to lay a hand on his arm. "Has something else happened?"

Abel sighed, looking out the window. "I...well, perhaps it should wait until you see Colonel Spencer, but...there was a bit of an incident last night. Someone...well, we're not quite sure yet, but it appears someone tried to sabotage one of the safe-houses. It wasn't the one near the Palace, but...there is some concern."

Esther felt her stomach clench. "Was anyone hurt?"

He shook his head and offered her a quick reassuring smile. One hand rose to rest comfortingly across her own. "No. It's all right. I'm afraid I don't have all the details, but I can at least tell you that much. No one was hurt. Colonel Spencer and Lord Walsh are there now, checking things out. I decided to stay here, to reassure you."

"And you seem to be doing quite well." The Professor appeared in the doorway. He offered Esther a dashing smile, and gestured with the pipe. "Sorry to intrude, but I heard Abel's voice, and I thought you might be awake." He looked around. "I was just on the communications line with Colonel Spencer. She was giving me the latest update, and I was just coming to let Abel know. Would you like to hear it now, or shall I wait until after you've had a chance to dress and eat?"

"No. Please, tell me what happened." Esther pulled her robe tighter, wrapping the thick cloth around her shoulders. Abel wrapped one arm around her in a comforting embrace. "How bad was it?"

"Well, the place will certainly be closed for repairs for a while. But it's odd. No one is certain quite what happened. The pipes leading to the building all simply exploded, we aren't quite sure how. But there was also a fire in the back. We don't think it was meant to do much damage, merely to distract us, however, in the close quarters of the city, it was certainly a threat." He shook his head. "It's actually somewhat ironic. As dangerous as the fire was, if it hadn't been set, then the men and women in the safe house would have been inside when the pipes exploded. Depending on where they were, there could have been serious injuries."

Abel's hand on Esther's shoulder was trembling. She looked up to see him pale as a sheet, a sick look on his face. She reached up to touch his chest. "What's wrong?"

He shuddered once. "The pipes exploding..." He shook his head. "Sorry...I'm afraid I got caught in the past for a moment there." He took a deep breath. "It's all right, Esther. I'm fine."

The Professor grimaced. "Sorry, Abel. I forgot how you'd feel about the news."

Abel shook his head once more, waving away the other man's concern. "It's all right. We need to know what's going on. Although..." he trailed off.

"You think someone used that method deliberately, to shake you?" William frowned. "That is a possibility, of course. If we assume that our unknown saboteurs know about your past, then it's conceivable."

"I...I'm not sure." Abel frowned. "Cain would...he would know. But to use an incident that was so personally damaging to him as well...it doesn't seem like the sort of thing he'd do."

"Well then, it may simply be an unfortunate coincidence. In the meantime, Colonel Spencer and Lord and Lady Walsh will search for evidence, and see what can be done to restore the building. The rest of us will continue to watch over Esther. Especially you, Abel."

Abel nodded, but a small frown line appeared. "I know Esther's safety is the most important thing, but...are you sure..."

"Quite sure. We'll all be sure to keep you apprised of the situation. However, Caterina was right. You are Esther's best protection at the moment." William studied his comrade for a moment, then sighed. "Now then, why don't you and I wait outside the door while Esther gets dressed. Then we can escort her to breakfast, and discuss matters further."

"Of course." Abel looked down at her. "Miss Esther, will you be all right if I wait outside the room? I can wait here if you'd prefer, but..." He trailed off, but a light flush spread over his face.

"It's all right. I can manage." Esther offered him a quick smile.

"I'm quite sure you can. And it looks like your maids are here to help." William stepped back to let the women in. Then he moved forward and snagged the other man's arm. "Now then Abel, come with me. Let's leave Esther to get ready in peace."

"Don't worry Father." Esther gave him another smile. "I'll be right out."

"Oh...of course." There was still tension in his frame, but Abel allowed himself to be led quietly from the room.

Breakfast was a fairly quiet affair. Esther was still disconcerted by the news, and she was aware from the shadows in Abel's eyes that he was shaken as well. But none of them referred to the incident any further. Afterward, Esther attended Council, and convinced them to allocate some funds for the repair of the building, by pointing out that the whole project was meant to further Albion government interests. She was just settling down to her paperwork in her office, with Abel by her side, when the door opened and Virgil walked in.

"Your Majesty." The blond-haired adviser strode into the room, then bowed. "I beg your pardon for my absence this morning. I trust Father Wordsworth kept you informed?"

"Yes." Esther set aside her pen. "He told me that a safe house was sabotaged. He mentioned there was a fire, and that the pipes exploded."

"Indeed. I am relieved to report no serious injuries among the staff. Most of them were drawn out to deal with the fire, and the rest were Vanessa's men, and she had them watching the Underground passages at the time of the explosion."

Abel straightened. "Have you discovered what caused it?"

Virgil sighed. "I fear not. Though we've conducted a thorough search of the grounds and the nearby streets, we can't find any signs of tampering. More than that, we're currently unable to ascertain how anyone could have managed to affect that many parts of the system all at once." He frowned. "Normally, there would be signs of chemical residue, or heat warming, or deliberate tampering. But this...it looks more as if the pipes were...frozen. It's not an uncommon occurrence in winter, my lady. We frequently get reports of frozen pipes, in all areas of the city. However, I believe it to be far too early for such a thing to have occurred."

"I see." Esther frowned. She didn't understand it. Beside her though, Abel stiffened, a look of concern on his features. "Father Nightroad?"

Abel frowned. "I...there is a member of Rosenkreutz who could have done such a thing. But she...she couldn't have engineered the attack on the computer systems." His gaze came up to Virgil's. "It's a little far-fetched, but...I think you should put out an alert, Underground and in Londinium for a Methuselah, a woman. Dark hair worn long, with dark eyes, and pale skin, and about three or four, maybe five inches taller than Lady Esther. She may be carrying a staff of some kind. Warn your people...if they see her, do not engage."

Virgil raised one eyebrow. "You think you know who is behind this?"

Abel nodded. "One of the Order members had a talent for manipulating and creating ice. If she managed to get even close to the house, she could have done it. I don't know her real name, unfortunately. The only time I encountered her, she was using a false name, and she only told me her code name: Ice Witch."

Esther stiffened. "If that's who you think it is Father, I can give you her name. She was introduced to me while I was held captive." She turned to her adviser. "Her name is Helga von Vogelwiede."

"Thank you, Majesty." he inclined his head. "I'll post the alert immediately." His gaze returned to Abel. "Have you anything further to add?"

Abel frowned. "Well, she might go by a pseudonym. Though I doubt she'd use the same name twice, she infiltrated the Vatican once using the name Christine, or something like that. Antonio would remember." he shrugged. "I suppose it's worth trying, at least."

"Very well. I will inform Colonel Spencer at once." He bowed. "If you will excuse me Majesty."

Esther nodded, and he left. She turned to see Abel staring at the far wall. His face was pale, and his eyes were dark with concern. She reached out and touched one shoulder. The muscles of his arm underneath the cassock were tense, revealing his concern. "Abel?"

He sighed, looking up at her with a faint smile. "Sorry. I was just thinking..." He shook his head. "Don't worry, Miss Esther."

"Please, don't do that." Esther caught his sleeve. "I can tell you're worried about something. Please, tell me what it is."

Abel sighed again, but he shifted back into his seat, letting his shoulders relax slightly. "Being able to destroy the pipes by freezing them...that are certainly within the Ice Witches talents. But...she couldn't have managed the computer access, as far as I know. And I can't help but wonder how she could have gotten near enough to the safe house to attack it." He shook his head. "I suppose she could have come to the door, pretending to be a Methuselah woman in some sort of distress, but..." He stopped. "I..well, I'm afraid that there may be more than one of Cain's lieutenants in the city. And if that's the case...we could be rather hard pressed. Even with everyone here..." His voice trailed off.

"You mustn't think like that." Esther put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure it will be all right, Abel. Everyone is watching out for me, and I know they're doing their best. Besides..." She smiled at him. "I have you by my side, and I'm sure you won't let anything happen, to either of us."

"Well, I will certainly do my best." He looked into her eyes, and after a moment, she saw him relax, and a faint smile touched his mouth, reaching to warm the blue gaze. He reached out, and put an arm around her. "Thank you, Miss Esther. I appreciate the encouragement."

"It's all right." She touched his hand comfortingly. "Don't worry. We'll manage." She turned to look at her desk, the pile of paperwork still there. "For now, though, I suppose I'd better get back to work."

"Yes. Of course." Abel's grip tightened briefly, then he released her, and settled back into his own position.

The next days were difficult for everyone. Every two to three days, something else would happen. Random vandalism, too violent to be dismissed as normal street feuding. A riot started in one of poorer sectors of the city, a violent outbreak that involved two cases of arson, a huge brawl, and required Palace intervention. Mary returned from that with bruises, and a list of injured men. Most of the injuries were slight, but a few of them had to be placed in the medical wing of the Palace. Seth volunteered to tend them, putting her training as a doctor into good use. Mary later admitted that that her presence had been helpful, encouraging the men with the sight of such a bright young woman tending to them.

Three days later, the city guards reported serious vandalism at Londinium bridge. Cables had been damaged, as had some of the supports. Virgil attended to that matter, and reported later that, had the guardsmen not spotted the problem, the danger would have been great. Depending on who was first to cross it, the bridge could have potentially collapsed. The thought of what might have happened made Esther sick, and she knew she wasn't the only one who spent a sleepless night. She went to bed late, and only a few hours later, sought refuge with Abel. He held her until she drowsed, and then put her back to bed. She might have been embarrassed, but no one commented, and Abel himself didn't mention it.

The incidents themselves were dangerous, but not as severe as she'd expected. What really bothered her was the nagging fear of what would happen next, and who would get caught up in it. Every report gave her new concerns. And the days between incidents were filled with tension, waiting and feverish planning to try and avert the next potential disaster. Everyone was on edge. Mary had dark circles under her eyes, and Virgil was little better. Though he remained calmer than she did, Esther was aware of the tired look in his face, and the slightly disordered air he sometimes had. Not that he ever showed up improperly dressed, but both he and Mary had a slightly rumpled, exhausted look to them.

The rest of them were no better. Astha and Leon were edgy. Ion was restless. Tres was as calm as ever, but then, he was an android. After the third incident, he began patrolling Londinium as well as Buckingham Palace, calling in every so often. The Professor read and worked with Virgil, but Esther could see the concern in his eyes.

Abel was the worst of them. Outwardly, he was calm, but he was tense, and there were shadows in his eyes. Esther knew he wasn't sleeping, and it was only the combined efforts of herself, Seth, and William that got him to eat with any regularity. He helped her with her work, and sometimes, he let a faint smile touch his face, but she could see the fear in him. At night, when he embraced her, she felt the silent desperation in his grasp. When the report came in of a second riot, she saw the pain that flickered across his face.

She wasn't the only one. Astha, who'd gone out to help, pushed away from the wall and came to stand in front of him. "You look like hell, priest."

"Ahh..." Abel blinked. "Oh, sorry." He blinked again, a slightly flustered expression crossing his face. "Sorry...I was just thinking about this latest incident, and well, I haven't been sleeping well lately, so..."

"Bullshit. You've been brooding again, haven't you?" Astha met his eyes, then sighed. "Damn it. You're always like this, tovarish. We're all worried, but you're getting worse than the rest of us. When was the last time you ate?"

"Ummm, just a few hours ago. The Professor brought me something then." Abel stared at her.

"Well, that's good at least. But you are brooding." She fixed him with a glare. "I can tell by that expression on your face."

"Yes, well..." Abel started, then stopped. "I suppose I am, a bit. But still...I can't help being concerned."

Virgil shifted. "I realize we have nothing concrete as yet, but perhaps, if you're willing, Majesty, we can call a conference. I'm aware we've all been concerned, but perhaps if we poll our thoughts, we'll be able to come up with some new alternatives. At the very least, I suspect we'll all gather some relief from voicing our concerns."

"That sounds like a very good idea." Esther rose from her seat. "Please inform the others that we'll meet in the council room as soon as possible." She turned her head. "Father Nightroad, can you get Lady Caterina on the line?"

"Of course." He nodded, then turned to Astha. "Miss Astha, if you could please inform Ion and my sister?"

"All right." She nodded. Her gaze held Abel's for a moment, then she turned and left the room, followed by Virgil a few seconds later. Esther took a moment to arrange the documents on her desk, then turned, and she and Abel left the room.

Fifteen minutes later, everyone was assembled. Even Tres had appeared. Sister Kate's hologram had also appeared, apparently called by the Professor. Abel initiated the call to the Vatican, and within moments, Caterina's image appeared. She surveyed the group, then nodded to Esther. "Your Majesty."

"Lady Caterina. Sorry to disturb you."

The Cardinal shook her head. "It's nothing. I was merely looking over some reports from Milan at the moment. What can I do for you?"

William spoke. "We've been having a run of troublesome incidents around here. We were just getting ready to discuss everything, and we thought it might help if you'd join us." He gestured. "Naturally, you're not as close to the incidents. You may be able to see something we missed." He smiled. "Sorry. I hope you don't mind, Your Eminence."

"Of course, not. Please, go ahead." Caterina folded her hands and rested her chin on them, her expression one of complete concentration.

Virgil stood, and a gesture of his hand brought up a three-dimensional map of Londinium. "Starting almost two weeks ago, there have been a series of incidents. The first involved an attempt to hack the computers of the Ghetto." His hand tapped the console, and highlighted the Ghetto computer complex. "We attempted to trace the signal, but all we discovered was that it originated outside the city. Since then, there have been a number of attacks. None of them have been serious so far, however, they continue to escalate, and they danger they represent, both to Her Majesty and to the city, is very real." He went on to outline each incident. As he spoke, more spots appeared, highlighted in different colors to mark vandalism, or riots or destruction. Finally, his hands brushed the location of the second riot. "This is the final incident. We finished cleaning up only a few hours ago. The crowd was nearly twice as large as the previous riot, and certainly more violent." He paused a moment. "The most troubling aspect is that no one can give us any details on the perpetrators. There's no information on who has done this. We've detected signs that they may be Order operatives, and we've sent out alerts, but if anyone has actually seen them, they aren't telling our men."

"That is troubling, however, I believe I can see another concern, gentlemen." Caterina's gaze was focused on the map.

"They're moving closer to Buckingham Palace. It's a circular route, but..." Abel spoke, his voice sharp. Esther turned to him, and saw that one hand had clenched into a fist. "I should have seen this earlier. I knew there was something, but..."

William moved around the table and put a hand on his arm. "Relax Abel. It isn't your fault. None of the rest of us saw it either." His voice was calm, soothing, and after a moment, the other man relaxed.

Leon frowned at the display. "Damn. So...what the hell is this all about? If they wanted to prove they can move without getting caught, I'd say they've done that. So what? Are they just messing with us?" He ran a hand through his dark hair. "Man...this is annoying as hell."

"Well, I don't deny that part of the pattern is meant to keep us off balance. However..." the Professor frowned and chewed on his pipe. "I don't think that's the whole of their plan."

"Well then, what is?"

It was Seth who answered. "They're trying to draw us out. By continuously creating disturbances, they want to force us to abandon our caution." She straightened, looking at the scene. "Given the message we received, they probably want to force us to either leave Esther unguarded, or else create a large enough scene to force her to come out, where she'll be more vulnerable."

"And then they plan to take her again?" Leon snorted. "Surely they know we'd never let that happen."

"Of course, but that's why they're doing this. To try and force us into a position where we have no choice." Mary studied the pattern, her eyes dark and fierce. "That's also the reason that the incidents have been escalating in violence and potential danger to the city."

Caterina nodded. "They may also be trying to threaten Esther into giving herself up voluntarily. That would fit the pattern of escalating violence, and the way they're circling inward." She sighed. "This is exactly the kind of methods the Order would use. Circling their opponents, using misdirection, vague threats and escalating tactics, they're all very characteristic of their movements." She frowned. "You mentioned you suspected multiple operatives of the Order in the city. Have you any idea as to who you might be facing?"

Mary nodded. "Father Nightroad believes these forces are being guided by the one called the Puppet Master, and possibly the woman known as the Ice Witch."

"I see. A formidable combination. Do you have any plans on how to handle the situation?"

"We're not entirely sure. However, now that I have the pattern available...we may be able to predict where their next move will be." Virgil studied the map. "I suspect they will move...here." His finger tapped Londinium Tower. "I would suspect them to come here...and, given the nature of their behavior, it is highly possible they will attempt to bomb the Tower itself, as a warning."

"I'll begin preparations to mobilize the City Watch and the Palace guards at once." Mary straightened.

"So what? We catch them in the act, and then what...beat the info out of them? Put 'em in jail?" Leon frowned. "I'm kinda in favor of the first option myself."

"It depends on how well prepared they are." Mary frowned. "Naturally, we will maintain a sizable force here, to protect Her Majesty. Lady Nightroad, I would prefer it if you would accept our protection as well."

Seth nodded. "I'd prefer to be out there assisting you, but I think it's best this time if I stay with my brother and Esther." Her gaze slipped to Astha and Ion. "Earl of Memphis, Duchess of Kiev, I think it might be best if one of you remained here, and the other went with Colonel Spencer."

Astha nodded. "I agree. I will accompany the Colonel."

Ion nodded as well. "Understood."

Leon grinned. "I'll come along with you guys." He cocked his head at Tres. "How about you, Gunslinger?"

"Negative. I will remain at Buckingham Palace. Her Majesty's safety remains our number one priority. Therefore, I will remain here and patrol."

Abel nodded. "I will also stay with Miss Esther."

"Good." Caterina fixed him with a level gaze. "I was afraid I'd have to order you to stay. I'm glad you've got enough sense left not to go rushing into things this time." She studied her subordinate. "How are you doing, Abel? You look tired again."

Abel flushed. "Well, I..."

Caterina shook her head. "Get some rest. According to our predicted patterns, they won't move for another day or so. While I'd recommend setting your preparations early, you at least should get some sleep, Abel. We can't have you collapsing, not when you're currently Esther's best protection. Get Father Wordsworth to give you something if you need it. That's an order."

"I...understand." Abel nodded.

Caterina studied him for a moment, then turned back to the display. "Is there anything else?"

"Well, we should consider the fact that this is a very real threat. Not just to Londinium. I believe it's a personal threat to Esther herself. These acts of violence...I believe it's a message of sorts, warning her what will happen if she doesn't give herself up." William frowned. "I confess, it does seem a little round-about, even for the Order. I think it means they have some trump card that they haven't yet played." his gaze slipped to the silver-haired man standing near the table. "I hate to ask this of you, Abel, but is it possible that the Contra Mundi is here as well?"

Abel stiffened, his face paling in the lighting. After a moment, he shook his head. "No. I'd know...now. Besides, Cain...he wouldn't use this method. He's always been much more direct."

"Well, that is something of a relief." The Professor nodded toward the images. "I was concerned, but I wasn't sure. So then, we'll have to deal with his assistants instead. I have to confess, I am a little relieved."

"Be that as it may, there's no denying our opponents are very dangerous. We should begin planning troop deployments immediately." Mary straightened, then faced Esther and bowed. "With your permission, Majesty."

"Of course." Esther nodded to her, and the red-haired Colonel bowed once more, then left the room. Esther looked around the room once more. "Is there anything else?"

"I do not believe so, Majesty." Virgil shook his head.

"Well then, we should probably all get back to work. After all, if we're right, then things will probably be very hectic in a few days." Esther rose, and bowed her head to Caterina. "Cardinal Sforza, we'll be sure to keep you informed."

"Thank you." The Cardinal inclined her head, then reached out, and her image disappeared. The rest of them stood staring at each other for a brief moment, then the group broke up. Esther returned to her office, her heart pounding. _Two more days..._

The next two days were nerve-wracking. Everyone was on edge. Esther was far too nervous to stay focused on Palace matters. At Virgil's suggestion, she dismissed the Council for a holiday, to take a break. During her spare time, she got Virgil and Ion to practice her sparring with her, and looked over the possible defense plans Mary, Tres and the others prepared.

True to Caterina's command, Abel disappeared for several hours the following day. Her advisers and Ion kept a close eye on her. She found she missed his presence, but a part of her was relieved that Caterina had forced him to rest. She'd been worried, but she had no idea how to make him slow down. And if she was on edge while he was gone, it was worth it to see the lessening of the shadows in his face when he returned later that evening.

On the night they suspected the attack, Esther couldn't concentrate at all. She tried to work on her paperwork, but the words simply made no sense to her. All she could think of was Mary, and Leon and Astha and the others, out facing the Order, possibly Dietrich. After an hour of futile effort, she set her pen aside, and moved to the window, looking out as if she could see the events that might be occurring. One hand fisted around the drapes, and she bit her lip.

"Esther?" Abel rose from his chair, then moved to stand behind her. "Esther...what is it?"

"I...they're all risking themselves for me. I should...I don't want to stand here, doing nothing." She clenched her fist harder, fighting back tears. "I...I hate waiting...never knowing if the people I care for will be hurt, because of me. I...I used to hate that, when you went off, and I couldn't stop you, even when I knew you were placing yourself in harms way. And now..."

"I know." Abel's hands, warm and gentle, rested on her shoulders. "I understand, Miss Esther. But while Cain is after you, we can't let you go out there." He drew her to him, his frame warm against hers. "I know. I'd rather be out there myself. The truth is...I'm not very fond of waiting either. And after hearing what von Lohengrin did to you..." Somehow, there was both danger and sheepishness in his tone. "Well, let's just say that I'd very much like to give him a lesson on manners."

Esther shivered. "Dietrich...if they're facing him..."

"It will be all right. You warned them about him. So has the Earl of Memphis, and so have I. I'm certain Colonel Spencer and the others will take every precaution they can."

"I know. I'm just...what if it isn't enough?" She turned to look into his eyes. "What if..."

He reached up and laid a hand on her mouth. "It's all right. If something happens, I promise, we'll do our absolute best to take care of it. I'm sure Colonel Spencer and Lord Walsh and everyone else knows you're worried about them. And I know they all care very much about you, so they won't let anything happen to make you cry. And if something does, well, the rest of us will do what we can to make it better. All right?" he brushed the tears from her eyes. "It will be all right, Esther."

She leaned into his chest. "Thank you, Abel." After a moment, his arms wrapped around her, comforting and warm. "I hope you're right."

Eventually, she and Abel settled back into their chairs. At her request, he brought her a book to read. However, she'd only just begun when the door to her office swung open, and Mary entered. Esther leapt out of her seat. "Colonel Spencer."

"Majesty." Mary stepped forward, Virgil following behind her.

Abel stood as well. "What happened? Did we make a mistake?"

"No. We were correct. However, it appears they either anticipated our figuring out their strategy, or they had a plan in place for when we did. I suspect it was the latter."

Mary strode forward, and laid an envelope on Esther's desk. There was no markings on it, only her name in a neat script. Esther stepped forward, then stopped as she recognized the hand-writing. "Dietrich."

"Perhaps." Mary sighed. "A lone messenger delivered this to us, on the steps of the Tower. We attempted to arrest him, but the man simply collapsed. I fear he is dead, Majesty."

Abel stepped forward. "Another message?"

"Yes. We haven't reviewed it yet. I felt it should come to Her Majesty first. However, I have no doubt all of us will want to hear what they have to say."

"Of course." Esther moved forward as well. "Have the others been informed?"

"I've requested they meet us in the Council room, Majesty. Father Wordsworth should be setting the connection to the Vatican as we speak."

"All right then." Within minutes, they were gathered. Esther took a deep breath, then inserted the disc.

Dietrich's form appeared in the holographic projector. He was wearing his uniform, and there was an evil smirk on his face. _**"Hello Esther, it's been a while."**_ There was a dangerous gleam in his eyes. _**"That was quite the trick you pulled on me. Really, I'm almost impressed. I didn't think you had it in you, to poison me and then escape in my clothing. That was rather ingenious, I will admit. That's why I set up this little plan of mine...I wanted to pay you back for that little embarrassment."**_

Esther shivered, and Abel put a calming hand on her shoulder. She could feel his tension in his grip, but he said nothing. After a moment, the recording continued. _**"So then, Esther, what do you think of my little show? Of course, I'm not in a position to guess how you've been handling it, but...it is rather entertaining, don't you think? I wonder how many people have been caught in my little traps, simply because you went and angered the Contra Mundi."**_

Esther flinched at the words and bit her lip. Abel tightened his grip. "Esther, it isn't your fault. None of this is. He's simply trying to upset you." Esther nodded.

Dietrich's image shrugged. _**"You know, I can't really say I blame you, but running off like that, and going to that Father of yours, well, you've really managed to anger Mein Herr, you know. That's why he gave me permission for this little display. But...if you're viewing this tape, it means you've caught on to my game, and you had your men waiting for us. Probably that Colonel of yours. So then, down to business, shall we?" **_All the amusement went out of his eyes. _**"Mein Herr wants you back, Esther. Since you've figured out enough to try and intercept me, then you'll probably guess...what you've seen so far is nothing like our real strength. So then...here's the deal. I'll know when my messenger has delivered his message. After that, I'll wait two days, and then my fellow Order members and I will descend on the farther lawn of Buckingham Palace. You can meet us there, and we'll talk about you coming back." **_Something dangerous and terrible glittered in his eyes. _** "You should know, if you try to capture us, or if you fail to show up, my compatriots and I will level this city around you. I'll set my Death Hunters to ring your Palace, and you can watch as this city of Londinium yours goes up in flames. And of course, we'll be sure to target the Underground as well. And you must know, you can't prevent it."**_

Esther believed him. Dietrich was a ghost when he wanted to be. And if they were trapped in the Palace there would be nothing she could do. She turned her head, to see Virgil and Mary both gone white as sheets. Mary's eyes were glittering with anger, her hand on the hilt of her sword. Beside her, Virgil's jaw was tense, his fists clenched.

Esther turned back to the recording as it continued. _**"Remember, Esther, you have two days from the time you view this to get things in order and join us."**_ Dietrich shrugged. _**"I would tell you not to bring that priest of yours, or your little retainers, but I doubt you'd listen. Besides, it'll be entertaining, watching you say goodbye, and I wouldn't mind having some fun with them, if they try to stop us. But do bear in mind, if they come, they're likely to get hurt."**_ He raised one hand, and waved. _**"Just remember Esther, I really do love you. I'll see you in two days." **_Then the image vanished.

Esther stood there, staring at the empty projection. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't move. _Two days...and if I refuse...they'll burn the city._ She knew Dietrich would carry out his threat, knew too that the order had the means necessary. _No._

"Your Majesty." Virgil stepped forward. "You cannot go."

"I know...but...Dietrich...he will carry through with his threat. And he's right...we can't find him to stop him in time." Esther bit her lip. "I know...I know it's dangerous, and I know I shouldn't but please understand...I have to go. I have to meet with him. I won't risk this city, and all these people. I refuse to let all these people die because of me."

"We can evacuate the city." Mary shifted.

"Negative." Tres spoke from his corner. "it is not feasible to safely evacuate the entire population of Londinium in two days. Furthermore, any such attempt will most likely result in an immediate attack and we currently do not have enough data to devise a counter."

"Damn!" Leon swore and slammed a fist into the table. "So what...we're just gonna let Red walk into a vipers nest?"

"Negative. I recommend all personnel currently within this room, accompany Her majesty. Despite the threats, odds are high we have sufficient battle strength to repel an assault." The android's gaze shifted to Abel. "Father Nightroad. You are Esther's primary protector. If the assault should fail, your responsibility will be to remove Lady Esther from the grounds, by whatever means necessary."

Abel nodded. "Absolutely."

Esther stiffened. "I won't let you be sacrificed for me."

"Positive. Every effort will be made to maintain critical functions of all parties." it took Esther a moment to realize Tres was saying he'd make sure everyone lived through the incident.

"Majesty, I am against this. I ask you to reconsider." Virgil moved forward, and actually knelt at her feet. "Please, you must not..."

"I know. I don't plan to go with Dietrich. But I can't let them destroy this city. It's my home now. I won't let them take it from me. So I have to go. But I promise, I'll be careful. And even though I don't like it, I will rely on all of you to protect me. All right?"

Virgil raised his head, and looked into her eyes. After a moment, he rose. "If you must, Majesty. But with your permission, I shall have Vanessa accompany us as well."

"I understand." Esther nodded. Her eyes met Caterina's.

After a moment, Caterina nodded. "We'll be standing by. Good luck, Lady Esther." The the image winked out.

Esther stood, staring at the table, and the faces around her. She felt Abel's hand trembling on her shoulder, but he said nothing, and she knew why. He understood her reasons. She looked up. His face was pale, his eyes distant. She wondered if he was remembering Barcelona, and suspected he was. Remembering the people who had died, there and in Rome. She knew she remembered it well. She clenched her fists. _Two days..._


	29. FAQ Notice 02

**FAQ **- Frequently Asked Questions Notice#2

_Dear readers and fans of TBWC,_

_**smcandy**____Authoress of __**Trinity Blood War Continuum **_**(TBWC)**.

This my the **2****nd** FAQ I decided to post in regards to some good and lingering questions a fellow, fan, reader, writer (like** dragonwriter24cmf **and myself)of the story, **ObsidianEmpress** asked us through email a few weeks back form when we updated chapters 20 and so on, on some of the fictional terminology that is been used so far in **(TBWC)** itself. These are mostly my editor's answer since she comes up with better explanations then me with this type of stuff.

**Question #1:** Purebloods. I knew Peter from Neverland couldn't be converted to a Faerie-like vampire; does that make him a pureblood in a way? I didn't really understand your explanation about what happens when a vampire/ Crusnik drinks the blood of a pureblood, so what happens? Is Esther in TB Canon a pureblood?

**Answer #1 - **_yes, Peter is probably some sort of Pureblood. Of course, we don't know, because we have no clue __**whom**__ his family is, but since he can't be converted and he's not dead, it's a logical assumption. As to what happens when a vampire drinks a Pure Blood?: basically, vampires drink blood because they are anaemic, because the Bascillus drains their red blood cell count. This affects __**ALL**__ their systems. Anything they drink will also become affected by the Bascillus. But Pure Bloods are immune. So...it's like having blood that can't be converted. It therefore remains stable for longer. Theoretically, if a vampire had nothing BUT Pure Blood intake...they'd eventually not be anaemic at all...more or less. Sadly, they'd usually kill the host before that._

**[*]**___I guess another way to say it would be that it slows down the negative side effects of the Bascillus. Probably the positive as well, but it's not been tested. As for what happens when a Crusnik drinks: it has a similar effect. For example: Cain drinks Esther's blood. Most of his body is being held together by the Crusnik, which integrates whatever he consumes (like Abel, if he'd gotten him). But Esther's blood is giving him greater stability because it isn't being consumed. It's basically undamaged genetic material for him. It won't hold forever, as it's still foreign matter. Also, the Crusnik does have more effect, eventually, than the Bascillus, because it's more adaptable. But by then, it's less an absorption than a fusion._

_**smcandy:**___**Pure bloods**are something that I came up with before the begin of the story and thought it should be used since there are some cannon characters like Esther I rather not de-humanize from being bitten or die from a Methuselah's bite even if she became immune. Most of us TB fans whom know the spoilers know how the Bascillus works more correctly then shown in the anime she I am sure you are understanding where I can getting this from._**  
**_

**Question #2: **What is "blood-bonding?" Isaak mentioned that the house of Blanchett and the House of Manchester had done so, what does it mean?

**Answer #2 - **_You might have a slight misconception here, I'm not sure. However, here's how I think it works, as far as I understand it: The royal Albion family are all purebloods. The House of Manchester is all Methuselah (__**at least in my fiction they are**__). Virgil swears his loyalty to each successive monarch. However, it's kind of a give and take between the two of them. Part of Virgil's ability to walk in sunlight stems from the silver nitrate solution he takes. However, though it's not said specifically, I suspect that he's also been granted permission, at least by Esther's grandmother, the late Queen Brigitte II to drink her blood (not Esther's her grandmother). This would give him even greater protections. Also, I think Virgil is one of those methuselahs capable of recognizing a specific person or bloodline by scent (or sense). Therefore, by taking her blood, or that of her ancestors, he is linked, partially, to any member of the family. At the very least, he can recognize them. Being the type of man he is, accepting that is an oath of loyalty, unspoken and unwritten, that he offers to __**ANYONE**__ in the family. It's not so much an actual 'bonding' as it is a pact, and a recognition of that pact. He hasn't asked Esther to renew it for reasons of his own. Most likely because of her church connections, the fact that he's had no time to explain, and that he hasn't developed enough of a personal connection to her to feel comfortable with it. He does recognize her as Albion's Queen, though, which suggests it works to an extent._

**Question #3: **Dietrich escaped death at the hands of Contra Mundi by means of Puppetry, well... right before chapter 17: Twists and Triangles was published, I came up with that very means of him escaping death. (SPOILER! Don't tell anyone, please.) Am I allowed to keep my original idea or do I have to come up with something else?

**Answer #3 - **_Well, it does seem like the obvious answer if Dietrich survived at all. Personally, I'd say it's a pretty basic idea. There's nothing wrong with more than one person having it. However, if you're concerned, you can add an author's note to whichever story you post it in saying that you acknowledge other people have the idea, and promising you did not take it. Personally, I see no reason you should discard the idea because we had it too. But that's just me. Just make a note that there was no plagiarism involved on either side... _

**[*] **_**smcandy:**___Note to anyone whom wants to borrow or use any stuff within my stories be sure to give me credit in you're an (**Authors Notes**) and not take this as something of your own idea. I have way too many good writers better then me have this happen without their knowledge and if I find anyone using from my stories without my permission I will not be happy with and I will **report** you. And if any one does see something of mine being taken or copied without my know how please message me or my editor ASAP.

Just be sure to give me credit and not make anything the identical to mine alright.

That seems to be all fore know soon chapter 24 will be sent and I will post it soon, be sure to check out my Deviantart page under the same user name I have here. I revised some of the female outfits for** TBWC's** sequel and of Seth's in **TBWC** chapters 39 and 40 wedding outfit within my galleries. I even got some commissions done for arts from chapters 10 and for the future chapter 40 be sure o check then out.

So until then stay frosty everyone and have fun.

Sincerely Authoress **smcandy**


	30. Twenty Four: Battlefield of Nightmares

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **One thing I have to say to before I carry on to chapter twenty-four is this, this message is addressed to the _**anonymous**_reviewer whom kind of complained about the second** FAQ **notice I posted not long ago.

**[*]** _**First**_- _if I had twenty-four_ _at the time I from my editor on the 13__th__ of March, I would have added it right along after_. _My editor is the one whom sends me the chapters when possible and I have to check and read threw them before I decode to upload anything new, I had nothing for most for the past week up until late last night from her._ _**Please**__ understand, be patient and considerate that before I post anything or when my editor sends me something that it not touch and go for when get a new chapter as any good writer knows other protocols have to be taken first hand before I upload a chapter._

And as for the **FAQ** as stated to what the title was in the last unload , this normal for me and my editor form time to break the ice until we are held back with getting a chapter up by its due date. We have been getting questions form many readers about certain things and terminology being used in the story thus far and it for everyone's benefit so that I will not get the same questions asked to me again ten times over. They will be posted until something new comes my way from my editor through my email inbox. I hope that will clear some things up for people whom were disappointed from what was posted over last weekend. My apologies everyone for that so as you can see chapter 24 is right here and uploaded my editor had very busy week to please excuse both her and me for such lateness. She was a day late for the chapter deadline but she does as do I, have more realistic things going on in our lives so that becomes our #1 priority next to uploading and making fan fictions.

Please enjoy chapter 24 everyone ^^.

(*) As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support threw this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Twenty Four - ****Battlefield of Nightmares**

Esther left the Council room feeling like there were knots in her stomach, and her shoulders were aching from tension. A part of her wanted to run, wanted to get as far away from Albion and Dietrich as possible. A part of her was considering giving in; with the hope she could force Dietrich and Cain to spare the people she loved. And a part of her just wanted to draw a knife and strike something, anything to vent her frustration and her fear. But she knew she couldn't abandon her people to be wiped out, and she doubted that turning herself over to the Order would get them to protect people. Besides, she knew that her allies would only come for her. And Abel would lead them. Her stomach knotted again.

"Your Majesty." Esther jumped, and looked up to see Mary beside her. "You look unwell."

She shook her head. "It's not...it isn't that. It's just...we'll face the Order in two days. And I..."

"If I may..." Mary hesitated for just a moment. "You need to sleep tonight. It would be better to thinks things over in the morning. I think it would be best if you'd get ready for bed, and perhaps take one of the sleeping pills Lord Walsh and I had prepared for you. The rest will calm your nerves. And tomorrow...I'd like to take you out for some weapons practice." A small grin quirked the corner of her usually stern mouth. "I can't guarantee it will work for you, but I've always found a little fighting practice soothes the nerves. It works the adrenaline out of the system for a while."

"I see. I think that's an excellent suggestion." She didn't feel tired, but she knew that was because of her fear. She looked back toward the Council room. She knew Abel hadn't left before she did.

"I believe Father Nightroad is discussing something regarding your security with Lord Walsh. He should be along shortly. In the meantime, may I escort you to your rooms?" Mary turned, gesturing down the hall with a half-bow.

"Thank you." Esther followed the other woman to her rooms. Her maids came, but she didn't feel like dealing with them. She waved them away, and began to undo her dress. After a moment, Mary stepped forward and smoothly began to assist. Esther blushed. "Thank you. You don't need to..."

"It's an honour to serve you, Lady Esther." Mary stepped back.

Esther blinked. Mary hadn't called her that without prompting since she'd become queen. She wasn't sure how to respond. Finally, she managed a nod. "It's an honour to have you in my service."

A smile touched Mary's mouth. She helped Esther out of her dress, and into her night-dress, just as a knock sounded at the door. "That will be Father Nightroad, most likely." She shook out the dress, hung it on a hangar, and stepped back with a bow. "Majesty. Rest well."

Abel slipped through the door as Mary left. "Esther." He shifted sideways, moving towards the door to the bathroom as he always did. Esther noticed that he took more time and care than usual with each door and window. Finally, he checked her bedroom windows, then stepped back with a sigh. "It looks like its safe tonight."

Esther nodded. There was a lump in her throat, and she couldn't tell why. Part of it was fear of Dietrich. Part of it was anticipation. And part of it was fear for Abel. She watched the slender figure move around the rooms, and her heart was pounding with fear. She knew Abel would protect her, but that was what scared her. She couldn't remember a battle with Dietrich where he'd come through unscathed. The memory of blood on his clothing, wounds on his body, made her heart pound.

Abel turned. He must have seen her expression, even in the dim rooms, because he came forward and embraced her, wrapping his arms around her and enveloping her in his gentle, soothing warmth. "It's all right, Esther. There's no need to be afraid." His grip tightened just a fraction. "I promise, I will not let them take you. Not even if Cain has sent his entire army."

"I know, but..." She reached up to grip his shirt tightly in both hands. "Please, Abel, you have to take care of yourself as well. Promise me, you won't do anything reckless. Even if it is Dietrich, please...be careful. I don't want you to get hurt for my sake."

"I know. I promise I'll do my absolute best, all right?" There was a gentle teasing note in his voice, and she looked up to see a faint smile touch his face. Then he leaned down to brush a light kiss across her mouth. The lightness was gone from his tone when he spoke again, so softly she barely heard him. "Truly, Esther. I promise. I...really don't want to see you hurt, for any reason. So...I will be very careful. And I'll be sure to protect you, and myself, and everyone else, all right?"

Esther nodded, feeling the prickle of tears in her eyes. Abel's hands came up, and he brushed a thumb across her cheek. "There now...it will be fine. Besides, if things get too hot, I can always run and hide behind Tres, now can't I?"

Esther felt a weak laugh break free from inside her chest. She knew as well as anyone that Abel was over a foot taller than the android priest and wider in the shoulders as well. The image of him ducking behind Tres was ludicrous. Even though the other had earned the nickname Gunslinger, it was just too silly. She bit her lip on a giggle.

"That's better." Abel smiled again, and leaned down to brush another kiss on her forehead. "You should rest now, Esther."

"What about you?" She looked up into his face.

"I will be right here." The smile widened, just a touch. "Don't worry. I slept very well, earlier, and I've eaten plenty. And I'll probably take some rest while you and Colonel Spencer and Lord Walsh are working on things. So you needn't worry. I'll be just fine, I assure you."

"All right." She didn't want to admit it, but held in his arms, she felt her tension fade a little, and in its wake, exhaustion snuck in. Her eyes felt heavy, and she stifled a yawn. Abel held her for a moment more, then gently lifted her and placed her in the bed. She felt him drape the covers over her, and one hand tenderly smoothed her hair back. Then he moved away.

Esther blinked one sleepy eye open. Abel had moved to the window, settling in beside it. Moonlight glittered on his long silver hair and glasses. He turned his head slightly, and she heard him murmur. "Good night, Miss Esther." Then her eyes closed, and she slipped into dreaming, that image still in the front of her mind.

She awoke the next morning feeling refreshed. She was still worried about the prospect of facing Dietrich, but the sick feeling in her stomach was gone, replaced by determination to show him she meant to stay. She wasn't going to let him threaten her into leaving.

Abel was sitting in the window, where she'd seen him last. As she stirred, he turned and offered her a smile. "Good Morning, Esther."

"Good morning, Abel." She studied his face. There was a smile touching his mouth, and warmth in his eyes, but still, he looked strained. She knew he hadn't slept, and wondered what dark thoughts had chased themselves through his mind over the long night. The thought brought her out of bed, and to his side. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, of course. It was a pretty quiet evening." His hand touched hers, and she found herself caught in a gentle embrace. "And you? It looked like you were sleeping well, but..." he flushed slightly. "I didn't dare get too close to check. Your maids would probably be very upset with me. And who knows what Leon would say." He made a soft noise, slightly exasperated but she saw the glitter of gentle teasing in his eyes.

Esther flushed. "I slept very well, thank you." She touched his jaw. "Please remember...you told me you would rest some today. Please...be sure to do so."

He looked into her eyes for a long moment, then nodded. A second later, he shifted away from her. "I should let you get ready for the day." His head bowed just a fraction. "I'll be waiting right outside." One hand brushed her jaw, and then he left.

The rest of the morning was involved in weapons practice. Mary ran her through everything she'd been taught, hand-to-hand, knives, and pistols. To her surprise, Abel came with her. And while he didn't actually spar with her or anything of that nature, he did offer pointers. Once or twice, he assisted Mary in demonstrating something. And he offered her pointers on her shooting. It surprised her, a little. She knew he could shoot, but she'd never before realized he had hand-to-hand combat training. She'd never seen him fight without either guns or Crusnik. But he seemed capable of keeping up with Mary and she could tell, from the way he moved that he wasn't using his full strength. Even without transforming, she knew he was much more powerful than he appeared.

After training, Esther took a quick shower, then settled down with her reports. Mary and Virgil both joined her, and several times, she was visited by one of the others, to ask a question, or make a suggestion about how to handle things. Seth showed up late in the afternoon. "Hey Esther."

Esther blinked. "Good afternoon."

Seth grinned. "I thought I'd stop in and see how you and Abel are doing." She eyed her brother, where he was sitting slouched in a chair. A small frown crossed her face. "You look tired, Abel."

"Eh?" Abel blinked, then pushed himself upright. "I'm fine."

"Hmmph. Well, fine's not going to cut it. We need you to be in top condition right now, Abel." She made a face at him, then turned to Esther. "Hey, Esther, is it all right if I send my big brother off to get some rest? I know he's supposed to be guarding you, but to be honest, he's pretty useless like this. And I'm pretty sure that with Colonel Spencer, Lord Walsh and I all present, we can keep you out of trouble for a few hours."

"Seth!" Abel flushed. "You shouldn't say things like that."

Esther smiled. "It's all right." She turned her gaze to Abel, meeting his blue eyes with hers. "You did promise me you'd get some rest today, and you haven't yet. I think she has a good idea." She rose and moved around the desk, stretching. "I'm sure it will be fine. So...please, go ahead and get some rest. I'll see you at dinner, all right, Father?"

Abel blinked at her for a moment. Then a sheepish smile touched the corner of his mouth. "Well, I was a little tired I suppose." He rose from his chair. "Just remember, I'll be right down the hall if you need anything, all right?"

"Of course. And I'll be sure to call you if something happens." Seth gave him a smirk, and made a shooing motion to the door. "Now go get some rest, unless you want me to tuck you in or something."

Abel flushed once more. "I don't think that's necessary. If you'll excuse me." He bowed once, then left.

Esther ate that night with everyone. Abel arrived five minutes late, grinning in an embarrassed manner. "Sorry to be late."

Leon gave him a look. "No kidding? Honestly, I thought you were supposed to be watching Red, not napping, Four Eyes." His shook his head. " What kind of agent are you, that you had to send your baby sister to work?" He smirked at Abel's blush.

The Professor shook his head. "Come now, Leon, Abel needs rest just like the rest of us. Besides, the two of us have been on auxiliary duty, so we've had more time to take care of things. Especially with Tres wandering around on patrol. I'm sure Abel's been working very hard."

Astha nodded, and fixed Leon with a dark stare. "Even if Father Nightroad left his post, I don't think you have any room to talk, priest. I notice you have time to harass me and every other woman in the building."

Leon grinned. "Yeah well, what can I say? I like a pretty little spitfire, and it's not as if I get out much, so I have to take my chances where I can. And since you aren't exactly encouraging me..." He gave her a look.

Ion choked on his drink. The Professor made a face. "Leon..."

Abel looked as if he didn't know whether to be appalled or be laughing, and beside him, Seth was snickering. Esther hid her smile behind her drink cup. She knew Leon and the others were just joking around to ease the tension they all felt, but it helped. And she could see by Abel's eyes that he had gotten some rest, and the laughter chased away some of the shadows in his gaze. Dinner was a light-hearted affair, and Esther fell asleep with Abel by her side, and the memories of their camaraderie surrounding her.

The next morning, Esther went to practice with Mary, but afterward, she couldn't settle. No matter what she tried, she couldn't focus on her paperwork, or on anything else. All she could think of was the slowly passing hours, and the knowledge that, later that evening, she would face Dietrich once more.

"Your Majesty?" Esther blinked, then realized that Virgil had asked her something. She'd been so wrapped up in her thoughts she hadn't even heard him speak.

She flushed. "My apologies, Lord Walsh. I'm afraid I was thinking about something else. What was it you needed to say?"

A small smile touched his face. "In truth, I was apologizing for my lack of focus as well, Lady Esther. I fear that, with battle so near at hand, I find myself entirely distracted."

"I see." Esther brushed her hair back from her face. "If there's something you need to take care of, it's all right."

"In that case, I will make my preparations for this evening." He set his pen down and rose from his seat. "Father Nightroad, I leave Her Majesty in your charge. Please, take care of her."

"Of course." Abel nodded. "I'll contact you at once if something comes up."

Virgil nodded, bowed to Esther, and left the room, the long trench-coat he wore sweeping around him as he went.

Esther shivered. As much as she tried not to think about the upcoming confrontation, Virgil's actions made it much more real.

"Esther?" A hand touched her shoulder, and she jumped. Abel was standing beside her, and his face was concerned. "Esther, are you all right?"

"I'm fine." She looked away from him. "It's just...everyone is getting ready to protect me, and I..."

"It's all right." Abel brushed her hair back, then gently touched her cheek and turned her to face him. "Miss Esther...if you don't want to go...if you want to stay here, and have us stay with you...it's all right. All you need to do is say so."

Esther shook her head. "I can't do that. You heard Dietrich. He said he'd burn the city to the ground. And he is...he is someone who will follow through with that threat. So I...have to go out there. But I...I don't want to see people hurt because of me." She reached up to grasp his cassock with one hand. "Father...you will be careful, won't you?"

"Of course." He smiled. "I promise." He studied her face for a moment. "You look a little pale. And tonight is going to be...rather troublesome I imagine. So I'd recommend you take a rest and then get ready. After all, we wouldn't want you to be unprepared either."

"I...you're right." She looked at the papers on her desk, then out the window. She wanted to walk in the gardens, but she knew better. She wanted to sort out her thoughts. She hesitated a moment. "Father...Abel...if you don't mind, I think I'd like to return to my rooms...and I'd like to have some time to myself, to think for a while."

"All right." He took her hand and led her to her suite. He held the door open for her, then smiled. "Well then, Esther. I'll be right outside if you need anything."

"Thank you." She offered him a small smile, and watched as the door shut behind him.

The smile dropped from her face. She knew Abel would protect her, knew he was trying to keep her spirits up. But she'd seen his eyes when he smiled at her, and there were shadows in them. And though he'd promised to be careful...she knew he'd think nothing of diving into the thick of a fight to protect her. And given his powers, he took the caution of 'be safe' far less seriously than most. It worried her, and frightened her, knowing that the people she cared for would be protecting her. She was less afraid of Dietrich than she was of seeing them hurt, or killed for her sake.

Esther stood, staring unseeing at the windows, with her thoughts circling around her head. She wasn't sure how long she stood there, but a knock on the door interrupted her. She turned. "Enter."

Mary stepped into the room, bearing a small slip of paper. "Your Majesty. We've received a note from the Order." She held it out.

Esther took the paper. The message was short. _**Northeast gardens. 8pm.**_ She blinked and looked up at the clock. It was already past six. "I see. There isn't much time then."

"No." Mary bowed. "The representatives of the Empire are already waiting, and I've informed the Vatican officers as well. Father Tres is standing guard outside your door. Do you need any assistance?"

"No, thank you. I can make my own preparations."

Mary nodded. "Very well, with your permission, I will go finish my own preparations for the upcoming combat."

Esther nodded, and watched as the Colonel withdrew. For a moment, she stood staring at the door, then she turned and went to her wardrobe.

The first thing she did was change into a utilitarian outfit. Modeled after her AX uniform, it was easy to move in, and provided a measure of protection. Mary and Virgil had included an armoured shirt, with protected shoulders and chest. It was sort of a flexible leather with steel plating. It wasn't as solid as the armour Mary wore, but it would do. The armour went under the shirt to better protect her. To that, she added the long knife Mary had trained her with, and two pistols. One was the pistol she'd trained with in the AX, the other was the gun she'd taken long ago from Dietrich. Both were equipped with silver-tipped bullets, and a she had spare cartridges tucked into her belt, and a hip sheath. The guns and the blade felt comforting. She straightened her clothing to make sure the weapons weren't immediately evident. After all, it was good to have a hidden advantage.

She was checking to see if she'd forgotten anything, and limbering up her hands when the door opened, and Abel entered the room. Esther turned and studied him. He was wearing his usual priest uniform, but he'd changed his outer robe for the armoured cassock. Both shoulders were protected with steel guards, his gun arm to the elbow, and she knew that a wide disk of metal would protect the center of his back as well. He'd exchanged the usual clasp of his inner cassock for a wide metal tab to protect his throat, and a similar band of metal, easily twice the width, crossed his chest over his heart, supporting his rosary. It didn't look like nearly enough protection for Esther, but she was relieved he'd at least taken that much armour.

"Ummm...Esther, is something wrong?" She blinked, and felt a hot flush across her face as she realized she'd been staring.

She shook her head. "No. I was just thinking...I'm glad to see you're being careful, but...I wish you had more protection." she moved forward, and brushed a hand across the fabric that covered his body. "I know, most AX agents don't wear much armour, and Father Tres doesn't wear any at all, but...for something like this...I wish you could borrow the armour Brother Petros wears, or something."

"I know. But you know, we generally rely on our manoeuvrability more than our strength." He offered her a small smile. "And really, that much armour is terribly heavy, so..."

"I know. I just..." She stopped not certain what she wanted to say.

"Trust me. It's for the best." He reached up, to take her shoulders. Then his face tightened, and the smile faded. "Everything else aside, it would probably be a bad thing if I had that much armour. After all, if I have to call on... on _them_...then there wouldn't be much point. I'd just wind up destroying my own protection. And all that lightning...it would be quite dangerous."

Esther's hand tightened on his shirt. She hadn't missed the tension in his voice, when he spoke of having to activate his powers. "I hate this. That you have to protect me...I feel so useless."

"Come now. That isn't true at all. It's because you're so important to everyone, that we all want to protect you. Trust me...you are very, very important to me." The words startled her. She looked up and saw the gentle expression in his eyes. It warmed the cold knots in her gut.

"I know. But...if fighting breaks out, I'll be expected to stand back. I wish I could do something more."

"Umm...well, if it comes to that, there is a favour you could do for me." Abel grinned sheepishly at her. "Seth is...well, she's rather determined to join us this evening. And while I know she has excellent skills, I'd really rather not be scolded for placing the Empress of all Methuselah in danger. To say nothing of the fact that she is my younger sister. So if you don't mind too terribly, I'd appreciate it if you kept an eye on her, and kept her from getting too involved." He sighed, "I know Miss Astha and the Earl of Memphis will be there, but still...she is rather difficult at times, and the more people watching out for her the better."

Esther made a face. She knew Seth was a much better fighter than she was, both stronger and faster. With her knives, she was almost unstoppable. And if she actually chose to unleash her powers...there was nothing short of Abel that could possibly even stand up to her. Still, the fact that Abel had asked her to watch over his precious younger sibling banished the last of the coldness in her gut. She smiled up at him. "I'll do my best."

"That's the spirit." Abel offered her a quick grin, then glanced at the clock on the wall. "Well, I suppose it's time." Esther nodded, and allowed him to escort her from the room.

The others were waiting outside the door as she emerged. Ion was wearing light armour, a sort of breast-plate with a high collar to protect his neck,that left his arms bare. Astha wasn't wearing any armour at all, unless she counted the leather corset-style garment she wore over her sleeveless shirt, and under the long black coat she wore. Beside both of them, Seth was wearing an outfit Esther remembered well, from the time they'd spied on Suleyman and Radu, at the Moldova mausoleum. Tight pants, though not too tight, knee-high boots, and a shirt with loose sleeves, that would rip away if needed. Her knives were strapped to either hip, and her expression was grim.

Of the other AX members, only William had bothered with armour. Leon was taking the casual approach, wearing his usual uniform, and Tres never bothered with armour, since he couldn't be hurt or killed. The worst that could happen was he'd be disabled, and the Professor would have to patch him up after the fighting. Esther was relieved to see the older man wore an armoured cassock, similar to Abel's. She didn't see an actual weapon on him, but she knew the cane he carried in his hand was far from the innocent support it looked like, and she had no doubt that he had other things somewhere on his person.

Of her two advisers, Mary was wearing her formal battle gear, which included a steel breastplate, shoulder pads, and reinforced metal gloves. She'd also taken the precaution of wearing high boots with stiff leather guards. She'd even changed swords again, leaving her preferred weapon behind for the one Esther recognized from the battle months earlier. Virgil stood beside her, wearing his usual trench-coat. He'd changed from his usual suit into a slightly more casual attire, but he wasn't wearing armour, nor did he appear to be carrying a weapon. Beside him, his sister was similarly dressed, though she preferred a leather jacket and pants and boots. Like Leon and Astha, they seemed to rely on speed and abilities rather than protection. It comforted her though, to notice the younger Walsh was carrying her assault rifle.

Esther swallowed hard. Seth gave her a thumbs up, and Virgil bowed. "Your Majesty...it is time. If you wish to follow through with this plan, we will come with you."

"Thank you. Everyone." Esther swallowed again, then stepped forward. Abel fell in beside her on the right, and Virgil on the left. The others ranged themselves behind and around her. Their presence helped. She remembered all the danger she'd faced with these individuals at her side, and something deep inside her settled. She lifted her chin, and strode forward, toward the doors of the Queen's Sanctuary.

The walk to the northeast gardens was a fairly long one, but this time, it went all too fast. Night had long since fallen, and she and the Professor both took torches. But as they neared the entrance to the northeast field, Esther couldn't see anything. Something cold and hard tightened in her guts once more. She knew it was just a ploy, just a way to throw them off balance, to throw her off balance, but still...the lack of sight or sound made her nervous. Abel must have seen, or noticed, because his hand brushed across her shoulder, gentle and encouraging.

As they crossed the entrance, coming out from under the tree-line, lights flared to life around the middle of the field, revealing two figures standing almost shoulder to shoulder. Esther took a few steps forward, then stopped. "Dietrich."

Dietrich smiled. "Hello Esther. I see you got my invitation." He glanced at his watch. "You're a little late, but I don't suppose it matters all that much. After all, as long as you arrive, it isn't really a problem. But you know, I'm surprised to see you brought your friends with you. Did you really want to say goodbye all that badly?" His eyes drifted over the group. "I can't say I'm surprised about the Father there, or even those people you call advisers, but really, showing up with an Imperial contingent as well, I hope you're not planning to do something foolish." A twist of a sneer touched his mouth." Of course, if you are, that would a little amusing. Not that it changes anything, but...I could go for a little entertainment."

"You..." Esther wanted to shout at him, but she clenched her fists, and forced herself to remain calm. "You can return to your master, the Contra Mundi, and tell him I've declined his invitation. I have no intention to return there, with you or on my own. So if you'd please convey that message to him. That's all I have to say." She didn't want to be formal, she didn't want to be polite, but she knew that she'd only look and sound like a frightened child if she spoke any other way.

Mary stepped forward. "By Her Majesty's word, if you depart now, we will take no further action. If you choose to remain here, you will be arrested for arson, multiple counts of assault and battery, assault against Her Majesty, and abduction of the same, wilful destruction of property, rioting, murder, deliberate sabotage of government property, and assorted other crimes."

"You fool." Helga sneered. "Do you truly think your little group is enough to handle the wrath of the Order?" Her gaze transferred to Esther. "And you, foolish wench. You have the attention of Mein Herr himself, and yet you come running back? To this? To a country that could be crossed in a day, fools who will use you for nothing of importance, and an idiot priest who cannot see the things of worth until they hit him in the head? For _this_..." The word was a sneer of contempt as she gestured. "For this, you leave the side of such a brilliant and powerful man as Mein Herr? I thought you might have some worth, Terran, but...I suppose you're just a peasant wench playing with a crown after all." She sniffed again. "Come along, little Terran. If you desire power, you might as well return while my lord is feeling generous. If you're grateful enough, he will return your crown when he has cleansed this land of these fools."

Esther stiffened with rage, and she heard Mary make a soft sound of fury. She had a sudden desire to leap forward and punch other woman. Her hand tightened on her knife, but before she could take a step forward, Abel's arm crossed in front of her.

"Enough." Abel stepped forward. "Tell your master, Lady Esther does not belong to him. And so long as it is her choice, she will remain here, with her people, and those of us who care for her." His voice was hard, and the blue eyes Esther looked up into were cold as winter snows. "And tell him this. Esther is under _my_ protection. No matter what forces he sends against us, no matter what he attempts, I will not ever surrender her to him. Nor do I think anyone here will contradict me."

"Hell no." Leon grinned. He faced Dieitrich, his wolf's snarl locked in place. "Hate to break it to you, pal, but we're all pretty fond of Red, here. We'd much rather see her here than let her go with a shady guy like you." One hand flicked up, spinning a silver ring on his fingers. "Crappy guy like you, you'll make my sweet senorita lose her holy virgin powers, and I can't have that. So I suggest you get lost, unless you wanna play tag."

"I quite agree." The Professor moved to stand beside him. "I'm afraid we can't send Esther with you." A smile touched his face, around the pipe-stem. "If we send her off with you, Abel and the Earl of Memphis will become dreadfully unreasonable, and then I'll have to handle it. Honestly, it's entirely too troublesome."

Ion stepped forward, his sword already out. "I will never let you take her, ever! If you lay one hand on Esther, I'll slice it off!"

Dietrich chuckled, a dark, cruel laugh that made Esther's skin crawl. "That's a pretty bold statement. After all, you couldn't even protect your own tovarish, Radu, now could you? And you really think you people can stop us?" He shrugged. "Well, not that it matters." His eyes came to Esther's. "So then Esther, is this really your answer? After all, if you come quietly, we don't have to make trouble."

Esther's jaw clenched, and her fingers tightened around her gun. "I will never surrender to someone like you!"

Dietrich shrugged again. "Well, if that's your answer..." One hand lifted, and he snapped his fingers. "I was hoping to do this the easy way, but since you've decided to be stubborn, I guess we'll have to play after all."

Shadows melted out of the darkness around them, coalescing into shapes at the edge of the lamplight. Auto-jagers, too many for Ester to get a quick count on. She thought there were at least fifty. And to one side, a group of vampires stood, weapons out, fangs extended, and cruel smiles on their faces. Dietrich smirked. "I did warn you, after all, that we'd bring more firepower with us."

"Enough." Abel shifted, and Esther could here the fury in his voice. "For the last time. Leave this place, while you still can."

Dietrich's cold smile widened. "I don't think you're in a position to make threats, Father. And I told you before: I really, really hate...being...ordered...around!"

His hand snapped out on the last word. Esther spotted a glitter at his fingertips and gasped, stepping back. Then Abel and Virgil were between her and the Order. Abel snarled, or close to it, and Esther saw the glittering threads wound around his gun, just before Dietrich yanked it from his grasp. She stepped forward as Abel jerked his hand back with a grimace, but he turned. "Miss Esther, stay back."

A shadow sprang from the darkness to her right. Esther had just enough time to jerk back before Virgil leapt in front of her assailant, hands outstretched. Esther saw the masked visage of an auto-jager, before liquid from his hands sprayed over it, burning streaks though the armour and the body within. The puppet fell back, and he slammed into it once more, driving it onto Mary's sword for the kill.

To Esther, it seemed as if the night erupted into chaos. Dark shapes burst out everywhere, surrounding her small party. Vanessa leapt to engage a group of assailants to one side. Mary was already defending herself against a group of Methuselah. Further away, Esther saw a streak of color and armour, then it plowed into a group of Death Hunters, and resolved into Ion, his short sword drawn and his face twisted with rage. He was clearing trying to get to Dietrich, but the dark forms closed ranks in front of him.

"Esther. Stay here." The harsh rasping voice made her look back at Abel.

Somehow, he'd transformed. She hadn't heard him speak, hadn't seen or heard him activate his powers, but he stood before her, lightning sparking from the black wings, and his scythe out. A Methuselah leaped toward him, and one motion of his scythe left his attacker bleeding on the ground. He shifted closer. "I'm trying to get Seth. As soon as we can, Miss Esther, your guards and I will try to clear a path for you to get under shelter. Until then, please stay with myself and Lord Walsh."

"Of course." Esther nodded, and tightened her hand on her gun.

Another dark shadow jumped at her. Almost without thinking, she pulled her gun up and fired, shooting the Methuselah right between the eyes. The Abel's wings spread, forming a barrier. With his back turned, she couldn't see his face, but she didn't have to as his shoulder shifted and a low hoarse growl cut the night.

A flicker of motion caught her eye, and she jerked around as Seth landed beside her, both knives dark up to the hilt. She flashed Esther a small grin. "Nice to see you're paying attention, but I'd prefer it if you didn't shoot." Esther nodded. Seth took a deep breath. "Huh. You know, I didn't think they'd leave quietly, but I honestly wasn't expecting them to show up with this much firepower. I guess Cain really is serious this time."

Esther swallowed hard against a lump in her throat. With Abel, Virgil and Mary forming a triangle around them, and Seth at her back, she couldn't see much. But there were flashes of gunfire appearing intermittently in different angles, and the boom of Tres' pistols made her ears ache. She could hear Leon, laughing like a lunatic, but she couldn't see him. It sounded like he was in front of Abel. She'd lost track of the Professor, and Vanessa was a few paces away. She and Virgil had joined forces, taking on anything that dared attack her.

Abel shifted again, and there was another scream. He stepped back, and his low voice reached her. "Seth, Esther...please stay with Lord Walsh."

Seth reached up and grabbed her brother's robe. "Abel, what are you thinking?"

"I'm going to try to take out the leaders. If I can reach them, it should buy us some breathing space."

Esther grabbed his arm. "That's too risky, Abel."

"It will be all right." He slipped his shoulders free of their grasp, so smoothly Esther wasn't even sure how he'd managed. "Please, stay here." Then he launched himself forward.

"Idiot." Seth made a disparaging noise. "I don't know what's worse, the way he does things, or the fact that he's probably right."

"He..." A flicker of light caught Esther's attention. Helga had moved to one side, and now she raised her staff, the tip of it glowing dimly in the light. Her other hand threw a shower of liquid into the air. As Esther watched, the liquid turned crystalline, glittering in the moon and torch-light. Spears formed, then hurtled at Abel, tracking his movement. Her stomach twisted. "Father...Abel watch out!"

Abel spun on his heel, his scythe coming up to block, and lightning racing across his frame. She could see him charging up, but before he could do anything, Astha crossed between him and the deadly rain of ice. Her spear flashed up, and green light exploded through the meadow, vaporizing Helga's attack. Abel gasped, pulling back before the lightning could hit her. "Astha!"

"Nitwit." She glared at him, fangs extended. "You don't use lightning against water, you'll only hurt yourself. Go deal with that bastard Puppet Master, and let me handle this." Abel started to open his mouth, but Astha shoved him hard. "Get going priest!" Then she spun, facing the other woman with her spear held ready.

Abel backed away to give her room. An auto-jager leaped at him, then two more, and he jerked back, tangled with them. He shifted position, protecting Astha's back. Esther felt her heart pounding in her chest.

Helga faced Astha, and sneered. "Little wench." She gestured with the staff in her hand, and swirls of water and ice danced across the ground. "You may have gotten lucky, but do you know what you're up against? I am the Ice Witch, the Countess von Vogelwiede."

"Hmph. Don't make me laugh." A dark smile twisted Astha's lips. "Cheap trash like you should know their places."

Helga's face darkened with fury. "How dare you? Who do you think you are?" Her hand shot out, and the ice crystals shot toward Astha.

Instantly, the spear came up. With a wild grin, Astha dove forward. A shot from her spear disintegrated the crystals. "I am her Majesty's enforcer, Astharoshe Asran, Duchess of Kiev!" her smile locked with Helga's frozen expression. An auto-jager attacked, and she slammed it aside, using the momentum of the strike to propel herself forward. "Die!"

Immediately, Methuselah jumped in to help Helga. But Leon appeared out of nowhere, backing Astha up, standing beside her. Abel smashed another attacker aside, then whirled and went for Dietrich.

A cold grin touched Dietrich's face. "Surely you don't think I'll let you get within range so easily, Father." His hands came up, glittering. Abel snarled as the thin filaments caught his arms. He wrenched, breaking free with a quick jerk, but Dietrich had already moved his other hand. "I don't think so."

Across the field, the Professor stumbled as something, something Esther couldn't quite see, tripped him up. Instantly, the enemies around him surged forward. He jerked his arm upward, defending himself, but he seemed hampered.

Abel snarled, but he didn't hesitate. He spun, racing towards his friend. The scythe whipped out, the huge crescent blade slashing through the immediate obstacles, while he brought the barbed whip around and down to strike at one of William's assailants. He reached the Professor's side in under a minute, slamming Methuselah and auto-jagers aside. The fury of his assault dropped them back, and he took the opportunity to reach down and pull his companion upright, one hand flicking out close to his arm and shoulder, as if he sliced through something. Esther saw the relief on the other mans face. She knew he said something, but she couldn't tell what.

"Your Majesty!" Darkness flickered in her vision, and she spun to see Mary step forward, her sword coming up to stop the knife in the hands of a Methuselah. The first blow shattered the weapon into shards, the second took the assailants head off. Another black shape flickered into view, and Esther raised her arm and fired, hitting an auto-jager in the forehead. She realized dimly that she'd gone for her more high-powered shotgun. She fired again, and the figure collapsed.

"Your Majesty. Please be careful." Mary stepped closer. "Lord Walsh and his sister are trying to clear a safe path for you, but you must keep your guard up."

"I understand." Esther tightened her grip on her weapon, and felt for a spare cartridge, pulling it slightly free so she'd have better access to it when she needed it.

"Don't worry." Seth dropped into a crouch beside her. She flashed Esther a grim smile. "Abel may act like a dork most of the time, but he can handle himself. And you can bet he's watching out for everyone."

"I know. I'll do my best not to cause him any more trouble." Esther lifted her gun, and fired again, at a barely visible shape moving amongst the shadows and moonlight.

A few minutes later, Virgil was at her side. "Majesty, I believe we can get you and Lady Nightroad to the tree line. From there, we should be able to protect you better. And if we can get you away from the center of the action and to a defensible spot, we can concentrate their efforts and handle them more efficiently."

She didn't want to abandon her comrades, the people protecting her, but she knew he was right. Standing in the center of the field, she was too vulnerable. She nodded.

The next few minutes were a chaos of fire, light and fighting. Mary, Virgil and Vanessa were protecting them, but they were outnumbered, and both they and their attackers knew it. Despite their best efforts, auto-jagers and Methuselah both slipped through. Esther winced as one clawed hand slid across her cheekbone. The assailant was already dead with her shot and Mary's sword in him, but it stung. As the body fell, she caught sight of Mary, her uniform splattered with blood, and scratches in her armor, showing how close some of her attackers had gotten. As Virgil spun in front of her, taking an auto-jager and physically throwing him, she saw minor wounds on his body as well. A part of her was distantly aware of the blood that splattered her, but she didn't want to think about it. Finally, she stumbled under the trees, Seth breathing lightly beside her, and turned to place her shoulders against a thick trunk. Beside her, Vanessa whirled her shotgun to her shoulder, and her hair began to dance in the wind. The long strands lengthened and hardened, whipping around the tree and taking out the attackers that had followed them, creating a temporary barrier of safety. Esther leaned back, and stared out through the whipping tendrils of hair.

The moons were up, their light adding to the glare of fitfully burning torches and fires. The scene in the clearing was like something out of a nightmare. The ground was covered in blood, and the light showed her the bodies lying everywhere. She'd been too busy to notice, but the smells of burned meat, acid, and ozone filled the air. Dirt and ash mingled with the blood on her and the others. The din of fighting, of metal on metal, and the occasional curse or shout was...not deafening, but disorienting. The sight and smell nearly turned her stomach. Not that she hadn't seen it before, but...this was her home. Everyone here was a friend to her. It was like seeing the Palace destroyed again.

The memory sent ice through her stomach, filling her with dread. She pushed up from the tree, looking across the battlefield. Looking for Abel, and the others.

The Professor had managed to join up with Ion, the two of them shoulder to shoulder. They'd made it to partial cover as well. She couldn't be sure, but it looked as if the Professor was limping slightly. Both men appeared to be trying to follow the tree line to her group, to re-join them. As she watched, Ion executed a spectacular maneuverer that killed two attackers, and cleared their path for several feet. William didn't hesitate to join him, dispatching two more, one with his cane-sword, and the other with a pistol he'd pulled from a pocket.

A flash of green light caught her eye, along with a frustrated shout. She turned, and saw Leon and Astha. They'd apparently been forced to abandon their attack on Helga, forced back into the trees by the sheer press of numbers. Another flare of plasma light shot from Astha's face, showing the grim expression she wore. As Esther watched, the Methuselah woman stepped forward, and found herself blocked by three auto-jagers. She slammed through them, but more took their place. Astha's face twisted in snarl, and Esther heard her shout. "Shit!" He spear hammered into her foes, but her angry gaze slipped beyond them. "Damn it, priest, get out of there!" Esther followed her gaze.

And saw Abel. He was nowhere near cover. In fact, he was still near the center of the field, lightning and darkness swirling about him as he advanced, one slow step at a time against Dietrich. Esther's heart crashed into her throat. He wasn't making any effort to find a safer place to fight. He was still intent on destroying his enemies. Worse still, he was a target. If she thought Astha and Leon had been in a state of siege, Abel was far worse. Enemies were all around him. He was moving too fast for her to see what state he was in, but even as she watched, the two auto-jagers attacked him at once, occupying his hands while a third assailant pounced at him from a different angle. He broke loose, somehow, but she saw him stumble slightly, and a sneer twisted Dietrich's face. The Puppet Master had one hand upraised, and Esther had no doubt about who he'd attacked.

Abel recovered, but the delay had been enough to have him surrounded again. Esther's hand went to her chest. She wasn't even conscious of taking a step forward, but a small hand caught her wrist. "Esther, no!"

Seth held her, the green eyes dark and fierce. She turned her head to look back at Abel. "He..."

Seth shook her head. "Abel will be fine. We have to trust him." She bit her lip, and spoke more softly. "Believe me, I know what you feel. I want...I want to rush out there and save him too. But...we must trust Abel. He's tough, and I'm sure he'll be all right." She spoke calmly, but Esther saw the way her hands tightened on her knives.

A flicker of blue-white light caught her gaze. It was barely a sparkle in the flickering fires and moonlight, but she felt her eyes drawn toward it. She turned.

Helga stood, halfway between Astha and Abel, off to one side. She was drawing the water around her to her, drawing the glittering liquid into a spear of ice, barbed and cruel. Her attention was focused on Abel.

Esther spun. "Father Nightroad, watch out!" He didn't even turn. She moved forward, shouting in desperation. "Abel!" Seth's voice joined hers, but he didn't turn. There was simply too much noise, and Dietrich held too much of his attention. Esther felt her heart pounding, roaring in her ears. She knew Abel was strong, but Helga's spear would go through him, and if he lost concentration, Dietrich and his Death Hunters would kill him again.

Her stomach lurched. She didn't consciously think of moving, but suddenly her gun was in her hand. She didn't stop, just leaped forward, ducking through Vanessa's barrier and racing onto the battlefield.

"Your Majesty!"

"Esther, wait!"

She heard Seth and Virgil call out for her, heard Ion's shout and Mary's curse, but it all seemed so distant. She brought her gun up, firing one, then two, then even more rounds, blowing Methuselah and Death Hunters away as she raced toward the dark, lightning struck figure.

"Father Abel!" She blew away another Death Hunter, screaming his name. She saw him react; start to turn, but then Dietrich's hand shifted, and Abel stumbled, struggling to keep his assailants from bringing him to the ground.

A glitter of light caught her eye, and she saw Helga bring up that terrible spear of ice. Saw her pull her arms and her staff up, clearly aiming for Abel. And she could see clearly how the Death Hunters and Dietrich were stopping him from bringing his weapon up, distracting him.

Time seemed to be going both too fast and too slow. She fired, blasting another auto-jager out of her way. She saw Helga release the spear of ice, flying with terrible speed toward Abel's unprotected body, even as he spun around, defending himself from an attack on the opposite side. She brought her firearm up and pulled the trigger, intending to blast the spear down, but it clicked with the snap of an empty magazine. She threw the gun down, and threw herself forward.

Abel broke free and turned, just as the spear hit her with terrible force on the left shoulder, slamming through her armoured jacket and out her back. Pain slashed through her as crimson mist exploded into the air around her. She felt herself falling backward, crashing backward under the force of that blow. _Abel..._

_Esther?_ Abel heard her call him, but he couldn't turn. Dietrich had bound him, and the auto-jager attacked from his left. He saw a flash of red and pale skin, heard her cry out his name, and tried to turn. Tried to call out to her to go back. Then an attacker swung an axe at him. He ducked, and the return blow of his scythe slashed the auto-jager in half. He spun, just in time to see Esther leap in front of him. Like a terrible nightmare, he heard her cry out, saw Helga's spear hit her, and emerge from her left shoulder blade. Then she was falling back into his arms, his scythe vanishing in shock as he caught her. "ESTHER!"

Lightning exploded around him, driving his attackers back. He heard someone curse, thought it might be Leon or Astha, but it didn't matter. He let the lightning rage, pulling his wings in to enfold him and the slender form in his arms, staring in shock at the terrible crimson stain coloring her uniform.

He fell to his knees, cradling her in his lap, his mind reeling. "Esther...Esther?"

Her eyes fluttered open. "Father...Abel. Are you...all right?" Her face was tight with pain, and his heart lurched.

"Esther...it's all right. Don't talk." The words were a lie, and he knew it. His eyes went to the red stain spreading down her shoulder. "Esther..."

Her eyes closed. Abel froze. "Esther?" The red stain was still spreading. Suddenly desperate, he slammed his hand into the ice, the claws on his fingers breaking through it to splinter the spear into glittering shards. His hands shifted, one of them supporting her back and clamping down on the wound there, while the other reached up to cover the wound on her shoulder. He felt the warm blood running over his fingers, smelled it in the air, and clamped his fingers tight, trying to stop the flow. "Esther..."

She didn't respond. She lay, pale in his arms, only her faint breathing telling him she was alive. He tightened his grip further, feeling the flood over his hands slow to a trickle under the pressure. But she was so still, and he could see...feel her blood coating his hands. Tears darkened his vision, broke free to splash over her body. His crimson-black blood mingled with the red of hers. "Esther...please..."

His head bowed. "Esther...no...Esther!" _Esther, please...you can't. You have to be all right. Please, Miss Esther...I...please. Even if I...Dear Lord, please, save her. Punish me for my sins, if you must, but please...please...I...Dear Lord. I cannot lose Esther. I will do...anything. Esther..._

The red of her blood filled his vision, mingling with his. The sharp, copper-sweet smell filled his mind. He tightened his hands, trying to stop that crimson flow, trying to force it back into her body. Staring at the blood as it soaked her clothing and his, dyed his clawed hands red. Panic filled him. _There has to be something...she can't lose this much blood. I...I have to do something._ But he was already holding the wounds closed, staunching them with his grip. Any tighter, and he'd break the bones in her shoulder.

He felt himself going into shock, as though he were the one mortally wounded. He hunched over her, bowing his head. "Esther..." _I have to...what? What? Dear Lord, there has to be something...please._

The world seemed to fade away, blurring to nothing but Esther's pale face, and the blood seeping over both of them. Abel stared at it, lost in shock. The red color beckoned. Calling to him, terrifying and demanding. And something stirred in the back of his mind.

Blood. His body could control blood. The Crusnik could control it. A powerful Methuselah could drain their victim dry with just a pin-prick, or stop the bleeding from a mortal wound. He and Cain had both learned early on that they could stop bleeding. No matter how badly he was wounded, he never lost much blood, and if he chose, with his powers active, neither did friend or foe within sight. Even if he drank. Memory flickered, of Ion lying in the street of Carthage. He'd taken the young Earl's blood, but also stopped the flow from the wounded side.

He didn't think. Couldn't think. The red haze swallowed up his vision. He saw his tears, falling to her shoulder, felt the Crusnik mingling with her blood. But it wasn't enough. Hunger roared up inside, twisting with his emotions. His blood was pounding through him. He lowered his head further. His mind focused on only one thing. _Esther..._

A hand touched his shoulder. "Abel. I need you to back up. Abel come on, you've got to let us work on Esther." Seth's voice.

The words catapulted him back into his mind. "Seth?" Shock hit him again. He'd come so close to losing himself. "Seth..."

"It's all right." She dropped to her knees beside him. "We're here, and I can help." She flashed him a pale shadow of a grin. "I did have medical training, Abel. You've done a great job slowing the bleeding, but now you have to let Lord Walsh and I work on her, okay? I promise, I'll do my absolute best." Her face hardened with determination. "We won't let Esther go."

Lord Walsh dropped to his knees beside him. "Father Nightroad...if you will allow me..." The Count's hands hovered over Abel's. "I have been trained in basic medicine. I can assist the lady."

Numbly, Abel shifted. Virgil's hand came down over the wound in the front of Esther's shoulder, pressing hard, a thick square of cloth over the wound to slow the blood loss. His other hand came around to support her, and then he was pulling back, shifting Esther to rest on his folded jacket, his hands protecting her from jolting. Abel helped them re-arrange her, then Seth touched his arm. "You need to move back. Give us some room to work Abel."

He flinched. "Esther..."

"We'll do our best. But right now, the best thing you can do is guard us." That ghost of a grin flickered across her features again. "I think that brat and his friend have quieted down for the moment, but he's the type who won't stay quiet for long."

Still numb, Abel rose from his knees. The movement reawakened him to the awareness of Esther's blood, soaking his hands, his cassock, the knees of his robes. Even his face.

Abel froze, suddenly registering the copper-sweet taste in his mouth, the odd electrical feeling in his blood, the one he got from feeding. The terrible half-awareness of Esther. _No. I couldn't have...I..._

"Abel. Come on." William appeared at his shoulder. "It'll be all right. But we need your help here."

"Professor. I...did I...?" He couldn't ask the question, but he didn't need to finish it. William's gaze filled with sympathy, and it hit him like a hammer blow to the gut. "No...I...what have I done? Professor...I..." He stared at the blood coating his body. _No. I...drank...Esther..._

"Well, that is rather unfortunate, isn't it Father?" Dietrich was standing across the clearing, Helga beside him and their forces re-grouped around them. He smirked. "All of you were so intent on protecting Esther, and then she had to go and do something foolish like that." He shrugged. "Well, you know, I always did love that about her, the way she just charges in like that. It's rather entertaining."

"You bastard!" Ion lunged forward a step before Leon caught him by the arm. "How dare you?"

"Hmph. I don't think I was speaking to you." Dietrich grinned at him. His cold gaze shifted back to Abel. "So tell me Father...how was it? I've heard Esther's a good one, but of course as a Terran, I don't actually drink. Still Mein Herr seems to like her well enough." The hazel eyes glittered with malicious amusement. "So tell me Father...did you drink from Esther? Was it good for you? Did you enjoy Esther's blood as much as Mein Herr did?"

Abel shuddered, and lightning raced over his frame. "You...monster."

Dietrich smirked. "Well, they say it does take one to know one. But personally, I don't see why you're so concerned. After all, Esther does have a thing for monsters. Even you Father." The cold smirk widened. "Of course...she also says that Mein Herr and I are much worse monsters than you are. So...I wonder...is it possible you think you'll lose her...to one of us? Not that I'd mind. I can think of all sorts of things I'd like to do with Esther, after all."

"_**BASTARD!"**_ The scream seemed ripped from Abel's throat, drowning Ion's shout of fury. Lightning flared across the wide wings, arcing into the sky.

Leon cursed and dove to the ground, yanking Astha after him. "Shit! He's going ballistic."

Abel screamed again, no words emerging, just fury. William took one hesitant step forward, but Ion seized his arm. "You mustn't! He'll kill you."

All of them ducked as the wings flared wide, Mary and Vanessa dropping to shield Esther's prone form. Vanessa's smaller and lighter frame hunched over Seth, while Mary dropped into a half-crouch over Virgil. Vanessa stared. "What the hell?"

Seth didn't look up from her work, but helpless tears streaked her face. "Abel...he's lost it." Her gaze moved to Mary's across from her. "Get the others out of there."

"Understood." Mary nodded, then ducked again as another sheet of lightning rent the sky.

Abel screamed again, his wings extending to their fullest arc. His hands lifted, and his scythe was suddenly in them once more, already shimmering with electrical energy. With another wild cry, Abel lunged forward. _**"MONSTER!"**_

Leon ducked out of his way, as did Astha. The closest ranks of the Fleur du Mal and the Order didn't even have time to start to move before Abel hammered into them. He never gave them a chance to stop, or to fight back. Lightning arced across the lines, burning Methuselah and auto-jagers alike to cinders in a blink. Those that ducked the lightning face his scythe seconds later, and fell, blood spraying.

The Methuselah broke and ran. Even Helga looked terrified. Dietrich frowned, but his hand snapped out, and the auto-jagers closed ranks in front of him. "I don't think so."

"_**Von Lohengrin!"**_ Abel didn't even stop. He simply charged forward, heedless of the blows from the axes. Heedless of the fact he was still outnumbered. Heedless of everything except the grinning figure behind the ranks of Death Hunters. Lightning flashed, and the blade of his weapon slashed out. Auto-jagers fell like wheat in a storm. He took a cut across the brow, and another across his ribs, but he didn't even seem to notice the blood running from his body. _**"Von Lohengrin!"**_

Leon watched, grim faced from where he crouched on the field. "Damn. He's really gonna kill them, isn't he?"

William nodded. "I'm afraid so. If we don't find some way to stop him, Abel may not be capable of pulling back this time. But...with him like this..."

Ion's face had gone deadly pale. "This is...no wonder he was so afraid to let me fight with him. Father Nightroad..."

Able slashed through another rank of the Death Hunters. Helga seized Dietrich's arm, using haste mode to back them to the further side of the clearing. As their feet hit the ground, both Order members cast their hands out. Silver wire and ice flew through the air, trapping Abel in a deadly net.

Another scream ripped from his throat. Blue fire flared, vaporizing the ice. It was enough time for Dietrich's wires to trap him, but Abel screamed again, and his wings flared, snapping the wires like string. The scythe snapped out once more, reducing another half dozen auto-jagers to dust. He lunged forward.

Pain. Pain and the sound of someone screaming. Of someone howling into the night. Esther felt her shoulder throbbing. She seemed surrounded by darkness, but she could hear someone screaming. A voice that was heart-breakingly familiar to her. _Abel..._

Esther forced her eyes open. She felt weak, tired and light-headed. Her shoulder was throbbing, and strangely stiff, as if it had been tied in place. She blinked. "Father...Abel?"

"Your Majesty?" Virgil swivelled above her, his normally calm expression clouded with concern. "Are you awake?"

"Yes. I think..." Esther swallowed against the rasping in her throat. She twisted her head, seeing Seth's face above hers. "Where is...Father...where is...Abel?" She tried to sit up.

Immediately, Seth caught her. "Esther, you shouldn't move. I only just got your shoulder to stop bleeding. If you move, you could tear something again. Please, stay still."

"My shoulder?" The words didn't make sense. "What did I...what happened...?"

Virgil placed a gentle hand on her arm. "Father Nightroad was endangered, and you went to rescue him. You were wounded, and I fear it is a severe injury. Please, lie still. It is not safe to move you at this time, however, we will be taking you into the Palace medical facilities as soon as possible. Please, rest here until then."

Another scream rang out. Esther's eyes widened. "Abel...he...why is he?" She struggled against their hands. "He's..."

Seth shook her head, tears tracking across her face. "Abel is...he's fighting right now. My brother...I'm sorry Esther, but you can't go to him right now. Right now, it just isn't safe. Abel is..." She stopped.

Cold shuddered through her. _Father. Abel...you...you said it would break you, if something happened to me? Is that...is that what's happened? Are you fighting alone again, like you did in Carthage?_ Her heart felt like it was beating far too fast. _But if he...if he loses his control...he was so afraid of this. How can he...what's going to happen?_

Somewhere, she found the strength to sit up. Virgil and Seth both tried to stop her, but she planted her elbows and pushed herself upright against their restraints, gasping as fire seared through her shoulder. Halfway up, Seth caught her, and eased her into a sitting position, leaning against Virgil's supporting arm. She blinked as her vision blurred for a moment, and found herself looking at a scene from a nightmare.

The torches had died, but it didn't matter. Abel lit the entire clearing, his body outlined in terrible blue fire, lightning dancing over his frame and his outstretched wings. The light was bright, almost blinding, and it showed the scene with horrible clarity as Abel slashed through a line of auto-jagers, reducing them to dust in less than a second. His scythe spun in his hands, a blood-red blade backed by a razor-edged whip that slashed through everything in its path. His fellow AX members, Ion, Astha and Vanessa, were all kneeling on the ground in a loose circle around her, between her and Abel.

Beyond him, Helga and Dietrich stood behind half a dozen auto-jagers, what appeared to be all the force they had left. Dietrich's face was tight. Esther saw his hand move, knew he'd attacked Abel, but whatever he did didn't have any effect. Abel simply shifted, then took another step forward.

"Abel..." Esther felt her heart freeze in dread. "No..." Her hand clenched on Seth's sleeves. "We have to stop him. If he does this...if he kills like this...he can't. He just...he can't. He's..."

"I know." Seth met her eyes, tears shimmering in the green gaze. "You think I don't know that? I've seen him do this before. But...there's nothing I can do. Even if I tried, he wouldn't hear my voice. He never does, when he's like this." Her eyes closed, and one fist clenched. "There's...nothing I can do...for my brother."

_Nothing...we can do. But...he's like this...because of me. Because I was hurt. Father...he wanted to protect me. This is...my fault. I can't...I can't let him go. I can't...let him do this. I...don't want him to suffer this. Not again, for my sake._ She curled her fists against the ground. _Abel...you have to stop. Even if...even if we do need to defeat the Order, you can't...not like this._

He stood, fifty feet away, screaming his rage and pain to the sky. Esther bit her lip, then pressed her hands into the dirt. _I have to reach him._ She felt weak, but she pushed herself into an upright position, then clenched her right hand into the ground and forced herself to her knees.

"Esther, what are you doing?" Seth caught her. "You can't move around like that. Your wound will re-open."

"I have to...stop him. I have to...reach him. Otherwise...he won't be Abel anymore. He'll disappear. I can't...he's doing this for me."

"He won't hear you!" Seth's eyes were wide. "Abel...he doesn't...he can't. And he'll never forgive any of us if something more happens to you."

Esther bit her lip. "But...if he isn't stopped, then it won't matter. He won't...be Abel anymore." She tried once more to get to her feet.

"Your Majesty!" Virgil touched her arm, but she shook her head.

"Esther!" Seth caught her. Ion knelt before her. "Esther, you can't!"

"I have to." She forced her self upward, getting one foot under her. She met Ion's eyes through her own blurring vision. "He...Abel...he heard me in Carthage, that time. And he...he heard me in the Underground. It was because of that...because he could hear me, that the Contra Mundi killed him." Tears stung her eyes. "I know...I can reach him. This time...I have to...save him." She pushed herself upright.

She swayed, staggering. Her shoulder hurt, and she felt light-headed and dizzy. She locked her eyes on the glowing screaming figure before her, and took a staggering step forward. One step. Then another one. Dimly, she felt Seth's hand fall from her arm, felt Virgil release her. She staggered forward another step.

"Esther..." Ion reached out, but she shook her head again, gritting her teeth against the pain of it. Ion stiffened, and his hand fell back to his side.

In front of her, Abel slashed through another pair of auto-jagers. Esther staggered forward, crossing the line of her defenders. She heard Leon curse, and the Professor reply something, but she knew she couldn't afford to take her attention away from Abel. She felt as if she were falling forward, rather than walking. Each step was more than half stagger. Her shoulder was agony, and she felt a warm, liquid feeling, knew that she bled again. But her eyes remained fixed on the lightning shrouded form that was Abel's.

Somehow, she'd covered half the distance. Abel scythed into another auto-jager. It's partner slashed him across the shoulder, only to disintegrate under his attack a moment later. She moved forward a few steps closer, feeling the electric tingle of his power now, the heat of the lightning that crackled around his frame. It hurt, nearly burning, but she couldn't stop.

Abel engaged the last pair of auto-jagers. He didn't even bother with the scythe. Instead, lightning hammered from the skies, reducing them to ash in seconds. Through the dizzy roaring in her ears, she heard Abel scream. _**"Von Lohengrin!"**_

She was almost there, she passed through the arc of lightning, somehow avoiding the lethal fire. He was only a few steps away, and she could feel the charge in the air as he built up power for his attack. She moved forward. Five steps. Four. Three. Abel's hand rose into the air, fire and electricity dancing along the terrible blade in his hand. She staggered forward, stumbled and fell into his broad back, her hand clenching in his cassock to keep upright. "Father...Abel...please..."

Abel froze at the familiar voice, at the feel of the small hand resting on his spine. "Esther?" he could barely frame the word. "Esther?"

Esther gripped him tighter. "Please...you have to...you have to stop. You can't...do this." She held on tight,using him to anchor her to consciousness. Fighting to say what needed to be said. "Please...if you do this...Abel...I'm afraid. You might...lose yourself. You sound so...so terrible, and it isn't like you. If you keep going, you might...I might lose you again. And I can't...I just can't. I don't...want to see you like this, Abel. The Contra Mundi...he wants you angry. He wants you...to hate. So please...you have to..." Blackness swirled in her vision. She felt tears streaking her face. "Please...Abel..." her feeble grip loosened, and she felt herself falling.

The scythe vanished from Abel's hands. His wings folded, catching Esther briefly in the dark feathers, as his body turned to cradle her weight in his arms. "Esther...I..." Tears streamed down his cheeks again, unnoticed.

She looked into his face, her own tight with pain. "It's all right. I just...I don't want to see you like that." She reached up her good hand, to touch his face. "I want, to see you like you always are. So don't..."

"Esther..." Abel drew her close to him, feeling the black rage fade into numbing sorrow. "Esther..." He bowed his head suddenly, lowering his face till it rested nearly in her hair. "I thought...I..." He shuddered, unable to finish the thought.

Esther reached up to stroke his cheek. "Are you all right, now?" he choked back the sobs threatening to tear him apart and nodded. She smiled hazily. "I'm glad, Abel." Then her eyes closed, and her hand dropped back.

Tears carved paths of crimson across his face, and he let them fall. He'd bent over to catch her, and now he straightened, forcing the Crusnik back, suppressing the energy of his other half. He felt the lightning fade, their presence dulling to the faint hum in his mind. He opened his eyes, rage replaced by sorrow, and faced Dietrich. "Go. Leave this place."

Dietrich frowned. "You really think you can get rid of us just like that?" One hand came up. "I'll admit this whole scene is rather touching, but...I do have my orders."

"Leave." Seth stepped forward, the air dancing around her. Her eyes were glowing crimson. "Esther doesn't want my brother involved in your deaths, not out of anger, so I'll let you go, but you'd better start running. Run out of my sight, as fast as you can. Or I will hunt you, and destroy you." The blood-red eyes turned to Dietrich, and her voice was cold. "I warned you Puppet Master. Run...run to the ends of the Earth."

Helga sheathed her spear and backed up. "Stay here and die, if you wish, Marionettespieler. I am leaving."

Dietrich glared coldly at her. "You know, I didn't think you were such a coward."

"Do not be a fool. We are outnumbered, and even if we could take her, we cannot transport her in this condition. Leave the Terran wench. If she dies, then Mein Herr's wrath will fall here. If she lives, then my lord has other plans."

Dietrich shrugged. "It looks as if I have no choice. We'll withdraw for now." he smiled coldly at Abel. "Do take care of Esther for me, Father. I'll come back later for her." Then Helga gestured, and a wall of water and ice spun into the air, and they were gone.

Abel turned, Esther still in his arms. The silver hair, stained with blood, fell down his back. Against his pale skin, the marks of Lilith's power looked like someone had carved bloody tattoos into his hands and face. His wings were gone, but crimson tears still dripped over his cheekbones. He looked at his sister very briefly, then began walking toward the palace, his face set like stone.

William moved forward, to catch his shoulder. "Abel..."

"I'm taking her to the medical wing. She needs to be tended." Abel didn't turn to look at his friend, didn't even stop his movement. He simply walked past him. William saw the cuts on his body, still bleeding. He caught Abel's eyes for one fleeting moment, and the agony in them was like a blow. He let go, and Abel continued on.

Leon whistled. "Damn. He may have stopped, but why do I get the feeling that Four Eyes ain't quite back with us yet?"

"He's not." Seth spoke softly. "Abel is...this is a different kind of madness." She watched her brother with sad eyes, then shook herself and turned to Virgil. "Come. Abel is right, she'll need immediate treatment, and we'll have to watch him as well. Besides, we all have wounds to be tended, and there are things that must be done."

"Understood." Virgil turned. "Colonel Spencer, I will assist Lady Nightroad. You and Vanessa; please secure the Palace and the Underground, and then...we must begin clean-up, and meet to inform our allies. Lady Nightroad and I will join you as soon as we may."

"As you will." Mary nodded. "Hurry." Virgil returned the nod, then he and Seth disappeared into the blur of haste mode.

The rest of them stood looking at each other for a moment, sorrow in their minds. Then the Professor bowed his head. "Come." He turned, back toward the Palace, and the rest of them fell in line behind him, leaving the battlefield behind.


	31. Twenty Five: Grief and Wounds

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Yep that's right folks another update and _**yahoo**_ ^^ to it. Thanks to all the newbies whom added I or this story to their alters once again. I also was getting very encouraging emails and messages from people positively on how much they are likening this and comparing it to the anime counterpart. When I first started this fiction way back from last passing neither me nor my editor thought it would get replies like this coming in of fans really being happy go lucky when they see an update come in about this story.

**[*]** _**First **_- Thanks you so much to the _**Anonymous **_reviewer for understanding my reply from my last **Authors Notes **message in chapter 24. _**'Good things come to those whom**_ _**wait'**_ be sure to just read carefully each chapter titled what it contains within it, wait for when I can update something chapter wise. Also thanks for liking **TBWC** so much!, more is to come so I hope you'll not be disappointed ^^.

**[*]** **Second **– This small message is addressed to another reviewer named **WiccaSilverFox****; **Dear last chapter is chapter **24** there is no mistake. It's alright and everyone makes mistakes to no biggie there but try to read each upload chapter _**carefully**_ that way you'll not lose track next time ^^

Other than that, everyone please try to read everything well and carefully as best you can, this has been happening quite bit with some readers new and old getting lost on track with all the messages and posting being made. If you exclude the **FAQ**'s and notices I made in the past or will make again in the chapters to come this chapter is chronologically **40** chapters long in total. Some chapters maybe one to two more like chapter ten will be split into **two** to **three** parts of they are over a certain amount of word count long for each page and thus will be split into another part of under the same chapter number.

_**Other than that enjoy chapter 25 read and review when possible until next time. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.**_

**(*)** As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice:**** Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Twenty Five – Grief and Wounds**

"How is she?" Virgil strode into the infirmary room. He'd taken time to change out of his blood-stained trench coat and shirt, and he was followed closely by a second man.

Seth looked up from where she stood at Esther's left shoulder, a clean medical smock thrown hastily over her clothing. "Well, it could be worse, but this wound, it's still pretty severe. But we're really lucky. That spear being made of ice...it slowed the bleeding a little, and there's no debris or anything in the wound. Between that and Abel..." She sighed, and her eyes shifted to the silver-haired man standing beside her. He made no move, and showed no sign of having heard her.

The third man came forward and probed the wound. "Even with the bleeding staunched, she's lost a great deal of blood. We need to close this wound fast." His gaze flickered to Seth. "My lady..."

She gave him a pale grin. "Seth. Just Seth is fine. You're the Palace physician, right? I met you after that riot." She grimaced. "I haven't taken the ice out yet, but it's melting fast." Her eyes dropped to Esther's shoulder, swathed in makeshift bandages. "I didn't want to do anything without your approval, but if you don't mind...I've had training in the military, and in the Imperial Medical Academy. And I've worked on Esther before."

The doctor bowed. "Of course. Experience with the patient is always invaluable." He rolled up his sleeves and shrugged into a medical tunic as well. "I shall assist then." He turned to the nearby sink and ran his hands under the faucet, washing them thoroughly.

"I shall assist as well." Virgil moved in beside him. "My training is not extensive, but I can at least hold the instruments and move the lights."

Seth nodded. "All right."

The doctor's eyes moved to Abel, still standing unmoving by Esther's side. "Sir...I beg your pardon, but you must leave now."

"No." The voice was hoarse, and so low it was nearly inaudible. Abel's head was bowed, his hands by his sides. "I...can't..." He trembled.

Seth shook her head. "I think it's best if he stays. He's not likely to hurt anything, and his presence will help keep her calm." She grimaced at the red-soaked bandages. "We really can't give her much medication like this."

The doctor studied Esther's pale face, and the bloody clothing. "You are correct. However..."

Seth moved forward and laid a hand on Abel's arm. "Hey, Abel...I need your help, okay? You can stay, but I need you to move. I need you to go hold Esther's other hand while we work here. I don't want her fighting us, and we need to get the wound closed and some of the blood loss handled before we give her too many pain-killers." She saw her brother flinch at the words 'blood loss'. "I need you to help us hold her, okay, Abel?"

Abel said nothing. After a moment, he moved silently around the table, and took Esther's right hand, very gently, into his own. A spasm of anguish crossed his face, and tears began to streak the pale cheeks, falling unheeded to his chest.

Seth stared at him with compassion for a moment, then turned back to Esther's wounded chest. "All right. Let's see what we can do."

The wound was terrible. Helga's spear had gone through the upper chest, between the shoulder and the heart. It hadn't hit the heart, which was lucky, but it had cut several blood vessels, and it had definitely broken the scapula in her shoulder and damaged a few of the upper ribs before exiting her back. The ice had slowed the bleeding somewhat, and Abel's efforts to staunch the wound had done even more, but Esther had still lost a lot of blood. Seth gestured to Virgil. "Can you take her pulse and blood pressure? It seems a little low, and I'd like to know what we're dealing with here. In the meantime...I need to get that ice out, and then we'd better work fast to close those blood vessels up. We'll patch the broken bones as we go."

Both men nodded, their faces set in grim lines. Seth glanced once more at her brother, standing like a statue. Then she carefully unwrapped the improvised bandages on the shoulder to reveal the remains of the ice spear. She set her jaw and wrapped her hands around it, feeling the slickness of the melting ice. "All right. I'm taking the spear out now. Lord Walsh, I need you to stand by to apply pressure. It's probably going to bleed some more." She turned her head to the doctor. "I've got an IV ready. It'll make things harder if we start giving her blood before it's closed, but we can't let her lose too much. I want you to do whatever you think best, okay?"

"Yes, lady." He checked the inside of Esther's elbow, and studied her face. His hand dropped to her wrist. "We have a little time yet, but I suspect we'll need to set it before we're through."

Seth nodded, and tightened her fingers on the shaft of ice. "All right." She tightened her fist then, with one smooth wrench, she jerked the icicle from Esther's shoulder.

The ice came out crimson. Immediately, blood welled from the wound. Abel flinched, a soft groan wrenching from his throat, his hand tightening on Esther's. Seth threw the icicle into the sink, and Virgil clamped his hands over his queen's shoulder.

Seth's hands probed the wound. "Get something under the shoulder." she frowned, looking through the damage. "We need to lift her a little, so I can get at the area in her back. But we'd better not let that muscle move too much, or it'll tear further." Her hands shifted. "All right, Lord Walsh, I need you to lift her, very carefully." Her eyes slipped across the table. "Abel, I know you're listening. I need you to help okay? Hold Esther steady once we get her in position, all right?"

He said nothing, but Seth didn't wait for a response. "Ready?" Virgil nodded. "All right...go."

Virgil's hands slipped under the injured shoulder, bracing to either side of it has he lifted Esther's left side. Seth nodded when he'd gotten Esther raised far enough. "Hold her there. Abel?"

One dark-clad arm slipped under Virgil's hands, taking the weight of Esther's wounded form. The hand that held her was gentle, rock-steady, but the face that Virgil looked up into was ravaged by grief, and his shoulders were shaking with silent weeping. After a moment, the adviser looked away. "My lady?"

"Just hand me what I tell you. I don't have time to talk too much, okay." Seth's eyes were locked on Esther's shoulder, assessing the damage, while her slender, small fingers probed the wound. "I need clamps...and a scalpel, and sutures..." She gestured.

Under Seth's direction, torn blood vessels were carefully put back together, damaged muscles eased into place and knit together. The broken bones were set into place. When half of the damage had been repaired, the doctor silently moved to attach the IV, placing it in Esther's arm with practiced ease. Seth didn't acknowledge the movement, too focused on her work. The room was silent save for the softly delivered orders the sounds of the monitors, and the ragged breathing of the five people. Every so often, Virgil or the doctor checked Esther's vital signs, monitoring blood pressure and heart-rate, and reported the numbers. Abel said nothing, only stood, holding Esther in his arms.

Finally, the wound was closed. Seth carefully applied a special dressing, to cover the raw flesh, then wrapped bandages tightly over the shoulder, both to seal the wound and to immobilize the arm. She tied off the last bandage, then stepped back with a sigh, allowing Virgil to wipe the sweat from her face as he'd done off and on throughout the surgery. "Whew. I think that's everything." She looked at the physician at her elbow. "Did I miss anything? I tried, but it has been a while."

He shook his head. "As neat a job as I've ever seen my lady." He studied the queen. "She needs more blood yet, but her color is somewhat improved, and her pulse is strong and steady."

Seth breathed another sigh. "Well then, I guess all we can do is make sure there's no infection, and let her recover at her own pace."

Virgil nodded. "Does she need to remain here?" He looked around the infirmary room.

Seth sighed. "Well, it would be safer, I guess. Honestly, I'd like to keep her in the medical wing for a couple more days. But she should probably be moved to a better room."

Virgil nodded. "I will retrieve a medical bed."

"Which room?" Abel's voice was low, hoarse, but it cut through the room. All three of them turned.

The doctor blinked. "There is a room only a few doors down that I believe would be suitable for Her Majesty."

The priest didn't reply. He simply gathered Esther into his arms. Virgil hurried to catch the IV stand as Abel turned and walked through the doors. As he turned away, the doctor spotted the crimson drops staining the floor where he'd been standing. "Sir..."

Seth caught him. "I think you should leave my brother to me." She watched the black-clad man exit the door. "Right now, I'm afraid he's not going to hear you." She sighed. "Thank you, for helping with Esther."

"It was my honor to serve Her Majesty." His gaze returned to the bloodstains. "That man..."

A small, wan, smile touched Seth's face. "Abel? He'll probably be fine. But don't worry, I'll try and get him to let us tend his injuries. In the meantime..." She sighed and looked down at her clothing. "If you don't mind, could you go inform Colonel Spencer of Esther's condition? And tell her I recommend we call the Vatican and the Empire as soon as Lord Walsh and I arrive."

The doctor nodded. "Yes, my lady. I will do so." He bowed. "Please, take care of Her Majesty."

"I will." Seth nodded to him, then turned and followed Virgil and Abel. She arrived to find her brother settling the young woman into the bed, laying her gently down so as not to disturb the bandaged shoulder.

Seth watched as he settled Esther into the bed, allowing Virgil to arrange the IV and pull the sheets over her. Across his side, she could see a long cut, still bleeding, and another one across his shoulder and his cheek. Blood streaked his silver hair, and coated his hands, arms and face. His cassock was stiff with it, his own and others. She sighed, then moved over to touch his arm "Come on Abel. Let's get you cleaned up, okay?"

"I...I can't. I promised...I..." His voice was a rough, broken whisper of sound. "I..."

"You need to get those wounds cleaned up." Seth touched the slash across his ribs gently. "Honestly, these should have healed by now." She looked up into his face. "Abel..."

"I can't...I won't let _them..._I..." He shuddered. "Esther...I..."

"I know, Abel." Seth kept her voice gentle. After a moment, she tugged on his arm once more. "It's fine. Let's get you cleaned up okay, and I'll take care of those cuts of yours."

"I'm fine." Abel shuddered once, and his head bowed. "I promised...not to leave her...I..."

"My lord, you must do as your sister asks." Virgil looked up from where he had finished settling the IV stand. "I would advise you strongly to do as she suggests, and allow yourself to be cleaned up, and have your wounds treated. You need medical attention. Besides..." The pale eyes came up to meet Abel's anguished gaze. "Her Majesty would only be upset if she were to see you wounded, or in such a state. For Lady Esther's sake, I must ask you to do as Lady Nightroad requests."

Abel shuddered again, looking at the blood that covered his hands and arms. "I..." He was trembling now, his eyes lost and haunted. "I..."

Virgil stepped around the bed, to a door on the other side of the room. He opened it and bowed slightly. "There is a bathing facility here. You need not go very far from Her Majesty. I will call your companions to bring a spare change of clothing for you."

Abel stood, still shaking as if he were freezing to death. "I..."

Seth took his arm, and gently shoved him toward the small bathroom. "Go on, Abel. I'll make sure nothing happens to Esther, all right?"

Her brother didn't respond. Seth shoved him into the room. There was worry in her eyes as she watched Abel, standing still in the bathroom. The silver-haired priest made no attempt to remove his clothing, or to wash away the crimson that covered him. She turned her gaze up to Virgil. "I'm sorry to ask this of you, but, could you please help my brother? I'm afraid Abel's in shock right now, and he's not really capable of doing anything." The worry in her eyes deepened.

Virgil nodded. "I understand. If you will, please call Father Wordsworth to bring spare clothing for Father Nightroad, and please ask Vanessa to bring a spare shirt and pants for me as well."

"I will." Her gaze turned to the silent figure lying on the bed. "I don't think anything's going to happen just yet, but I'll call out for you if Esther's condition changes."

"Thank you." He gave her a nod, then stepped into the bathing room and shut the door.

Abel didn't move as Virgil turned on the shower, turning it up until the room began to fill with warm steam. He didn't even seem to acknowledge the blond man's presence until Virgil stepped forward and began to unfasten the blood-stained outer cassock. At his touch, Abel jerked. "What are...you doing?"

Virgil met his gaze. "I am doing as your sister requested, and assisting you." His deft fingers unhooked Abel's rosary and laid it gently to one side, then unsnapped the throat tab and began to undo the fastenings of Abel's lower garments. "She was concerned for your wellbeing, and asked that I make sure you were taken care of."

"You shouldn't." Abel shuddered again, hunching forward to bury his face in his bloodstained hands. "I...you saw...Esther..."

Virgil frowned, seizing the other man's shoulders. "Her Majesty tried to help you, against my instructions and yours, and was injured. However, if you had not done what you did, she would probably have died. Father Nightroad, you cannot blame yourself for Lady Esther's mistake. Nor mine. I should have been attending to her more carefully."

Abel shuddered again. "But I...I drank...Esther...her blood..." He was staring at his hands again. "I..."

"Enough, Father. What had happened has happened. Right now, my concern is making sure Her Majesty is taken care of, and the situation under control. Which includes caring for you. As I said before, Lady Esther will only be concerned if she wakes to find you in such a state." Virgil's eyes were worried, but his voice was calm, matter-of-fact.

Abel didn't move, his eyes once more lost in shadows of grief. Virgil sighed then stepped forward, stripping the remains of the upper uniform from the priest, then guiding him into the shower stall. Abel flinched as the water washed over him, but made no other response. He seemed frozen with shock. Virgil watched a moment, then rolled up his sleeves and reached out to clean the blood from the other man's body. Once Abel was cleaned, he turned off the shower and drew him from the stall. There were medical supplies in the bathroom, and it was the work of a few minutes to dry off the cuts, apply antiseptic, and bandages. The one on Abel's face was shallow enough to leave alone, but the ones on his shoulder and across his ribs were deeper, and there were a few others across his back and other side. There were also marks across his wrists, signs of where Dietrich had attempted to bind him with wires. Virgil studied them a moment, then wrapped a length of gauze around each wrist. Throughout it all, Abel remained silent, staring at his hands or the floor with a lost, anguished look in his eyes. Virgil gave him a worried glance as he finished with the last of the bandages, then pulled the silver hair back into a ponytail, and opened the door. "If you'll come with me, Father."

Seth was standing in the other room, watching Esther. She looked up, then moved forward to hand Virgil two bundles of clean fabric. "Here. Your sister and Father Wordsworth delivered these while you were taking care of Abel." She looked at her brother's wounds briefly, and nodded. "I see you've done a very good job. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Virgil took the shirt and pants from her. "Her Majesty?"

"There's been no change. She's still stable, but unconscious." Seth grimaced. "I hate to say it, but we need to report to the others soon."

"You are correct." Virgil nodded to the silent man still standing with a towel draped around his shoulders. "I will leave Father Nightroad in your care." He turned back to the bathroom, shutting the door once more behind him.

It took only a few moments to remove his stained garments. Most of the filth that had covered him had been washed off while he was tending to Abel, and the rest was easily cleaned away. He had a few gashes to attend to, but they were all relatively minor. Within fifteen minutes, he returned to the main hospital room.

Seth had managed to get Abel into the cassock shirt, though she hadn't bothered with the outer robe. She glanced up at him. "Ready to go?"

"I am." He turned to the silent figure. "Father Nightroad..."

"I can't..." Abel's pain-filled gaze moved slowly to the bed Esther lay on. "I promised...I..." He shuddered. "Esther..." Tears streaked the pale face, falling into his hands. "I promised..."

"You should rest Father, and eat something. Her Majesty would not want you to risk your health." Virgil moved forward to unclip a small device. "I will take the portable monitor with me. It will inform us at once if Lady Esther's condition changes."

Abel visibly flinched at the mention of eating, but he shook his head. "No. I...I told her...I'd be beside her. Even if...if I am..." He was shaking again. "Monster..."

"Abel!" Seth reached forward to grab his wrist. "It isn't true. And I'm sure..." Her voice roughened. "I'm sure Esther would say the same thing." She looked into her brother's eyes for a long moment, and her voice softened. "There's nothing I can say, is there? Abel, do you intend to stay...as you did last time?"

"I...promised...I..." His voice broke, rough with the tears that streamed down his face, and his head bowed. "Esther..."

Seth watched him a moment, then turned away. "Lord Walsh, we should go." She moved toward the door, and after a moment, Virgil followed her.

He waited until they were out in the corridor before he spoke. "Are you sure it is wise to leave Father Nightroad with Lady Esther?"

Seth grimaced. "There's nothing we can say now that will get Abel to move. Besides...you don't have to worry. I'm sure Abel won't let anything happen to her."

Virgil shook his head. "I confess, it is not Her Majesty I feel concern for, but Father Nightroad."

"Abel?" Seth blinked. "Why Abel?"

Virgil sighed. "I have been aware of the feelings between Her Majesty and Father Nightroad for some time. This..." He stopped, his eyes gazing unseeing at the wall. "This incident, especially in light of what occurred while he was in his other form...I fear it will continue to torment him. And this vigil will only increase his suffering." He paused. " I have held my own vigils by the side of people I care for when they are injured or dying. I respect Father Nightroad. I would have preferred to spare him this, if it were possible. However he feels about the events that took place tonight..."

"There's nothing you can do." Seth's eyes were sad, her voice heavy. "Abel will blame himself for _that_. And I can tell you...he's not going to move until Esther recovers. Perhaps not even then. This is...this is what Abel does, when something like this happens. All we can do now is try to contain the situation, and pray Esther's recovery is swift."

"As you say." He bowed his head once, in acknowledgment of her words, and together they moved toward the main Palace.

Mary was waiting in the central hall. She had been pacing, but as they approached, she stopped and turned to them. Her normally calm expression had been replaced with one of worry. "Lord Walsh, Lady Nightroad...how is Esther?"

Seth sighed. "She's stable, but unconscious. We're giving her a blood transfusion, to help her, and the wound is closed. The rest is mostly up to Esther."

Mary nodded. "Is it safe to leave her, in that condition?"

Virgil nodded, displaying the device he carried. "I have a monitor on hand, and it will remain with myself or you at all times. Furthermore, Father Nightroad has chosen to remain with Her Majesty."

"I see. I will check on her condition later then." Mary sighed. "How is Father Nightroad?"

"He's all right. A few cuts and scrapes. But honestly, his mind's in worse shape than his body." Seth grimaced. "Abel is...well, just as he always was. I think it's best to leave him be for now." She sighed again. "Unfortunately, I think we have a much bigger issue to deal with."

"Of course." Mary nodded. "There will be no concealing Her Majesty's condition, and there are sure to be repercussions, not only among the nobles of Albion, but among other nations as well."

"We need to inform our allies in the Vatican and the Empire. While I have no doubt the envoys currently in residence are capable of doing so, I would prefer to deliver the news myself." Virgil bowed to Seth. "By your leave, my lady."

"No. I don't mind. But you know...how is this going to affect the two of you?" Her green eyes met theirs. "After all, something like this..."

"Many of the nobles will undoubtedly ask for us to stand down from our positions." Mary's face shuttered, turned to stone. "And considering the circumstances, we really cannot deny their complaints. However, that will leave Albion vulnerable and Her Majesty as well."

"I happen to agree." Seth frowned. "If you don't mind my saying so, the two of you need to find some reinforcements fast. Not to mention, if the Order is trying to attack Albion, I think now is a good time to call upon your allies."

"I agree. However, my lady..." Virgil fixed her with his gaze. "Your tone suggests you happen to have a suggestion for matter."

"I do." Seth grimaced again, and a rueful smile touched her face. "Well, I was rather hoping I could simply visit my brother, and that I could stay incognito, however...I rather like the pair of you, and

I'm certainly very fond of Esther. So then, if you think it will help, I think I'll clean up, and let Augusta Veradica attend to this."

Virgil stiffened. "You will...expose yourself as the Empress? Reveal your identity after more than nine centuries?"

Seth shrugged. "Well, I did figure it was going to come out sometime. After all, it's rude to always wear a veil. You can get away with it when everyone's your subordinate, but if you're talking to allies, well...it doesn't work so well." The rueful smile touched her face once more. "Besides, Esther already knows, as does Caterina. And Abel...after all this time, I finally found my brother. I don't intend to hide in the shadows and let him disappear again."

"Understood." Virgil bowed. "Then I will request your help."

"Of course." Mary bowed as well. "Having the Methuselah Empress supporting us is a very strong tactical advantage, both personally and for Albion as a whole. I would not have asked it of you, Majesty, but if you are willing to support us, then I am most grateful."

"In that case, I'd appreciate it if you'd gather the envoys while I change." Seth flicked a glance down at her torn and blood covered clothing. "After all, I don't think I'm going to create quite the proper impression in this."

"Understood...Your Majesty." Virgil hesitated only a second. "I will inform your envoys of the meeting. Shall I inform them of the change in your status as well?"

"Yes." Seth nodded. Her gaze slipped to Mary. "I'd like it if you'd get the envoys from the Vatican, but I'd prefer it if you didn't tell them. After all, they've only known me as Abel's little sister, or a junior attaché. I think it'll be easier to convince them with a demonstration."

"Understood." Mary snapped to attention. "I will escort you to your quarters then, and then gather the AX priests."

"Thank you." Seth nodded.

Half an hour later, the AX priests and the Methuselah Imperial messengers met in the main Council chamber. All of them had tended to their wounds, and gotten fresh garments, but there was a general air of depression that hung among them.

Leon shifted restlessly and gave Astha a sour look. "Damn. This place is way too gloomy for my tastes." He ran a hand through his thick dark hair with an expression of disgust. "We beat those bastards, and yet...with Red injured and Four Eyes going off the deep end again, even I can't find anything to get encouraged about." He slouched against the table. After a moment, his stormy gaze flicked to Virgil. "Hey, I thought we needed to call the Vatican and the Empire and discuss things with them. What are we waiting for?"

"Lady Nightroad requested we wait for her." Virgil inclined his head. "Please be patient."

"Huh. If you say so. Although, I'd think being Abel's sister, she'd be taking care of him." Leon frowned.

"Well, actually, I would much rather be doing that. However, I'm afraid there are more important things to deal with, Father Garcias." Seth voice sounded from the doorway. Everyone turned. Leon whistled, and Astha and Ion immediately fell to their knees, heads bowed.

Seth strode into the room; robed in the green, gold and white outfit she'd worn to meet the Pope. The white shift and boots were pristine, the green fabric and gold laces glittering even in the muted light. However, she'd removed the leaf pin and the decorative bow from her hat, and the black hair, though still slightly disordered, had been combed neater. The embroidery on her robes sparkled as she moved forward to address the two advisers, who'd risen at her entrance. "Thank you for waiting."

Virgil bowed. "It was my honor." He shifted as if he too would fall to his knees, but Seth shook her head.

"It's all right. You aren't in my service, so I won't ask anything special of you. You should save that for Esther, after all." Her gaze shifted to Astha and Ion, still kneeling with their heads bowed. "Rise, my children." She smiled. "It's all right. I already gave the two of you permission not to be so formal, after all."

"As you wish, Highness." Astha rose quickly. "Shall I hail the Empire now?"

"Please do. Lord Walsh, how many connections can this room sustain?"

"Up to a dozen at a time, Majesty." Virgil bowed again, then moved forward to uncover a large panel. He pointed to a row of switches. "These can be used to activate different channels, and from there, and the table can be used to set up the connections."

"Very well. Astharoshe, contact the Duke of Khartoum. He should be in the Imperial Star Palace. Ion, I wish for you to call Mirka. I fear we shall need your grandmother's advice for this." A wry grin curved her mouth for an instant. "Besides, if I'm going to be here, there's no need for her to continue the pretense." Her gaze slipped to Wordsworth and Tres. "Father Tres, Father Wordsworth...I must ask you to get in touch with Lady Caterina and His Holiness." She sighed. "I'm not very fond of the idea, but you might as well contact Cardinal di Medici as well. I fear Albion may need the Inquisitorial Army's support. At the very least, I'd like to borrow those two knights of his."

William nodded and stood. "As you wish."

"Wait a second." Leon rose. "What the heck is going on?" He glared at Seth. "I get that you're an special envoy from the Empire, and I know you're Abel's sister, but...you can't just take over like that. Seriously, even if you are older than you look, this isn't exactly a kids game."

"You idiot!" Astha whirled. "Do you know who you're addressing?"

Seth grinned. "Well, as a matter of fact, he probably doesn't." She waved a hand. "It's all right, Astharoshe. I haven't introduced myself properly, after all." She straightened, giving Leon a smile.

"Actually, I haven't ever revealed myself outside the Empire before, or even inside it much, so it's not a surprise you didn't recognize me. I actually use a different name when I'm working in the Empire."

"Really? And what would that be?" Leon glared at her.

"Well, the title I usually prefer is Augusta. Augusta Veradica." She grinned, locking her hands behind her back and stretching. "It sounds so much more regal than just Seth, you know?"

"Augusta Veradica?" Leon's eyes widened. "No way..." He took an involuntary step backward. "You're not telling me...you're the 900 year Empress?"

"Positive. Voice scans and facial recognition match transmissions to and from the Empire, during the time Father Nightroad and the Earl of Memphis were on personal assignment." Tres turned to the monitor. "Now connecting to the main Vatican communications unit."

Wordsworth smiled. "I'd wondered. Well, this is a bit of a surprise, but it does explain a lot."

Seth smiled. "I thought you might have guessed."

He chuckled. "Well, if you're about Abel's age, that makes you old enough to be the Empress, or one of her first advisers at the least. And when I saw the way your envoys deferred to you, and how casually you act with people...I thought it might be something like that."

"Wait a second. I thought you were Four Eyes' sister." Leon glared, leaning one fist on the table with a dangerous expression in his eyes. "You're gonna tell me that joker is the brother of the Empress of Methuselah?"

"Yes. But he didn't wish it well known." The smile on Seth's face became sad. "And really, you shouldn't be too angry at Abel. After all, we didn't speak to each other for a long time. He didn't know for certain it was me until just before that incident. And given the political climate at the time, neither of us thought it was wise to reveal the truth. Besides...I told him then. Who the Contra Mundi really was. So..."

"He didn't have much time, before he was...hurt." William nodded.

Leon stared at Seth a moment longer, then flopped into a chair. "Geez...that joker. I swear, if he weren't still guarding Red and half out of his mind, I'd seriously punch him for this." He shot another look at Seth, then let a ghost of his fierce grin appear. "Hate to tell you this, but I'm not much for formality or politeness, so..."

Seth laughed. "It's fine. As I told Esther, you aren't my subject so I won't ask you to do anything special for me. And while I'd prefer my Imperial name for now, after this meeting, it's fine if you continue to call me Seth." her gaze slipped around the room. "And the same holds true for the rest of you. Except for official things, I don't mind if you're all informal. Actually, I'm rather fond of it. Even you, my dear children."

"Your Majesty, I'm honored." Astha bowed hastily, flushing bright red. Ion echoed her gesture, then a light lit on the communications board. "The call from the Duchess of Moldova is coming in now."

"Positive. Communications from the Vatican are also online." Tres was busy at the other section of the keyboard. "Do you wish to speak to Brother Petros as well as Cardinal di Medici?"

"Well, if it can be managed, I think that would be a good idea." Seth made a face. "He is Abel's friend after all."

"Positive. Brother Petros is identified as an ally to Father Nightroad. Contacting the Vatican Inquisitorial Bureau Directors office now." Tres flipped another switch and typed in a code.

Seconds later, a series of holographic projectors came to life, each with a different person. Mirka and Baibars both bowed as they saw Seth. "My lady."

Caterina was the next to speak. "Lady Nightroad." She inclined her head. "I take it something has occurred."

"I'm afraid so." Seth gave the lady Cardinal a half-smile. "Unfortunately, due to the nature of the incident, I'm afraid this isn't just a personal call. I'm calling in my capacity as a servant of the Empire, at the request of Colonel Spencer and the Count of Manchester."

Caterina's eyebrow rose. "Do I take it then, that you've chosen to exercise your full authority in this matter? And resume your true position?"

"Yes. I have, I'm afraid."

"Umm...I don't understand." Alessandro blinked. "I thought...I thought you were...a servant in the Imperial Palace."

Seth grinned again. "Well, that is true in a sense. But...I don't usually use my family name when I'm working. After all, it doesn't sound right, and Abel might get into trouble if I did." Her gaze flicked back to Caterina. "I hate to ask, but perhaps you could introduce me properly to His Holiness, this time."

"Indeed." She inclined her head. "My apologies, Holiness. Please allow me to introduce you to Her Majesty, Augusta Veradica, the first and only Empress of the Methuselah Empire."

"E..Empress?" Alessandro's eyes widened. "But I...I thought...I thought you were Father Nightroad's sister."

Seth nodded. "That too. But Abel and I chose different paths to walk, a very long time ago. His eventually took him to the Vatican, as Lady Caterina's friend and subordinate. But...well, things turned out quite differently for me."

"Oh...I guess I see...but..." A tremulous smile crossed his face. "I guess...it's just such a surprise..."

Francesco exploded. "Caterina! What is the meaning of this?"

Caterina's eyebrow went up. "What are you referring to, Brother?"

"This...child...the Empress of all Methuselah!" Francesco was crimson. "Do not presume to mock me."

"There's no mockery intended." Caterina's face was calm. "I know you are aware of both the longer Methuselah lifespan, and of the fact that their physical characteristics are frozen at the time they experience their first transition. And I guarantee you, she is the Empress."

"And you...you...I should have you arrested." Francesco's face was darker now, almost a match for his robes. "If this girl is indeed the Empress, then you have committed treason by assisting Father Nightroad in bringing her within the Vatican. Both of you should be arrested at once and tried as heretics." His jaw clenched. "I knew that man was a traitor." A cruel smile crossed his face. "How kind of you to finally give me proof that your subordinate has betrayed us to the Empire!"

"That's enough!" Seth's voice snapped out with the sharpness of a whip. "My brother has done no such thing. Since Abel joined the Vatican, he never once attempted to contact me. Not even when my envoy made first contact with Lady Caterina." Her eyes were bright with emerald fire. The fierce gaze held Francesco's a moment longer, then slipped to Alessandro's. "All this time...even when I first chose to contact the Vatican, Abel never once said a word. I never heard a single thing from him, not in all that time. Even when he came to the Empire, he never even told my envoys who he was. And when I finally saw him..." A sad smile touched her face. "I knew he worked for Caterina, of course, but he hasn't once spoken of what he does for the Vatican. That day, the day I came to meet you, Holiness, was the first time I've seen or heard anything of my brother's life within your walls." Her gaze hardened. "Abel is many things, but I will give my word as the Empress, he has _never _betrayed a trust. Not once in all the time I've known him."

Caterina nodded, her eyes grave. "Nor has Abel ever spoken with me about it. I only heard the truth by accident, when Abel was...injured, in Londinium."

Francesco snorted. "Ridiculous! If you think I'll accept the words of a heretic such as this..."

"Watch yourself, brother." Caterina interrupted, her gray eyes cold. "Please remember that we are currently allies with the Empire, as well as Albion. To dismiss the words of their Empress is indeed rather presumptuous of you." She folded her hands.

"Even so...to have willingly brought the Empress into the Vatican, to meet his Holiness, under false pretenses...that is also a crime, Caterina!"

"I don't see how, Francesco." Caterina met her brother's enraged look with her own calm stare. "First of all, as an ally of the Church, the Empress is permitted to send any envoy she chooses to the Vatican, even herself. Second, by making it an unofficial visit, she spared us a great deal of trouble, and possible risk. And third, I fail to see how she came under false pretenses. She may not have given her full title, however, neither did she use a false one. And you and I both have experience in traveling under our lesser titles. You do not always announce yourself as the Cardinal di Medici, I know." Her steely gaze flicked to Alessandro. "Holiness, even you have traveled under an assumed name, or in disguise. This is no different."

"I...you're right." Relief touched his thin features. "I mean...that's all really true, isn't it? Besides..." His gaze met Seth's. "Sister...is right. I mean...we are allies, after all. And...I don't think you did any harm."

"Holiness!" Francesco looked as if he was about to explode. "Surely you can't be serious!"

"But...it's true. And besides..." A shy smile touched Alessandro's face. "I actually...I enjoyed meeting you. And I...I rather like Father Nightroad. I...Brother Petros said once, that he...he knew Father Nightroad was dangerous, but he...he didn't think he was the kind of man who would betray anyone. So...I think..." His gaze slipped to his older brother's. "I think...I really think it's all right."

Francesco's jaw clenched. His face was crimson. After a moment, he spoke, every word dripping with suppressed rage. "If that is your decision Holiness, then I will not contradict you. However, I see no need to waste more time with this. If you'll excuse me." He didn't wait. The connection was severed almost before he finished speaking.

Caterina sighed. "My apologies. I should have foreseen the Cardinal di Medici's reaction."

Seth shook her head. "I suspected something like this might happen. Well, it's only to be expected, I suppose." her gaze moved to the blue-haired man on one of the other projections. "And you, Brother Petros? Will you also take your leave?"

"No. I am convinced of the truth. And while I feel Father Nightroad and I need to have a...discussion...this also explains a great deal." Petros folded his hands, a scowl on his face. "I was suspicious when I first requested a meeting with you. Both his behavior and that of your subordinates was unusual."

"I see then. Well, I'm glad you feel that way. I'm afraid I may need to ask a favor of you." Seth fixed him with a rueful smile. "I fear...the situation here is rather problematic at the moment."

Caterina sighed. "I gathered as much. There's no reason to make this move unless something drastic has happened." Her gaze scanned the faces of the group seated. "And I don't see Her Majesty, Esther, nor do I see Father Nightroad amongst you."

"No." Virgil stepped forward, his eyes meeting each person's briefly. "We were...attacked by the Order of Rosenkreutz last night. As you know, they insisted that we give Her Majesty to them as a hostage, or else they would burn Londinium to the ground."

Alessandro blanched. "That's...that's terrible."

"Indeed. Her Majesty chose to meet with the Order representatives in person, to prevent any destruction. However, when we refused their terms, the Order attacked us, and in the battle..." His voice dropped, and his head bowed. "I fear Her Majesty has been seriously wounded."

Alessandro's eyes grew wide and worried. "Esther was...Esther was hurt? And it...was it...very bad?"

Caterina sighed. "If you don't mind, I'd appreciate the details, Lord Walsh."

"Of course." He nodded in her direction. "Her Majesty took a spear through the shoulder while attempting to aid Father Nightroad. Though it missed vital organs, she sustained severe damage and blood loss. The spear went entirely through the shoulder, breaking two ribs and the scapula of the shoulder, as well as tearing the muscle and some blood vessels. Father Nightroad and Her Imperial Majesty were able to stop the bleeding temporarily in the field. We were able to operate successfully as well. However, she is still suffering the effects of shock and severe blood loss, and remains unconscious at this time." He sighed. "I'm not certain when she will regain consciousness, or what state she will be in."

"That is indeed serious." Caterina frowned. "Forgive me for saying so, but you and Colonel Spencer seem to be in a very precarious position at the moment. And Albion is now very vulnerable."

"Indeed." Virgil nodded his agreement. "That's why we are grateful to Her Imperial Majesty for her assistance."

"I see." Caterina turned to Seth. "What do you make of the situation?"

Seth sighed. "I think we have a little time. The Order seems to be after Esther, and so they aren't likely to attack while she's in such critical condition. After all, one wrong move would be bad. But...there's no telling how _he_ will respond. He may be content to wait, but he might also get violent."

"He?" Leon raised an eyebrow. "You mean, the Contra Mundi? That guy?"

"Yes." Seth nodded. Then her eyes came up to Mirka's. "I had intended to return soon, and to avoid a lot of fuss, but in light of this...I will remain here until Esther recovers. And as of now, I wish the Imperial Council to know that I am in Albion, and am formally supporting this country. Duke of Khartoum." Her gaze moved to Baibars. "I wish you to prepare the Yenceri for the possibility of battle, and begin the mobilization of the Royal guard." A grim smile touched her face. "I want it to be very clear that we intend to loan Albion our full military support. And as of this moment, you are hereby to become the joint commander, partnered with Colonel Mary Spencer of the Albion Royal Guard."

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will have the command protocols changed at once." The dark-haired giant turned to Mary. "Colonel Spencer, I will have the necessary information to you within the day."

"Thank you." Mary bowed. "I appreciate it. I will also be sending you information on our own troop movements."

Mirka bowed her head. "Do you wish the Imperial Secret Council to mobilize as well?"

Seth nodded. "Yes. And inform them, until further notice; I am creating a new post within the Council. Albion Special Diplomatic Reserve. At this time, I wish the post to be filled by Lord Walsh, Count of Manchester and adviser to the Throne of Albion. If you agree, of course, Lord Walsh." She turned to him.

"I am honored." He bowed to Mirka. "My lady, I look forward to working further with you."

"Of course." Mirka smiled. "And please, do take care of my grandson while he's in your care."

"Grandmother..." Ion spluttered to a stop.

Caterina smiled. "So, you'll make it impossible for them to be dismissed without offense to the Empire. Very shrewd. However...it does create an imbalance."

Seth grimaced. "I am aware of that. However, I cannot bring the Vatican's army into play without the agreement of the Head of the Inquisition. And right now, I don't think he's going to support me."

A grim smile curved Caterina's mouth. "No. Brother won't support this at all."

"But...I can...I can ask for the Inquisition." Alessandro spoke up. His gaze slipped to Petros. "Brother Petros."

"Holiness." Petros stiffened to attention, then bowed.

"Would you...would you be willing to help Esther? For the sake of Albion, and our alliance." Alessandro looked nervous, but also oddly determined.

Petros straightened. "My place is at your side, Holiness, however...if you wish, I will immediately place my soldiers on standby, to assist. And I am willing to accept the commands of yourself or Cardinal Sforza, if you so desire."

"Yes, please." Relief swept across the young features. "Thank you, Brother Petros."

Petros bowed again. "I am at your service."

Seth nodded. "I offer you my thanks as well, Inquisitor. As for the other matter..." Seth sighed. "I should have a Vatican representative with the Council as well. Unfortunately, I fear the man I would prefer to choose is currently...unavailable."

"Of course. You want it to be Abel." Caterina nodded. "However, judging by his absence, I'd say he's either wounded himself, or watching Her Majesty."

"It's a little of both, I think." Seth sighed. "He's with Esther, but Abel is...not himself at the moment."

"I understand. If you don't mind, I'd suggest Father Wordsworth in his place, at least temporarily. He's a trustworthy man."

William shifted in his seat. "I'm honored, of course, but...are you sure Vaclav isn't a better choice?"

"I need Father Havel with me." Caterina smiled again. "Besides, you've already been introduced to the Imperial envoys, so they can vouch for you. You know both my mind and Abel's fairly well, so you should have a good handle on things."

William met her gaze for a moment more, then inclined his head gravely. "Very well. If her Imperial Majesty wishes, I will accept."

"That's good." Seth grinned, relief in her smile. "I know Abel thinks very highly of you as well. I'm sure you'll do just fine."

"Very well." Caterina was staring over her hands in consideration. "Lord Walsh...is there anything further that you are aware of?"

"No." The Count frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then shook his head. "I believe this will be sufficient to protect Albion for the moment." he turned to look at his compatriot. "Colonel Spencer?"

"I agree."

"Then I have a favor to ask." Caterina frowned. "Even with my agents there, if we have to move fast, it could get tricky. In the interests of efficiency, I'd like to ask permission to return to the Albion Court for the time being. It will be easier for me to monitor and react to the situation from there." Her frown deepened. "I'm aware this may place Albion in greater danger, however..."

"It appears that Her Majesty is currently the target of the Order. In light of that, I fear that it is Albion who will be placing you in peril, should you choose to come Excellency." Virgil's expression was troubled. "However, I cannot deny that your presence here would be beneficial. Your experience and your knowledge would be of great help to us."

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Lord Walsh." Mary leaned back against her chair. "Coming here is dangerous, but if you feel it is prudent, your presence would be an asset. It will help offset concerns about a Methuselah overthrow, with Her Imperial Majesty here." Her gaze turned to Seth. "No disrespect intended."

"None taken. I understand the concern quite well." Seth rocked back on her heels.

"In that case...I'd...I'd like to come as well." Alessandro spoke up softly.

"Holiness..." Caterina's gaze sharpened with concern.

The pope flushed. "I...I know it's dangerous, but...Esther is my friend. And I...I promised I'd work with her. For the sake of a new hope for this world. I want...I want to help her. And I...I feel so useless, just sitting here. Everyone else...is fighting. Even you, Sister. I feel like...even if I can't do much...I want to help."

Caterina watched him for a moment, then nodded. "If that is truly how you feel, Holiness..."

"Then Albion would be honored by your presence." Virgil spoke quietly. "And I am sure Her Majesty would welcome having you here. She is...quite fond of you."

"In that case, Sister Paula and I shall accompany His Holiness as well." Petros glared at the assembled members. "I have no intention of leaving His Holiness in such company unescorted."

Alessandro flushed harder. "Brother Petros..."

Seth laughed. "It's all right. I understand what he means." Her gaze slipped to Baibars, still standing at his position. "I'm sure if I'd planned this as an official visit, my Captain of the Yenceri would have said much the same thing."

"Indeed, Majesty." A frown touched the dark, angular expression. "Even now, if you had not left the Imperial Palace in my care, I would join you."

Mirka smirked. "But then, I'd have to speak with your subordinates instead of you, Lord Baibars, and it wouldn't be nearly as interesting."

A brief spasm crossed the angular face. "The Duchess of Moldova is correct, as always." He sounded a little strangled.

Small smiles crossed the faces of the others. After a moment, Caterina turned to Virgil. "It will take at least two days to make preparations to leave. However, I intend to be there within four days at the most. I'll inform you of our flight plan the night before we leave. Is that acceptable?"

"It is." Virgil made a quick note.

"Then, I suggest you all go and rest. You've had a difficult night, and I expect the next few days will be trying. His Holiness and I will begin our plans to join you, and we can discuss what to do then."

"I agree." Seth turned to the two Albion lords. "And you?"

"I also agree. I need to assist Vanessa with attending to the Underground, and there is much to be done." Virgil set aside his notepad and rose.

Mary nodded her agreement. "I need to see to the troops and the Palace guard."

"Very well. We'll speak again soon." Caterina exchanged one more look with Seth, then the communication cut off. Seconds later, the others followed suit.

There was silence in the room for a moment, then Seth stretched. "Well then...I think I'm going to follow Lady Caterina's advice."

"Yes, Majesty." Virgil flipped the notepad closed. The rest of them rose, and after a few silent moments, filed out of the room, headed for their various destinations.

The Iron Maiden arrived four mornings later. Virgil went to meet it, along with Seth, Wordsworth, and Leon.

As soon as the steam from the landing cleared, Caterina disembarked. Alessandro came behind her, escorted on either side by Petros and Paula. All of the Vatican officials were wearing casual clothing, suitable both for traveling and for an informal visit. Virgil waited until they were within range, then knelt. "Holiness, Cardinal Sforza, welcome to Albion."

"Thank you. Please...you don't need to kneel. I mean...this isn't a state visit or anything, so..." Alessandro colored slightly. "Really, I don't mind."

"Thank you." Virgil rose. "If you'll permit me, I'll escort you to your quarters."

"Okay. But first...how is Esther?" Alessandro fidgeted slightly, his hands twisting in his robes.

"She is stable; however, she has not awakened yet." Virgil sighed.

"Oh. I see. Would it...be all right if I...if I visited her?"

A small smile touched Virgil's mouth. "I believe she would appreciate that very much, Holiness. However, I recommend you wait until this afternoon. We'll be shifting Her Majesty back to her own rooms later today, for more comfort, and I assure you it will be much better then."

"Okay. Well then...please lead the way."

Seth grinned at him. "Hey there. It's nice to see you again." She let the grin widen just a fraction. "I don't mean to be rude, but do you think I could borrow your sister for a minute? I'd like to speak with her."

"Oh...it's fine." He turned pink. "Umm...well, later...do you think we could talk some more? I was hoping...that I'd get to visit with you a little this trip." Alessandro's ears were turning crimson, and he looked away.

Amusement entered Seth's eyes. "Of course. It's a promise."

"Well then...I'll see you later." He turned back to Virgil, who bowed his head in acknowledgment and turned.

"Well then...shall Leon and I escort the good Inquisitors?" William gave Caterina a quick look. A grin curved one corner of his mouth, but there was no amusement in his eyes.

"Please do." Caterina nodded. Petros stiffened, but she turned and gave him a steely look. "I'm sure I'll be fine, Brother Petros. Besides, you're here as an escort to His Holiness."

Petros yielded, offering her a shallow bow. "As you command." He turned to Wordsworth, and the four priests vanished into the Palace, leaving the Empress and the Cardinal alone.

There was silence between the two women for a moment, then Caterina spoke. "You intend to move Esther, then? Is that wise?"

Seth sighed. "Well, it shouldn't hurt anything, at this point. She's still in a coma, but the wound is closing, though it's a little slower than I'd like. Still, there's a chance that a familiar and comfortable surrounding will help her wake up easier."

"True. But I'm surprised she's still unconscious." Caterina frowned.

Seth shook her head. "She had a pretty bad shock there, and she didn't make it any better going after Abel to stop him from going berserk. Between that and the stress she was under before, I'm not really that surprised."

Caterina's frown deepened. "Abel...how is he?"

What little lightness that had been in Seth's tone left it. "He's retreated again. He won't eat, and I doubt he's slept. He's stayed with Esther this entire time. I've been to see him, but he hasn't spoken to me at all. He simply stands there, watching her with that sad expression on his face. Sometimes, he's weeping. But, if I try to talk to him, the only thing he says is Esther's name, or 'I'm sorry'."

"I see. Just like he was with Noelle. Do you think there's any chance he'll come out of it?" Caterina's tone was as heavy as Seth's.

"I don't know." Seth's hands curled into fists, and there was a rough note to her voice, as if she were suppressing tears. "He said, once, when we were visiting Lilith's tomb, that if anything happened to Esther, it would destroy him. I fear...he may be right."

"I remember. He's been like this before." Caterina sighed. "I was able to call him out the one time, but last time, I couldn't reach him."

"No. And it's worse than you think. Not only is Esther injured, but...Abel is blaming himself."

"For not protecting her?" Caterina's gaze sharpened.

"Partially. But also...Abel lost control and went after von Lohengrin. Esther tried to stop him, and it hurt her more. But...when Esther was injured...I think Abel went into shock. He...probably didn't intend to, but...when he was trying to stop Esther's bleeding...I think he may have drunk Esther's blood."

"He...what?" Caterina's gaze widened with shock.

"I'm not sure. I didn't see it. But...from what he said, from what Lord Walsh and Father Wordsworth said, I think he might have." Seth leaned back against the wall, her expression concerned. "I'm certain that, if that happened, that Abel was only trying to use the Crusnik to stop Esther's bleeding. Even forming a partial bond between his blood and hers might have saved her life. But...Abel doesn't seem to remember that right now. And he..."

"He's suffering a guilty conscience." Caterina sighed. "That is a problem indeed."

"Yes. He's completely suppressed them, as far as he can without dying. Abel...he's not even letting his wounds heal right now. And that...that he believes he did something like that...it's making his situation much worse."

"Yes. I see. I'll warn Alessandro of his condition. I assume Abel will be there when my brother goes to visit Esther."

"He hasn't left her side." A small smile, more pain than amusement, crossed Seth's face. "He'll probably carry Esther to her rooms, you know. But even that..." She sighed. "He can't leave her, but he..."

"He feels he's a monster." Caterina shook her head. "It isn't true, but...this is very typical of him." One hand closed slowly. "I fear the only thing we can do now is wait and pray for both of them. And pray that Abel doesn't snap before Esther recovers."

"Yes. You're right." The two women shared a long look of sympathy, then as one, they turned and entered the Palace.


	32. Twenty Six: Explanations

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Hi again everyone. Yay another update ^^, thanks to all whom newbies once again to this story and all there awesome encouraging comments, this chapter right on time for a change. **FYI **Virgil eyes and appearance are taken form his manga counterpart. He has blue eyes and blond hair instead of brown or dark from his anime counterpart. And yes I know Abel, we make him very down in the dumps and depressing them his counterparts but hey never fear keep reading chapter twenty six and you'll what gonna happen.

**(*)** As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Twenty Six – Explanations **

Esther floated in the darkness. There was nothing else around her. She felt...strange, weightless, and drifting. Somehow, she couldn't seem to summon the energy to do anything about it. She simply drifted, wrapped in the quiet warm darkness.

Sometimes, she thought she heard voices, dim and far away. Voices that spoke to her, or about her. Soft, sad voices. She wanted to respond, to try and talk to them, but...she couldn't summon the energy. She would lie, listening for a moment, and then fall into the darkness once more.

Sometimes, she dreamed. She dreamed of Cain, and Isaac, and Dietrich. She dreamed of Helga as well, remembering the assault. But more often, she dreamed of Abel, reliving memories of his gentleness, his kindness. Memories of his hand holding hers, his arms wrapped around her in a comforting embrace. And sometimes she dreamed of him standing sadly with a look of pain on his face. In those dreams, she thought she could hear him murmuring her name, soft and broken and full of pain. Then the dreams would fade to blackness once more.

Gradually, the dreams began to lengthen, and the darkness between them didn't feel quite as thick. Esther began to be aware of more. She felt...odd, a sensation she recognized vaguely from when Sister Kate had given her a sedative during the incident in Carthage. She felt listless, weighted, and there was something odd about her left shoulder. She couldn't seem to move it, even in that dark, half-real world, and when she focused on it, she felt dull pain, or the odd, tingling not-pain that she associated with strong pain killers.

There was a voice in her ears. Someone...someone was weeping, calling her name in a soft, broken murmur that sounded choked. Esther felt her heart twist with sorrow and sympathy. The voice was heartrendingly familiar, a voice she knew as well as her own. The pain in it made her want to weep, even in her dreams. _Abel..._

Esther slowly opened her eyes. Her head felt fuzzy, and her vision was blurred. She blinked several times, trying to focus. To her surprise, the canopy of her own bed was suspended above her head. She could feel the pillows supporting her, the more solid support under her left shoulder. _This is...my room..._

"Esther..." The word was a broken moan, barely audible, but the pain in it was knife-sharp. Esther turned her head slightly.

Abel was there, kneeling by her bed. His eyes were closed, and tears streamed down his pale cheeks. The collar of his shirt was rumpled, the crucifix nowhere in sight, and the silver hair was disordered and greasy looking. Dark shadows ringed his eyes, and the hollows of his jaw. Even with her vision blurred, she could see the tracks of tears, both the ones he wept now, and from tears wept previously. The lines of his face were drawn tight, a mask of terrible grief. His fingers just brushed the fingertips of her right hand, and his shoulders were shaking with silent cries. His fingers clenched in the bedspread, just slightly. "Esther..."

The sight filled her with pity, and sorrow. Despite the heaviness she still felt, she shifted. "It's all right. It's all right now, Abel." Her voice came out hoarse, barely a whisper. Afraid he hadn't heard her, she shifted her hand slightly, to lay it across his tense wrist. "It's all right. You don't have to weep."

Abel froze, his eyes snapping open. Slowly, he raised his head, staring at her. His blue eyes were wide in the grief-ravaged face. "E...Esther? You..."

She wanted to reach out to brush those lines of pain from his face, but she couldn't seem to move her hand the way she wanted with the medication dulling her movement. She tightened her fingers weakly on his. "Abel..."

"Miss Esther...you..." His voice broke, and she saw him swallow, relief flooding his face. His voice was barely a whisper. "You're...all right?"

"Yes. I'm fine." She shifted, and a dull pain went through her shoulder. "Ow. My shoulder..."

"You were injured." Something changed in the blue gaze. The relief in his eyes washed away, replaced by renewed grief and horror. He moved suddenly, rising from his knees and stumbling backward away from her. She tried to hold onto his wrist, but she couldn't get her hand to close right. "I...I'm sorry. I..."

He turned away from her, and his fists clenched. "I...I will go inform Lord Walsh. He can...take care of you. Excuse me."

Even with her drug fogged senses, she could feel him pulling back, withdrawing both physically and emotionally. The dead monotone of his voice frightened her, even more than the anguish of moments before. She reached out. "Abel...what...?"

"I'm...sorry, Miss Esther. I'm...so sorry. I can't..." He stopped, his hand flat on the door. "What I've done...I...I can't...I hope...that you'll forgive me, someday...but I..." His voice cracked again, and his head bowed. "I'm sorry." He laid his hand on the doorknob.

Esther felt frightened. She could feel Abel pulling away, and she had a terrible feeling that if he walked through the door, he'd never return. She reached out further, ignoring the way her head started pounding, the dull pain in her right wrist and her left shoulder. "Abel...wait...please..."

Her voice was barely strong enough to whisper. She could see him starting to turn the knob. "Abel..." Ignoring the pain, she shoved herself upright, reaching out to him.

Pain and the medicine made her dizzy. The world spun. Worse, she felt overbalanced as the bed seemed to tilt out from under her. She felt herself falling, toppling towards the edge of the bed. "Abel..."

"Esther!" Strong hands caught her, stopping her fall by looping around her chest and right shoulder. She found herself leaning precariously against black fabric that smelled of incense, ozone and earth. Abel's scent. She looked up.

Abel was holding her, his hands firm but gentle as he carefully settled her back against the pillows. His movements were smooth and easy as he placed a support under her throbbing shoulder. His face was white and concerned in the dim lighting. "Esther, are you all right?"

She swallowed, feeling the nausea slowly recede. "I...yes."

He closed his eyes, relief warring with strain in his features. "You mustn't move around like that. Your wound could reopen again. You need to be more careful." He leaned across the bed, his height making it easy, and brushed his fingers lightly across her shoulder. "You're lucky. It doesn't seem to have started bleeding again."

His voice was still hoarse, but the gentle scolding was so much more like him that Esther almost wanted to laugh, or cry, with relief. She reached up to lay her right hand across his wrist. "Thank you."

Abel froze, and that desolate, tormented look crossed his face again. He turned away from her. "I...Miss Esther...I'm sorry."

He straightened and started to turn away again, but she wrapped her fingers around his wrist. Her grip was so weak it was barely there, but Abel froze. "Please...Abel..."

Darkness was washing over her vision again, and the little strength she'd had was fading fast. She tried to hold onto him. "Please...don't leave. Abel..."

"Miss Esther..." His eyes came back to her, filled with agony. "Esther...I..."

"Please...just don't...Abel..." She felt herself slipping away, fought to hold onto consciousness.

Abel stayed still a long moment, then his head bowed. "I...I promise. I will...I will stay with you, Miss Esther. If it...if it will help...then I will stay." He knelt beside her, resuming the position he'd been in when she woke. "Rest, Miss Esther."

Esther smiled at him, relieved. "Thank you, Abel..." She relaxed, and let herself drift back into darkness.

Esther woke again feeling much clearer-headed. Her shoulder still throbbed dully, and she still felt a little light-headed with medication, but the listless weakness that had held her had faded some. She shifted, then frowned. Something felt wrong. She froze, realizing. Her hand was empty, and Abel's warm presence was gone from her side.

She started to jerk upright, despite her shoulder, but a soft, hoarse voice spoke. "You shouldn't move too much. Your shoulder is still healing, and I don't think it's a good idea for you to pull that IV just yet." She turned her head.

Abel was perched by the window, his face partially turned from her. He was wearing only pants and the inner shirt of his cassock, and his usual boots. She could just see the crucifix falling from his chest to drop over his hip. He'd tied his hair back once more, but...there was a general air of neglect, of disarray, that made her uneasy. His silver hair still looked lank, lusterless, and the shirt and pants were creased. Abel was always a little bit careless of his appearance, but not to this degree. Seeing him like that, Esther felt something tighten in her stomach. "Abel...what is it?"

The dryness in her throat set her coughing, and the movement jarred her shoulder. Before she'd had time to cough more than once or twice, Abel was beside her. One hand gently went under her back, supporting her, while his other brought a glass of water to her lips. "Here. Drink this, Miss Esther. It will help."

The water was cool, wonderful tasting. Esther took several swallows, feeling the liquid coursing down her throat and soothing the irritated tissues. It also cleared some of the medicine induced haze from her mind, and woke her up. She looked into Abel's eyes, and nearly choked.

His face was calm, the expressionless mask she'd seen him wear before, but his eyes...his eyes were a wasteland of agony. He wasn't wearing his glasses, and the pain in his blue gaze was enough to make her stomach knot. She finished the water. Abel set the glass aside and started to move backward, but she caught his sleeve. "Abel...what's wrong? What happened?"

He flinched and shook his head. "You should rest."

"I'm all right." He'd turned away from her so she couldn't read his eyes, but she could see the tension in the way he stood. She knew that if he hadn't feared injuring her further, he would have pulled away. "Abel, please...what's wrong?"

He shuddered, still looking away from her. "Miss Esther...I..." His head bowed as his voice broke. "I...I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" Esther stared at him. "If this...if it's because of my shoulder...you shouldn't blame yourself. I should have been more careful. I'm sure you did the best you could." She tightened her grip, swallowing back the lump in her throat at the thought that her carelessness had tormented him so. "I...I shouldn't have run out there like that. After all, I know you can take care of yourself. So if that's it...I..."

"You shouldn't apologize to me." Abel shuddered again. "After...after what I've done...I don't...I don't deserve your sympathy."

"Abel...I don't understand."

He flinched, staring blindly at the door. She could see his face from the side, and the lines of pain that slashed across his expression. His eyes closed, renewed tears in them. "I...Miss Esther..."

He stopped, swallowing, then spoke again, his voice sending chills down her spine. It was an echo of the tone he'd used the night he told them about his past. That almost lifeless monotone, somehow expressing utter torment. "I...when you were hurt I...I couldn't do anything." He stopped for a moment. "I...lost control. I...I let _them_ take me over. And I...I went after von Lohengrin. Miss Esther...you...you had to stop me. Seth...she managed to stop your bleeding, but...you were re-injured, when you tried to prevent me from losing myself. I...I endangered you." His hand clenched into a fist. "But I...that...it isn't the worst. And what I did..." His voice broke, the calm monotone shattering into something that was almost a groan.

"Tell me." She felt a hard knot forming in her throat.

"I...when you fell, I...you were bleeding so badly. I...I tried to stop it, but...the wound was so deep." He was looking at his hands, and his eyes were looking into a scene from the past. "You...you were bleeding all over my hands...all over me. And I...I couldn't help you. And I..."

He fell suddenly to his knees, as if his legs had simply lost the power to hold him upright, and buried his face in his hands. "I...lost control. I was...trying to staunch the blood...and then everything went red. Then...Seth called out to me...and I came back. And I realized...what I had done...the sin I've committed..."

He choked again. "Esther...I...I...I'm sorry. I don't know...what came over me, but I..."

The anguish in his voice was unbearable, somehow even worse than when he'd confessed to helping Cain destroy civilization. That had been an old wound, somewhat worn by time, but this grief was fresh and raw. Then he looked up at her, agony in his gaze. "I...Miss Esther...I...I drank..."

He choked, swallowed, then looked away, his voice barely a whisper. "I drank...your blood. When I...when Seth brought me back...I could feel it...taste it. I...I was supposed to protect you, and I...I did...something like that." His head bowed, his body trembling under the force of his shame and anguish.

Esther felt something cold clench in her gut. For a moment, the memory of Cain drinking her blood rose up sharp in her mind, making her afraid. But just as quickly, the sight of Abel's tormented expression drove the fear away, reminding her that, whatever had happened, he obviously felt terrible about it.

Abel saw the flash of her fear. He rose from his knees, turning away. "I'm sorry, Miss Esther. Sorry that I...that I could ever do such a thing, that I betrayed you like that. I...excuse me."

"Wait. Abel...please..." She still felt confused, but she knew she didn't want him to leave. She reached out, stopped by the IV in her wrist, and the numbness in her other shoulder. "Please..."

He stopped, but didn't turn to face her. "If you...wish to have me arrested, I...I don't blame you. But you should at least...probably send me away."

"I'm not planning to send you away." The last of her fear faded into compassion at the sorrow in his voice. "Why would you ever think that?"

"I..." Abel swallowed, then turned back to her. "After this..."

"Well now, Abel, what are you going on about? If you're not careful, you're going to upset her, and I'm sure neither you nor Esther wants that." the Professor's voice spoke from the doorway.

Esther blinked, and looked around Abel. William was standing at the door to her room, Virgil just behind him. When she looked at him, he bowed. "May I?"

"Of course." Esther wanted to deal with Abel, but she felt a little overwhelmed. He was in so much pain, and she wasn't sure how to ease it, not with what he'd told her. "Please, come in, both of you."

"Thank you." The Professor smiled and held up a small device. "Lord Walsh has been carrying this monitor with him since you were injured. When it informed us you were awake, well, naturally we had to come see how you were doing." He moved to the edge of the bed. "So, how do you feel?"

Esther managed a weak smile. "I'm all right, Father. Well, I feel a little weak, and my shoulder hurts."

"That's not very surprising, all things considered. Here, why don't you let me take a look at you." He smile reassuringly, then reached out and took her wrist in careful fingers. After a moment, he nodded. "Well, it seems your pulse and heart rate are good." he touched her forehead gently. "You don't appear to have a fever." His smile widened. "I'd say you're going to be up and around in no time."

Virgil moved forward, and gently brushed the bandages on her shoulder, lifting them slightly. "Your injury appears to be healing well. With your permission, I will ask Lady Seth to come and check it later."

Esther blinked. "Seth?"

"Yes. She was the one who operated on you." He replaced the bandages carefully, then straightened. "Your Majesty, may I bring you something to eat?"

Esther blinked again. She hadn't thought about food, not with her concern for Abel, but the mention set her stomach growling. She flushed.

William smiled. "If you can eat something, we can take that IV out. I'm sure that would make you much more comfortable."

Esther returned his grin, the warmth in his voice reviving her spirits. "That sounds wonderful. I'd like that very much, if you don't mind."

"Not at all." He settled into a chair, and looked across at Virgil. "Lord Walsh, would you mind running down and getting some food for Her Majesty?" His gaze slipped past the Albion lord, to the silver-haired man standing behind him with his head still bowed. "Enough for Esther and Abel both if you don't mind."

"As you wish." Her adviser turned and bowed. "Majesty, I will return in a few moments."

Abel remained quiet as Virgil left, but once the door shut, he turned to his comrade. "Professor..." There was quiet desolation in his voice.

William shook his head. "You need to eat, Abel. I know you've been watching over Esther, and that you've been very upset, so I haven't pressed it. However, now that Esther has awakened and is recovering, you need to tend to yourself as well." He rose, then moved over and laid a hand carefully on Abel's shoulder. Abel winced, and William frowned. "It still hasn't healed yet? Abel..."

"I can't...you know...what I did..." The silver head bowed. "Professor..."

"Are you still fretting about that?" Wordsworth frowned, then turned to look at Esther. "Let me guess...you decided to tell her, and that's what you were discussing when Virgil and I made our entrance?"

"Yes." Esther whispered the word softly.

"I see. So then...what did Abel tell you, if you don't mind my asking?" He settled back into his seat, frowning. Esther bit her lip, uncertain what to say. He glanced at her expression, and nodded. "I assume, from that look on your face, that Abel told you he lost control of the Crusnik and drank your blood."

"Yes." Abel spoke softly, the word almost wrenched from him. "I..."

"I've already told you, Abel, it's not as bad as it looks." William sighed. "If what Seth has told us is true, then not only is it not as bad as it seems, but you may well have saved Esther's life."

Esther blinked. "What do you mean, Professor?" Hope touched her heart, flaring to life and dispelling some of the cold in her gut.

"Well, you have to consider the circumstances. First of all, I'd like to point out that it's not as if Abel actually bit you or anything. You were bleeding quite a lot, you know." He made a face. "At the point Abel claims he lost control, you'd already lost a fair amount, I'm afraid to say." His gaze slipped to his companion's downcast face. "As near as I could see, it's more as if Abel licked away the blood on his hands and your shoulder."

Abel flinched at the words. He started to speak, but William held up a hand, and met the blue eyes with his own. "Please, allow me to continue. I know how you feel about it, Abel, but doesn't Esther deserve the right to hear everything?"

After a moment, Abel nodded. Wordsworth studied him for a few seconds, then turned back to Esther. "As I was saying, it's more as if he licked the wounds. I haven't had much time to study it, but I've observed that Methuselah have certain chemicals in their bodies that can either slow or increase the flow of blood. I had a talk with Lady Nightroad, and based on her observations and my own independent studies, I can safely say that the trait is shared by the Crusniks."

Esther blinked, then looked down at her left wrist. The faded scar from where she'd been injured while being held by the Order still crossed it. "I think...I might remember something about that, Father." Her hand closed. "When I was captive...I got hurt, and the Contra Mundi...he stopped the bleeding like that. I was so scared at the time that I didn't really think of it, but..."

"Exactly. Abel has that power as well. I've seen him use it, though not very frequently. In a wound that severe, it wouldn't have completely sealed the injury, but it probably bought us some time to stop the bleeding." The Professor frowned thoughtfully, chewing on his pipe. "That's one thing I noticed. There is, however, one other fact about Abel's unique physiology."

"Oh?" Esther stared at him.

"Indeed. Abel has, on several occasions, demonstrated the power to control someone else's blood flow, simply through his own willpower. The Crusnik are extremely adaptable, and even Seth claims she doesn't know quite how it works. However, there generally has to be some sort of link formed. I'm not sure what the exact requirements are, but I've seen Abel shift liquids from as far as 10 meters from his body, when he's in the right mood. And from what I've observed, Abel's blood has to mingle in some form with the liquid he's attempting to manipulate. In this case..."

"I understand. It's really very logical, I suppose." And it was. Hearing the Professor's calm and rational explanation eased the tension in Esther's back and stomach.

"But it...Miss Esther...it isn't that simple." Abel's broken voice made her breath catch. "I...the Professor is correct. But I...when I do that...I...have to lose control. I...go on...well, I suppose you would call it a rampage. And I...it's like Carthage. And if Seth hadn't...if she hadn't stopped me...I...I might have..."

"I sincerely doubt that." William interrupted him, his voice low and soothing. "I've been observing your condition for some time, Abel, and I doubt you truly lost control that night. While I'm aware that you don't remember everything that happened, I suspect it was the shock, more than anything else."

Abel's haunted gaze came slowly up to meet his colleagues. "You can't...you don't know..."

"Not for certain, no. But...as I said, I've observed you several times." The Professor held up a hand, stilling Abel's protests. "Generally speaking, I've seen you enter three different states of transformation, and I'm not talking about the percentage of power you use. Abel...when you lose control, your actions become completely different. However, I've noticed you sometimes enter a state where you yield physical control, without losing your mental grasp. It's more like allowing your instincts to take over, rather than being taken over." Solemnity settled over his face. "That night, I'm virtually positive that was what you did."

"You can't be sure." Abel swallowed hard.

"No. But...from what I've observed..." William paused a moment, and his voice when he spoke was low, almost pained, and certainly apologetic. "From what I've observed...your other half does not cry. And that night, I know I saw the tears on your face." His head bowed.

Abel flinched, and Esther swallowed against the painful lump in her throat. Almost involuntarily, her hand shifted toward him. "Abel..."

He flinched again at the sound of her voice. His face was turned away from her, and when he spoke, his voice was filled with tension, as if he were warring with himself. "Even if...even if you are correct, Professor..." He swallowed hard. "I...I still...I drank Esther's blood. And that power you speak of...it doesn't require that. And I...I felt it. The hunger. So even if...even if you're right...I still...what I've done..."

"If you'll pardon me, Father Nightroad, I disagree." Virgil's voice sounded from the doorway, calm and collected.

He stepped into the room, pushing a dish-covered cart in front of him, then carefully closed the door behind him and inclined his head to Esther. "My apologies for the delay, Your Majesty."

"It's all right. Thank you for bringing this up for us." Esther smiled.

He nodded, and the pale gaze turned to Abel. "Father Nightroad, if you would please be seated. I have a meal for you as well." He indicated the cart. "You should eat."

Abel met his gaze. "You..."

Virgil shifted, so he was facing the other man directly. "Like Father Wordsworth, I believe that you did what was necessary that night. Otherwise..." His eyes darkened slightly, and when he spoke, his voice was softer. "Do you truly think I would have left her in your care, these past few days, if I believed you had harmed my Queen? Even if it were temporary madness?"

Abel stiffened as if Virgil had physically struck him. The golden-haired man studied him for a moment, then bowed his head once more. "Father Nightroad, if you'll please be seated, I will serve you and Her Majesty. And after you have eaten, there is something I believe you need to hear." His eyes turned to Esther. "With your permission, my lady."

"Of course. I'd be grateful for any information you can give me."

Virgil nodded. Abel stared at him a moment, then slowly lowered himself to on the edge of the window seat. Without a word, the count turned and assisted Esther to sit upright. Gentle, practiced fingers slipped the IV from her wrist, taping gauze over the wound. He laid a low tray over her lap, then set a bowl of soup, some fruit, and some juice on it, along with smaller servings of meat, bread and cheese. He bowed, then turned and wheeled the cart over to Abel, positioning it in front of him as a makeshift table, and removing the covers of the platters to reveal a much more solid meal, mostly meat and vegetables, and a small bottle of wine. He stepped back and bowed. "Please eat, Father." He turned. "Majesty, is there anything I can assist you with?"

She shook her head, picking up the spoon in her right hand. "I'm fine." She inhaled, enjoying the scent of warm bread and the stew. "It smells wonderful. Thank you."

"It was my honor." Virgil set the trays he was holding aside, and moved to stand by her shoulder, helping Esther move the bowls and plates, and cut the food.

They ate for a few moments in silence. Esther was preoccupied with the food. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until she'd started eating, but once the first bite was in her mouth, she felt ravenous. It was awkward, with her left shoulder and arm immobile, but Virgil assisted her. Esther finished the soup, dunking the bread in it to make it easier for her to eat, then alternated between the meat, cheese and fruit. She was halfway through when she heard William speak. "Abel, you really do need to eat something."

Abel was still sitting in the window, but it didn't look like he'd touched the food in front of him. Esther swallowed, feeling that cold hard knot in her throat again. Normally he was ravenous, and you couldn't pull him away from a table. Now he simply sat there, barely even picking at the food before him.

Virgil turned slightly to face him. "Is the food not to your liking? If you wish, I can ask the kitchen to prepare something else, Father. You need only let me know what you require."

"It's fine." Abel pushed a piece of meat over with his fork, then set it down. "I'm just not hungry, I suppose." A brief smile touched his face, but it could barely even be called a ghost of his usual sheepish expression. "I..." The smile faded back into sorrow. "I'm sorry."

"I understand." Virgil shifted, clearing away the empty soup bowl. His face was still, solemn. He straightened, and carried the bowl and utensils back to the cart. "I felt much the same, the first time."

Abel stiffened, startled. Esther set her fork down, and William blinked, straightening a little in his seat. Blue eyes met blue, and Abel's gaze widened. "The...first time?"

"Yes." Virgil's head bowed slightly. "The first time the late queen gave me her blood." He set the bowl down on the second shelf of the serving cart. "I was...extremely conflicted at that time. And while I understand that the circumstances were different, I believe I have some knowledge of how you feel, Father. Particularly since..." His voice trailed off, but there was no doubt of the lingering sorrow in his gaze.

"Well, that's certainly an interesting development." Wordsworth settled back in his seat, his eyes still glittering with interest. "I'd guessed that you were a Methuselah, and I'm aware that you've been with the ruling family for some time, but something like that...I don't suppose you'd be willing to explain further."

"I have every intention of explaining further." Virgil straightened, and turned back to Esther. "Your Majesty, would you care for anything more?"

Esther looked down at the plates on her tray. She hadn't finished everything, but she wasn't hungry. More than that, she wanted to know what Virgil was talking about, and why he'd said such a thing. "No. Actually, I'm quite full. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Virgil stepped forward, and cleared away the remaining dishes. His movements were as precise and professional as ever, but his eyes were distant. He laid the dishes aside, with the bowl, and moved the tray to rest it against the cart. Then he turned to look at Abel, still staring at him. "You said you believe what you did was a sin, that it was wrong."

"I...yes. To drink Esther's blood...even if I was...even if the Professor is right..." Abel's head bowed. "Even if...if I was trying to use that...I...that wasn't necessary."

"On the contrary, it is quite likely that was the only way you could have gotten your powers to work with Lady Esther." Virgil spoke calmly. "I assume you have heard of the term, Pure Blood, Father?"

Abel blinked, confusion displacing pain for a moment. "I have, but...what does that...?"

"Father Wordsworth, if you'd kindly explain." Virgil spoke without turning away from the silver-haired man seated before him.

"Of course. Actually, I explained this to Esther recently, so this will be the short version, if you don't mind. Abel, please pay attention."

Abel blinked again, his gaze settling on his friend. "Professor?"

Wordsworth nodded, setting him pipe between his teeth. "Simply put, a Pure Blood can't be affected by the Bascillus in Methuselah blood. Whether they're bitten or not, if their blood is drained, or even if they received a direct transfusion, it simply doesn't matter. Aside from normal blood loss, they simply can't be affected. In essence, they're immune. Are you following me?"

"Yes, but..." Abel started to protest, but William held up a hand.

"Having the Pure Blood strain means that in order for a Methuselah's powers to affect you, it has to be an external power, like manipulating fire, or that Methuselah has to have drunk your blood, enough to have some connection. In short, there has to be a sharing of blood, and it has to come primarily from the one who carries the Pure Blood strain. Moreover, even if that's the case, it wears off with no adverse affects to the one who is connected. There are some exceptions, however...not many." William frowned. "I did some research, with Lady Seth's help, and that immunity carries over somewhat to the Crusnik's power. It's not as complete, because the Crusnik are more adaptable, but it is there." He smiled. "It's rather like having an immunity to catching the flu. It won't prevent you from catching, say, pneumonia, but it does give you a little extra resistance."

"I...I don't understand. Why...why is this...?" Abel's fist clenched.

"Well, it's very simple. If you have someone who's a Pure Blood, then naturally, even you might have to take measures you wouldn't normally take. For instance, if you were trying to stop someone from bleeding to death, using that power of yours, it wouldn't work unless you drank their blood. Exactly as you did with Esther."

Abel blinked again, pain and confusion and hope mixing in his eyes. "But...even if that is true...what...how does this apply...to what I did...to Esther?"

"Because..." Virgil spoke, his voice soft and calm. "The Royal line of Albion is a Pure Blood line. Lady Esther carries the trait, the same as her grandmother, the previous Queen Bridgette, and her father, the Crown Prince Gilbert." His eyes met Abel's sorrow and compassion and knowledge in them. "I know this because I, as the head of the House of Manchester, and as the friend of the late queen...I had entered a bond with both of them. I..." He hesitated a split second, then spoke softly, resolutely. "I drank both their blood, and..." One hand raised to cover his heart. "My body remembers it still."

There was silence in the room for a moment. Esther stared up at the tall form of her adviser. She wanted to ask for an explanation, but surprise made her feel unsteady, and she wasn't sure how to say it without sounding accusing.

William saved her the trouble. He raised one eyebrow, and pulled the pipe-stem from his mouth. "You drank the blood of the ruling family?" He frowned. "Interesting. I can't think of a single way you could have gotten away with it, unless...you did say originally that the late queen _gave_ you her blood, and I'd assume the same is true of the Crown Prince." He smiled tightly.

"Correct." Virgil nodded.

"I see. But surely, that must have caused trouble within the court. Something like that, particularly considering the status of the Underground City until recently..."

"The Court was not informed. It was a private matter." Virgil sighed. When he spoke again, his eyes remained fixed on Abel, but Esther had the sense he was speaking to her as well. "The House of Manchester and the Royal Family of Albion have been allied since the Methuselah-Terran war, nine hundred years ago. After the Underground was founded, we, of the House of Manchester, became the leaders of our people, and the heads of the family came to serve the rulers of this land."

"That much is in history books, as a well-documented fact." William nodded. "In fact, there have been frequent questions as to why the family and the Royal line are so closely interlinked. Especially considering the loyalty to the Underground facility that each successive head of the family bears. Some might say it was a conflict of interests."

"Yes. And despite the trouble these suppositions cause, we prefer to maintain that. However, no Lord of Manchester would ever betray his or her monarch." He turned clear blue eyes to Esther. "Majesty, there is something I need to speak with you about. I don't mind if Father Nightroad and Father Wordsworth hear this as well, but...I would ask that it remain private. What I wish to tell you, I have never even told Vanessa." He sighed. "If I had, perhaps her foolish ideas of rebellion could have been stopped. Nonetheless...I did not wish to cause trouble for Her Majesty, Queen Bridgette, so I held my silence."

"I understand. It won't go past this room." Esther nodded.

Virgil inclined his head. "The head of the Manchester family swears his loyalty to each successive monarch, and to the heir to the throne. Naturally, given our longer lifespans, we generally live to serve more than one." He smiled tightly. "You are my third generation to serve, Lady Esther."

"Yes. I knew you served the previous queen. And I'd heard you served the monarch before." Esther looked down at her sheets.

"I did, though my father was the original servant to that monarch. I did not become the head of my family until a little more than halfway through his reign." Virgil hesitated a moment. "Outwardly, publicly, the fealty ceremony is exactly like any other lords. However, in private, there has been a longstanding tradition of a secondary ceremony. It is voluntary, and not all choose to do so, but...if both monarch and the Manchester head of house agree, a pact is formed between them, a bond of sorts."

"A blood bond, then?" William raised an eyebrow again.

It is something like that, yes. Although..." A small smile crossed the stern face. "I doubt it's as strong as you believe, Father Wordsworth."

There was another small silence, and then Virgil spoke again. "Under this agreement, the head of the house receives the monarch's blood. The blood of a Pure Blood line. It's only a small amount, but...it can mitigate the effects of the Bascillus, and makes it easier for us to walk in the sun. It also balances the effects of the silver nitrate solution we take. It is a long-standing, unspoken rule that the family head will never take enough for our powers to be employed against that monarch, or the heir, unless there is a crisis. But what we receive allows us to better serve, and aids our condition. In return, we are the crown's guard in the Underground, and their closest advisers. We are their family guards, their confidantes if they choose, their special messengers if needed. Whatever is asked of us."

"I see. And you...you served my father and my grandmother like that?"

"I did." Another small smile touched his face. "It was a joy to serve them both, particularly her majesty. I watched them grow up, and the oath I took was one I was happy to make. In truth, I would have served them wholeheartedly without the bond, but Lady Bridgette asked it of me. She wished to help me. Also...she wished me to use one of my powers, in particular, on her behalf."

"Oh? What power was that?" Esther stared at him.

Virgil turned to face her. "I am one who can identify those who carry blood that I have taken. She wished for me to use my power to stay beside her, but also...she wished to be able to find those who carried the same blood she did. In her final days, she asked me to use that...to seek you."

"So that's how you knew Esther was the heir to the Albion throne? You sensed it?" Wordsworth stared at the other man. "I confess, I was curious but...I thought you said the computers in the Underground recognized her."

"They did. I used my own knowledge to program in the DNA and blood type markers to provide access. However, I suspected who you were, Majesty, from the moment I first met you, walking with His Holiness."

"I see. And that's why...that's why you took us underground, and why you told me so much, that time." She'd wondered why the Count had informed her he was a Methuselah, knowing her connection to the Vatican. "That makes...a great deal of sense, actually. I'd wondered."

"I suppose so. My apologies." Virgil inclined his head, then returned his gaze to the silver-haired priest. Abel was staring at him with wide eyes. "Now do you understand, Father Nightroad? I cannot condemn you, and you should not condemn yourself for this. Regardless of how it came about, you did precisely what was needed, to save Her Majesty." He moved then, to stand before Abel, then suddenly dropped to his knees before the other man. "You have my gratitude, Father. Thank you."

Abel looked dazed. "I..." He shook his head. "You mustn't kneel to me, Lord Walsh." There was relief, but still a measure of fear in his gaze. "Even if...even if you're correct...I still...I...the hunger...I felt it."

"I am not surprised." Virgil spoke calmly, and he didn't rise. "You live a life of abstinence, as do I. And I confess, I use my powers rarely but even then, I too feel the Thirst sometimes. I'm actually surprised that you controlled it as well as you have, Father. Considering that you took no more than you needed to save Her Majesty, and have not fed otherwise."

Abel shook his head again, looking confused. "I...even so..."

"That's enough, Abel." William rose from his seat, and moved across the floor. He extended his hand to Virgil. "You should probably stand up now. Abel doesn't do well with people trying to kneel to him, or thank him." There was a glitter of amusement in his eyes. "Don't ask me why, but it seems to make him somewhat confused."

"As you wish." Virgil rose.

William turned, and laid a hand on his fellow priest's shoulder, his touch gentle and compassionate. "Enough, Abel. I know why you blame yourself, however...this isn't something you need to be so agonized over. You've heard. No one blames you, or thinks you've done wrong. In all likelihood, you saved Esther's life that night. And now you know why it had to be that way. And I'm sure Esther has forgiven you as well. Right?" he turned his gaze to Esther, a kind smile on his face.

"Of course I have. I never thought he needed to be forgiven, actually." Esther reached out her hand. "It's all right Abel. I said it before, didn't I?" She offered him a smile. "You don't need to weep over this."

Abel looked as if he'd been hit in the head. His eyes were huge and confusion had replaced the sorrow. "I..."

"Enough." William smiled again, then shifted his grip and pulled the limp figure to his feet. "You're tired, and overwrought. You've been out of your mind with fear and grief for several days now, and you haven't taken care of yourself. You need to eat, and rest, and clean up. I'm sure this will all make more sense once you've done so." He offered Esther another grin. "I hope you don't mind if I borrow Abel for a while."

"No, it's fine." Esther smiled back, warmth easing through her. "It's perfectly all right. Please, take good care of him for me. And Abel...please be sure to come back when you've rested."

"I...yes..." He still looked dazed. In fact, he looked asleep on his feet.

"Come on then." William stowed the pipe in his pocket, and held Abel with one hand, reaching out to take the still laden food cart with the other. "I'll just take this, shall I? Perhaps now Abel will actually eat something." He pushed the cart ahead of them. "I'll be back later, Esther, as will he." He offered her one last smile, then led his companion through the door, shutting it behind him.

There was silence between Esther and her adviser for a few moments. Then Virgil turned back to her. "Your Majesty, you seem troubled." His eyes were concerned. "I'm sure Father Wordsworth will take good care of Father Nightroad, and his sister will also make sure he recovers his strength."

"I know." Esther smiled, but she could feel the uncertainty in her own smile. "It's just...all this time...I didn't know about you and my predecessor. And this bond...you never told me."

"No. I did not." Virgil spoke softly. "Her Majesty, the late Queen Bridgette, and her son, Gilbert...they grew up with me. They knew who I was and what I did, and they were both made aware of the bond between myself and the monarch."

He bowed suddenly, dropping to one knee before her. "I apologize if you feel I have been rude. However, knowing of your connection with the Church, I did not wish to cause you any further concerns."

"I understand." She felt a little sadness creep into her smile. "Besides...you said they grew up with you. I'm sure it was much easier for you to feel connected with them. I'm sure you had your reasons."

"I did wish to give you more time to get used to me, and to the pressures of ruling Albion, particularly in these uncertain times. You were her Star of Hope. I promised Lady Bridgette I would look after you." The golden head bowed. "If you wish, after you recover from your wound, I will take that bond with you, Majesty."

Esther stared at him. She knew he was sincere, but she heard the sadness, a trace of unwillingness in his tone. "Lord Walsh..." She blinked. "It sounds like...like you would prefer not to do so."

Virgil looked up, and she saw sadness in his gaze. "I was...very fond of the late queen. I watched her grow into the wonderful woman she was."

"Oh. Were you..." She couldn't finish the thought, and found herself blushing slightly.

"No. However...I will confess, I..." He hesitated, and when he spoke again, his words were slow and thoughtful. "She asked me to seek you, the Star of Hope for Albion, and this world." His bowed his head. "During her final days, she gave me her blood, though I did not wish it, so I would be better able to find you. I stood with her in her last hours, and it was her final request of me. Her final word to me."

"I see." Esther could see his sadness, and she felt a lump in her throat at the thought. "Then...you don't want to have that sort of connection, because of that?"

"Not precisely. Perhaps, I was too close to Her Majesty. But...it is more than that. I believe, Majesty, that you already have a protector one, who is bound to you." His eyes were thoughtful. "Father Nightroad seems to have already fulfilled the place I would have taken, had you been raised here. I do not wish to interfere in that, not without your wish and his. And with a protector already there for you, and the Vatican watching over you, I thought it would be best if I took some time. I...mourned her, and I was unsure how to explain that connection to someone who had not grown up with it."

There was another moment of silence between them, then Virgil rose. "I apologize, if I have made you feel uncomfortable, my Lady. However..."

"It's all right. I can understand your reluctance." And she did. She smiled, a touch ruefully. "To be honest, if you'd asked me, I probably would have been rather startled, and maybe even a little afraid. I was just...concerned, that you didn't ask because you didn't feel I was worth the trouble."

"On the contrary. I think you are fully as worthy of my loyalty as the queen I served before." Virgil turned, and he was smiling warmly. It wasn't a broad smile, like Abel's or the Professors, but it was a good one, and Esther smiled back. "I chose not to offer this to you, because I felt it might not be needed, and because..." He paused. "Queen Bridgette hoped for a new era of peace, a new era for Albion. I too wish for that, and I believe you are capable of delivering that era. Already, we have come further than I dared to hope was possible. And in this new era I thought perhaps we too could do things differently."

"Thank you." Esther blinked, feeling a little light-headed. As the tension of her concern for Abel faded, she found herself feeling tired, as though her energy had magically disappeared.

Virgil noticed. He turned, and gently wrapped an arm around her back, rearranging the pillows and laying her down. "You look tired, Majesty. Please rest."

Esther nodded. She felt warm and relaxed as he tucked the sheets around her, careful to make sure the injured shoulder was supported, and taken care of. Then he straightened. "Thank you...Lord Walsh..." She reached out her right hand and touched his sleeve. "Thank you...for helping Father Nightroad."

"It was my honor. He is a good man." He smiled once more. "Rest, Lady Esther." He strode to the door, then paused in the door way. "Rest well. We will take care of things, so you needn't worry." He left before she could reply. Esther smiled once more, and relaxed into sleep again.

She woke with the sun shining into the room. Esther blinked. Someone had pulled back the drapes. The warm golden light was soothing, comforting. From the angle it was coming in through the window, it looked like late afternoon. Esther rubbed the sleep from her eyes, wondering how she'd slept so late. For the first time, it occurred to her to wonder just how long she'd been unconscious. She started to push the covers back to sit up, but a voice stopped her. "Hey there. You probably shouldn't move around too much just yet."

Esther gasped as Seth stood from the chair on her other side, then moved around the bed and gently helped her into a sitting position. "There. That ought to be much better, right?" The Empress smiled at her.

"Yes. It's just that, well..." She found herself blushing slightly. "I mean I..."

"I think I understand." Seth shifted, pulling back the sheets. "You've been down for quite a while, and I understand you ate quite well, earlier. I'm not surprised. Here, I'll help you to the restroom, okay?"

"Thank you." Esther felt her blush deepen, but there was nothing else she could say. She let the smaller woman help her turn to the edge of the bed, then carefully to the floor. Her legs were shaky, and a little weak. She almost fell, but Seth caught her. Together, with slow careful steps, they made their way to the bathroom. Seth waited discretely nearby, then helped Esther wash her hands and her face. As the other woman helped her settle back into the soft bed, Esther managed a shaky smile. "Thank you. I don't know what I would have done. I can't think why I'm so weak."

Seth shook her head. "It's to be expected, really. You did lose a lot of blood, and you pushed yourself pretty hard that night. Between that and how long you've been unconscious, it's no surprise. Actually, you're doing quite well."

"I see. Ummm...if you don't mind telling me, how long was I unconscious?" Esther felt her fist clench in the sheets.

"Well, actually, today is the ninth day since the battle. You were out a pretty long time. Although, according to Abel, you actually woke up about a day and a half ago." Seth sighed. "I was surprised, when he told me. But then, you've always been very strong. You were like that in my Empire too." Seth gave her a small grin. Then she straightened. "Speaking of which, I'd like to take a look at that shoulder, if you don't mind. I actually came in to check on that, but I didn't want to disturb you while you were sleeping, so I thought I'd wait a bit. But since you're awake..."

"Please, go ahead." She watched as the Empress stepped around the bed, and sat still as the she carefully unwrapped the layers of bandages. Esther turned her head away abruptly at the sight of the deep, raw wound. She was no stranger to wounds, or even death, but the sight made her faintly queasy for some reason. She looked for something else to think about as Seth brushed gently at the injured flesh. "Lord Walsh said you were the one who took care of me. Thank you."

"Well, I did have some help, you know. As a matter of fact, Lord Walsh assisted me on the battlefield, and in the operation itself. He and Abel both, really." Seth did something else, and Esther felt her eyes water. She must have made a soft sound, because Seth's voice was apologetic. "Sorry. I needed to check something. I did try not to hurt you, but with an injury like this, I'm afraid you may have a few more troublesome days ahead of you. However, it's still healing quite well." Esther turned as she picked up some salve from the nightstand by the bed, and began to smear it gently on the wound. The scent was faintly herbal, and the coolness of it soothed the ache wonderfully. Seth applied a generous coating, then began to wrap clean bandages around Esther's shoulder and chest. Within moments, the shoulder had been wrapped and immobilized once more. "There we go."

Esther reached up to touch the injured limb. A glance confirmed that the bandages Seth was setting aside weren't nearly as dirty as they could be after nine days. "Thank you for taking all this trouble."

"Hmmm?" Seth followed her glance to the bandages. "Oh. Well I did do some, but I have to confess, Abel actually did a lot of this. It's about the only thing he has done for the past nine days, aside from sit next to you. He's really quite good at this, you know?"

"Yes." Esther swallowed. "Father Nightroad...Abel...is he...?"

"Abel is just fine." A small grin quirked his sister's mouth. "Right now, he's probably still sleeping off that dose of medicine the Professor and I put in his food. He's going to be pretty annoyed with us when he wakes up, but we all agreed it was for the best. Abel will keep forgetting that he needs rest and nutrition just like the rest of us, even if he is a little more resilient than most." She sighed.

"I see. I'm glad." Esther settled back into the pillows.

Seth regarded her a moment, then perched on the edge of the bed. "You know Esther, if you're feeling tired, I can go. But if you're feeling up to it, I thought I'd stop by and let you know what's going on around here." She grinned. "I suppose it might be better if Lord Walsh or Colonel Spencer told you, but...well, there were a few things I did want to tell you." She leaned against the bedpost, looking a little sheepish. "I think I might owe you an apology."

"An apology? But what for?" Esther shifted, edging herself up a little straighter.

"Well, I was concerned after you collapsed." Seth shrugged. "I figured you'd be out for a while, but more than that...I was pretty sure that Lord Walsh and Colonel Spencer were going to be in trouble. After all, with something like this happening...well, when we had that incident in the Empire, even Baibars and Mirka got into a little trouble for that."

Esther felt a knot form in her stomach. "You're right. I hadn't thought of that. I..."

"It's fine. No one expects you to think of those things right after you wake up. And really, right now you're on a lot of medication for the pain. Things might be a bit difficult for a while. I'm sure you can handle it, but we don't want you to push too hard. Anyway, I was a little concerned, so Caterina and I...we took some action on our own."

"May I ask what you did?"

"Of course. Basically..." Seth gave her a small, tight grin. "I announced my presence here, as the Empress of Methuselah. Right now, Caterina, His Holiness and I are running a joint support of Albion. And I'm afraid I borrowed your two councilors, in a manner of speaking. I made Virgil Albion's Special Diplomatic Reserve representative to my Imperial Council, and Colonel Spencer as the joint commander of the Combined Alliance Forces. If it makes you feel better, Caterina also loaned me Father Wordsworth for the Vatican Special Diplomatic Reserve, and Brother Petros volunteered to represent His Holiness for the armed forces. We've sort of formed a council for the alliance, one that is currently tending to Albion's needs."

Esther remembered Virgil's quiet reassurance before she'd fallen asleep. For a moment, she was too stunned to think, then a wave of quiet relief swept through her. "You and Lady Caterina, you're taking care of Albion?"

"Well, sort of. Really, Lord Walsh and Colonel Spencer are doing most of the work right now. We figured it would be best if they handled it. We're just...offering advice, and taking care of things like security. There was one little sneak attempt made, a few days ago, but it's been pretty quiet."

"A sneak attempt?" Esther felt cold again.

"Yes. But you don't need to worry. Even for that brat, von Lohengrin, it was pretty obvious." Seth gave her a grim smile. "Some guy tried to sneak into the main elevator, claiming to be there for maintenance, then tried to hack the computers. He had a program to do it for him, but Lord Walsh is quite prepared for that sort of thing. I think the guy is in Lady Walsh's custody right now."

"I see. Has there been anything else?" Esther felt a little tired, but she didn't want to fall asleep. She wanted to know what was going on.

"Not really. It's actually been quieter than I expected. I guess those two from the Order know we've been watching you pretty close. And as for _him_..." Seth sighed. "He's up to something. I'm pretty sure of it. But whatever it is, it doesn't seem to involve the situation here. And without any clues as to where he might have gone...there's not much we can do."

"Does Abel...?"

Seth gave her another of her small, tight grins. "Abel hasn't done anything but stay beside you. He was almost as catatonic as you were, to be honest. But then, it's only to be expected. After all, he did say it. That if something happened to you, he'd be devastated. Abel might like to exaggerate sometimes, but not about things like that."

"I know." Esther swallowed.

"Hey, you don't have to worry." Seth reached across and squeezed her hand. "Trust me, Abel and I aren't going to let anything happen. And lady Caterina and all her agents feel the same way. So do Ion and Astha, even Mirka and Baibars. Plus, there's those two who work for you. And I heard your Lord Walsh gave Abel a talking to the last time."

"He did." Esther nodded.

"Yeah. Well, I don't know exactly what you told him, but it seems to have snapped Abel out of it some. He's still a little gloomy, but he's at least being more like himself." Seth grinned. "And His Holiness has done a lot too. For such a shy kid, he's really got a lot going for him."

It took a moment for the words to sink in fully. "His...Holiness. You don't mean...he's not...here, is he?"

"Uh-huh. He and Lady Caterina and those two knights of his. The big one and that quiet woman. They came in a few days ago." Seth sighed. "I'm really quite grateful. There are different rules outside my Empire, and Caterina knows more about them than I do. And really, I rather like the kid. Alessandro, I mean. And those two knights aren't really that different from Baibars. It's kind of...fun, you know?"

Esther felt a little overwhelmed. "His...Holiness..."

"Yeah. He's been in to see you a few times, and to try and calm Abel down. I guess it helped a little. Anyway, now that you're waking up more, he'll probably stop by to say hi."

Esther blinked, trying to assimilate it all. The Pope was here. And Caterina, and Brother Petros and Sister Paula. The Ax members were supporting her, and Seth and Caterina had come to help her. Alessandro was there to encourage her. She knew Ion and Astha were probably helping too, working with their Empress and her people to smooth things out. The enormity and the wonder of it crashed over her, making her feel light-headed with relief. She hadn't had time to ask, but Albion was being protected for her, by all the people she loved and trusted. She could feel tears of happiness stinging her eyes.

"Hey, Esther, are you all right?" Seth's voice was suddenly concerned.

"Yes. I'm fine, really. It's just...all of you...you're doing so much for me, and for my country. And I...I guess..." She stopped, swallowing back the lump in her throat. "I just...thank you, so much."

Seth's arm wrapped gingerly around her shoulder. "Hey, it's no problem. We're happy to do it, you know? And really, this has benefited all of us." A small laugh bubbled up. "I'd prefer if you didn't make a habit of this, and I'll be very happy when you can join in all of this, but you don't need to worry. Even if it was a bad thing to happen, I'm pretty sure it's going to come out all right. Maybe even better than we hoped. So you just concentrate on getting well, all right?"

"Yes. Of course. Thank you." Seth's giggle was infectious, and Esther found herself smiling back, just a bit. Then the other woman released her, and carefully settled her back.

"Here." Seth leaned her against the pillows, and her grin became a little rueful. "I guess this is a lot to take in, right at the moment." She looked at Esther for a moment. "Tell you what. Why don't you rest for the remainder of the afternoon, and we'll let everyone join you for dinner, okay? That way everyone can see you're okay, and you can talk to them, and all that. I think you'll feel better if you do."

"I think you're right." She did feel a little exhausted, but...she also wanted to see everyone and thank them.

"Great." Seth turned and headed for the door, stopping to give Esther a grin and a thumbs up. "You go ahead and relax. I'll send Lord Walsh in about half an hour before, so you can get to feeling a little more like yourself." She gave Esther a quick salute. "Later, Esther." Then she was gone, the door shut behind her.

Esther leaned back. She felt tired. She didn't feel sleepy, exactly, just listless. She closed her eyes, letting the gold of the afternoon sunlight relax her, the warmth of the room, and the softness of the pillows and blankets around her. There wasn't much noise, but even the silence seemed soothing, restful.

Albion was safe. She hadn't really realized how worried she was, but...her people were safe. Everyone she loved was in the Palace, protecting each other, protecting her. Abel was going to be all right.

A sudden thought made her reach up. To her surprise, there was no chain around her throat. Her eyes jerked open. She turned her head, searching frantically, then relaxed. The locket Abel had given her lay on her bedside table, the chain coiled loosely around the silver medallion, and the ruby-red ring that nestled close to it. Esther smiled, relieved, then allowed herself to sink back once more, relaxing. She didn't quite fall asleep, but after a few moments, the warmth of the sun allowed her to sink into a light doze.

The slight creak of the door roused her again sometime later. Esther blinked herself awake, then turned her head, to see Virgil standing in the doorway. "Majesty."

"Lord Walsh." She blinked again, clearing the cobwebs from her mind. "Oh, that's right. There's supposed to be dinner this evening."

"Indeed. However, if you're not feeling well, I can inform them to wait until a later evening." The clear blue eyes watched her with concern.

"No. It's fine, really." Esther smiled, and carefully pushed herself up with her right hand. Instantly, Virgil was at her side, supporting her. "That nap I took helped a great deal." And it had, she felt much better, refreshed. She ran a hand through her red hair, wincing at the slightly oily feel. It wasn't as bad as she'd expected, but she found herself blushing. "I don't suppose there's any way I could clean up, though."

"If you wish, I can assist you." Virgil bowed. "I've performed such duties before." he regarded her a moment, "Shall I draw a bath for you? Or, if you wish, I can call the maids and have them assist you."

For some reason, Esther winced a little at the thought. Ever since the incident when she'd left the Palace, she'd been concerned about letting the maids know her exact condition. More than that...she'd simply never gotten used to the staff. She had been raised in a poor church, doing things herself. She shook her head. "I will admit, a bath does sound wonderful, but..."

"I will prepare it then." Virgil bowed once more, then stripped off his coat and set it aside, before rolling up his sleeves. "If you will permit, Majesty, I do have some experience in assisting injured persons. As a matter of fact, I occasionally served in this capacity with the previous queen."

"I...if you're sure it's all right, I'm grateful for the assistance." Esther blushed a little at the thought of the solemn lord helping her with bathing, but she couldn't see any other way to handle the situation.

Virgil nodded and disappeared into the bathing room. She heard the sound of water running, and soon there was a soft hint of steam in the air, the wonderful rose-scented steam she used when she felt particularly tired or unhappy. Esther smiled, wondering how on earth he'd known, or if he'd simply chosen the scent at random. A moment later, he returned to her room. Rather than leading her to the bathroom, however, he simply lifted her in his arms, gently supporting the left shoulder against his chest.

Esther blushed. For some reason, her mind presented her with an image of Abel doing the same thing. But Abel hadn't ever carried her to a bath. He'd picked her up out of a fountain once, and a few times out of dangerous situations, but...she jumped slightly, startled back to reality as Virgil set her on the edge of the tub. "Lady Esther, can you manage?" He didn't quite ask what he wanted her to manage, but it wasn't hard to guess. She looked down at the clothing she was wearing.

Out of necessity, she was wearing a loose robe that tied in front, so her shoulder could be tended to, a light button up shift with no sleeves to speak of, and her lower underthings. It was all relatively easy to shift out of. Esther reached up awkwardly with her right hand, and began undoing the shift. She was careful to leave her left shoulder as still as possible while she worked. She was forced to shift it a few times, gritting her teeth as a sharp pain flared through the injured joint. Finally, she was just about ready to slide into the bath.

Virgil extended a bathing towel to her, his eyes not quite focused somewhere over her left shoulder. She took it wrapping it around herself, and he unexpectedly reached out to tie another length over her injured shoulder. At her questioning look, he spoke softly. "The wound does need to be cleaned, but it's best if we keep as much of the hot water and bath oil as possible away from it."

"I understand." Esther turned, and slid into the warm water of the tub.

The bath was heavenly. The temperature was just right, and the soothing scent of the rose oil helped her tense muscles relax. Virgil had deliberately arranged it so her shoulder was supported on a pad, above the water, but she could lean back and enjoy the soak. She sat for several long moments, just enjoying the water. She was tempted to just sit there the rest of the evening, but the reminder of her dinner plans finally prompted her to sit up and search for the soap. Virgil handed it to her, keeping his eyes elsewhere while she bathed. Esther rinsed what she could. She was just trying to figure out how to wash her hair and her back, when Virgil extended his hand. "Majesty. If you will permit." He bowed, and Esther handed him the soap.

She couldn't help blushing, though Virgil's touch was both gentle and utterly professional. Had she not known exactly who it was, she almost would have convinced herself it was one of her maids. She tried to concentrate on that fact as the careful hands cleaned her back and her shoulder length hair, but for some reason, she kept thinking of Abel. Not that he'd ever done anything like this, they have both been too embarrassed to even consider it. But she remembered the gentleness of his touch, and wondered. The thoughts made her blush even harder. She wondered if Virgil noticed, but if he did, the Albion lord made no comment.

Finally, she was cleaned up. Virgil lifted her gently out of the tub, and held out a clean towel to her. He disappeared while she was drying off, reappearing with a clean garments, including a gown that she could slip into easily. He re-checked the bandages over her shoulder, then assisted her into the gown. As soon as she was dressed, he toweled her hair partially dry and brushed it for her, then carried her back into her room, and placed her back in the bed. A few swift movements had her sitting propped comfortably up, while he resumed his usual appearance. As he straightened his jacket, he returned to her side. "Is there anything else you need, before I summon your guests for dinner?"

"Actually, if you could hand me my necklace, there..." She pointed to the silver chain lying on the table. Virgil picked it up.

"Shall I help you put it on?" He held up the chain.

"Yes, please." She tilted her head forward a little, so he could loop it over her head. "Thank you. If you'd please let everyone know I'm ready now." She felt a great deal better, clean and warmed up from the bath. It did feel a little awkward to be sitting in bed, but she'd been injured enough to know there was nothing to be done about that.

"Very well. I shall inform them, and ask the kitchen to start sending up food for everyone." Virgil's gaze checked her once more, then he bowed slightly and left.

Esther had barely had time to feel his absence before the door burst open and Ion came bounding into the room. "Esther!" The Earl's eyes were wide, shining with what looked suspiciously like tears. He checked his rush a few feet away, moving to the bed carefully. "You're all right. Her Majesty said you were but...I was worried about you." He flushed. "I'm glad you're awake. Does it hurt?"

"Not really, not that much at all." Esther smiled. "Thank you for worrying about me, but it's really fine. Seth said I'll be up and around very soon. So there's no need to be concerned anymore."

"I'm glad. I was worried. They said they stopped the bleeding, and you'd be all right...but with the way Father Nightroad was acting, I..."

"Idiot." Astha strode into the room, making a face. "You should know as well as anyone that idiot priest always over-reacts to everything. If Esther got a paper cut, he'd act like someone was dying. Honestly." She made an exasperated noise again, then looked at Esther. "I will admit, I did share his concerns for a bit, though. It's good you've woken up. Perhaps now this brat and my idiot tovarish will stop being so foolish with their own health." She gave Ion's head a rough but affectionate thump as she moved to stand next to him. "And now that you've woken Majesty, I have something for you." She reached into a pocket and pulled out a small box. "I brought some of the bath formula from my home. I was originally saving it, but I think it will help you feel better. As I've told you before, it's wonderfully revitalizing."

Esther smiled. "I remember. Thank you."

Ion blushed. "I'm sorry. I didn't get anything for you Esther."

"It's fine. Having you here is wonderful, all on its own, Excellency. Thank you. And I'm sure you've been a great help to Lord Walsh."

"He has that." Seth slipped in, a grin already on her youthful features. "I haven't quite had time to keep your advisers up to date on the protocol of the Empire, so these two have been doing it for me." She smiled wider, and perched on the end of the bed once more. "So, how do you feel?"

"Much better, actually." Esther returned the grin, enjoying the warmth of camaraderie.

"Hmm. Well, I think the Vatican contingent will be along in a minute." Seth's eyes were bright with amusement. "I should warn you though, that Abel will probably be a bit late again. He's still sleeping and we thought we'd let him rest while he can. After all, once he wakes up, he's not likely to leave for a while. I hope you don't mind too much."

"No. I do want to see him, but...this is probably for the best. I'm sure...I'm sure he'll come later."

"What's up Red? You aren't fretting about Father Four Eyes, are you senorita?" Leon's teasing voice sounded from the doorway. Esther looked at him, and he offered her his wolfs grin. "Don't worry about that joker. He might be a little lazy, but he's still pretty tough."

"Father Garcias..." His grin was infectious, and Esther fought back a giggle as the bigger man crossed the room and affectionately, gently, ruffled her hair. "I'm glad you're doing well."

"Yeah. I'm just fine. But you know, it's kinda a bummer, not being able to pick you up and all." He was smiling though, taking the sting out of his words. "I'm glad you're getting better. After all, it doesn't do for the second best woman in the world to be down and out for too long."

"Now Leon. You mustn't be too rough with Esther." Wordsworth came in, smiling around his pipe-stem.

"Indeed. After all, Esther is a very important member of the Vatican, as well as in Albion." Caterina entered a step behind her two agents, one eyebrow raised in cool amusement. She sighed and put a hand to her forehead. "Honestly, Dandelion, even you should have learned some basic manners by now."

Astha snorted from her position leaning against a wall. "Not likely." Her eyes roved over Leon's frame. "I'll grant he's a good fighter, and sometimes, he does provide...amusing...company." A small, predatory smile flickered over her features. "However, there are some things that some men just never learn."

Leon flushed a little, but he also smiled back. After a moment, he shrugged, looking more than a little predatory himself. "Well hey. That sort of thing's just never been my style, senora. But," The wolf grin widened. "You have to admit, I have plenty of other...talents, to make up for it."

"Enough Leon." Caterina pinned her subordinate with a cool gaze for a moment, then turned to the doorway. "Holiness, will you come in now?"

Alessandro appeared in the doorway. He was dressed in plain robes, and bare-headed, and was fidgeting nervously with a handful of his sleeve. As he entered the room, his eyes found Esther, and a small, shy smile crossed his face. "Hey there, Esther." The smile widened and warmed as he approached the bed. "You're awake." He flushed, looking away in embarrassment. "I mean...they said you would be but...well...I'm glad to see you're doing better. That's all."

"Holiness." Esther returned his hesitant smile with a warmer one of her own. "Thank you for coming all this way to see me. Please, have a seat and join us."

"Thank you." Alessandro moved to settle in a chair the Professor held out for him, his happiness resulting in another slow blush of red that spread across the pale cheeks. "Ummm...well, I really didn't do all that much. But...when I heard...I...well, I wanted to come to see you. I thought...I thought it was...well, the least I could do." The blush deepened a bit. "I mean...you really helped me a lot, before. And anyway...Esther..." He trailed off.

"Yes?" She watched him.

"Well...just for now at least...I'd like it...I'd really like it if you'd call me by name." He was turning rapidly crimson, and his hands were twisting the lap of his robe, but he looked hopeful.

Esther smiled. "Of course. I'd be happy to, Alessandro."

"Oh. That's great." He looked around at the others in the room. "Actually...I don't mind if you all call me that. Really."

"Sure." Seth grinned from her seat. "I think it sounds much better than Holiness." She stretched, somehow not overbalancing. "I guess I'm not any more fond of formalities than that big guy." One hand waved at Leon.

The flow of conversation continued for several minutes. Esther found herself relaxing, enjoying the easy friendship and goodwill. Even Seth and Alessandro were swept into the flow of talk and teasing, brought into the group as seamlessly as Esther herself was. Alessandro was shy, but he joined in readily enough, and even Leon had enough sense to be gentle in his teasing of the young pope. Alessandro blushed when he was teased, but he also seemed to be enjoying it, more relaxed than Esther had ever remembered seeing him. Her stomach had just started growling when Virgil announced himself with a polite knock. "Majesty. Dinner is ready, if you would care to be served now."

"Please." Esther managed to give him a polite nod, though she couldn't do much else. Her gaze slipped to the others. "I hope you don't mind."

Leon leaned back. "Hell no. I gotta tell you, Red, I'm about ready to take a bite outta one of these chairs." He grinned at the furniture. The a slight frown crossed his face. "Still, it isn't like Father Four Eyes to miss a meal, even if he's not one for parties."

William chuckled. "I'm sure Abel will be here as soon as he wakes up. After all, I did dose him pretty well. I think I used at least triple the recommended amount of sleeping powder on him."

"Triple? Hey, isn't that a little dangerous?" Astha's eyes were glittering.

Seth shrugged. "Not with Abel. To be honest, I probably would have gone much higher, myself. He'll probably wake up soon and wander on in here." She grinned at Virgil, who was ushering in a steady stream of maids with carts. "I hope you planned enough for my brother too. Even if he is late, he's going to be hungry."

Virgil inclined his head. "I am aware of Father Nightroad's appetite, and I did take the liberty of requesting some extra for him. There should be plenty."

"Great. Then let's eat." Leon leaned down and rested a friendly arm across Alessandro's chair. "Tell you what. I'll go ahead and fix you up a plate, and you can sit here and keep an eye on Esther for me."

"Ummm...sure. Thank you." Alessandro looked a little uncomfortable with Leon's muscled frame leaning over him, but he also looked happy as well, so Esther decided not to comment.

Within minutes, a moderate buffet table had been set up on one side of the room, near the windows. There was everything from salad to soup to main courses, and plenty of choices for drinking. Virgil set up Esther's tray, while Mary gathered a selection off the tables for her. True to his word, Leon fixed a plate for Alessandro, shouting questions about his preferences across the room with an air of casual ease that had Caterina frowning, the pope blushing, and Esther and Seth both trying not to giggle. Everyone else served themselves after that. They were just settling down into various seats, when a sound at the door made Esther look up. Her breath caught in her throat.

Abel was standing in the doorway, his expression hesitant and uncertain. The uniform he was had obviously been freshly laundered, and the silver hair was once again shining, smoothed back into its customary ponytail. Except for the shadows under his eyes, and his hesitant gaze, he looked exactly as he usually did. Then the blue eyes met hers, and he flushed slightly, looking away. "Ah..."

"Abel." Caterina's voice was soft and welcoming. "We're glad you could join us."

"Ummm, yes." One hand came up to rub the back of his head. His tone was subdued, but Esther could hear the familiar sheepishness in it. "Well, I appear to be a little late, and I..."

Seth laughed, and rose to hug her brother. "It's all right. It really isn't your fault this time Abel. I had Father Wordsworth knock you out for a bit. That's all. You should join us. We were just celebrating Esther's recovery, and the new developments in our Alliance."

Abel blinked at his sister, then looked up at William. "You..."

"I drugged your food, yes." William shrugged. "It seemed like the only way you were going to get any rest. However, you do appear to be fully recovered from the effects. So why don't you join us?"

"No kidding." Leon strode over and wrapped an arm over Abel's shoulders, knocking him off balance and pulling him into the room. One swift kick knocked the door shut before Abel had a chance to react. "Man, you've been out at least twelve hours, Four Eyes. And I wouldn't usually be one to say this, but you're too damn thin." he scowled. "Come on." he dragged Abel over to a chair next to both Esther and Alessandro, and dropped him into it. "Sit there. I'll get you something. But..." He grinned and leaned over, showing Abel his fierce smile. "It's just this once, okay? Don't get used to it." With that, the other AX agent turned his back and strode to the buffet tables, pausing absentmindedly to drop his plate on a small table next to Astha's.

"Ah...Leon..." Abel stuttered to a halt as Astha rose gracefully from her seat.

The slender Methuselah strode forward until she look Abel in the eyes. "Well, tovarish?" Abel blinked, started to open his mouth, but she cut him off. "Are you feeling better, priest?"

"Ummm, well, yes actually." Abel's voice was soft.

"Good. Then you can join in the celebration." She grinned at him. "Honestly, you can be so much trouble sometimes." She turned and walked back to her place before Abel could comment.

Abel sat blinking a few times, then his eyes seemed to focus on his closest dinner companions. He flushed. "Miss Esther. Holiness...I..."

"Please. Umm...Alessandro is fine. Really. I mean...I told everyone else to call me by name, so..." Alessandro blushed. "So...Father Nightroad..." He trailed off, looking abashed.

Abel studied the young face, and his own expression lost some of its guarded uncertainty. He leaned forward and touched the young man's hand with his own. Alessandro looked up, startled, and Abel smiled at him. "Well, it seems I owe you thanks." The gentle smile widened, tinged with that old familiar embarrassment. "I know you came to talk to me a few times over the past few days. I'm sorry I wasn't the best company in the world. Thank you, for trying to help me."

Alessandro smiled back. "It's fine. I mean... you were a little upset. And...I know you and Esther are really close. So...I guess I understand. And really...I'm just glad if I was able to help you at all."

"You did." Abel's voice was soft, faintly amused as if he were almost laughing at himself. "Even if I couldn't show it, you really did help." His gaze lifted to the others ringing the room, resting longest on William and Lord Walsh. "All of you. Thank you."

Virgil raised his glass. "You are quite welcome, Father Nightroad."

Leon returned, almost dropping the plate of food in Abel's lap. "Hey." He grinned and raised his cup high. "A toast, to Red and Father Four Eyes."

William was a touch behind him. "To Father Nightroad and Lady Esther."

Seth's cup was up before he finished speaking. "To Esther, and my dear brother Abel."

"To everyone." Abel's quiet voice rang out through the room. He didn't pause, but smiled softly and tapped his glass to Leon's before the other man could reply. With one smooth motion, he tilted his head back and took a quick sip of the wine. There was a brief chiming as the others followed suit. Esther tapped her glass with Seth and Alessandro. _To Abel. And to everyone who's been so kind to me._

After that, everyone settled back into their seats and began eating. Conversation picked up again, muted and sporadic, but still comforting. Abel was mostly silent, listening to Seth and making brief responses as she brought him up to date on what had happened. Esther felt a touch of concern, but it eased when Abel finished his first plate of food and went for seconds, then thirds, and finally a plate of desserts and a cup of his infamous tea. Even though the shadows remained in his eyes, she was relieved to see his appetite had returned.

After about two hours, the party began to wind down. Caterina was the first to leave, excusing herself quietly, and William shortly after. Alessandro left after Abel gently shook him awake in his seat, and the others filed out shortly after that. Esther was almost sad to see it breaking up, but she was feeling tired as well. She didn't protest when the maids appeared to clear away the last of the serving platters and all the dishes.

Finally, Abel Virgil and Seth were the last three remaining. Seth took a last swallow of her drink, then stood and stretched. "I guess we're all going to be fairly busy for a while." She flashed Esther a smile. "You have to recover, Abel has to get back into things, and the rest of us have a government to run." She turned, to where Abel was talking quietly to Virgil. "I guess Abel will probably be helping you. At least, I hope so. I think it'll do him good, and it's much better than letting him wander off on his own."

"You're right." Esther finished her own drink. She didn't usually drink much wine, and she felt a little blurred by it. Still, Seth was right.

Seth noticed her slight haziness and took the glass from her. "Well then, I'll be taking my leave of you now. Do you want me to take Abel, or shall I leave him here with you."

Esther blinked. "I...I'd appreciate it if you left him here, please." Even through the slight haze, she was concerned. Abel had been so broken over her injury, and she wasn't sure how things stood between them. He'd spoken to her during dinner, and he'd seemed as friendly as ever, but she'd sensed a sort of barrier between the two of them.

"Of course." Seth rose from her seat and left. The movement attracted the attention of the two men by the window.

Virgil came over. "Majesty?" he looked into her face, and she knew he must have seen the tiredness there. His gentle hands removed the tray, then helped her to lie back. "I will take my leave of you now, if you wish." At Esther's nod, he straightened and turned to his companion. "Father Nightroad."

Esther woke enough to reach out. "Actually..." Her gaze turned to Abel. "Abel...would you mind...staying for a few more moments?"

"Of course not." He moved silently to the edge of her bed and settled into a seat. He waited until Virgil left, then spoke softly. "Is there something I can do for you, Miss Esther?"

She didn't answer, just reached up her right hand to touch his. Abel started at her touch, but he didn't pull away. After a moment, the blue eyes came to meet hers. She held his gaze for a moment, seeing the lines still graven into his face by grief, and the shadows that lingered in the blue depths. "Are you...really all right?"

"Well..." He hesitated. "Well, I suppose I am feeling better. However...what happened..." He sighed. "I...even though...even though I know you've forgiven me...and even with what Lord Walsh told me...I..." He stopped his head bowing. She feared for a moment that he was going to pull away from her, but after a long hesitation, he gently closed his fingers over her hand, holding her smaller hand in his own warm one. "I...I need more time. After that...I'm sorry...but...I...I'm still...so afraid. I thought...I thought I would lose you...and that...that it would be my fault."

She shifted her fingers in his grip, trying to return that gentle clasp. "It's all right." She remembered standing by his coffin, all those months ago. "I understand."

His eyes met hers again. After a moment, he set her hand gently on the coverlet, and rose. "I should let you rest."

"Wait. Please." She reached out again, brushing her fingers across his sleeve. Abel stopped and turned to her. She smiled, a little embarrassed. "It's just...I got so used to having you here. Before...you were always beside me when I slept. So...I know it's a little awkward but...would you please stay with me tonight?"

He stared down at her a moment, then leaned forward and brushed a tendril of hair away from her face. "Of course. If that's what you want, Miss Esther." Then he settled back into his chair, laying his hand over hers. "Rest." Esther smiled, and let herself slip into sleep.

She woke sometime later, gasping, a cold sweat on her face. She couldn't recall clearly what had woken her, only a feeling of cold and terror. She took a few deep breaths, trying to control the shudders that were sending dull tremors of pain through her shoulder. Then, abruptly, warm hands touched her arms, bringing her fully back to reality. She looked up into Abel's concerned eyes. "Esther. What's wrong?"

"Abel..." She stared at him, feeling the terror slowly abate under his concerned gaze. "It was...a nightmare." She shivered again.

"Esther?" A gentle hand touched her forehead, feeling for a fever.

"It's all right." Another shiver passed through her. "It's just...I feel cold for some reason."

"I'll get you and extra blanket." Abel started to straighten, but the loss of his warmth was like a shock.

She didn't even think about it, just caught his sleeve again. In the half-haze of sleep, she didn't understand fully why she didn't want him to go, only that she didn't. "Please, Abel..."

He stopped, remaining where he was. Esther stared at the slender profile in the dim light. The warmth of his hand, brushing against hers was soothing. She wrapped her fingers around that warm, gentle hand, feeling the faint rough calluses across the palm.

She remembered the nights they'd stayed at the Vatican, when they'd taken Seth to visit Lilith. She remembered, through the haze of tiredness and alcohol, the warmth of his hand, gentle brushing her head, and the comfort of curling up next to his presence and Seth's.

"Esther?" His soft question jolted her mind back to the present. He was still standing where he'd stopped, waiting for her.

"Abel...would you..." She stopped as another shiver crossed her. "Would you, stay with me, just tonight?"

"Well, I already said I would." His hand wrapped around hers offering comfort. "I was just going to get you an extra blanket."

"No. I mean...like...like when we went to the Vatican. That night..."

She felt him stiffen. "Miss Esther...that's not...I mean..." He stammered to a halt.

"Please, Abel, just tonight." She tightened her hand on his. "I mean...I...it's cold, and I...I can't remember why, but...I don't want you to leave. It's just...when you aren't here, the nightmares..." Her words stumbled to a stop, getting tangled by her exhaustion and the shivering that wouldn't abate.

Abel stood still a moment longer, then gently released her hand. "All right. For tonight." He shifted, removing his outer cassock. In the dim moonlight, she saw him toss it over a chair, then bend to remove his boots. After a moment, he straightened, and she saw the silhouette of his fingers, reaching up to undo the rosary at his throat.

Carefully, Abel bent and lifted her slightly, moving her closer to the center of the bed. He got her rearranged then, after a moment's hesitation, he settled down, lying across the top of the blankets, close to her.

Esther blinked at him. "Aren't you cold?"

"No. I'm quite warm, actually." He reached over, brushing the hair from her face in that familiar gesture, then shifted a little closer, pulling her into a gentle embrace with her head resting on his elbow. "Is that better?"

Esther yawned, feeling the shaking stop as the heat from his body enveloped hers. Abel was even warmer than she remembered, and it soothed her. The calm of his presence dispelled the last of the lingering nightmare fears, easing her mind as well as her body.

Esther yawned again, burrowing her face slightly into the crook of his arm. Once again, she found herself surrounded by that odd mix of ozone, incense and clean earth. She blinked up at him. "You know...I wondered..." A yawn distracted her.

"Yes?"

"I've always wondered...you always smell like a garden, right after a storm. Well, I know you get church incense in your uniform, but..." She felt the words trail off as sleepiness assailed her.

A soft chuckle resonated from his chest. "I like gardens. I just can't seem to resist going outside at least once a day. I like green growing things." There was another soft chuckle. "I suppose I have a bad habit of lying in the grass, and the smell just clings to the cassock."

'"I'm glad..." She inhaled again, relaxing into his embrace completely.

His hand brushed her face again, and she felt him lean forward, to press a feather-light kiss upon her cheek. "Sleep well, Esther. I'll be here when you wake." Esther smiled, and let the darkness wash over her.


	33. Twenty Seven: Pt 01: Needs

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **My deepest apologies everyone**, **many things on my editor's side more than mine this time happened with her to which I understood and waited _patiently_ by on when this chapter would be done. Unfortunately this chapter is the same as chapter ten a two part chapter and unfortunately unlike chapter ten in which I had both parts ready to upload part two of chapter twenty seven is not ready yet. My editor assures me before or by this weekend it will be indefinably so I trust and keep her word on that.

I happy most of you guys are getting more excited with the last three updates that have been more recent than this one, and to the reviewer named **Kata** the action is going to come back but please be patient there is reason why as I have explained before in the last few chapters why some chapters are more slower with action than others. Also to let you guys know beforehand when you read the chapterAbel says _**'I'm fine'**_ a lot here, but that's just the way he is...he's a crappy liar, so it's the best he can come up with when he's pretending not to be having trouble.

**(*)** As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Twenty Seven – Needs: Part 01**

Esther woke feeling warm and comfortable. She was lying on her back, her head and shoulders firmly supported by something warm, solid, and slightly yielding. She blinked a few times, trying to get her bearings, and a small puff of warm air blew across her cheek. She turned her head, and smiled.

Abel lay beside her, his face only inches from her own. Esther realized after a moment the warm support was Abel's left arm. He'd left it curled under her head, but bent his elbow just enough that his hand was providing support to her injured shoulder. He lay curled on his side, his eyes closed, his breathing soft and slow with sleep. His right arm crossed his side to where his elbow bent, curling the arm in front of him, around his waist. He reminded her of a cat, stretched out for a nap. His silver hair was still tied back, but it had become somewhat disordered, and he'd taken the glasses off at some point.

Esther lay still. She didn't feel like getting up just yet, and she certainly didn't want to disturb him. Even asleep, she could see the lines of strain and tiredness that touched his face. And there was a slight gauntness to his face, silent testament to his lack of both food and sleep over the past few days. Dark shadowed circles ringed both closed eyes, extremely visible against his pale skin.

Esther studied him a moment, worried. But he looked so peaceful, she found herself relaxing. She settled a little closer to his arm, staring at him.

She'd noticed when he'd first taken her to Rome that he was handsome, almost beautiful. The silver hair, the light skin and the blue eyes should have made him look somewhat wraith-like, especially in contrast to the black robes he wore. And yet, there was a sort of vitality about him and vibrant energy, even when he was so tired, that shone through. His skin was pale, but weather and frequent embarrassment added color to it, and even at rest, the silver hair somehow brought out the faint rose tint in his complexion. The blue eyes were so light they could have been icy, but his expression always carried so much emotion, it was almost impossible to see that. Rather than a wraith, he somehow reminded her of a flame, the heart of lightning, bright and pure and breath-takingly wondrous, even though she knew he could be dangerous as well. And though she worried about the lines that creased his face, the signs of suffering and sorrow, they added a human element to his face that she found as entrancing as everything else about him.

Esther blushed, realizing what she was thinking. But...somehow, whether it was because of Dietrich, or Cain, or simply that night at the ball when she'd seen him dancing, the Lord of Magic, she'd begun to notice his physical qualities more. Her eyes drifted lower, to the wide shoulders, and the slender frame. Though he was fully dressed, she'd seen him once or twice without a shirt, or after a fight, when his shirt had been so slashed up that it was more rags than clothing. She knew that he was in good physical condition, lean and fit, with well-defined muscles on his abdomen, chest and arms. Lower than that...

Esther felt her face heat darker. _Why? Why would I be thinking about him like this? It's true...I do love him. I care about Abel...a great deal. Maybe even more than I did for Bishop Laura. But...why would I be thinking about things like that at a time like this? I mean...even if...it's not as if we were...like that. Even though he's lying right next to me, it's just comfort. I was cold and Abel is...taking care of me. I know he cares for me, but...surely...he'd never think about things like that. So why...?_

The soft creak of her bedroom door startled her out of her embarrassed thoughts. It also startled Abel awake. He blinked a few times, then turned scarlet and sat up, turning to face the door.

Virgil stood there, framed by the doorway. At Abel's movement, he bowed slightly. "Your Majesty. Father Nightroad."

Esther felt herself blushing. Beside her, Abel was a color to rival the Albion flag. He turned crimson from the collar up, and swung his legs over the side of the bed so fast she almost didn't see him move. Within seconds, he was standing, reaching for his outer cassock and the crucifix. He caught them in his hands, almost dropped them, then bowed clumsily to Virgil. "Lord Walsh." His gaze slipped to Esther, his face still red. "If you would excuse me, Lord Walsh...Miss Esther..." He said nothing more, but ducked his head once more and almost bolted past Virgil out of the room, still carrying his shoes and his cross.

Virgil watched him go, then turned back to her. "Your Majesty. I trust you slept well?"

"Well, yes." Esther could still feel the heat in her face. "About Father Nightroad. I...I had a nightmare, and I was cold, and he...well, I asked him to help me. He was just...offering me some comfort. So...it really...he didn't...he didn't do anything improper."

"I understand." Esther looked up, startled, and a small smile crossed the normally stern face. "I have a great deal of respect for Father Nightroad. I do not believe him to be that kind of man who would act dishonorably. Nor do I believe he would do anything in any way to risk your life or reputation, Majesty." He hesitated a moment. "However, that being said..." He stopped, then spoke softer, looking just over her head. "I...am aware that even royalty has...feelings. And needs. As you may know, the Crown Prince, your late Father, was also...generous in his feelings. I believe he was truly devoted to his wife, however...prior to their marriage..."

Esther nodded, wondering where the speech was going. "I know. He had a relationship with one of the women in court. That's how Colonel Spencer, I mean, Mary...that's how she was born right?" She flushed. "I remember, it came up when we arrived to help with considerations of who would inherit the throne. We didn't know I was the heir, and Father Wordsworth talked about it. How she was probably the best candidate, but she wasn't being seriously considered because...because she was...illegitimate, and he didn't think the Albion nobility would accept her, even if she was a great military leader. Plus...Lady Jane outranked her, and she was a full cousin, so..."

"Indeed. That was the situation before I discovered you. However, I can safely say that I would have preferred to support Lady Mary over Lady Jane, had the question arisen." His pale eyes met hers. "However, we now have you, and I believe both Colonel Spencer and I feel that you are well worth giving our service to."

"I see. But...if you don't mind my asking...what brought all this up?" Esther looked down at her blankets.

Virgil sighed. "I wished to explain..." He sighed again. "As I have said, I respect Father Nightroad. I consider him to be an admirable man. I am aware that he cares for you, and that you share his feelings in the matter. If you wish to have his company, I have no objection." There was another of those delicate pauses. "You have been through several trials of late, Majesty. I think no one will object, should you seek comfort from a trusted friend while your wound heals. And, given that he was assigned as your guard, and knows something of tending injuries...I think no one will question that he is here beside you, to tend to you. The servants already know that he watches over you. So...I think you need not be concerned, nor should he." His light gaze met hers. "I do not think that ill will come of this."

Esther swallowed. She wondered if Virgil knew what she'd been thinking of, before he'd entered, but it didn't matter. She nodded. "Thank you for telling me. I know...I'm sure he was concerned that someone would think...something inappropriate had occurred."

"I had that thought as well, Majesty." The faint smile came again, then he moved to her bedside. He helped her sit up, then carefully unwrapped the bandage. He examined the wound a few moments, then re-wrapped it. "It seems to be healing well. How do you feel?"

Esther smiled. "I feel much better. Although, I admit, I do feel a bit restless. After all, I've been lying here, sleeping, while everyone else has been taking care of Albion. I feel like there's something more I should be doing."

Virgil smiled. "I assure you, that is not the case. You need only concern yourself with gaining your strength. There will be time enough for you to catch up." He studied her a moment, consideration in his eyes. "I believe you should rest for at least one more day, perhaps two. After that...I would like to consult with our own physician and Lady Seth, but after that, you may be able to return to work. If Lady Seth agrees, then I will begin bringing you reports tomorrow, or the day after. If you feel you can manage, it would be of great help if you could look them over and provide your input."

Esther nodded. "I understand. It's just..."

Virgil met her eyes, then spoke slowly. "If Your Majesty truly wishes...I think perhaps there would be no harm in a short trip through the Palace. It would reassure the court, as well as the servants, about your recovery. However, I would insist for today that you take a wheel-chair, and be accompanied by someone."

"Of course. That's very sensible." Esther smiled, feeling relieved. "I think it sounds perfect. Did you have someone in mind?"

"Indeed." A wry smile, faint but still very apparent, touched his face. "While I confess most of us will be busy, I believe Father Nightroad will be available to assist you. If Your Majesty wishes, you may visit the garden as well. Perhaps the sun would do you good."

"I'd like that a great deal. Please, would you let Father Nightroad know?" Esther felt a slight blush stealing across her cheeks, and knew Virgil saw it as well, but there was nothing to be done about it.

"I shall. And with your permission, I will also request Lady Seth come to check on you before our morning meeting. While I think this would be beneficial, I would prefer to have her opinion."

"Of course." Esther smiled, then flushed a little as her stomach growled audibly.

Virgil didn't even raise an eyebrow. He simply bowed. "I will inform Father Nightroad and his sister of your plans. If you will, I shall return shortly with your breakfast." Esther nodded, and he disappeared.

As the door shut, Esther settled back against the pillows. The sunlight filtering through the room told her it was morning, and not very early at that. Though the warmth from the light didn't reach her, it was comforting none the less. She watched the sunbeams a moment, then turned her attention to herself.

She felt reasonably well, but the shoulder was a dull ache, and she could still feel a slight haziness that she associated with powerful painkillers. She shifted, then made an experimental attempt at shifting the arm. She could twitch her fingers, and bend the elbow a little, but she couldn't move the shoulder at all. Her first attempt felt like fire was shooting through her. Esther winced, biting her lip to stop an involuntary cry. _This is...this is bad. How long...how long am I going to be like this?_

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening once again. Virgil stepped into the room, pushing a small food cart. He stopped almost at once, looking at her with concerned eyes. "Majesty?" He shifted then, moving quickly to her side and supporting her. "Is something wrong?"

Esther managed a wan smile. "It's nothing really. Only...I tried to move the shoulder, and, well..."

"I see." Careful fingers brushed across the bandages. "I understand the frustration of being injured, however, I think it best if you leave the shoulder immobile, for at least another two or three weeks." His eyes were compassionate as he regarded her. "The wound needs to heal further before we attempt anything." One hand clasped her uninjured shoulder lightly, offering silent encouragement. Esther met his gaze, and a small, kind smile curled one corner of the stern mouth. "Rest assured, Majesty. Both Lady Nightroad and the Royal Physician are certain you will completely recover. It simply requires time. That is all."

"I see." Esther relaxed a little. She looked away. "Three weeks..."

"Yes." Virgil's voice turned solemn once again. He stood beside her a moment longer, then turned back to the laden cart. "Now then, if you would care for some breakfast..."

Esther nodded, shifting to straighten while Virgil placed the lap tray and began setting plates and food on it. It was a light breakfast, cereal and fruit and some yogurt, along with a glass of juice. Esther waited until he'd finished, then began to eat the cereal. She'd taken a few bites when realization hit her. She stopped, looking up at the man who stood beside her. "Lord Walsh..."

"Yes? Is there something you need?"

Esther looked away, feeling confused. "No. It's just...I just realized...you've been tending to me for the past few days, and I get the feeling that you and Colonel Spencer and the others...and well...I'm sure you have your own duties. So..."

"You are concerned that you take us from them?" Virgil nodded. "Please, rest assured. There is no problem."

"I understand. But...I know...there are servants...so...I was wondering..." Esther flushed, uncertain how to ask what she wanted to without sounding rude or ungrateful. "I mean, it's not that I don't appreciate your efforts, but...I guess I'm just a little surprised, that you would be taking care of me. That's all."

"I see." Virgil looked away for a moment. "I will confess, there is much to be done. However, that is one reason that Father Nightroad was designated your primary assistant. As for the rest..." He paused a moment, then spoke slowly. "Given Your Majesty's current state, and the talents some of the Order possess, it was thought that perhaps it would be better if only those of us central to the Alliance were to tend to you. Also, as you may recall, servants tend to be somewhat...inclined to gossip, particularly when they are concerned. For that reason as well we thought this would be the best approach. However, if you wish, I will summon your maids. I had requested that the steward give them a holiday, however..."

"No. It's all right." Esther smiled. "It's really all right. I was just curious." She gave him a quick, small grin. "After all, it is a little unusual to see someone like you doing servants work."

An answering smile touched Virgil's mouth. "I do not mind. And as I stated before, the Counts of Manchester are used to serving in whatever capacity is asked of them." He looked away, his gaze going distant for a moment. "I used to serve the late queen when she was ill as well."

"Oh." Esther couldn't think of anything to say to that. Instead, she reached for the spoon, and took another bite of cereal. "Thank you."

She finished breakfast while Virgil stood beside her in silence, offering help as needed and clearing the plates as she finished. He'd brought enough food for seconds, including bread and butter. Esther discovered her appetite had returned with a will. While she didn't eat everything on the cart, she managed the bowl of cereal, two pieces of bread, and apples and grapes and strawberries with the yogurt. Virgil was just clearing away the last of the dishes when there was a knock, and Seth entered the room.

Seth grinned as she shut the door behind her. "Hey Esther."

"Good morning." Esther smiled and gestured to the cart. "Would you like some breakfast? I think I left some."

Seth chuckled. "It's fine. I actually ate a bit ago, with Abel." A mischievous grin crossed her features. "Honestly, I haven't seen him that embarrassed for a while. I asked him how you were doing, and he turned quite red." A giggle escaped as she met Esther's gaze. "You're going to have to tell me what you did, to get Abel so worked up. Who knows? I might like to try it some time. After all, it does seem to be good for him."

Esther blushed. "Well...I didn't do anything really. It's just...I was having trouble sleeping, and he...well, I asked him to help me relax, that's all. But then we both seem to have fallen asleep, and..." She stuttered to a halt, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks.

Seth laughed again. "You don't have to worry. As I said, it's good for Abel." Her gaze shifted to Virgil. "I suppose you don't have too many objections, or you wouldn't have suggested having him escort Esther around today."

"I have none." Blue eyes met emerald, and Esther could see the glitter of amusement in Virgil's eyes. Then he turned to her. "Majesty. If you'll excuse me."

"Of course. Thank you." Esther nodded, and Virgil bowed himself out, taking the food cart with him.

Seth stood watching the door for a moment, then turned. "Well then, if you've finished eating, I'd like to take a look at that shoulder of yours."

"Of course." Esther shifted away from the pillows a little bit. "I'd appreciate it."

Seth moved forward and began unwrapping the bandage. After a few moments, a strange expression crossed her face. "Say Esther..."

"Yes?" Esther blinked at the look in Seth's eyes. Nostalgic, and a little regretful.

"This is a little like the first time we met, isn't it?" Her voice was soft, and Esther couldn't read the emotions in it. "That first day, when I met you in the streets of my Capital. And after you faced those Death Hunters, to defend the Earl of Memphis...I patched you up then too."

"Yes. You did." Esther smiled at the memory. "You came and helped me, and loaned us a bedroom in a town house. I remember that. You were teasing his Excellency."

"Yeah. Well, he really is easy. But, back then...I didn't know you very well. All I knew was that you'd come with Brother Abel from the Vatican, and that I needed your help. But then...you turned out to be quite an interesting and helpful young lady. And now...I guess things really have changed, haven't they?" Seth raised her eyes to look into Esther's.

"Yes." Esther nodded. "I feel like we've become much closer friends since then. And now..."

Seth grinned. "I know what you mean. But I'm glad I got to meet you then. After all, things would be much more difficult now if I hadn't." A twist of her hand unwound the last of the bandage from Esther's shoulder. "There. Let's see..." She frowned, light fingers brushing the wound. "So...how does it feel?"

"I can't really feel anything. It aches, but..." Esther tried not to flinch as Seth probed a spot. "I...I can't move it either. I tried but..."

Seth nodded. "That's to be expected, I'm afraid. You won't be able to move it for a while yet." She sounded apologetic. "That spear you took broke a couple of bones, and it did a lot of damage to your shoulder, especially the muscles. I did the best I could, but this sort of thing takes time. Even my brother might have trouble with something like this."

Esther looked away as Seth began to re-wrap the shoulder. "Even if...even if that's true...I think what happened might have been much worse for him."

Seth sighed. "There's some truth to that, I'm afraid. But...it really can't be helped. And at least he's recovering now too. You shouldn't blame yourself, any more than Abel should. You both did what you felt was best at the time. And to be honest..." Seth paused a moment, then spoke softly. "I didn't see the danger until after you moved, but...if you hadn't gone to protect Abel, I might have. Abel...is not invincible. And something like that, considering the odds...well, it might have gone very badly for him. So even with all this, I don't think I can fault your actions. I probably would have done the same thing." A small smile touched her face. "And I'm pretty sure Brother Abel would be upset with me too."

There was silence between them as Seth finished with the bandages. She sat for a moment, then rose and stretched. "Well then, now that we have that taken care of, I guess we need to get you ready to go. After all..." She flashed Esther a grin. "I doubt you want to go on a tour through the palace in your nightgown."

Esther blushed. "No. But...I'm sure you have much more important things to do."

Seth's grin widened. "Well, I do have a Council to attend, but it's not for a few minutes yet. Besides..." She turned away slightly. "If I don't help you, you'll have to wait for Abel. Not that he isn't reasonably competent at that sort of thing, I suppose, but..." She shrugged.

Esther felt her ears burn. The thought of Abel helping her undress...Virgil had been bad enough. She looked down. "Actually, if you put it like that...I suppose I would like your assistance, if you don't mind."

"Not at all." Esther heard the chuckle in the other woman's voice. She didn't dare look up to meet her eyes, certain Seth knew exactly what she was thinking. Then smaller hands took her shoulders. "Here."

With Seth's help, she managed to maneuver to the edge of the bed, then to the floor. Her legs were shaky, but they held. She managed to stagger to the bathroom while Seth chose a simple outfit for her to wear. It was a casual, light blue dress that could be pulled up rather than down over her head. Between the two of them, Esther managed to get the dress on, and her hair brushed into some semblance of order. She was just settling back into a chair while Seth strapped her arm into a sling when a knock sounded, and Abel's voice came from the other side. "Miss Esther?"

Seth strolled across and threw the door open with a smile. "You've got good timing Abel. We just finished getting Esther ready. And I really do have to get to that meeting now. So then, I'll leave Esther in your care. Remember not to let her get too tired." She flashed her brother a quick grin and a salute, then dashed out the door.

Abel looked after his sister, affection and exasperation on his face. Then he turned back to Esther. The amusement faded. "Ah...Miss Esther..." He looked awkward, and embarrassed.

Esther could guess the cause. She smiled at him. "It's all right. If you're worried about this morning, Lord Walsh says it's fine. He trusts you, and he said he's certain there's no problem if you take care of me while I'm recovering."

"Ah...well then...I suppose." Abel's cheeks were crimson. He looked away for a moment. "Ummm...Lord Walsh told me you wanted to take a trip around the Palace."

"Yes. I did. I was hoping you'd be willing to take me."

"Of course. I have a wheelchair." He turned back to her, the awkwardness fading under his gentle smile. "We can go whenever you're ready."

"All right." Esther started to push herself to her feet, but Abel was by her side in an instant. He didn't say anything, just lifted her into his arms and carried her into the adjoining room, settling her into the wheeled chair as carefully as if she'd been made of glass. Carefully, he arranged a pillow behind her wounded shoulder, while Esther fiddled with her skirt arranging it to swirl comfortably around her. She looked up to find Abel smiling at her. "Umm..."

He laughed softly. "Did you know, Miss Esther? I was just thinking, you look very pretty in that. It really does suit you." He took the handles of the chair. "Shall we go then"

"Yes." Esther ducked her head, hiding the blush rising to her cheeks. Having him compliment her made her heart feel lighter, and brought a smile to her face.

At her request, Abel took her on a full tour of the Palace. She'd had the short version when she'd first come to Albion, escorting the Pope. Virgil and the Steward had given her a detailed tour just before her ascension to the throne, but most of the time she only saw the Royal wing, the main Audience Hall, the dining hall, and the offices. Abel took her through the corridors, into the main courtyard, even into the servant's quarters. As the time approached lunch, he took it as an excuse to stop by the kitchens for a snack. They'd eaten at one of the informal tables, before continuing on.

Esther enjoyed the whole thing. The ability to be up and about, even if Abel was pushing her in a chair, was wonderful. The servants everywhere greeted her with exclamations of delight. To her surprise, Abel also seemed to be a well-known figure, and several of the staff greeted him as well. Both of them returned the greetings cheerfully, and Abel stopped several times so Esther could reassure the staff of her well-being.

During the afternoon, they explored the more formal areas of the palace, meeting with the nobles who remained in residence. Though most of them were more reserved than the servants, Esther thought they were relieved to see her. Many of them questioned what had happened. Esther hadn't had time to think about her story, so she stuck to the bare facts, that they'd been attacked by the order while out in the garden and that she'd been hurt. She also reassured them that Seth and Caterina had no intention of taking over Albion, and that she had authorized them to assist Virgil and Mary with their work. She saw doubt on some faces, but it cleared somewhat when she told them she'd be returning to work in a few days, and that she'd check into all their concerns very carefully. It was a little more difficult, dealing with them, but Abel seemed to know when she was having trouble. He'd stand quietly behind her while she spoke to them, and then, when she began to feel stressed, he'd suggest, delicately, that she didn't need to be tired out, and that he intended to take her to rest. Most of the nobles looked faintly embarrassed at his rebuke, and even the ones that didn't took the hint and excused themselves.

Late afternoon found them back in the Royal wing, near the entrance to the gardens. At the sight of the doorway, Abel brought the wheelchair to a stop. "Miss Esther...did you want to see the gardens this afternoon?"

"Yes, please." She looked at the doors. "The last roses are probably faded by now, but..."

"Well, the winter plants will be flowering. And the ever-greens..." She heard the smile in his voice, even without tilting her head back to look at him. "I must admit, I'm rather fond of the smell of pine trees."

"Yes." She felt a smile creep across her own face as he moved around her to open the door, then gently wheeled her outside. The air was crisp and cool, cooler than she'd expected. Esther shivered a little. Abel turned and, without a word, removed his outer robe and draped it over her lap, smiling. Esther blushed. "You know, we really shouldn't keep going on like this. I feel a little foolish, having you always losing pieces of your uniform to take care of me."

Abel simply shrugged. "Yes, well...I've said it before. I may look wimpy, but...I've never caught a cold." The memory of the first time he'd said that startled a laugh out of her. Abel laughed as well, and caught the wheel-chair. "Shall we go then?"

Esther nodded, and Abel guided the contraption out into the main path. As the first wheel hit the walkway, Esther gasped. The paths of the garden were all gravel, and not suited to wheels. The first roll set the chair bouncing, and her shoulder protested. "Ah..."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to jolt you." Abel's voice was contrite. "It appears the paths are ill-suited to wheel-chairs."

"Yes." Esther bit her lip. It was such a small thing, but she'd always found comfort in the garden, and the thought she'd be unable to see it hurt.

"It's all right. You needn't be so upset." Abel moved forward to kneel in front of her. "This is a bit troublesome, but it just so happens that I have a solution to this little problem."

"Really?"

He grinned. "Of course I do. If I can't push you through the gardens in your chair...well then, I suppose I'll simply have to carry you." He didn't give her time to protest, just bent and scooped her up in his arms. "Now then, did you have a specific direction you wanted to go?"

"Um...no." Esther blinked, still flustered by the feeling of being in Abel's arms. He'd carried her before, she knew, but she was usually unconscious when he did.

"All right. Then we'll just go straight forward." He smiled at her again, and strode forward, into the green maze of plants.

They wandered the gardens for well over an hour. Abel's warmth was more than enough to counter the chill of the air. Esther worried that she was tiring him, but he didn't seem to mind, and she couldn't find it in her heart to complain. In fact, she enjoyed the feeling of being cradled so close to his chest. His warmth was comforting, but as they walked down the paths, looking at the evergreens and inhaling the scent of the pine trees, she found herself resting her head on his chest. Underneath the cassock, she could feel his heart beating, a steady, reassuring rhythm. The sound soothed her, combining with the scent of the plants to make her feel relaxed.

She was just getting drowsy when Abel turned, and she realized they were back on the patio, the chair still waiting for them. She looked up to meet his gentle gaze. She must have looked faintly questioning, because he smiled again. "I shouldn't let you catch cold. Besides, it's almost time for your dinner, and Seth will want to get another look at that shoulder. I think it's best if I take you back inside."

"I see." She smiled and let him settle her back in the chair.

Within half an hour, they were back in her rooms. Esther wanted to stay seated for a while longer, but she felt tired and shaky, so she didn't protest when Abel gently lifted her back into the bed, and took a seat beside her. "Miss Esther?"

"Yes?" She blinked back a yawn and looked at him. He was perched in a chair, that warm smile still touching his features. She was relieved to see it, even more relieved to note how it smoothed away some of the lines of sorrow and fatigue that had been etched around his mouth.

"Did you have a good day today?"

She smiled. "Yes. It was wonderful. Thank you."

"I'm glad." Esther found herself trying to stifle another yawn, and Abel's smile widened. "I'll let you rest now, Miss Esther."

"Wait." She held out her hand. She couldn't quite touch his cassock, but he stopped anyway. She blinked at him a moment, trying to get her thoughts in order. "Virgil...Lord Walsh...he said...he said they wanted someone from the Alliance to watch over me. And...that no one...would mind if you stayed." She blinked again, fighting back another yawn. "Please..."

Abel stared at her, his eyes gone solemn behind the lenses of his glasses. "Miss Esther..." He stopped a moment, then reached down to take her hand in both of his, "I...if this is what you want, I will not deny you. But...I do not wish to do anything that will hurt you, Miss Esther, or endanger your reputation."

Esther smiled sleepily at him. "I know. But...it's all right." Her hand shifted, wrapping gently around his. "It's really all right. After all, you are supposed to be taking care of me. And when you're here...I feel much safer, really." That was true. While she knew Virgil and Mary were looking out for her, and that everyone was doing their best, Abel's presence was especially comforting, and knowing he was there was enough to drive the nightmares away.

"All right." Abel settled into a sitting position on the edge of the bed, still holding her hand. After a moment, one of his hands slipped loose, and gently brushed her hair back from her face. "Rest, Miss Esther." Esther smiled and closed her eyes.

The next few days were both frustrating and incredibly helpful. Esther wanted to be back on her feet, involved with the kingdom and the Alliance, but her still-healing wound troubled her. She would have been driven crazy by the inactivity and enforced confinement, if it hadn't been for the others.

Seth and Virgil came every morning, usually while Abel was across the hall cleaning himself up for the day. Virgil brought her breakfast, and Seth came to check her shoulder. Once she'd been fed and checked, one of them would assist her in getting dressed for the day.

Abel sometimes took breakfast with her, before withdrawing, but he always returned just after Seth had finished examining and tending the shoulder wound. Afterward, he took her on a gentle walk through the Palace, and through the gardens. Though they didn't take the full tour, being able to leave her room was wonderful. After the first day, she began walking short distances around her room on her own, and by the fifth day, she was well enough to walk out into the garden to her favorite gazebo, with Abel's support. Though it irritated her to be so weak, it was also rather...comforting, to have an excuse to lean into his warm grip.

Two days after she began her walking, Virgil appeared in the doorway with a stack of papers in his hands, just after she returned. "Your Majesty." he moved forward, and set the stack on her table. "If you should feel well enough, I have here the reports from the past few days, and reviews of what has transpired since your injury, both in the Albion Royal Council, and in the Alliance Council. Please, feel free to look them over, if you wish."

Esther nodded. "Thank you." She edged herself to the side of the bed, and Abel took her gently in his arms. "I'll do that."

Afternoons after that were occupied with reading through reports, marking the things she wanted to discuss, and things she wasn't sure about. To her surprise, Abel stayed with her, and read through the material himself. He even managed to answer some of her questions, and brought up other issues. Though he wasn't very interested in politics, he did have a good insight into people, especially those on the Alliance Counsel.

To Esther's surprise, Alessandro appeared on the third day. She and Abel were just setting down to the table when the young pope knocked hesitantly on her door. "Ummm...Esther?"

"Yes, Holiness?" She started to rise, but he shook his head.

"No, it's fine. Please...sister said you shouldn't move too much yet. And..." He flushed slightly. "It's...it's fine, for you to call me by name. I mean...this isn't official or anything, so..."

"Of course. Please, come in." Esther waited while the young man settled himself into a seat. "Is there something Father Nightroad or I can do for you?"

"Ummm...well, sister...sister told me you'd be looking over things. She said...that you wanted to know what...what was going on. I...I don't do much, but I...I've been to the meetings. So...if you have questions, I thought I could help. And I..." He blushed again, twisting his robe in his hands. "I don't really know a lot, about politics...and people. Sister and Brother always handle that. But I...I'd like to learn. I'm too scared to ask Sister, and she's so busy. But I thought, if you didn't mind...maybe...maybe you could explain things to me. And then...I'd like to be able to help..." He stopped, looking shy and embarrassed, but also determined.

Esther smiled, and looked at Abel. He was smiling as well. She turned back to the young man seated across from her. "Of course. I'd be honored to help you, and I'm glad to have your assistance." She let her smile widen. "I'm still pretty new to this myself, but I'm sure we can figure things out. Besides, Father Nightroad is here to help us, and he served with Lady Caterina for a long time, so I'm sure he can give us plenty of assistance as well."

Alessandro blinked. "Umm...thank you." He turned to face Abel. "Father Nightroad...you don't...you don't mind, do you?"

Abel shook his head. "Of course not." A sheepish smile crossed his features. "I'm not really sure how much help I can be, but...I'll do my best. And you're welcome to join us. Actually, we were just about to start for today, looking over the Alliance Council records for a few days ago. So if you don't mind..." He gestured to the sheet in front of him. "I was just looking at this...and I was wondering if you could tell me, who exactly is handling the matter of that captured spy?"

"Oh...it was...Lady Vanessa I think. Lord Walsh said it was safest to leave him with her." Alessandro blinked. "I don't really know why, when Colonel Spencer is the leader of the army, but..."

"Well, it's further from Esther. But also, the Underground has some special defenses, and monitoring technology." Abel leaned forward and began to explain, and soon they had a lively discussion going.

After that, Alessandro came every day. He was shy, and hesitant about voicing his opinions, or asking questions, but he was also very smart. He had a way of looking at a situation and seeing through to the heart of the matter. His suggestions were usually simple, and straightforward, but they were also extremely helpful, and his questions were generally very insightful. Esther enjoyed working with him, and his quiet presence seemed to ease some of Abel's tension as well. Despite his professed lack of knowledge in politics, Abel's knowledge of people merged well with Alessandro's, and his gentle encouragement brought out a lively and inquisitive spirit in the younger man. The three of them usually wound up discussing things until dinner time, or until Alessandro left to attend to another meeting.

Usually, Alessandro's leaving would mark the end of work for the day. Esther would have liked to continue, but she was still getting fatigued far too easily. After the Pope's departure, Abel had food brought from the kitchens. The two of them would eat together, relaxing in each other's company and discussing this or that. Sometimes they spoke of things they'd gone over earlier in the day, sometimes, it was simply random discussions. She'd have one or two visits from the others, then Virgil would arrive to help her prepare for bed. Abel always disappeared during that, but he came back as soon as she was ready. Every night, Esther fell asleep with him seated beside her. Some nights, she was so exhausted she slept the night through. Some nights, she woke with nightmares, and then Abel would shift, and carefully lower himself atop the blankets to embrace her, soothing her with his warmth.

Finally, ten days after her first trip through the halls, Esther managed to get up and start dressing on her own. The arm was still troublesome, but she no longer felt weak or light-headed when she stood, and her legs were steady. Seth grinned as she helped Esther maneuver the shoulder into the sleeve of the dress she was wearing. "Hey, Esther, it looks like you've improved quite a bit." She helped her fasten the dress in back, then stepped backward a few steps. "Did you eat breakfast yet?"

"No. I wasn't hungry, and Lord Walsh said he'd bring it after we were done." Esther shifted, trying to get comfortable in the heavy duty sling.

Seth's grin widened. "Well, in that case, why don't you and Abel join everyone else for breakfast? I was just getting ready to head down to the dining area myself. The two of you have been cooped up here for a while now."

Esther smiled. "That sounds wonderful." She shifted her arm a bit, then relaxed as the sling settled into place. "I think I'd like that."

Seth grinned and stretched, popping her back slightly. "Well then, let's go collect my brother and be on our way, shall we?"

Abel had just finished dressing when they knocked, and not at all adverse to joining the others. He and Seth engaged in cheerful conversation, with Esther between them, as they made their way down to the dining hall. When they reached the doors, he stepped forward and pulled them open, bowing. "Ladies first."

"Thank you, Abel." Seth grinned. "I didn't know you knew how to be such a gentleman."

Astha, already seated at the table, snorted. "Hah. I beg your forgiveness for speaking so rudely of you brother, Empress, but I suspect this is a fluke in behavior." Her golden eyes glittered with a faintly menacing light as she grinned at Abel. "Or have you perhaps learned some manners after all, tovarish?"

Abel flushed. "That's just rude. Honestly, when have I ever been anything less than a perfect gentleman? I'm not Leon, you know."

"I heard that, Four Eyes." Leon rose from his seat, wolf's grin firmly in place. He cracked his knuckles. "So then, if you're a gentleman, then you fight duels to prove your assertions, right? How about a little one-on-one before eating?"

Abel raised his hands defensively. "Umm...no thank you. After all, I am taking care of Miss Esther at the moment. Besides, it's rude to let food get cold while brawling over little things, you know."

"He has a point." Caterina smiled and rose from her chair. "Lady Esther, it's good to see you've recovered enough to join us."

"Yes." Esther returned her smile, then moved to sit in the chair Abel pulled out for her. Servants came to set the table as soon as she and the others were seated, and food was brought.

Breakfast with her friends was uplifting. The group made small talk about weather and various other things. Abel was soon drawn into a round of teasing between Seth, Astha and Leon, while the rest of them laughed. The Professor added his own commentary, and even Alessandro was pulled into the joking. Esther hadn't realized how much she missed everyone's camaraderie, but the friendship that flowed around her eased a tight knot in her stomach that she hadn't even really been aware of. Despite the fact that Virgil and Mary still had to assist her with cutting her food, she felt more healed, and more at rest than she had before, save when Abel was comforting her.

After almost an hour, breakfast wound to a close. Seth and Caterina were both involved in their work for their respective organizations; Alessandro was scheduled to take a short tour of the churches in Londinium, in honor of the upcoming Holy Days. Ion and Astha were retiring for the day, and Virgil and Mary had the duties of Albion to handle. Esther wanted to return to her office as well, but Seth counseled more rest. As the Empress rose, she smiled at Esther. "I know you're feeling a bit restless, but it won't help if you push too hard. After all, at least you came this far today. Honestly, I wouldn't have been surprised if you'd taken another few days. So...why don't you and Abel take another day or two, okay?" A small laugh escaped her. "I promise, there will be plenty of work to do."

Esther nodded."I understand." And she did. Invigorating as it was to be with everyone, she was aware of a vague sense of tiredness.

Astha rose from her seat, stretching like a cat. "Well, I'm off to rest myself." She strolled around the table to clap Abel on the back. "Take good care of her, priest. I expect to see you both for dinner, understood?"

Abel stiffened at her touch, a look of alarm suddenly crossing his features. It was gone so suddenly that Esther wasn't sure she'd seen it, but Astha frowned. "Are you all right, Nightroad?"

Abel chuckled weakly. "I'm fine. I just...well, something went down wrong. Sorry." He tapped his chest a couple times, looking embarrassed. "I'll see you at dinner, Miss Astha." Astha frowned a moment longer, then turned and left.

Abel sat still in his chair a few moments. He looked solemn, and faintly concerned. Esther wanted to ask him what was wrong. She even opened her mouth to speak to him, but before she could say anything, he turned to her with a bright smile. "Well then, Miss Esther, shall we take our walk?"

She wanted to ask him what was going on, but there was something about the way he spoke that told her he would dodge the question. So she nodded, and let him guide her from the chair. _He...he could have simply swallowed something the wrong way. Or maybe...the Professor and Seth both mentioned his wounds were healing slower than normal. Astha might have accidentally hit one. And he's so used to a quick recovery; I can see how it might be disconcerting for him._

She wanted to believe that, but as they went through the papers and talked with Alessandro, the feeling of something being not quite right persisted. And when they joined the others for dinner, she had a vague sense of wrongness. It almost seemed as if Abel was suddenly wary of approaching Astha, or Virgil and Ion. It was so subtle it might have been her imagination, but the feeling persisted. It was still there when Abel escorted her to bed and took his usual place at her side.

She woke in the middle of the night, not sure what had disturbed her. Then a low whisper of sound reached her ears, barely more than a murmur. "No..." She turned her head.

Abel had left her side. He was standing near the window, leaning on his forearms, against the wall. His head was bowed, his fists clenched. Esther felt her stomach clench. He looked as if he was in pain, and the posture looked far too much like the one he'd had when she'd first seen him, all those months ago. She remembered still, seeing him leaning against the wall with that look of pain and fear on his face.

"No..." The voice was definitely Abel's, but deeper, and ragged, as if he were fighting for the words. "I will not...you mustn't. Not here. Not now. You must remain..." He shuddered, visible even in the dim moonlight. "I will not...release...you. Not here, not now. Not...for this." The last word emerged in what was almost a groan. "Don't come out. Remain...asleep."

Esther covered her mouth with her hand, to stifle a gasp. The words reminded her of when she'd followed him in Carthage, and caught him in the bathroom trying to suppress his Crusnik. She knew, if that was the case, he wouldn't want her to witness it. She lay still, waiting to see what would happen.

Finally, after a few moments that seemed like an eternity, Abel's shoulders relaxed. She heard him exhale, a deep slow breath, and knew the worst of the fit had passed. She sat up. "Abel?"

He spun around with a muffled gasp. "Esther?"

She blinked at him, trying to look as if she'd just woken. "Abel, is something wrong?"

He shook his head. "It's all right."

She frowned. "Are you sure? You seem..."

He shook his head again, and when he spoke, his voice was gentle and teasing, with just a hint of self-mockery in it. "I'm fine, Miss Esther. Really. I just...well, I thought it was a bad dream, but my stomach was also a bit upset. So I thought I'd get up and move around, to see if it would settle." He sighed. "It's all right. It's passed now, so you don't need to worry." He seemed to hesitate a moment, then moved forward to lay a hand on the bed beside her. In the moonlight, she saw the faint smile. "It's all right. Please, rest."

She knew he was lying, but she couldn't see any way of confronting him about it. Instead, she lay back down, then touched his wrist. "Here. You should rest too. I'm sure you'll feel better if you lie down and sleep properly." She scooted over a little, giving him room to lie down.

Abel hesitated, then settled himself in his usual place, across the top of the blankets. But though his hand remained in hers, he made no move to embrace her. And while he was still close enough for his warmth to reach her, he wasn't curling himself next to her, and his posture wasn't as relaxed as it usually was. Esther thought about asking him again, but she suspected she already knew his answer. He'd simply tell her he didn't want to disturb her if his 'illness' returned. She sighed, then resolved to leave it alone for the moment. After a few more moments, she closed her eyes, and let Abel's quiet breathing lull her to sleep.

She awoke the next morning with Abel sitting beside her. It wasn't that unusual for him to wake first, but there was something in his posture, in the way he seemed to have moved toward the edge of the bed, that re-awoke the misgivings of the night before. She sat up, but before she could say anything, he turned to her with a smile. "Good morning, Miss Esther. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes. I slept fine. And you?" She glanced at the clock. "It seems a little early."

"I'm fine." He shrugged. "I slept all right." He looked at the clock himself, then rose in a smooth, graceful motion. "Seth and Lord Walsh will probably be here soon, so I'll just run across the hall and clean up, all right?"

"Of course." Esther nodded, watching him as he collected his clothing and made his way to the door. He didn't seem to be moving any differently, but...it wasn't like him to leave before the others actually arrived. And despite his relaxed tone, she'd seen shadows beneath the smile in his eyes. "Will you be coming to breakfast with us this morning?"

"Of course I will." He offered her another smile, then left the room. Esther remained seated in her blankets, trying to figure out what was going on. And more importantly, what she could do about it.

She was still there when Seth arrived. She was so immersed in her thoughts that she actually jumped when the slender figure appeared in her doorway. "Lady Seth."

"Morning, Esther." Seth gave her a small grin. "You seem a little jumpy today."

Esther grinned, a little embarrassed. "I suppose. Sorry, I was just thinking about something, and you startled me."

"Hmmm...well, that can happen." Seth strolled over, then looked up and met her eyes. A small frown line appeared. "Is everything all right? You appear to be worried about something."

Esther bit her lip, not sure what to say. She didn't want to arouse undue concern, but...she remembered Abel, leaning against the wall. The whispered pain of his words, as though he fought himself. And Seth was Abel's sister. "It's...I'm not sure, it's just that, last night...Abel was behaving a little strangely." She told Seth what had happened. "He said he was just feeling a little sick, and having nightmares, but...I've seen him like that before in Carthage."

Seth chewed on her lower lip thoughtfully. "I can see why you're worried." She sighed, and there was concern in her eyes. "I'd like to believe Abel too, but...you're right. He does have a bad habit of hiding his true condition. And if he's fighting the Crusnik consciously, that isn't a good sign." she frowned. "Do you know if his wounds have healed?"

"No. I haven't seen him undressed, and I didn't think to ask." Esther bit her lip again. "I...he doesn't ever talk about his injuries. I don't even know how badly he was hurt."

Seth gave her a quick, reassuring glance. "He wasn't hurt that bad, just a few cuts." She sighed again. "It's just...he was really suppressing his powers for a while there, so his wounds were healing at a normal Terran rate. Even when I checked him a few days ago, it was normal. But if they've suddenly healed, it means the Crusnik have become active again."

"I...is it bad?" Esther felt a chill down her spine.

"I don't know." Seth shook her head, leaning against the bed-frame. "Abel...Abel does a lot of things with his powers that I've never done, and never seen anyone else do. Granted, there aren't exactly a lot of us, but..." She shook her head again. "It could be this is just a passing effect, and he'll calm down in a few days. Or it could get worse. At the moment, I don't think there's any real way to know." She hesitated a moment, then spoke softly. "I fear, however, that we do need to inform the others. If Abel is really having problems, then we'll all have to be careful until the issue is resolved."

"That's true. But how? Esther swallowed. "I'd really rather not let him know I think that of him. It would...especially if he's having trouble, it would hurt him."

"I know what you mean." Seth sighed. "Well, we'll have to think of something. In the meantime, why don't I go ahead and take a look at that shoulder of yours."

Esther nodded. In the week and a half she'd been awake, even she could tell the shoulder was improving. She still wore a sling, but she could shift it slightly, enough to put on her clothing, without much pain. And the wound was no longer as raw and ugly looking as it had been. She sat still while Seth examined her. Seth poked the healed skin a few times, then began to manipulate the shoulder itself. Esther concentrated on relaxing, and telling her when it hurt. After a few minutes, Seth nodded and began re-wrapping the shoulder. "Well, it looks as if everything's going very well. The surface wounds are mostly healed. Your shoulder blade isn't quite healed yet, but it's definitely set correctly and mending. The muscles will take a little while, but they're showing improvement. I think you may need to remain in the sling for another two or three weeks, but after that, you should be ready to get back to normal activities. You can start trying to move it a little now, but take it slow, okay?"

"I understand. Thank you." Esther got dressed. Seth helped some, getting the fasteners on the back, but Esther was glad she no longer needed help just to stand while dressing. She got her hair brushed, then turned. "Will you be coming to breakfast?"

"Yeah. Do you think Abel will?"

Esther shifted. "He said he was, but..." She knew that Virgil, at least, would be at breakfast, probably the others as well. If Abel was having trouble, it would only strain him further. Besides, a quiet gathering like breakfast was a good time to let people know what was happening to him, but she didn't want to say it while he was there.

Seth gave her a crooked grin. "Well, he should be finished getting ready now, so let's go get him."

When they knocked on the door, Abel answered. He was wearing a clean cassock, but he still looked a little disordered. Esther started to say something, but Seth beat her to it. "Hey Abel. You don't look so good."

"Oh...I'm fine. It's just...well, I seem to have misplaced a few things, and..." His smile was sheepish, but it didn't reach his eyes.

Seth shook her head with a sigh. "Honestly Abel, you are a terrible liar." she reached up to run a hand across his jaw. "Esther told me you weren't feeling well last night. And it's okay, you know, to tell people if you don't feel well. As hard as you've been pushing, I don't think anyone is going to fuss at you or anything."

"Ummm, well, it's just an upset stomach. I'm sure it'll pass." Abel grinned.

Esther took his hand. "You still look tired though. Did you sleep any after you got up?"

"A little." Abel sighed. "I kept waking up though, for some strange reason."

Seth grimaced. "That isn't good." She stretched a little, to touch her brother's forehead. "It doesn't feel like you have a fever, but then, I wouldn't know. It's not like I've ever seen you catch cold. But I suppose there's always a first time." She sighed. "Anyway, if you aren't feeling well, the best thing you can do is get plenty of rest, drink lots of water, and take care of yourself. After all, we wouldn't want Esther to get sick too."

Abel made a face. "It isn't that bad, honestly."

"Even so, she's right." Esther squeezed his hand gently. "You do need to take care of yourself." She looked up into his face. "You should rest. I can have someone bring you breakfast. You should go and try to get some more sleep."

Abel flushed slightly. "Miss Esther..."

She smiled at him. "It's all right. Everyone will be there to watch me, and I'm sure I can get the Professor or someone else to bring me back here."

Seth shrugged. "If it comes to that, you're probably well enough to attend the Council meeting this morning, if you want to." She fixed her brother with a sharp stare. "You, on the other hand, look like you'll fall asleep at the table, never mind the meeting." She took Abel's arm, turned him gently around, and gave him a careful push back into his quarters. "Go rest, my dear brother. I'll ask Lord Walsh to send you some food. If you behave, I'll tell him to let you come work with Esther and Alessandro this afternoon, okay?"

Abel stumbled into the room, blinking back at his sister. "Seth..."

She grinned. "You might as well give up. Otherwise, I'll tell Caterina you're being stubborn again, and she'll probably order you to rest."

Abel sighed. "All right. If you're sure..." A tired smile touched his face. "I suppose I could use a little more rest. If you could have someone sent around with lunch later, I'd appreciate it." His gaze shifted to Esther's and he smiled again. "I'll see you this afternoon, Miss Esther."

Esther nodded. "I'll see you then, Abel." Before he could say anything else, Seth reached out and shut the door.

Seth took a deep breath. "Whew. Come on, we'd better go before he thinks of another reason to protest." She sighed. "Abel...still as stubborn as always." She turned and gave Esther a half smile. "Come on. We'd better get to breakfast, or that matador guy will probably eat everything."

"Of course." Esther nodded, and the two of them hurried for the dining hall.

They arrived just as the servants finished setting the table. Everyone else had already arrived, and Virgil was standing by her chair, waiting for her. Astha was doing the same at Seth's seat. As the two of them settled into their seats, Virgil frowned. "Your Majesty, will Father Nightroad be joining us?"

Esther shook her head. "No. Actually, I think he's asleep. He asked if you could please send him something around lunchtime."

"I see." Virgil bowed, then moved around to his own seat and settled gracefully into it. There was a faint frown line between his eyes. "Your Majesty...is there something wrong? You seem troubled."

Leon made a face. "Don't tell me Four Eyes is slacking off again."

Esther shook her head. "No. It isn't that. He said he had an upset stomach, but..." She stopped, swallowing hard. She knew she should tell the others, so they'd be prepared, but the thought of revealing Abel's condition when he didn't even want her to know felt almost like betrayal.

"But you think it's something else." Esther looked up to meet Caterina's cool gaze. The Cardinal offered her a thin smile. "I know Abel. He's never been sick a day in his life." The gray eyes were thoughtful. "He's not known for getting colds. I suppose it's not impossible for him to have an ulcer but, given his particular constitution..."

William shook his head. "There's no denying Abel could work himself into an ulcer, but even so, the Crusnik would probably heal it as quickly as it occurred."

Esther nodded. "I know he's occasionally eaten something that disagreed with him, and he gets ill on boats, but..."

Ion shook his head. "We aren't on a boat here, and as for things that disagree with him...I think that was because he was digging in the garbage because he was out of money. Isn't that right?"

"Yes." Esther looked down.

"So, what?" Leon frowned. "You think he's lying?" He snorted. "I hate to say it, but it's not like him to lie to get out of something."

"No. But it is like him to lie to hide something." Astha frowned. "That priest..."

"Yes." Caterina frowned. "The question is, what is Abel hiding, and how serious is it?"

Seth sighed. "I don't know how serious it is yet, but I can tell you what my brother is hiding. He's hiding the fact that his Crusnik have resumed activation, and that it's giving him trouble."

Esther nodded her agreement. "I woke up last night, and he was...he was standing by the wall, leaning on it. It sounded like...as if he were arguing with himself." She looked back down at her plate, a sick feeling in her stomach.

"You mean, you think he was arguing with _them_." The Professor spoke softly. "That is...not unheard of with Abel."

"Indeed. The question remains, how serious is it?" Caterina folded her hands, ignoring the fruit on her plate. Her eyes were considering. "Also, we'll need to consider what to do about the situation. Rosenkreutz has disappeared for the moment, and I don't know of any other troublesome activity occurring, at least, none that would require Abel's particular talents."

Seth shook her head. "At the moment, we should probably wait. Abel's powers may be strained, but that doesn't mean he won't resolve the issue on his own. He may just need to sleep and take it easy for a few days."

Leon frowned. "I don't get it. Granted, I don't know a lot about him, and I sure as hell don't understand that weird transformation he goes through. But...doesn't it only bother him when he pushes it? It's been three weeks since we had that battle."

"That's very true. But Abel..." Seth sighed.

"Abel's condition is based on a number of factors." The Professor shifted his pipe in his teeth. "Truth be told, I've been a little concerned for some time. And I happen to have a theory about why Abel's system might react like this."

Esther blinked. "You do? But why...?"

William frowned. "During the battle, Abel naturally used up a great deal of his power. But considering that most of his opponents were Death Hunters..."

"He couldn't feed from them." Ion spoke softly. "Then...he hasn't been able to replenish his strength?"

"That's part of it. But the other part..." William sighed. "After Esther was injured, Abel completely suppressed his powers, to protect her from any chance that they would do something dangerous. During that time, as you may have noticed, Abel's body was responding much like a normal Terran's. However..." He looked up, his gaze drifting around the table. "I wonder. What exactly would happen, to any of us, if we stayed up and fasted for a week, or longer?"

Astha frowned. "It's impossible. Even the strongest Methuselah can't go that long without food or rest. Perhaps one or the other, but not together."

Seth nodded. "I can do it, but it is very difficult."

"That's true, but... correct me if I'm wrong, but you share Abel's condition." He met her gaze. Seth nodded. "Well then. Your power, like Abel's, could modify your metabolism to support you."

"You think that his system had to adjust, and it's having trouble returning to normal?" Mary frowned.

"No. I think it may be more serious than that. I think Abel went through that period without allowing his powers to activate. If that's the case, the strain on his system must have been incredible. And in that case, if his powers were to activate when his body is that strained..."

"You think they can't restore him?" Caterina frowned.

"Not without some source of energy." William sighed. "Of course, there's no way I can prove that this is the case, not without checking him. And honestly, I'm a little reluctant to do so. If I try to examine him now, Abel may guess our suspicions. And considering that he's trying to avoid bringing his condition to our attention..."

"Indeed. So then, how exactly do you recommend we handle the matter?" Caterina's glance cut around the table. "I'm open to suggestions."

Ion frowned. "In a Methuselah, you would normally provide them with a high doses of Aqua Vitae, if they were in that condition."

Seth grimaced. "Unfortunately, there isn't a solution like that available for Abel. I never considered making an equivalent for me. I haven't used my powers enough to need it, after all."

"If I may..." Virgil spoke up softly. "Father Nightroad has explained his history to us, somewhat. I believe there was a significant period of time between your transformation in the Crusnik, and the founding of the Empire. There were also four of you, then. At that time, was there some method of controlling the situation? I understand that Father Nightroad went to battle quite often. Surely this must have arisen before."

"It might have, once or twice. But the truth is..." Seth sighed. "Cain didn't really care about things like that. There were people who would volunteer to donate blood if we needed it. After all, Methuselah understand that sort of thing much better than Terran's, at least they did back then. But, with all the battles, it wasn't that hard. Lilith had something, I think. She gave it to Abel once or twice, when he was having trouble. I know part of it, because it's what my assistants and I used to develop the Aqua Vitae. But Crusnik aren't the same. And whatever formula Lilith had for us, I'm afraid it died with her. I may have part of the puzzle, but I don't know enough to recreate what she did. And she took the secret with her when she left us. Even if I could puzzle it out, I don't think my brother will be able to wait that long." She sighed again.

"Then..." Esther broke off.

"For now, we may as well wait and see what happens. Hopefully, Abel will either manage on his own, or he'll come speak with one of us. However, if the situation persists, we may have to consider a more dramatic course of action." Caterina sighed. "Let's pray he gets himself under control."

Everyone nodded. There was silence around the table as they applied themselves to their food, but Esther could see the concern on everyone's faces. Even Leon was frowning with worry. Esther poked at her fruit, not certain she was really hungry. _Lady Caterina said we might have to take more drastic measures, but...what? Would they imprison Father Nightroad? _ The thought made her sick, and yet, she knew it was exactly what Abel himself would ask for. If he truly was losing his control, he'd either leave, or he'd ask to be chained where he couldn't hurt anyone. That was how he did things. _But...if he leaves...what will happen then? Besides, we need him here. And if we chain him...I'm sure he'd say it was all right, but...it would hurt him. But...the only real solution is for him to get the blood he needs. And without any enemies to fight, Abel won't..._

She kept turning the problem over in her head, but she couldn't think of any other solution. The thought preoccupied her over the rest of breakfast. Afterward, during the Alliance meeting, she did manage to stay focused, but only because she was concentrating on taking notes for Abel. Even then, the worry persisted in the back of her mind.

Finally, the meeting was over. Ion and Astha hadn't participated, and she knew they were sleeping. Leon was off doing something of his own, and Virgil and Mary both excused themselves immediately after, to tend to their other duties. Esther found herself sitting down to lunch with Seth, Caterina, Alessandro, and the Professor. She tried to maintain polite conversation, but her mind kept wandering. Finally, she set aside her fork. "I'm sorry. Please, excuse me."

"Esther?" Alessandro looked up. "Ummm...is there...is there something wrong? I mean...are you...are you not feeling well? Did we...say something that bothered you?"

Esther flushed, looking away from the earnest expression. "It's not that. It's just..."

"You're worried about my brother, aren't you?" Seth sighed and set her fork aside as well. "We all are, you know. You don't have to leave just for that."

Esther bit her lip. "It's just that...the way we were talking earlier...about what we'd do if he couldn't..."

"If he couldn't control the Crusnik?" Caterina set her teacup down.

"Yes. You talked about more forceful measures, but...what sort of things were you thinking of?" Esther flushed. "I...can't think of anything. Except...he'll leave if he thinks he's endangering us. And...if he loses control..."

"If he completely loses control, I intend to have Brother Petros and Tres handle it. The two of them may actually be strong enough to overpower him." Caterina frowned.

"But...then what? Will you...imprison him?" Esther felt herself shaking.

"If I have to, then yes." Caterina met her eyes. "Do you truly think Abel would want it any other way?"

"No...but..." Esther bit her lip again, feeling tears of frustration in her eyes.

"Don't worry, Esther." Seth gave her a grim smile. "If it gets that far, we probably won't have to do that. Abel's body will short circuit on it's own. Either that, or they'll be able to knock him unconscious. Once that happens, we'll be in a position to take care of him."

"Take care of...?" Esther blinked back her tears.

"Uh-huh." Seth gave her a small grin. "You wouldn't know, and Abel doesn't either, but there are several people who have volunteered to give my brother a donation if he needs it. When you disappeared, Abel came pretty close to the edge. At that time, Astha, Ion, and even your Lord Walsh came forward to offer support. If Abel gets knocked unconscious, then we'll just keep him under long enough to give him some blood." She made a face. "He won't appreciate it, but at least he'll recover."

"He...he won't?" Alessandro looked puzzled. "But...if it helps him...then why...?"

Seth grimaced again. "Well, my brother really hates needles. But aside from that, he doesn't like to hurt others, and he doesn't like it when people sacrifice themselves for him. It gives him bad memories. But, if it comes down to that, I guess we can count on your help, right Esther?" She met Esther's eyes with a small smile. "We'll take care of Abel's little anemia problem, and I'll let you sort out his mind, okay?"

Esther smiled back. "Of course. I'd be more than happy to." She settled back into her seat, blushing a little. "Sorry for being so upset."

Seth's smile came a little easier. "It isn't a problem. The truth is, I'm pretty worried too, but I'm not as good at showing it. And I think it's a good thing, for Abel to have someone who cares for him like you do. Someone who will get upset on his behalf."

"Actually, I find it somewhat of a relief as well." Wordsworth spoke from his own chair. "I confess, I was also concerned about what our course of action regarding Abel should be." He smiled.

Esther finished her meal in a much better humor. After she'd cleared the last bite from her plate, she stood. "Holiness, will you be joining me again today?"

"Ummm...yes, of course. But...did we still...do we need to go over things?" Alessandro blinked.

"I suppose not, but I wanted to share our information with Father Nightroad, since he couldn't come, and I thought you might have some questions." Esther offered him a gentle smile.

"Ummm...well, actually, I did have a few...but is it okay? Father Nightroad, I mean. I...I wouldn't want...to bother him, if he's not feeling well."

Esther stretched out her uninjured hand. "It's all right. I'm sure he'd welcome your company."

"O...okay." Alessandro rose from his seat, and both of them left, heading for Esther's rooms.

Abel was waiting outside the doors when they arrived. He was standing, leaning against the wall, but he looked up at the sound of their footsteps, and his usual gentle smile broke across his features. "Miss Esther. Alessandro." The smile turned sheepish. "I wasn't sure where to meet you, so...I just wound up waiting here. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all." Esther returned his smile, and Alessandro managed a shy grin. "Are you feeling better, Father?"

"Yes actually. Quite a bit." He looked a little flustered. "Apparently, I just needed to rest. Although, considering I haven't done anything strenuous lately..." He blushed slightly.

"It's fine I'm sure. After all, I think everyone has days like that, Father." Esther smiled at him again, and laid a hand on his arm. "But if you're feeling up to it, then we really need to get to work."

"Yes, of course." Abel pushed the door open and bowed. "Miss Esther, Holiness."

The rest of the afternoon went smoothly enough. Esther tried to watch Abel without being too conspicuous about it. He seemed cheerful enough, and his interactions with both of them were relaxed. She could almost believe that nothing had happened. But...there was something just the tiniest bit off about his movements, and edge she didn't remember. She wasn't sure she'd have noticed if she hadn't been looking for it, and at times she thought she was imagining it. She did notice, however, that when they joined everyone else for dinner, he somehow wound up seated away from the Methuselah. From the way he settled into his chair, it might have been a simple coincidence. And from the way he dug into his dinner his appetite seemed to be as healthy as ever. Esther frowned, trying to remember if his previous condition had caused a failing appetite or a greater one. She didn't think Abel had eaten much at the time, but then, he'd had extreme internal injuries as well. And she'd been too worried about the Earl of Memphis to pay close attention. Esther sighed, and pushed it to the back of her mind. Seth and Caterina were right, there was nothing to do but wait.

That night, and the next few days, seemed to fall back into their usual pattern. Esther woke, ate with the others, joined them for meetings when they had them, and then did her paperwork with Alessandro and Abel in the afternoons, when things were quieter and the rest of her companions were engaged in other duties. Two days after she'd returned to meetings, Esther decided to return to her office to work on her papers. She was more used to doing it there, and the firm chair gave her excellent support on her shoulder. To her delight, Seth also gave her permission to remove the sling while she worked, saying that it would help loosen the muscles so the shoulder would move easier when it had healed.

Abel joined her for most of each day, though he sometimes skipped breakfast, for one reason or another. He seemed relaxed enough, but as the days went by there was a kind of tension in the air, and a feeling of waiting for something to happen. She wondered sometimes if he felt it as well, but she didn't want to ask him. Besides, there was still that subtle edge to his movements sometimes, and she got the feeling he was trying to avoid Astha, Ion and Virgil without being too obvious about it. For their part, the three Methuselah seemed to accept the situation. And at night, Abel joined her, his presence warm and comforting as always. Try as she might, Esther couldn't tell if he was distancing himself from her or not.

Five days after she returned to her office, she and Alessandro were going over a few of her documents when a knock on the door interrupted, and Mary strode in. She bowed and moved to the center of the room. "Holiness. Your Majesty. My apologies for disturbing you."

"It's fine." Alessandro shifted. "Esther?"

"It's fine. Really. I was just about to suggest we take a break." Esther shifted the papers sideways, then stretched her uninjured shoulder. "What is it?"

Mary bowed. "The holiday celebrations will be occurring in two weeks. Though I know we will be remaining on guard, I would like to request support to have a small celebration for the Palace guard." She paused, then turned to Alessandro. "Holiness, I realize we are not strict followers of the Vatican, however, it would honor us if you would be willing to say a short prayer for us, perhaps Christmas Eve or the night before."

The youth brightened. "Of course. I'd be happy to." He blinked. "Umm...what about...what about the people...in the Underground? Is there...is there something I can do for them?"

Mary frowned thoughtfully. "We did have some plans in place for the Underground. I believe Lord Walsh would be better able to inform you in regards to that."

Esther sat up, looking at the papers. "I think we have the plans for that somewhere here. I remember going over them, just before the attack." She began shifting through the paper stack she thought held the information. It was awkward, one-handed, and the papers slipped. Esther gasped, flinching a little as the edge of one sheet cut a fine line across her finger.

"Esther?" Alessandro started in alarm, and Mary took a step forward.

She shook her head with a smile. "It's all right. Just a paper cut."

A thud drew their attention to the other side of the room. Abel had been sitting in a chair by the window, looking at some files Caterina had given him. He was standing, staring at Esther's bleeding finger, his face gone white. As their eyes met a pained smile, more like a grimace, crossed his expression. "I'll just...go get some bandages, shall I?" He was out the door of the office before Esther could point him to the cabinet that housed the basic first aid supplies.

Alessandro blinked. "Father Nightroad...he...he didn't look well. Do you think...do you think he's...that he doesn't like seeing blood?"

Esther felt a cold weight in the pit of her stomach. She tried to smile reassuringly, but it felt strained. "Well, I can't deny he doesn't like seeing blood, but he doesn't usually have that sort of problem with it."

Mary frowned. "Do you think that perhaps the matter we discussed a few days ago has become relevant again, Majesty?" Her gaze slipped to the door. "Should I call the Lady Caterina and ask if she can spare her men to escort Father Nightroad back to his rooms?"

Esther shook her head. "No. Not just yet. It might be something else. I didn't see any signs, after all..." She trailed off. She hadn't seen the signs before, either, not until Abel had lost his control completely.

"Your Majesty." Virgil slipped into the room. His expression was concerned. "Has something happened to Father Nightroad?"

Esther felt her stomach clench tighter. "Well, he said he was going to get a bandage, for a paper cut I received. Did you see him?"

Virgil nodded. "I beg your pardon. I was just coming to give you some reports from our Underground labs. However, as to Father Nightroad..." He hesitated a moment, and when he spoke, his voice was softer. "I passed him in the hall, just moments ago. He seemed..." He hesitated again. "He seemed rather ill. I was wondering if perhaps Your Majesty knew the cause."

"No. He didn't say anything." Esther shook her head. "I'm afraid he simply left the room. Perhaps if you don't mind, you or Colonel Spencer could escort him to his quarters."

Mary nodded. "I would be willing to do so."

Esther smiled. "Thank you. Please, tell him I said for him to rest, and that I look forward to seeing him later this evening, if he feels better."

Mary bowed. "I shall." She turned, then stopped. "Majesty, about the matter we were discussing..."

Esther nodded. "Of course. I'll look into it right away." Her gaze turned to the blond man standing silently near the door. "Lord Walsh, we were just discussing plans for giving the Palace guards some sort of Christmas celebration. And His Holiness was wondering if there was anything he could do for the citizens of the Underground. So if you're able to join us..."

He bowed. "As you wish, Majesty." He gave his colleague a nod. "Colonel Spencer, I will leave Father Nightroad's care to you." Mary returned his salutation, then left the room.

The rest of the afternoon went smoothly. With Alessandro and Virgil both helping, they hammered out tentative ideas for the festivities. Seth appeared in late afternoon and offered her assistance with the Underground. Since Seth was the Empress of Methuselah, and Alessandro was friends with some of the residents, they eventually settled on an idea of being escorted through the area by Vanessa's men, in full ceremonial uniforms, handing out gifts and treats for the children. Esther intended to go along as well, if she could manage. Virgil had his reservations, but he also admitted that it would be a wonderful morale booster for his people. They wrote out the plans, and he took them, agreeing to give them to his sister that night. Then they settled back into routine business. Esther worked as well as she could, but she had trouble focusing. Her mind was on Abel. And though Seth said nothing about her brother's absence, Esther could see the shadow of concern in her face, and she wasn't as relaxed as she normally was.

Abel didn't join the group for dinner that evening, either, and Esther's feeling of unease deepened. She knew Mary had informed the others, and Seth had warned her own people that something was wrong with Abel. She could feel the tension in the air, and even Leon's rough and ready humor seemed strained. Seth and Caterina both looked worried, as did the Professor. Petros, standing nearby, was scowling worse than usual, and she could see the unease in the way he shifted posture every so often. The only two people in the room who didn't look ill at ease were Tres and Paula.

Finally dinner was over. They sat and chatted for a while, but it was clear no one was in the mood for small talk, not with Abel's condition so uncertain. And no one had any clear answers on what to do about Abel. After a few minutes, Esther rose. "If you'll excuse me."

She half-hoped to see Abel waiting at her door when she got to her rooms, but he wasn't there. There was a light shining from under his door, but she couldn't bring herself to knock. She was afraid of what he'd say. Instead, she stood staring at the silent panel a moment, then turned and went into her rooms. She tried to distract herself by reading, but her mind wouldn't settle on the words, so she put the book aside. She'd just finished getting ready for bed when quiet knock sounded on the door. She turned. "Enter." The door opened, and her breath caught in her throat.

Abel stood there, his familiar sheepish grin on his face. "Good evening, Miss Esther."

"Abel." Esther blinked. She'd been so worried, now that he was standing in front of her, she had no idea what to say. She gestured. "Please, come in."

He stepped into the room slowly, rubbing his head in an embarrassed gesture. "I'm very sorry, Miss Esther. I didn't mean to leave like that. It's just, well..." He stopped, and even that familiar smile couldn't hide the discomfort in his eyes.

Esther offered him a reassuring smile. "It's all right. Virgil said you weren't feeling well." She met his blue eyes with her own. "Are you better now?"

"Umm, well, yes, I suppose." His gaze slipped away from hers. "But I thought that since I was so rude, I ought to at least come apologize tonight, and make sure you're safe. So..."

"Thank you." Esther smiled, then moved forward to take his hand. She felt him tense slightly, and looked up. Up close, she could see the lines of strain hidden by the smile and the sheepish expression. "Will you be staying the night?"

Abel colored slightly. "I hadn't planned to, but...if you wish, I suppose..."

She nodded. "I think I'd feel a little better if you did."

"All right." He offered her a lopsided, reassuring grin and patted her hand. "Why don't you go ahead and get to bed, while I check everything." she hesitated, and his smile warmed. "Don't worry. I promise, I'll be right there."

Esther nodded, then turned and walked into her bedroom. The maids had already turned down the sheets for her. She settled into the bed, pulling the sheets up to ward off the slight chill in the air. The Palace had excellent heating, but even so, the winter nights were cool. She stared at the open door, waiting for Abel. She was almost afraid he'd simply left when he came through the door. He checked the windows as usual, then moved to the bedside, still smiling that calm smile. "It looks as though everything's quite secure, Miss Esther. You can sleep without worrying."

He reached out and pulled the sheets up a little further over her shoulders. "Here. We wouldn't want you to catch cold." He started to turn away, but Esther reached out and caught his sleeve. He turned back. "Miss Esther."

"Please Abel." She tugged lightly, indicating she wanted him to sit on the bed. After a moment's hesitation, he settled himself on the edge. Esther looked up into his face. The dimness of the room obscured some of his expression, but she'd taken to having a small lamp near the bed, and the light of it revealed lines of strain around his mouth, visible even with his easy-going expression. She reached up, tracing the fine curve from his nose to the corner of his mouth. "You look so tired."

"I'm all right. Really, I slept several hours this afternoon." Abel took her hand lightly. "It's all right, Miss Esther."

She turned her hand in his grip, feeling the warmth of his touch. "Would you stay with me tonight? It's a little cold." She saw the uncertainty in his gaze. "Just for a few hours. Besides, I think you'd feel better if you could rest a little."

There was another of those odd hesitations, then Abel nodded and unsnapped his crucifix from his throat. Esther scooted toward the center of the bed, while Abel leaned down and removed the heavy boots he wore. Then he turned, pulled the blankets over her shoulders again, and settled next to her. Esther studied the lean, black clad shape. "Aren't you cold? I know the heating works just fine, but still...it's winter And it's fine if you just share the blankets with me."

"Oh, it's not too bad." She heard the soft smile in his voice. "These uniforms are really very well insulated. And...well, I'm not too fond of cold, but...I'm actually very well adapted for it. Better than heat, if you want the truth."

She remembered that he'd complained of heat in the desert. She sighed, conceding the point. She shifted, feeling the warmth that emanated from his body, then pulled herself closer, so she could rest her head on his arm.

Abel stiffened, and she heard him gasp, a choked and painful sound. "Esther..."

Esther jerked her head up. Abel had turned his face slightly away, but his arm was suddenly trembling, and his mouth was opened slightly. She just had time to notice the edge of fangs, before a charge of electricity made her jerk backwards. It wasn't strong enough to hurt, but it startled her. Abel's eyes closed in pain, and she knew he'd felt her flinch. She reached out and touched his shoulder again. "Abel, what's wrong? Why...?"

He shuddered, one hand clenching in the sheets, as his other came up to cover his face. "I'm sorry. I..." His voice was already low and harsh, the tones of his other form.

"It's all right, Abel." Her shoulder ached, but she shifted so she could reach a careful hand to touch his jaw. "I understand. And it's all right. If you need to...if you need blood...you don't have to fight like this."

"No. I will not..." Abel shuddered again, twisting his head further from her. "I will not...not your blood, nor any others. I..." He was shaking, his back and shoulders tense.

"But...you must know, no one here will condemn you. And I...I don't like seeing you like this." Esther swallowed. "I know you don't like it, but..."

"No." Abel's head shook slightly. "I..." His hand came up to touch hers. The nails were curved into talons, but his touch was light and careful. "I...I would rather..." He swallowed hard, and when he spoke, the rough voice was barely a whisper. "I would rather let Cain kill me again." The eyes, now faintly crimson, closed. "I...if I had to take your blood...I would rather return to Cardinal di Medici's interrogation, without Brother Petros." He shuddered again, and his hand tightened. "It will...pass. Please...Miss Esther..." He turned his face further away, covering it again. "Please, just...give me a moment."

Esther laid her hand on his arm, feeling his trembling. It hurt, to see the obvious pain he was in, but she knew she wasn't going to change his mind. He meant what he'd said, and she knew trying to push the issue would only add to his torment. Instead she waited, offering her silent support as he fought the entities within him.

Finally, the trembling subsided. As Esther watched, the nails retracted to their normal length, claws melting away. The electric feeling in the air faded away, and the fangs retracted back into his mouth. He took a shaky, deep breath. "I'm sorry."

Esther tightened her grip on his hand. Her shoulder was protesting the position, but she didn't care. "I know. It isn't your fault though." She hesitated. "Isn't there something..."

"I don't know." He sighed. Then he sat up and slid to the edge of the bed and rose. Then he turned and carefully wrapped the blankets over her. "You should rest."

She caught his hand. "Where are you going? Are you...?"

He gave her a weak smile. "Well, that was a little stressful. I thought I'd clean up a bit." He covered her hand with his. "It's all right. I'll come right back, I promise. But it's best if you go to sleep." He slipped out of her grip before she could protest and vanished through the door.

Esther lay in bed, watching the door. Her heart ached with dread for him. Even though she'd known his condition, the violence of the fit frightened her. Finally though, worry combined with the long day to send her into an uneasy slumber. She woke once, late in the night, to see a slender form seated in a chair by the window. The sight was slightly reassuring, and she allowed herself to return to sleep.

Esther woke again as daylight entered her room through the window. She stretched, grimacing as her shoulder shifted and protested, then carefully pulled herself out of bed and crossed the room. She was two feet away when she stopped, her hand going to her mouth as her stomach clenched. _Abel..._

He was sitting in the chair, his eyes closed. But the silver hair was matted and damp with sweat, and his face was ash-pale. There were gouges in the arms of the chair, as though clawed hands had clenched and scraped the wood. His lower lip was swollen and cut, evidence of his efforts to remain silent throughout the nights agony. Even relaxed as he seemed, there were lines of pain on his face. Esther swallowed hard, feeling the tears in her eyes. _He sat there the whole night, enduring this suffering for me. He was watching over me, even though this...even as his own body tortured him like this. And even so...even knowing what he needs...he didn't..._. She wondered how many times he'd endured the silent battle between his two selves. Tears spilled over her cheeks. "Abel..."

At the sound of his name, the blue eyes opened. He blinked once or twice, disoriented, then his eyes focused on her face, and he sat up. "Miss Esther." His eyes drifted to the window. "Morning already I see." A small smile creased one corner of his mouth. "I seem to have fallen asleep in the chair."

He started to say something else, but Esther stepped forward, laying her hand over his mouth. "Abel..."

He winced. "Ah..." He blinked, and his hand came up to touch his torn lip. "It appears I had a nightmare, or something like that." His eyes came to hers, and his hand shifted, to brush tears from her face. "I'm fine."

"Please...don't lie to me, Abel." She swallowed against the lump in her throat. "You...you can't keep going on like this."

He shook his head. "I'm all right, for now. Truly." He offered her a small grin, meant to be reassuring, then sighed and rose to his feet. His eyes fell on the scratches in the wood, and the small smile turned rueful. "It seems I damaged your chair. I'm sorry." He sighed again, then turned to the clock. "Seth and Lord Walsh will be here soon, to tend your arm." He turned back to her. He smiled, but his usual expression was over-written with lines of pain. "I should go clean up."

"Abel..." She wanted to speak to him further, she wanted to confront him, to make him acknowledge the truth, but he obviously didn't want to discuss it. Finally, she nodded. "You should rest. Why don't you go get some more sleep. I'll send someone to bring you breakfast in a while, all right?"

He blinked, then relief washed through the blue eyes. The sheepish grin was much less forced, all of a sudden. "Well, I must admit, I would like a little more rest. If you're sure you don't mind..."

She forced an answering smile to her face. "No. It's all right. Please, get some rest. I'll see you later this afternoon, all right."

"Of course."He nodded. One hand came up to brush her cheek in an affectionate gesture, then he collected his things and left.

Esther stood, staring at the gouges in the arms of the chair. They weren't that deep, but she knew they'd been caused by his claws digging into the wood. She remembered his hand clenching at the sheets, the first time, and wondered what he'd felt, then. She was still staring at them when Seth's voice sounded from behind her. "Esther? Hey, is something wrong?"

Esther swallowed. "I..."

Seth moved to stand beside her. The green eyes drifted over the damage, and her gaze darkened. "It's Abel, isn't it? Abel..." She reached out, brushed the splinters from the edges. "Abel did this, didn't he?"

"Yes. Last night...I think...I think he's getting worse." Esther swallowed. "But I...I asked him this morning, and he...he wouldn't tell me. He just said he was fine."

"That's Abel, all right." Seth's eyes were dark with worry, but she turned and laid a hand on Esther's uninjured shoulder. "You sent him to rest again, right?" Esther nodded. Seth grimaced. "Well then, I'll just have a quick look at your shoulder then, and we'll go down to breakfast. We can tell the others, and hopefully, someone will have some ideas." She sighed. "I hate to say this, especially about him, but we might need to take Lady Caterina's offer."

Esther swallowed again. "I know." She understood the necessity, but...the thought of confining him hurt.

She knew Seth was as troubled as she was. Though the Empress did examine her shoulder, it was a short exam, and there was a preoccupied air about her. She helped Esther dress but, though she was usually very talkative, there was almost no conversation between them. As they walked down to the dining room, both of them were wrapped in their own thoughts, and Esther suspected Seth's were as dark as her own. She actually hesitated at the door, not wanting to face the others, to tell them of Abel's condition. Finally, she and Seth glanced at each other, then pushed the doors open.

The others were already seated, waiting. The Professor looked up as they entered and lifted his pipe in greeting. "Good morning, Esther. Lady Seth." His gaze traveled over their expressions, and the smile fell away. "What happened? You both look like wet dishrags."

"I..." Esther swallowed.

He sighed. "It's Abel, isn't it?" The brown eyes shifted between the two of them, and an exasperated look touched his face, overlaid with concern. "He's the only one who could make both of you upset at the same time. So, has his condition changed?"

"Yes." Esther moved to her seat and sat down, but she wasn't hungry. "I...I think...he's gotten much worse. Last night..." She stopped, feeling the lump in her throat.

Caterina folded her hands. "I heard he left you alone rather suddenly yesterday. Are we to assume something further happened?" Esther nodded. Caterina's gaze darkened, concern in the stern eyes. "Very well. If you don't mind, I'd appreciate a report."

The cool professionalism in her tone settled Esther's stomach somewhat. She took a sip of water, to ease the obstruction in her throat, then spoke softly. "He...he came last night, to do guard duty. I thought...he looked a little tired, but he said he was fine. But then, when I asked him to sit next to me...he..." She swallowed again. "I saw him transform, partially. He managed to stop it, but...I think he was in pain. He left after that, and when he came back, he stayed on the far side of the room. But, even so...I know he had at least one more seizure. I...I saw the evidence when I went to speak to him this morning. I think...there may have been more than one." Tears stung her eyes. "I...there were scratches in the chair arms...and he...his lip was split...it looked like he bit it at some point."

"Indeed. Then it appears his condition is far more serious than we guessed." Caterina's gray eyes met Williams. "Professor? Any thoughts?"

William sighed, his eyes dark with pain and concern. "I can't say for certain, but this is certainly the worst I've ever heard of his condition being. I've never known Abel to lose control and have to fight himself back like that, at least not more than once. Something like this...I'd say he's fairly close to his limits. If he keeps pushing it like this..."

"He'll push it until he forces a feedback reaction." Seth spoke softly. "I think that's what Abel's attempting, at least. If he can't feed, he'll hold himself back until the next activation short-circuits his system." She paused a moment. "It's really dangerous. I don't think there's any guarantee that he can stop them for that long, and if he fails, he'll go crazy when they take him over. But even if he succeeds...the last time he had that happen, it hurt him pretty badly. And that was before the fusion. This time..."

"It could kill him." Caterina sighed. "I know his reasons, but still...we need him. And we need him at full strength. We can't afford to wait for either scenario, and we certainly can't take the risk that he'll run amok." She frowned, then met Esther's eyes. "After breakfast, I'll have Tres and Petros go to stand guard at his door. We won't disturb his rest, for now, but Professor I want you to check him this afternoon. I want a full detailed report on his condition, and I want you to do whatever you must to see that Abel can't harm either himself or anyone else. I'm authorizing you to use full sedation and restraint if you feel you must. You have my permission to take full advantage of Tres and Brother Petros' support."

William frowned, and Esther could see he felt the same anguish she did. But he nodded. "I understand. However, if he's that close...I suspect I'll need to use everything I have. And I'm not sure how strong Abel is...not in this condition."

Caterina nodded, her expression set in stone. "In that case, I'll authorize Dandelion to assist you as well."

"Your Excellency...if I may." Virgil rose from his seat. The pale blue gaze flickered over all of them, then returned to Caterina. "Before you begin procedures to restrain Father Nightroad, there is an alternative I would like to attempt, with your permission." He turned to Esther. "If I may, Majesty, I request permission to absent myself from this mornings meeting, and possibly from my duties this afternoon as well."

"Well, if you think you can help...but...what are you...?" Esther stopped, seeing the seriousness of his gaze.

"You have a plan, I assume." Caterina met Virgil's gaze steadily.

"Indeed. Confining Father Nightroad will eliminate the danger he presents, however, it will not address the cause of his condition. Under this course of action, the best we can hope to do is delay the final reaction until it can be managed through conventional means. However, if this works, I may be able to deal with the problem in a more direct manner, and with a better solution. But I'll need to speak to Father Nightroad, and it is perhaps best if I do so somewhere...more isolated."

"Are you planning...to try and get Abel to drink?" Seth met his gaze. "He's very stubborn, you know. And if you push him, you're going to have to be willing to run the risk of pushing him too far."

"I am aware of the dangers inherent in such a plan. However...I intend to be very careful. And I do not intend to 'push' him, merely to speak with him and see if a compromise can be reached that will be more beneficial for everyone concerned." Virgil's blue eyes held her green ones for a moment, then his gaze returned to Caterina and Esther. "Majesty, Excellency, have I your permission to attempt this plan?"

Esther swallowed hard. She knew that, despite his careful phrasing, Virgil meant to offer himself as Abel's support. But even so, she couldn't stop him. Finally, she nodded. "Yes. But be careful."

Caterina sighed. "Very well. Professor, we'll delay those plans. However, Lord Walsh...I'm having Father Tres and Father Garcias shadow you. If things get out of hand, you are to permit them to intervene." Her cool gray eyes were hard. "Albion needs you, and I don't need the repercussions of having Abel attack you."

"I understand. However, I do not think it will come to that." The intense gaze softened slightly. "Father Nightroad is a man of honor, and of strength." He met everyone's eyes for a moment, then bowed. "If you will excuse me."

Abel was resting when the door to his room opened. He blinked. "Lord Walsh." He sat up. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"Indeed." The younger man bowed. "I beg your pardon for disturbing your rest. Her Majesty informed me you were feeling unwell. However, if you feel you can manage, there is a problem I would like to request your assistance with."

"I see. Well, I don't mind." Abel shrugged, reaching for his outer cassock. "So then, what is this problem?"

"We'll need to go to the Ghetto." Virgil studied the lean frame. "Are you sure you're well enough, Father?"

Abel offered him a slight smile. "Oh, I'm fine. I just didn't sleep well last night."

"I see." The pale eyes studied him for a moment. "Then, if you would be willing to accompany me..." He turned, bowing Abel toward the door. "Please."

During the trip through the corridors, Virgil remained silent. Abel watched as he set the lift and frowned. "The deeper section?"

"Yes. Where we're going is fairly isolated I'm afraid. Also, access is limited, so I prefer to have someone who knows the area already." Virgil set the lift in motion. "As you're aware, we placed some fairly heavy security protocols on that section after the attempt by the Order to reactivate the rocket, and access the programming for the older technology."

"Yes. Has the security failed?" Abel frowned. "It should still be holding, but I'm afraid I haven't had time to check, recently."

"The problem is not the security, however, I suspect it is related." Virgil looked away. "I would prefer to explain when we arrive."

"All right." Abel nodded and leaned back against the lift.

There was silence between the two men as the lift descended. At the bottom, Virgil flicked a power switch. "This way, please." he gestured down a hallway. Abel followed him, not really paying attention, until Virgil pushed back a door. "In here."

Abel followed him in, then froze. The room they'd entered was a familiar one, a disused control chamber that looked out into a large open space. A metal tower stood in the center, dark with age and disuse. Abel blinked. "The rocket? But...there shouldn't be anything here...unless..." He turned. "I asked this be left alone. You didn't try to revive it after all, did you?"

"I did not. Unfortunately, we've not had the time to dismantle it as you requested, either." Virgil sighed.

"Then...why?"

Virgil moved forward, standing where he could face Abel directly. He met the blue eyes for a moment, then bowed his head. "My apologies, Father Nightroad." He looked the other man in the eyes once more. "I fear I have deceived you. However, the truth is, I did not request your presence here for the sake of a problem in the Underground."

"Then...why? If there isn't a problem..." Abel frowned.

"The problem I wish to address is yours. Specifically, your condition at this time."

Abel paled, taking a step backward. "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about. I..."

"You are suffering from the Thirst." Virgil's eyes met his again. "I guessed, when you began avoiding me a week ago, particularly when the Duchess of Kiev reported that you had begun avoiding the Imperial envoys as well. However...your condition is worsening, isn't it?" His voice was soft, with no condemnation, simply a statement of fact.

Abel flinched and turned away. "I'm fine." he managed a half-smile, more like a grimace. "I have been feeling a little under the weather lately, but..."

"You need not attempt to hide it." Virgil moved to stand beside him. "In truth, I would have preferred not to confront you over this, however, Her Majesty is concerned for you."

Abel swallowed. "I do appreciate Miss Esther's concern, but..."

"This must be dealt with." Virgil spoke softly, implacably. "Please, Father Nightroad, I would prefer it if you would be honest with me."

Abel swallowed again. "I...my condition..."

"You have been fighting the thirst for this long. I've never heard of a Methuselah doing so. Indeed, I'm not sure I could handle such a strain for that length of time. And that you could attempt to hide your condition is truly remarkable. However..." Virgil sighed, then smoothly removed his jacket and began to undo the tie at his throat.

Abel flinched; sweat breaking out on his brow. "What..."

Virgil met his eyes, and his hand flicked the buttons on his collar open, exposing his throat. Abel flinched again, jerking away from him. Virgil watched as the priest stumbled against the wall, his hands clenching. "Do you still intend to try and convince me that you do not suffer?" He held Abel's gaze. "As the administrator here, I see the symptoms you display frequently. Most of our children and young adults suffer this at least once, when they go through their Awakening."

Abel looked away from him. "Even so, even if you're right..." He forced a pained smile. "It will be all right. I'll manage. There is...nothing that can be done, so I will manage."

"How long?" Virgil shook his head. "There has been no word of movement from the Order since Her Majesty was injured. The streets of Albion are quiet. What will you do?" He reached up to touch his shirt collar. "Permit us to help you."

Abel shuddered. "No. I will not...to take...from someone who is my ally. I...can't. I will not." He was shaking, and his eyes closed. Even so, Virgil saw the glitter of the elongated incisors. "I...to do something so monstrous..."

"With all due respect, there is something I must say to you." Virgil took a few quick steps forward, and seized Abel by the collar, ignoring the way the other man gasped. "Do you truly intend to place your comrades at such risk, simply for this misguided sentiment?"

Abel flinched, his eyes widening. He jerked away, covering his face with his hand. "What..."

"You cannot continue to withstand this type of pressure. Eventually, you will falter. If your sister is correct, then you will either lose your mind and hunt, with no regard to who, or your powers will backlash. To hunt...you may well take more than one of us, and we cannot stop you. And if you backlash, you will be unable to protect Her Majesty for some time, until your body recovers. Is this not correct?"

Abel swallowed. "It is...but..."

Virgil spoke over his protest. "If you lose control, the best that can happen is that one or more of our people will be out of commission. However, there is the risk that one or more of us will die. Also...should this be witnessed by others, the damage to relations between the Alliance members would be severely damaged. The Empire will not risk their Empress nor their envoys in such a situation. The government of Albion would demand your immediate removal, and compensation from Lady Caterina. And I need not tell you how the Vatican will react. The Cardinal di Medici will most likely have you arrested, and interrogated again."

Abel's face paled further, white even in the dim lighting. "I...will not let that happen. I swear...if I must...I will..."

"You will leave again?" Virgil spoke softly. "I am aware of that. However, aside from the technical concerns...there are other matters."

The soft intensity of his voice made Abel turn back to him. The winter-blue eyes were already darkening to crimson. Virgil met them without fear. "Do you truly believe that any of us wish to see you so tormented, Father?"

Abel twisted his face away, his hands digging into the wall as a shudder passed through him. "I..."

"Lady Esther is concerned for you. Even in her current condition, I believe she would attempt to follow you. And I suspect Lady Nightroad would abandon her place as well. Cardinal Sforza will not, but she will most certainly send her agents to watch over you, and they too, are concerned for your health. I...intend to aid you, to serve my queen. However, that is not my sole reason. I too, admire and respect you. During my service with you, I have found you to be an honorable, stalwart companion, truly worthy of my support, and Her Majesty's favor. There are few I would think such of, and I have no wish to see any of them as tortured as you appear now."

Abel grimaced, a low groan wrenching from his throat. "I...don't wish...to hurt you. To attack a comrade...such a sin...I...swore..."

"I understand. I too, have felt such things. However, as the late queen said once to me...there is no sin in taking what is freely offered. Nor do I believe there is any reason for you to be ashamed. You have struggled with this far longer than any other I have ever seen, and endured enough agony. There is no shame in choosing to end it, when you are offered a solution."

Abel winced again. "Even so...I...cannot. Who...?"

Virgil stepped forward. "I will offer myself as your donor, this time. However, if there is another you would rather ask, you have only to give me their name. I know that Lady Astha, Lord Ion, and my sister have all volunteered as well."

Abel shuddered. "You...but...Miss Esther, and your sister...what will they think of me? If I hurt you..."

"They will understand." he paused. "I did not specifically tell Her Majesty that I intended this, however, I believe she suspects. However, she also gave me permission to attempt to aid you, in whatever manner I felt best."

Abel's body was trembling, and the air around both men began to feel charged with electricity. He twisted his face away, but the crimson eyes and fangs were still visible, and a glance at his hands confirmed that the nails had elongated into claws. "I..."

"Father Nightroad. I trust you, that you will not go too far." Virgil's eyes were dark with compassion, and resolve. "A man who can stand before me in your condition and still react as you do...such a man I can trust with my life. And in truth, you will not even damage me as much as another. Unlike the Imperial envoys, I do not depend on my Bascillus. To serve her Majesty, I drink a quantity of silver nitrate solution every day. You will take nothing from me that I cannot recover from, without ill effects. Furthermore..." He moved forward, and knelt a few inches from Abel's feet. "Her Majesty asked that I aid you, and Her Imperial Majesty charged me to take you in my care and see that you were well. For all our sakes, I ask you...please allow me to fulfill my responsibilities, and to repay some of the debt I owe you."

Abel's jaw clenched. "Do not kneel to me. Someone such as I...does not deserve such consideration."

Virgil rose and stepped closer. "I disagree." His gaze slipped sideways, and he reached up and drew his collar from his throat. "Will you hear my request, Father?"

"I...yes." Abel shuddered again, pain crossing the now darkened visage.

"Very well." Virgil stepped forward again, so close their shoulders nearly brushed. Abel's hand came up, stopping his movement. Virgil nodded, and turned his own face slightly away. Abel's hand trembled on his shoulder. Then, to his shock, the other man reached over, and gently pulled the collar back in place. "Father..."

"I will...heed you." An anguished smile touched the Crusnik's face. "But...not this. I have no wish to see you risk your life for mine." The red eyes came to his. "Give me your hand."

Virgil didn't hesitate, lifting his arm to unsnap the cuff of his left wrist and offer it to the transformed priest. Abel's shaking hands took his arm. "Will it be sufficient?"

"Yes." The crimson eyes closed, then Abel dropped to his knees, lowering himself to the ground so that Virgil's arm was lower than his chest. The dusky face was obscured by the crown of silver hair. There was a moment of hesitation, then a sharp pain slashed through Virgil's wrist. He felt the fangs pierce his arm, felt the other man begin to drink, taking his blood.

It was a strange, unsettling sensation. To distract himself, Virgil studied the priest before him. He knew the rational reason why Abel might have knelt. It was easier to get blood flow with his hand below his heart. And yet, there was something subservient, and almost self-humiliating, about the man's posture. The way he knelt, like a servant taking a favor from a sovereign, made Virgil want to pull him to his feet. But...

Abel was honorable, and he had forced the man to go against his own oath, his own code. Even if it was to spare him, he was conscious of Abel's shame, to be so desperate. If kneeling would alleviate even some of the other man's private anguish, then he was resolved to say nothing.

He wasn't certain how long they remained in that posture, but he began to feel somewhat light-headed. A wave of dizziness brushed over him. _Blood loss? Has he truly drunk that much?_ A spark of unease touched him. Then there was a wrench, and Abel pulled back from him, the strong hands shifting to apply pressure over the wound. Somehow, in that quick movement, the priest changed, and the face he raised was human, with blue eyes and his silver hair falling unbound over his back. Virgil moved back, swayed, and the man was instantly on his feet, one hand pulling the wrist up and maintaining pressure, while the other caught him. "Are you all right?"

Virgil nodded. "I will recover. I have...had similar losses before. The dizziness will pass."

Abel nodded. "I...am in your debt."

Virgil shook his head. "No, Father. I am merely repaying mine." he met the other man's stare, seeing the remorse and sorrow in his gaze. "If it were not for you, the Star of Hope would never have come to Albion. You have given my people at a chance at a new future. You are protecting my queen, and have protected her well. And you have lent your powers to defend my people here as well." He let a smile touch his face. "You even listened to Vanessa, when she was convinced that no one would hear the needs of this place. You have my gratitude."

Abel shook his head, but he said nothing. Instead, he guided Virgil to sit on one of the disused panels. "Here." His free hand removed a ribbon from his pocket, but instead of winding it into his hair, the priest tied the black length around Virgil's wrist, forming a rough bandage. "That should hold." He reached into another pocket, and withdrew a flask of familiar reddish liquid. "Drink this. It's not as good as pure blood, but it will help."

"Aqua Vitae?" Virgil blinked.

"I kept some, in case of an emergency while traveling with Ion and Astha." His voice was low, rough, and he refused to look Virgil in the face.

"Very well." Virgil took the flask in hands that shook faintly, and uncorked it. He stopped a moment, then lifted the bottle and poured the contents down his throat, grimacing slightly at the bitter aftertaste. But the contents flooded his system, and the shaking stopped.

"Can you stand? We should probably return. Besides..." A soft, forced chuckle echoed from Abel's throat. "If you're going to treat _them_ to lunch, I should really return the favor. So why don't we go back up, and I'll get us both something from the kitchens."

Virgil nodded. "I will accept your offer." He pushed himself upright, frowning as he swayed a little. Abel took his arm and without a word, led him from the room, back towards the surface.


	34. Twenty Seven: Pt 02: Christmas Desire

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **AgainMy deepest apologies to everyone,**dragonwriter24cmf** wanted it get it handed into me this art two by the weekend as she wanted but she very determined to have the love scenario in this part to fit just right in her eyes. When my editor concentrates on something like this in particular area of the chapter, she becomes _very _dedicated my editor to seeing it becomes completely satisfactory and will not handed the chapter to me unless she finds it's ok 100% in her eyes. I also decided with her to stop the deadlines for each chapter of **TBWC** from this time forward, going back to how we updated before. The deadlines that my editor wanted to try and to work with are not really going in our favour and with all other responsibly and priories we have outside form fan fiction is bets to go back to what was working best beforehand originally. So to whose whom are familiar with what I talking about this, updating will go to how it was at the beginning whenever the chapter is ready and done by my editor in her spare time.

Other than that enjoy everything within part two. I think this chapter is finally what you guys have been asking about for when Abel and Ether will finally make it even more official I their relationship ^^. I'm not going to say anymore, we are interested me and my editor on your replies to this chapter in particular enjoy!.

**[]****dragonwriter24cmf** **Authors Notes**: _Seth plays match-maker, and these two have finally gotten things straightened out. Hope this satisfies the romance fans. For those of you hoping for a bit more action...Next chapter will be coming soon._

**(*)** As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided love , bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. **Trinity Blood** is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Twenty Seven –Christmas Desire: Part 02**

Esther and Alessandro were busy working at the desk, with Seth sitting in, when a knock drew their attention from their papers. Esther blinked, then set her pen aside. "Enter."

Virgil strode into the office. He seemed a bit paler than usual, but Esther could almost believe it was the lighting. He moved forward, then bowed. "Majesty. If I may, I've come to collect the meeting reports. And...I have an update on Father Nightroad's condition."

"Yes?" Esther felt hope and dread mixing in her heart. She wanted to know Abel was all right, but, she feared that he wouldn't accept help, not like that.

Virgil met her eyes briefly, then inclined his head. "I believe his condition is now stable, and he will make a full recovery, if he has not already done so. I hope you will forgive the liberty, but I've already informed Cardinal Sforza of the situation, and asked Father Wordsworth to check on him."

"That's fine. Thank you for taking care of this for me. I appreciate it." Esther smiled at him.

"No kidding." Seth sighed, relief evident in the bright green eyes. "I thought for sure we were going to have to do something drastic. And I'd really hate to have to confine Abel." A sad smile appeared on her face. "Abel...he really doesn't like closed spaces. He can handle them, but I think they remind him of times he'd rather forget."

Alessandro blinked, then looked up at the Albion lord. "So...if he's stable...then...then sister won't...won't have to have him tied up? And he...he's really going to...to be okay?"

"I believe so, Holiness." Virgil nodded again.

"That...that's good." Relief washed over Alessandro's features. "I...I like Father Nightroad. I...I can't do anything, but...I don't...I don't think I want him to be hurt. And sister...I know she...she was really worried about it. So...I'm glad."

"Indeed." Virgil bowed. "I fear I may be slightly behind, Majesty. If you could spare the reports from this morning's meeting..."

"Of course." Esther extracted the pages from the folder, and handed it to him. "We've already finished reviewing and copying them, so you can take as much time as you need."

"Thank you." He reached out, and as he did so, Esther spotted a thin band of black wound around his wrist.

_Is that...Abel's hair tie? But why?_ She looked up. "Lord Walsh...your wrist..."

He glanced down. "Father Nightroad lent it to me. I was...injured, looking into a problem in the Underground, and he used this to bind my wound."

"I see." She smiled. "Well, I hope it wasn't serious. You do look a little pale. You should probably rest some this evening."

"I intend to. However, in the meantime..." He bowed. "I will look over these very carefully, and return them to you tomorrow. If you will excuse me."

"Of course. Take care. And...thank you."

Virgil's eyes met hers. "It was my honor, Majesty." Then he turned and disappeared, back to his duties.

There was silence in the room for a moment, then Seth heaved a sigh. "Well. I didn't think he could actually force Abel to go that far, but it looks like he managed to handle him after all." She smiled, a rueful, somewhat exasperated smile. "I have to say, you've got an impressive adviser there. Not that I don't think Astha and Ion wouldn't have tried, but...he did well."

Alessandro blinked. "You think...you think Father Nightroad...that he..."

"Abel drank. Probably from that guy. After all, he looked pretty pale a moment ago, even for a Methuselah, or a guy who spends half his time underground. Besides, he doesn't seem like the type who'd ask someone else to handle that sort of thing. And Abel...it would have taken a lot. There aren't many who could talk Abel out of something when he's feeling that stubborn." Seth grinned.

"Yes." Esther looked down at her own paperwork. "I suppose I should be more concerned for Lord Walsh, but...I'm grateful that he took care of Abel."

"Uh-huh." Seth stretched, then leaned forward. "Well, since we've got that out of the way, we should get back to this paperwork."

"Right." Esther and Alessandro shared a smile across the desk, then all three of them bent to looking at their respective reports.

The rest of the afternoon and evening passed smoothly. Neither Abel nor Virgil joined the group at dinner, but Esther wasn't surprised, and she had a feeling no one else was either. Even with both men absent, the mood around the table was much lighter than it had been. The Professor showed up a few minutes later, and took the time to announce to the table that Abel's condition was stable, and dramatically improved. He also informed them that the Crusnik were back in their nearly dormant state, functioning at less than ten percent, and Abel seemed to be having no trouble at all, aside from his customary sweet tooth. The news brought smiles to everyone, and Leon offered up a toast to Virgil, which all of them took.

After dinner, Esther excused herself to her room. To her surprise, a familiar black-clad shape was waiting by her door. She slowed, stopping a foot away. "Abel..."

Abel looked up. "Miss Esther..." A sad smile touched his face, and he looked away from her. "Sorry to trouble you."

"It's no trouble. Is something the matter?"

Abel shook his head. "Well, if you don't mind...I was hoping we could talk. There was something I needed to say to you."

"That's fine." Esther gestured with her uninjured arm. "Please, come in."

"Thank you." Abel followed her inside, then stood silently watching as Esther removed the sling, flexing her shoulder carefully to relieve some of the stiffness. He seemed tense, but he didn't say anything.

Finally, the silence was too much to bear. Esther turned. "Abel? You said you wanted to speak to me."

"I'm sorry, Esther. Sorry...I...that things went so far." She saw him swallow.

"What do you mean?" Esther moved forward, to lay her hand on his arm. "If you mean last night..."

"Yes. I worried you. I'm sorry. I wanted to apologize for that. And..." He stopped, sorrow on his face. "I...placed you at risk, trying to suppress my Crusnik, trying to stay by your side, even when I knew...when I realized I was going to...to lose control. And I...to avoid having to leave, or imprisonment, I...I injured one of your people."

Esther reached up further, to touch his mouth. "What do you mean?"

"Lord Walsh. I..." He turned his face from her, but not before she saw the shame on it. "I...drank from him. To prevent the Crusnik from taking me over, I...took from one of your advisers. I...I'm sorry."

"I know." Esther traced her fingers along his jaw. "Lord Walsh told me this afternoon, what happened. But...it's all right. After all, he told me he offered to take care of you. Isn't that right?"

"Yes, but..." Esther silenced the words, placing her hand over his lips.

"It's all right. I know you only took what was offered. And really, that might have been the only solution. After all, if you hadn't shown up that one time..Ion and I..."

"I know. But I...even to protect you, even for everyone's sake...I am...ashamed, to have done this. That I...could not control it...that I...took the blood of an ally, and a friend. I am...deeply ashamed. And I...I am sorry, that you had to see me, like that."

"It's all right. I don't think you have anything to be ashamed of. And there is no need to apologize. I don't think anyone could have done anything else." She looked up into the pale face, noting the lines and shadows of weariness there. "Will you wait here, for a few minutes?"

"Yes. If you wish." Abel nodded. Esther studied his face a moment, then turned and entered her own rooms. Her dress was fairly easy to slip out of this time, and it was a matter of only a few minutes to slip out of it, and into her nightdress. She settled the dress over her shoulders, carefully strapped on the lighter brace Seth insisted she wear to bed, then turned and went back to her sitting room. Abel stood there, still leaning against the wall. He looked up as she entered. "Miss Esther?"

She smiled, and strode across the room to take his hand gently in her own. "You should come lie down, Abel." Her hand released his, to reach up to smooth the lines that crossed his face. "I know, you're probably very troubled, but...I've said this before. That's proof that you're a good person. So there's no reason to be so anguished. And I'm sure you'll feel better, once you've had a chance to rest."

Abel flushed. "After this...after what happened...you can't be thinking..."

"It's all right." She smiled and took his hand again. "After all, you said you'd be by my side, right?" She saw his eyes widen in surprise. "You...you stayed with me, even when it hurt you so much. It's really only fair to offer you at least one night of rest." She pulled him gently into the other room, then crawled into the bed. "Here." She gestured for him to sit down. "Just for a few hours." She smiled. "I promise, Abel. I won't let anything happen."

He hesitated a moment, then reluctantly nodded. But his hand released hers. "I should check, to make sure it's safe." He brushed her cheek, a mirror of the gesture she'd used moments before. "I'll return in a moment. Please go to bed."

Esther nodded, and watched as he strode into the other room. Unlike the previous evening, he didn't shut the door behind him. Esther watched the tall silhouette as he moved around the room. Then Abel returned, checked the bedroom windows, and moved to her side. A half-smile crossed his face. "It looks as if it's all right. I don't see any signs of trouble. Everything is secure." He looked down into her face. "You know, it's safe, so...if you don't really want me to stay..."

"No. I do want you to stay." Esther smiled. "After all, it's still a little cold tonight, isn't it? And anyway...you did say you would stay by my side."

Abel flushed. "Well, that is true, I suppose." He started to settle into the chair nest to the bed, but Esther touched his arm. He froze.

Esther smiled, letting a little nostalgia into her expression. "You said you were all right, didn't you?" Abel nodded. "Well then...I'd appreciate it if you'd stay with me a few hours. I've gotten used to you being here, so..."

Abel stood still, then sighed. "If that's really what you want..." He turned, removing outer cassock and crucifix, and draped them over the chair. He didn't bother to bend to undo his boots. Esther didn't see quite how he got them off, but when he stretched carefully across the bedspread, he wasn't wearing them. He didn't make any effort to come nearer than the edge of the bed, but neither did he pull away when she pulled herself over and rested her head on his shoulder. Instead, a feather-light caress brushed her hair back, and he murmured, "Sleep well, Miss Esther."

Esther closed her eyes and relaxed, but she didn't fall asleep. Instead, she remained awake, listening to the soft sound of his breathing, and the gentle rhythm of his heart. After a few minutes, she felt his breathing slow, falling into a quiet steady pattern she recognized from watching him sleep before. She opened her eyes, careful not to move too much.

Abel lay on his back, slightly turned to support her. He'd forgotten to remove his glasses, but his eyes were closed, and his silver hair fell into his face. There were faint signs of the ordeal he'd undergone, but his face looked relaxed, calm and at rest. Despite his obvious exhaustion, he looked better than he had in days, as though some terrible burden had been lifted from his shoulders. For the first time, she noticed how vulnerable he looked in sleep. She was used to him deliberately disarming people with his clumsiness, used to the way he appeared weak, so that others wouldn't see the terrible power he held within, but this...it was different. She'd often wondered, how much of that supposed weakness was a mask. But lying there, watching him sleep, she could see the mask stripped away, to reveal the man whose strong presence and carefully misleading attitude hid such a vulnerable, fragile soul. Beneath the smiles and the strength, she could see the weary warrior, the gentle priest...the man who wept for his comrades, and bore the weight of his actions.

Esther smiled, but it was a smile tinged with sadness. She knew this was a side few ever saw of him. Even when the mask slipped, as it sometimes did, he was always so wary of letting others witness his uncertainty, or his pain. And yet...the mask he wore to hide his vulnerability also hid his strength. Esther studied the face before her, seeing not only the lines of strain, but the strength and nobility in him. Even asleep, she could see the set of the jaw that wakefulness infused with determination, the creases of the eyes that would reveal smiles, or sternness.

Abel shifted in his sleep, sighing a little. She couldn't tell if he dreamed or not, but the movement somehow edged him closer to her. Esther smiled, then experimentally shifted her weight off his arm. Abel didn't so much as twitch. Moving carefully, Eshter pushed herself partially up, reaching for the light quilt thrown over the foot of the bed. It was awkward, trying to pull it to her one-handed, especially without waking him, but she managed. She hesitated a moment, then carefully draped the blanket over the thin frame, tossing the far edge over his shoulder and tugging it into place. She knew then that Abel was even more exhausted than he'd let on, because he didn't move. Still smiling, she pulled the glasses from his nose, set them aside, and snuggled back down next to him. Still asleep, Abel shifted close to her again. Esther smiled once more, then brushed some of the silver hair back, imitating the comforting gesture he used so often. "Sleep well, Abel." Then she relaxed, and allowed sleep to take her.

She woke the next morning with a warm presence beside her, and turned to find Abel, still fast asleep. From the looks of it, he hadn't moved at all during the night. His breathing was still low, even, and relaxed. Esther studied his face, noting the faint color in it, color she hadn't seen two days before. That, as much as anything else, told her he was recovering, at least somewhat. Then Abel stirred, and opened his eyes, looking directly into hers.

They stared at each other a moment, then Abel blushed. "Ummm...good morning, Miss Esther." He started to shift, then froze, only then noticing the blanket draped over him. "Ah..."

"It's all right." Esther sat up, smiling. "You fell asleep, but you looked a little cold, so I just got it from the end of the bed for you. I guess you were so tired you didn't notice."

Abel flushed again and sat up, nudging the blanket aside. "Really. I suppose I'm not worth much as a body guard then." He grimaced ruefully. "I do apologize."

"It's all right. I felt very safe with you there." She touched his hand. "To be honest, I rather like having you here, Abel."

"Yes, well..." Abel's blush deepened. He looked suddenly embarrassed. "I'm glad I make you feel so comfortable, Esther. But you know..." He trailed off.

Esther was suddenly aware of the warmth of his hand, lying on the bed beside her. And of the fact that, despite his attempts at propriety, Abel was...lying in bed with her. She felt the heat steal into her cheeks. Still...the knowledge didn't bother her nearly as much as she thought it would. In fact, when she thought about it, it was a good feeling. She felt embarrassed, and suddenly too shy to speak to him, but...she was aware that she wasn't unhappy to have him there.

They sat in awkward silence for a few moments, then Abel rose gracefully from the bed. "I think Seth will be here soon. Tell you what...why don't I go get changed, and then we can join the others for breakfast. How does that sound?" He turned suddenly, smiling at her. "It's been a while since I ate with everyone. And really, I didn't get any dinner last night so...I'm rather hungry."

"Well in that case, we ought to get you fed as soon as possible, my dear brother." Seth spoke from the doorway. She was leaning against the wall, a smile on her face. Abel actually jumped, startled, and her grin widened. "I see you're looking better, Abel."

He flushed. "Ah, yes. Well, actually, Lord Walsh gave me some assistance, so...I'm really feeling much better."

"So I heard." She moved forward. "In any case, why don't you go change, while I take a look at Esther's wound. Unless..." The gleam in her eye turned mischievous. "If you'd like to help Esther get changed for the day..."

Abel went scarlet. "I'm sure Miss Esther will manage just fine. Now, if you don't mind, about that shower..." He flushed darker. "Ummm...if you'll excuse me, I'll see you in a few minutes." He bowed his head to Esther, then ducked past his sister and out of the room.

Seth chuckled. "Poor Abel. He must really like you, you know. He only ever gets that flustered when he's with someone he cares about."

Esther smiled, despite the lingering embarrassment Seth's words had evoked. "I know."

Seth turned, then made an exasperated noise. "Seriously, that brother of mine..." She bent and took his cross from the chair. "If he leaves something like this lying around..." She glanced at the bed, and the look she sent Esther's way was pure mischief. "Hey, Esther. Abel didn't do anything improper, did he?"

Esther flushed. "No. He was just keeping me company. Like that night at the Vatican, when we took you to see His Holiness. It wasn't anything more than that."

Seth chuckled again, then moved over to start unwrapping Esther's bandage. "I know. Sorry. I'm afraid I've picked up Mirka's habit of teasing people I'm fond of. It's just...well, I like seeing Abel happy, and you happen to be very good for him. Even when he goes and does foolish things, like yesterday. I guess, I just want to see how the two of you progress."

"Progress?" Esther blinked.

"Yep." Seth grinned. "I've never told Abel this, and I probably shouldn't say it to you, either, but...I've thought for a while now that Abel could use a woman's touch. Honestly, when I first heard he was all right, I thought he needed someone, to help him finish healing from Lilith. But...that's changed since you came into his life. And so has Abel. He's a lot better now. But...he still needs a little work. After all, he doesn't need to be quite so shy, you know?"

Esther felt herself blushing. "Yes, well. I suppose that's just the way he is."

"Uh-huh." Seth grinned. "You're right about that. And, I guess it's fine too." She tested Esther's shoulder, moving it gently, prodding the wound. "Well, you're healing very nicely. I think next week you'll be able to come out of that sling. You'll still need a couple weeks to get everything working properly, and it'll be a while before you regain all the strength in this side, but...I'd say you're doing very well, Esther." She re-wrapped the bandage, then gave Esther another mischievous look. "Shall we go return Abel's cross, and collect my brother for breakfast?"

"That sounds like a wonderful idea." Esther returned the smile, and followed the other woman across the hall.

Abel answered the door when they knocked. His hair was still wet from the shower, but he was dressed. There was a troubled look on his face. "Ummm, sorry. I'm not quite ready yet."

Seth grinned. "Lose something, Abel?" She held up the cross, dangling from it's chain. "This, maybe?"

Abel blinked, then relief crossed his face. "Where did you find that? I was so certain I had it, but when I started looking..."

"It was in Esther's room. You left it on the chair when you made your escape." Seth smirked and handed the rosary to her brother, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "People are going to talk, you know, if you leave things like that lying about in her room."

Abel flushed, his eyes wide. He opened his mouth once, then shut it. "Now really..." He swallowed, turned and looked into his room. "Ah, well, if we don't hurry, we'll be late for breakfast. So, if you'll excuse me, I just need to find my shoes and...ah, there it is. I knew I had a ribbon around here." He ducked back into his room. He returned a second later, his boots on and his hands busy winding the familiar tie in place. He flashed both women a bright, slightly sheepish smile. "Well then, shall we?"

Seth and Esther looked at each other, then burst out laughing. Abel turned pink, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he turned and bowed slightly, gesturing the women down the corridor. Esther followed Seth, still giggling. Any fears she had about hurting Abel's feelings, or embarrassing him over-much were dismissed by the smile that lingered on his face and in his eyes.

The others were already in the dining hall, as usual, and all of them greeted Abel with smiles. There were warm, polite calls of 'Good Morning' from all around the table, and Leon even went so far as to stand up, drape an arm over Abel's shoulders, and punch him affectionately in the shoulder, which earned him a light scold from Seth. There was no mention at all of Abel's previous condition. As they settled into place, Virgil took a seat at Abel's left side. "Father Nightroad."

"Lord Walsh." Abel hesitated a moment, then sat down. As he did, Esther saw his shoulders relax, and the shadows in his eyes faded. Then he smiled, a real, untroubled smile, and turned to Caterina. "Good morning Miss Caterina."

Caterina smiled at him. "Good morning to you as well, Abel. I trust you had a pleasant evening?"

Abel's ears turned pink, though Esther thought she might be the only one to notice. "I did indeed."

"Well then, I recommend you eat well. There's a great deal of work to be done." Caterina offered him another smile, then turned her attention back to her food.

Breakfast was a light-hearted, informal affair. People chatted about the council sessions, the upcoming plans. Seth and the Methuselah with her planned to stay through the Christmas celebrations, before returning to the Empire. Caterina had similar plans, and she and Alessandro had been working hard to convince the Vatican that it was for the best, in light of international relations. William took the time to bring Abel up to speed on the meetings, and his responsibilities. Abel did look a little taken aback when he heard he was the Vatican representative to the Empire, but Seth only shrugged and pointed out, perfectly logically, that he was the best person for it. He had sympathy with Methuselah, he knew several of her chief advisers and envoys by name, and the Empire as a whole knew him to have a good reputation from the affair with uncovering the hard-liner plot.

Abel subsided then, but he was looking a little too serious, until Astha poked him with her fork. He blinked, and the blond Methuselah grinned at him. "Look at it this way, priest. You can have a choice. You can be the Vatican Special Representative, or I can put you to work de-fleaing my cat. Your choice."

Abel blinked. "Ummm...Miss Astha, I don't mean to be rude, but your cat is a tiger, and it tried to eat me."

The grin she gave him wasn't unlike a tiger's itself. "Exactly. And I should point out, you aren't allowed to hurt her. The Council Lords, on the other hand, could sometimes use a bit of shaking up."

Abel swallowed, but a faint grin crossed his face. "Well, in that case...I suppose I'll have to take my chances with the nobles. Although..." He blinked across at his sister. "Perhaps you can tell Lord Baibars not to chase me out of any second story windows this time? It's a pretty fair distance to fall, you know. And really, all I wanted to do was deliver a message and ask a few questions."

Seth snorted. "It's your own fault for sneaking in there without identifying yourself. After all, he didn't know you were my brother, and what else was he supposed to do with a strange man sneaking into the Empress' private quarters. If you didn't know who you were, you would have done the exact same thing. In fact..." she eyed him. "Didn't you do something similar, a long time ago?"

"Ah, well..." Abel stumbled to a halt while the rest of them laughed. Even Caterina was smiling, and under the blush, Abel was smiling too. The rest of the meal was punctuated by teasing and laughter, and by the time they all rose to go to the meeting, Abel had relaxed again.

The rest of the day, and the next few, passed in a flurry of meetings, planning and paperwork. Everyone agreed that the week of Christmas ought to be one of relaxation and celebration, as much for the season as for Esther's recovery and the cementing of their alliance. The celebration was scheduled to start the Sunday before Christmas, and end the Sunday after. In addition, they planned a second, much smaller feast to ring in the coming New Year. Esther looked forward to the upcoming holiday, but all of them knew there was a great deal to be done. Plans and schedules had to be finalized. Guard details and protection for both herself and the visiting envoys had to be managed, without depriving any of the men of their holiday as well. Food and supplies had to planned for, requisitioned, brought in and stored. Decorations had to be dealt with. There were a thousand and one details that had to be managed, and Esther was in the thick of it. She thought, more than once, that she'd have been lost if it weren't for the others.

Caterina had finally convinced the Vatican Papal Council that Alessandro's presence in Albion for the Holy Season was important. It helped that the young pope stepped in and expressed his own desire to stay. To ease the concerns of the church, it was decided that there would be three Christmas services on Christmas Eve. One would be in Westminster Cathedral, for the nobles and envoys. One would be in a smaller church, led by another priest and Caterina, for the common folk of Londinium who wanted to come. The third, smaller still and much less formal, would be held for the people of the Underground, after the parade and gift giving. That one was intended as more of a short blessing and extent of best wishes, but Esther knew that Alessandro, Virgil and Vanessa were all looking forward to it.

Mary took care of most of the security details and planning. She did ask Esther's permission for various supplies, and discussed the troop placements with Abel and Tres. Virgil was handling things both in the Underground, and in conjunction with the Palace Steward. Vanessa was assisting her brother with Underground preparations.

Esther dealt with all the paperwork, approving things and discussing plans with the others. Abel, the Methuselah envoys, and the remaining Vatican representatives, threw themselves into the preparations with a will, getting into everything. Tres was the only exception. He spent his time patrolling. Esther understood, but she couldn't help wishing that the android priest was able to find a little more enjoyment in the season. But the lingering unease over that was soon wiped away by amusement.

Astha and Ion were more than willing to help, but...they'd never been involved in Christmas before. The whole thing was completely new to them. The first day, discussing the tree, had resulted in confusion. Seth hadn't helped, teasing Ion unmercifully, and leaving Astha in Leon's hands. As far as Esther was concerned, it had been almost unbearable, trying not to burst into laughter while Leon explained about Saint Nicolas the gift giver, and...mistletoe. And when Seth speculated about having Ion dressed as a holiday elf, the young noble was nearly scarlet with embarrassment. Abel had finally recovered enough from his own laughter to take his sister and his colleague in hand. Leon reluctantly let Abel calm Astha down, but retaliated by announcing that the silver-haired priest had volunteered to choose the tree and bring it back in, while he watched Esther. Abel had refused, mollified only when Esther suggested that they could make an entertaining outing of having everyone go out looking. Caterina agreed, and within an hour, preparations were made to take the first afternoon of the holiday to go tree hunting on the palace grounds.

In between planning sessions, Esther thought of what she wanted to give her friends. Abel was an invaluable help, suggesting gifts for those he knew well, or even taking short trips to buy the things she requested. She was grateful for his assistance, but it also reminded her...she didn't know what to give him. She thought about asking Seth, but she wanted to come up with something special on her own.

Finally, they reached the last day of planning. Esther found herself in her office, with her last pile of paperwork. Virgil was working at a desk beside her. Alessandro was with Caterina, Seth was slouched in a chair on her other side, and Abel was perched in the window seat as usual, half his attention on his paperwork, and half on the grounds outside. Esther had been working for just over an hour when Seth spoke. "Hey, Esther there's something I was wondering about."

"Yes?" Esther blinked.

Seth stretched. "Well, that tall guy, he was telling Astha about the whole legend of Saint Nicolas, the guy who brings gifts."

Esther nodded. "Did you not know about it?"

Seth shook her head. "Well, it might not be the same as what you have here. When I was a child, we did have something like that. Santa Claus. I remember, we celebrated it once or twice, when I was very small." Her gaze flicked to the slender form in the window. "I think Cain might have too, but I don't think Abel ever did, for some reason. But I was wondering...do you still do that?"

Esther blinked. "I'm not sure." She turned to look at her adviser. "Lord Walsh?"

He considered. "I believe the tradition still exists within the city, however, it is not much celebrated among the court."

Esther nodded. Seth shifted. "How about the Underground?"

Virgil shook his head. "I fear not." His blue eyes met Seth's green ones. "As I suspect you may guess, we have not had much in the way of Christmas celebrations. As Methuselah, I fear we are not as familiar with the traditions as we might be. There is some gift giving, and some notice taken, however..."

"I understand. I was just thinking..." Seth grinned. "I don't know what your traditional Saint Nick looks like, but I thought it might be interesting, since we're going to hand out gifts, to have a guy like that."

"What was yours like?" Esther set her pen aside. She was genuinely curious. "We had our special gift givers in Istvan as well, but..."

Seth grinned. "Our version was tall, and fat, and dressed all in red, with silver-white hair and a beard. He carried a huge sack of presents and he laughed. Sometimes, they said he wore glasses too."

Virgil nodded. "Our version of the saint is much the same, however, version differ on his girth. I have seen him portrayed both as a slender man, and as a more portly individual." He stopped, considering. "I agree, your suggestion that such an individual would be a welcome addition to our celebration has merit. I believe it would be uplifting to my people and a beneficial way of bringing the humans and Methuselah closer. However, I fear that it will be difficult to find someone to take on such a role at this late date."

"I don't think so." Seth grinned, and this time the gleam in her eye was pure mischief. Her head turned, studying her brother in the window. "If you don't care whether he's fat or not, I think I've got the perfect candidate in mind." She grinned at Esther, then rose from her seat. "Hey, Abel."

Abel looked up. "Yes?"

Seth smiled at him. "Come here a minute, would you?"

Abel blinked, but rose obediently from his chair. "Um...is there something you need?" He shifted a little as Seth strolled around him, studying him. "What exactly are you doing?"

She gave him another of her mischievous, quick-silver smiles. "I have a favor to ask of you." She looked around Abel's arm. "So, what do you think, Esther? Think he'll do?" She glanced over her brother again. "He's a bit on the skinny side, but...I think it will work out."

Esther bit her lip on a giggle. Abel was staring at his sister with a mix of wariness and confusion. She knew he wasn't going to thank her for it, but the look of fun in Seth's eyes was too much to resist. A glance in Virgil's direction revealed he was having similar problems. Finally, she nodded. "I think he'll do perfectly."

The wariness in Abel's eyes increased. "Um, if you don't mind...what exactly is it I'm supposed to be doing? Not that I mind helping, but..."

Seth grinned. "It's fine Abel. Anyway, I was just telling Esther and Lord Walsh about the tradition of Saint Nick, and we all agreed we should have one for the gift giving in the Underground." She looped an arm around her brother's waist. "Thanks for volunteering. I know you've got a natural look for this sort of thing, so do your best, okay?"

"Wha..." Abel looked absolutely flabbergasted. "Seth...you can't be serious. I...I don't know the first thing about it."

She grinned. "It's easy. All you have to do is smile, and laugh, and hand out presents. I mean, we do have to dress you up a little, but that shouldn't be a problem. And maybe..." She grinned and poked him in the chest. "If you behave, we'll let a few of the kids in on the tradition of leaving cookies for Saint Nick, and you can eat them. That ought to satisfy your sweet tooth, and be good enough compensation."

"Compensation for what?" Caterina strode into the office, a sheaf of paperwork in her hands. She eyed Abel with a cool look. "What have you done now, Abel?"

"Nothing!" Abel flushed. "It's just..."

Seth shook her head, rocking back on her heels as she stretched. "Honestly, it's not Abel this time. But...since you're here, I'd like to ask permission to borrow my brother on Christmas Eve. Esther and I were talking about old Christmas traditions, and we agreed it would be nice to have Saint Nicolas the gift giver visit the Underground. Abel's a really good candidate, you know?"

"Indeed. He does appear qualified for the role. In fact, in light of his unique past and current personality, I'd have to say he is the best possible choice." Caterina nodded, and Esther saw the glitter of humor in her eyes. "Very well. Father Nightroad, you are hereby authorized to assist your sister with her request. However, I expect you to represent the Vatican properly, so be sure you do a good job."

"Caterina..." Abel flushed, looking absolutely terrified. Caterina said nothing, merely fixed him with her level, commanding stare. Abel froze in mid-sentence, then swallowed and nodded. "Ummm...if you insist, then I suppose I have no choice. If you'll excuse me..." He turned back to his work, his ears still crimson. The three women shared a look, then returned to their own paperwork.

Abel said nothing more about the incident, but he remained unusually quiet for the rest of the evening. Not that he didn't take part in the dinner conversation, but he didn't speak much and his responses were half-hearted. Leon didn't appear to notice, but from their concerned glances, Astha and William did. However, neither of them asked about it. He seemed pensive, and Esther wondered if the idea really bothered him, or if there was something else on his mind. She thought about it, then decided to ask him when he came to take up his nightly guard duties.

Abel was still quiet when he came in. Esther watched as he checked the windows to her sitting room, then caught his arm as he started past her into the bedroom. "Is something wrong?"

He blinked at her. "Not really. Why?"

Esther sighed. "It's just...you've been very quiet since this afternoon. I was wondering if something was bothering you."

Abel stared at her for a moment, then gave her a tired smile. "It isn't anything serious, really. It's just..." He trailed off.

Esther took his hand gently. "Do you really...does the idea of being taking that role really bother you so much?" She smiled. "I have to admit, I thought Seth was right. You really do seem suited for it."

Abel sighed again, slouching against the door frame. "Really...I don't know a thing about being Saint Nicolas. I...when I was here..." He turned his face slightly aside from her. "I don't recall celebrating that sort of thing much." She saw a small twist of a smile curve his mouth. "I suppose I wasn't a very obedient child, so...well, we didn't celebrate much. To be honest, I never thought much of it, until I started going to Christmas services with Caterina. But...that really is a whole different thing, you know."

"You mean, you never..." Esther swallowed. "But...at the Vatican...surely someone gave you a present at least once." She knew she had given him a box of chocolates.

"Well, yes, of course. Most of the AX members give each other gifts. And I do remember the gift you gave me a little over a year ago." There was a faint hint of a chuckle in his voice. "But still...it isn't quite the same."

"No. But...I think that's why she suggested you for the idea. Seth mentioned that she didn't think you'd had much experience with the holiday. I think she just wanted to give you something unique, a special memory to treasure."

Abel turned his head to meet her eyes, his own wide with surprise. "She...did?" he blinked a few times, then his shoulders relaxed, and a small smile touched his mouth. "Well, really I think she just wants to watch me make a fool out of myself. Still..." To Esther's surprise, he pulled her forward, into his embrace. "It's not the first time. Perhaps it won't be so bad." Amusement entered his tone. "It's less embarrassing than making a fool out of myself by accident, really. And if that was what she wanted..." His voice dropped. "I'll thank her later. But not until afterward." His voice was soft, teasing. "In that case, Miss Esther, I do have a favor to ask you."

"Oh? What is it?"

There was definitely laughter in his voice when he responded. "Well, I really do think that I need to get a special gift to give her at the end. After all, she is the oldest child here, you know." His chuckle resonated through his chest, send warm vibrations through her and waking a warm glow in her heart. Esther laughed with him, then broke free and headed for bed, lighthearted.

She woke the next morning feeling excited. Outside, a fine white dusting coated the ground. It wasn't really enough to be called snow but still, it awoke memories of joy. The knowledge that there were no meetings added to the excitement, and the prospect of searching out a Christmas tree had her positively bouncing out of bed.

"Hey Esther." Seth stuck her head in the doorway. "I see you're all ready to go as well." she grinned. "I sent Abel to clean up a minute ago." The smile widened. "He looks a lot better this morning." She stepped inside, leaning against the door. "I suppose we ought to have waited for you to wake but I confess, I'm looking forward to going on this tree hunt. I haven't done that in a really long time. And I think Abel's looking forward to it as well." She stepped forward. "Here. Let me see how you're doing."

Esther sat still while Seth took off the sling and began rotating the shoulder. After a few moments, the other woman stepped back, a pleased look on her face. "It's still got some healing to do, but...I'd say you're okay to take off the brace now. I'm going to re-bandage it, and you shouldn't lift anything heavier than a pen for a few more days, but you don't need an immobilizing unit anymore."

Esther smiled. "That's wonderful news."

Seth grinned back. "Consider it an early Christmas present." She set the bandages quickly, then skipped over to the wardrobe. "Here. We'd better get Abel before he gets too hungry. And then...we can find a tree." The smile on her face was infectious. Esther laughed and followed her.

The tree-gathering party assembled after breakfast. Caterina and Alessandro were going, and in their wake tagged the two inquisitors. Petros was scowling, but Esther had a feeling it was more habit than anything. William and Leon were coming as well, and the two of them dragged Abel into a huddle between them, Leon teasing the silver-haired priest as usual. Ion and Astha were reluctant to go out, even with Virgil's offer of UV gel and a dose of silver nitrate, so Seth volunteered the two of them to set up the tree stand and help Virgil and the castle steward find decorations. Mary accompanied the party out onto the grounds, guiding them to the spots where she thought there were likely candidates for the Palace tree.

The search took over two hours, and Esther enjoyed every minute of it. Seth and Alessandro discussed every tree that they came across, comparing it to the ceiling, discussing spots for ornaments, the color and everything else. William and Leon added their own critique. Abel didn't say much, but there was a sparkle in his eyes, and the flush on his cheeks was as much fun as it was cold. Esther joined the others laughing when Leon put a handful of snow down the back of his cassock. Abel yelped, lost his balance and fell headfirst to the ground, sitting up with a sheepish look on his face. His ears were red from embarrassment, but his eyes were amused, and Seth took advantage of Leon's laughter and cockiness to slip a palmful of snow into each of his pockets, followed by one down the back of his jacket. The look on Leon's face was enough to set even Caterina to laughing, though she managed to do it in a dignified manner. When they finally located the perfect tree, Leon and Abel cut it down, and all of them assisted in carrying it back to the Palace. Virgil met them with hot chocolate and snacks, and the afternoon was spent getting the tree into place. That evening, they had a quiet, leisurely meal, then Abel took her to bed, and sat beside her.

The next few days passed in the same manner. Though there were plenty of servants, Esther and the others elected to put up the decorations themselves. Tinsel was hung, the tree was decorated, and lights were put up. Holly and ivy wreaths and garlands decorated various areas. Christmas angels took up their various stations.

They also took a day in the kitchen, baking holiday snacks as part of their gift giving in the Underground. With two inexperienced Methuselah, and two very clumsy priests, there was less baking than hilarious mishaps. Abel and Leon both managed to get thoroughly covered in flour, and at one point, cookie batter. Abel compounded the problem by tripping and splattering Astha with eggs and milk. Caterina finally delegated him to sitting on the sidelines and test tasting the various recipes. Esther, for her part, enjoyed being able to cook again. She'd done the chore often enough in Saint Matthias church, and back among the familiar smells, she had to admit she'd missed it just a little. She enjoyed showing Ion how to mix things, explaining the oven controls to Astha, and supervising Alessandro's efforts. Seth and William, as it turned out, were both fairly decent cooks, and extremely helpful. Astha finally shoved Leon into the dishwater and told him to take care of clean-up, an order that Caterina re-enforced. Virgil assisted where needed, mostly in arranging the baked goods on sheets. He and Abel eventually set up a table to bag the finished products, preparing them for distribution.

Most wonderful of all, for Esther, was Abel. He was involved in everything. More than that, he was happier and more relaxed than she'd ever seen him. She was used to seeing him smile, but these smiles were completely genuine, with none of the shadows she remembered in his eyes. His laughter, always warm and caring, was also filled with joy. She remembered the first time she'd heard him laugh, in Istvan, and been touched by the loneliness in it. But the sad note was missing. He tripped up frequently, either accidentally or on purpose. She couldn't tell, but despite the embarrassment, he never stopped smiling, even when he blushed. To Esther, he almost seemed like a young boy, having his first Christmas. It was odd to think of him that way, and yet, entirely appropriate. And at night, when she went to bed, Abel curled up beside her. He still slept more or less on top of the blankets, but he had snatched a quilt, and his warm embrace made getting to sleep easy.

Finally, Christmas Eve arrived. Out of time considerations, they decided to hold the first service in the early afternoon, the second in the late afternoon, and then head down to the Underground. Esther attended the first service in the Londinium church more for show than anything else, sitting with Alessandro in the special seats while Abel and William served as Caterina's assistants. For the second service, in Westminster, she took communion. That time, she sat with Caterina and Seth both. To her surprise, Astha and Ion attended as well, mingling with the few Court officials still in Londinium, though they stayed close to Virgil. Afterward, they retired to the Palace, to get ready for the procession through the Underground. Abel disappeared to get his costume on, and Esther found herself waiting with Seth.

They sat in silence for a few moments, then Seth spoke. "You look like you've got something on your mind." She leaned back. "Abel again?"

"Yes. I was thinking, he looks really happy." Esther smiled.

"Yeah." Seth laughed. "Honestly, I've never seen Abel quite like this before. He's really enjoying himself. So then...what's worrying you?"

Esther grimaced. "It's just...well, I got him a bookmark, but..." She stopped, trying to sort out her thoughts. "I feel like I should do something more for him. He's been here, all this time, and I want to do something special for him."

"Well, I can see your point. But, you know..." Seth settled back against the wall. "I don't think you need to worry about it. After all, you're with Abel, right?" She looked up, meeting Esther's eyes. "That's probably the best gift he could have."

Esther blinked, startled. "You think so?"

Seth chuckled. "Trust me. This year, being with you, and with everyone else...I think it's the best thing that's ever happened to my brother. Abel...he finally has people he can be himself with, people he trusts with his past, and with his heart. He's finally opening up to this world. And honestly, I think it's because of you." she tilted her head back, looking up at the ceiling. "He's become more able to be open, because of you, you know?"

Esther blushed. "I'm not sure about that..."

Seth chuckled again. "Well, I am. But...if you want to be sure..." She grinned. "We're going to be having that little midnight feast after this, right?" She turned to grin at Esther. "I had that big guy, Leon, hang some mistletoe, just for fun. If you want proof, then try getting Abel under that, and see what happens."

Esther blushed, but she didn't have time to reply, because Abel's door opened. She looked up, and her breath caught in her throat.

Abel's costume had been a matter of much discussion. Instead of Albion crimson, they'd opted for a deep wine red. He wore boots, but these were a low cut, well-polished variety, instead of his usual AX combat style. Abel had flatly refused to be padded up to be fat, or to have a false beard. Instead, they'd given him a walking staff, decorated with ivy. Virgil had unearthed some old legends and descriptions, to decorate a beautiful beaded bag in which Abel would carry his handouts. He still wore his spectacles, but his hair was left loose, and threaded through with ivy, bound to a holly crown. The bright red berries complimented the outfit, and contrasted wonderfully with his silver hair, as did the green of the ivy leaves. He was even wearing a black belt, with a large silver buckle. Silver trimmed his pants, and the undershirt, while white fur decorated the jacket collar and cuffs, as well as the seam down the front. He looked both regal and disarmingly charming, even with the sheepish smile on his face.

Esther stared. Abel was good looking enough in his usual clothing, but this...just looking at him made her heart skip an odd beat, and there was an unfamiliar warmth in her stomach. Somehow, the red looked astonishingly good on him.

Abel let her stare at him for a moment, then shifted. "Ummm...Miss Esther...do I really look that bad?"

Esther jumped, then collected her wits. "Not at all. You look wonderful. Just like the Father Christmas the stories described."

Beside her, Seth whistled. "No kidding. I have to admit, it isn't what I expected, but I think I'm happy about that."

"Huh?" Leon's voice came from behind them. Esther turned to see him appraising Abel with a frown. "What's up Four Eyes?"

Seth grinned. "My brother agreed to be Father Christmas this year. It was kind of a last minute thing, but I think he's going to pull it off nicely."

Leon frowned. "Father Christmas, huh?" he studied the slender form in front of him, then shook his head. "Well, Father Christmas or not, you'd better be careful. An outfit like that might get the women interested in you, and if you steal my woman, I might have to thump you." He grinned then, flashing Abel a quick salute. "Do your best Four Eyes." Then he turned away.

Abel sighed. "Really now..." he shook his head, then turned to the two waiting women. "Well, shall we go?"

The procession took over two hours, but Esther enjoyed it, and she knew the others did too. And despite his protests, Abel did a wonderful job. He smiled, gave out presents, and spoke to anyone who happened to speak to him first. Several children showed up to speak with him, to whisper Christmas requests, or just to say something. Abel always listened attentively to each child, and several times, Esther heard him laugh, a sound of pure merriment. The sound brought joy to her heart.

Finally, they reached the end of the road. To her surprise, Virgil was waiting there with two children, a boy and a girl. Both were blond and freckled, though the girl looked to be the older of the two. At Abel's approach, both of them smiled, and the girl stepped forward. "Hello Father."

Abel's eyes widened, then he smiled, pure wonder sweeping over his face. "Miss Wendy! Peter!"

"Hello Father." The girl dipped him a curtsy. "It's nice to see you. I thought you might be tired, so I made you some tea. Complete with thirteen sugars." She smiled and held out a cup.

Abel's smile widened. "Why, thank you very much." He took the cup and drank a long sip. "Ah! It's just as good as the last time. You really do know how to brew a cup of tea." he frowned. "Ummm...you didn't put anything in this one, did you? I mean...not to be rude, but..." He looked a little sheepish.

"It's just tea Father, I promise. Consider it my thank you for having taken such good care of all of us." She smiled. "We had a chance to thank the other man some time ago, but I hadn't gotten a chance to thank you, so when I heard..."

"Hey there." Leon stepped forward, grinning. "I thought I heard familiar voices." he took another step forward and ruffled the boy's hair. "Huh. Looks like you might be getting taller."

"I've still got plenty of growing to do." The boy grinned up at him. "Just you wait. I'm still gonna be taller than you, someday."

Leon returned the smile. "And what are you going to do, when you're taller than me?"

"I'm gonna help Lord Walsh, and protect everyone." The young man smiled triumphantly. "I'll even be able to help you out, Mister."

Leon snorted. "Hey, I told you. Don't call me sir. Yo, Four Eyes." He looked over his shoulder. "You knew these kids were down here, right? Don't tell me you didn't bring anything for them."

"As a matter of fact, I do have something special for them." Abel grinned back, then bent down to rummage in his pack. "Now where...ah! Here!" He handed each of the children a package. "For you." He reached in and pulled out one final present, this one wrapped in bright green paper. "Now then, that just leaves one." His eyes glittered with amusement. "So then, why don't you two give me a hand? I need you to go down into this group following me, and tell the pretty little girl with the black hair that Saint Nicolas has a special present, just for her."

Esther chuckled, watching the two youngsters drag Seth out of the procession, and up to her brother, who offered her the gift with a mock solemnity totally belied by the twinkle in his eyes. She didn't hear what Abel whispered to his sister, but she saw Seth fling her arms around him, her eyes over-bright with joy and, just possibly, tears. Afterward, they gathered to listen to Alessandro's blessing of the Underground, sang a few songs, then returned to the upper world.

There was a light meal waiting in one of the reception rooms, mostly small snack pastries and a light wine. Abel didn't even bother to change out of his costume. Instead, he stood there, sipping wine and laughing with the Professor, one arm around his younger sibling. Esther watched him for a moment, then strode over to join them.

At her approach, Seth grinned and shifted free of her brother's embrace. "I'm going to get something more to drink. Need anything, Abel?"

"No." He watched as she skipped away, then turned. "Miss Esther. Are you having a good evening?"

She returned his smile with one of her own. "Yes." She stopped, trying to think of a topic of conversation. "I was wondering...how did you know those children? They seemed quite fond of you and Father Garcias."

"Ah, well..." The smile remained, but a shadow touched his eyes. "Actually, Leon and I happened to rescue them, a few years ago. They were being raised on an island by a man called Barrie."

Esther blinked. "I've heard of him. He was..." She stopped. _He was involved in the Silent Noise incident, that killed Sister Noelle. And...didn't the Professor say he was involved in experiments to create artificial vampires?_ Neither of those things were subjects she wanted to bring up with Abel, especially not now.

Abel grimaced. "He wasn't a very nice individual, and some of the things he was involved with...really. He'd involved the children on his island in some of his...less savory experiments." He grimaced and took a swallow of wine, as if to wash a bad taste out of his mouth. "They were all rather traumatized by the time we found them, but I think Wendy and Peter were the worst. After we reviewed the information, Leon and I decided to send them here, where they could have a fresh start." The smile warmed suddenly. "You know...I always said Peter was going to be a good man. It's good to see him doing as well as he is."

"You're right." She looked noticed his wine glass was almost empty. "Would you like something more to drink?"

Abel grinned. "Actually, I was just thinking I'd see what kind of sweets there were available. You see, I'm just a little hungry."

Esther smiled back. "Well then, we should see what we can do about that." She took his hand, and started to lead him across the room.

They stopped by the table, where Abel took a few sugar cookies. Esther took one, nibbling it while Abel munched his. After he'd wiped the crumbs from his jacket, she pointed. "Shall we sit? You must be tired, after carrying that sack all the way through the Underground."

Abel nodded. "That sounds like a wonderful idea." He turned, offering her his arm in a show of gallantry. She took it, and started across the floor.

They were halfway to the chairs when Leon's voice broke through the low noise of conversation. "Hey, Four Eyes! What do you think you're doing?" The tone was faintly menacing.

Abel froze on the spot and turned. Leon was glaring at him, one eyebrow raised, and a half grin on his dark face. Abel blinked. "Ummm...I beg your pardon?"

Leon's grin widened. "You really think you're gonna get away with that?" he cracked his knuckles suggestively. "You know, I'm not about to allow you to do anything to Red."

"Get away with...?" Abel blinked again. "Ummm, Leon, I wasn't planning..."

Seth chuckled. "Better look up, dear brother."

Esther and Abel looked up simultaneously. There, suspended from an overhead light, was a large bundle of green, dotted with white berries. Mistletoe. Esther felt heat rising to her cheeks, and a glance confirmed that Abel was going red as well. He blinked down at her, eyes wide behind his glasses. "Miss Esther..."

The Professor chuckled from the other side of the room. "Well now, Abel. It looks as though you've got a pretty young lady underneath the mistletoe. I trust even you know what that means."

Astha grinned. "Even we Methuselah can understand that, Father Wordsworth. So...tovarish...what are you planning to do? You wouldn't want to be responsible for breaking a long and honorable tradition?" Her smile was almost as menacing as Leon's.

Leon cracked his knuckles again. "Since it's tradition, I'll let you get away with it just this once, Four Eyes. But...you'd better do a proper job with my Esther."

Abel was scarlet. "Ah...Esther..." He swallowed, looking horribly embarrassed.

Esther smiled. "It's fine." She understood that shy, sheepish look in his eyes well. She had plenty of butterflies in her own stomach. But still...

Abel was still standing there, looking shocked. Esther let her smile widen, then reached up with her good hand to touch his jaw. She drew him forward, till their faces were nearly touching, then whispered softly in his ear. "I love you." Before he could respond, she moved forward the last quarter inch, and kissed him.

Abel remained startled for just an instant. Then he relaxed, pulling her to him. Electric fire seemed to leap between them. The blaze of passion she remembered from their first kiss re-ignited, fueled by the intervening months when they'd both been so careful with their relationship. Abel's kiss burned on her mouth, and she felt the barely restrained outpouring of love and desire from him, threatening to melt her on the spot. It suddenly didn't seem to matter that they were surrounded by people. All she could think of, all she could feel, was the power and the passion in that kiss. All she wanted to do was return that fierce emotion with her own. It felt like the world might explode around them, like she might explode, but she didn't care.

"Hey Professor...think they're gonna breathe anytime soon?" Leon's deliberately loud whisper startled her out of her haze.

"I don't know." William was speaking the same way. "I hope so, for Esther's sake. I do hope Abel hasn't forgotten that she can't hold her breath as long as he can." There was a chuckle. "Though, right now, I'm not sure either of them care."

Seth's voice joined in. "We should let them alone. I think Esther looks perfectly happy to melt into my brother's arms. Besides...it certainly makes for an interesting picture, don't you think?"

The joking remarks were enough to break the two of them apart. Esther pulled back, and found herself staring into Abel's blue eyes. They were both a little breathless, and a little dazed. Abel was nearly as red as his outfit, and Esther had a feeling she was a good match for him. Then a sheepish smile lifted the corners of Abel's mouth. "Well, I think that satisfies tradition, don't you?"

Astha snorted. "I hardly think that describes it."

Seth grinned. "You did seem to enjoy it a lot for just tradition's sake, Abel. Even if Esther did have to give you a shove."

"Ah, well..." Abel trailed off, then turned back to Esther. "You know, I think I could use another drink. Shall I get you one?"

"Yes, please." Esther watched him walk over to the table, smiling.

The evening broke up soon after, with everyone planning to get up for breakfast, and informal gift opening among them. Abel escorted Esther to her chambers. He did a quick check of the rooms while she got ready for bed, but as she passed him to enter her bedroom, he stopped her. "Esther."

She halted. "Yes?" His blue eyes were surprisingly intense.

He stood a moment, just looking at her, then pulled her into an embrace. A soft, light kiss touched her mouth. "I love you, Esther." The words were barely a breath in the darkness. Then he released her, a gentle smile on his lips. "Rest well, Esther. I'll see you in the morning."

Esther went to bed, but the memory of Abel's kiss kept her awake. That, and his last words outside her bedchamber. The whole thing kept playing in her mind, making her restless. _I...love him. And that kiss..._She couldn't even think of words to describe the fierce emotions in that kiss. The warmth of his arms around her, the heat of his lips, and the slender frame pressed close against her. The memories made her restless. She felt both uneasy and excited, as if she wanted something, but couldn't quite put a name to it, or to her emotions. _But...what...?_

_'You can't say it hasn't crossed your mind to want him. To want to be just a little bit closer to him.' _The words came from nowhere, startling her. She gasped, pressing one hand to her mouth at the memory of Dietrich's perverted statements.

At the sound of her gasp, the door to her room opened. "Esther?" Abel's soft voice cut through the dark, soothing her immediately. "I thought I heard something."

"No. It's all right." She thought about asking him to join her, but the words in her mind stopped her. "I'm fine, I just rolled the wrong way on my shoulder."

"I see. Well then, sleep well." He turned and left again.

Esther rolled to her back, thinking. _I...when Dietrich said that, I...it hadn't ever occurred to me. I thought he was handsome but, I thought he was Father Nightroad. I didn't think he thought of me as anything more than his occasional partner. An outsider, or maybe just a friend. I didn't think...that he cared about me at all, not that way._

But Abel had said he loved her, and she knew he meant it. The memory of their first kiss, and the one at dinner, rose up beside Dietrich's words. The fierce passion that had surged between them, and the barely checked desire she'd sensed from Abel. She remembered her own feeling of melting into him, and not even caring, not caring if the ground had opened beneath her feet.

She'd felt desire from Cain and from Dietrich both. But the thought of Dietrich frightened her, made her feel faintly nauseous, and the memory of his attempted rape of her still occasionally haunted her nightmares. And the memory of Cain's attempts at seducing her scared her even worse. As terrible as Dietrich's perversion was, that dark hunger in Cain's eyes had been truly terrifying, like his continued insistence. The realization of how much he was like Abel, at least physically, had only made it worse.

Abel...she wasn't scared of his feelings. The memory of that kiss caused a renewed warmth in her stomach, a feeling that combined relaxation with a tense excitement she didn't understand. She wondered what she would have felt, if Abel had approached her as Cain and Dietrich had done. But that wasn't who Abel was, and she knew he would never have tried to force anything on her that she didn't want. More than that, he wouldn't even make a move past kissing her if he thought it would cause her discomfort in any way. The thought relieved her, but also disappointed her for some reason she didn't understand. She was still trying to puzzle it out when she fell asleep.

She woke the next morning to a hand on her shoulder, shaking her lightly. "Hey, Esther. Esther, you seriously need to wake up already."

"Seth!" A second, wholly familiar voice intruded. "I did ask you not to disturb Miss Esther, now didn't I?"

The first voice, now recognizable as the Empress spoke again. "Ah, Abel, don't fuss so much. Everybody will be arriving for breakfast shortly. Besides...aren't you looking forward to opening your presents?"

"Be that as it may, there's no reason to be rude. You don't need to wake Esther up for something like that." Abel's soft voice was disapproving.

"It's all right." Esther sat up, rubbing the sleep quickly from her eyes. "I'm awake, Abel."

"Ah, Esther." Abel smiled, but a pink tinge touched his ears. "I hope Seth didn't disturb you." He looked sternly at the young woman he had hold of. "Honestly, I think being Empress all these years has made her forget some of her manners."

"That isn't true." Somehow, Seth wriggled free of her brother's grip. "Honestly Abel, it's tradition to wake people up to open presents. Alessandro's too polite. You and my nobles are all awake, and even I won't disturb Caterina. But Esther is a friend of mine, so it should be okay. Right, Esther?"

Esther smothered a laugh behind her smile. "It's fine. I was almost awake anyway when you came." She shifted to get out of bed. "Shall we join the others for breakfast?"

Seth nodded and turned to her brother. "Go on. I'll help Esther, unless you want to."

"No." Abel sighed, acknowledging defeat, then backed toward the door. "I'll join you in a few moments, as soon as we're both dressed."

Esther nodded, watching as he departed. She knew very well why he'd gone, and she was grateful, but at the same time...she was somehow disappointed.

She was startled out of her thoughts by Seth clearing her throat. "Esther, is something on your mind?"

Esther flushed. "No. Nothing in particular."

Seth grinned. "I see." There was silence for a moment, then the young woman moved across to help her pick out a gown. Together, they chose a relatively informal crimson gown, sewn with gold and silver embroidery. Seth helped her into it, then stepped behind her to help do up the buttons. She was halfway done when she spoke. "You know, if someone like Abel kissed me the way he kissed you last night, I think I'd probably want a bit more than a kiss. Especially if I enjoyed it as much as you seemed to."

Esther flushed. "I...well, I'm not sure. Besides...Abel...I don't know if he even thinks like that. Especially about me." She didn't see any point to denying her thoughts. In a way, it was a relief to have Seth voice them for her.

There was a chuckle from behind her. "Abel's a little strange, I'll grant you, but I can promise he's a normal guy in that department. And as for how he feels about you..." She finished the last button, and came to stand beside Esther, staring at the wall. "Trust me. Abel's never kissed anyone like that, and I didn't even think he'd kiss you at all, not in front of everyone. Not even with you encouraging him like that. For him to be that enthusiastic I think...Abel probably feels about you the same way you do about him."

Esther swallowed. "It's just...what happened with the Contra Mundi...and...I don't know...I can't even ask him."

Seth shook her head. "You don't need to ask, really. Just make your feelings known, and I'm sure the two of you will figure it out. Though you'll probably have to be pretty blunt, when it comes to Abel. He's not very good at picking up subtleties." She hesitated, then spoke more softly. "Cain and Abel aren't the same person, no matter what Cain says or Abel fears. And I think...being with Abel is more likely to resolve your issues than increase them." She sighed. "I guess it's not really my place to say any of this. But, like I said, you're really good for him, and I'd like to see the two of you get closer."

Esther sighed. "I'm just not sure what to do."

Seth shrugged. "Well, you have time. I just thought maybe I could help you. Sorry, I guess I shouldn't meddle too much in Abel's affairs, but..."

"No. Thank you. It helps to get a second opinion." Esther smiled, then rearranged the folds of her dress. "Shall we go? I'm sure Abel's waiting for us." Seth nodded.

They met Abel in the hall, and went to breakfast. Abel seemed merry enough, and the rest of the company was in good spirits. They made a leisurely breakfast of buttered bread, eggs, hot chocolate, sausage and a variety of fruits and other breakfast pastries. Afterward, they found seats around the tree, while Virgil, Ion and Abel passed out the gifts to their owners. Esther was surprised to find she had quite a stack, and glad to see that Abel seemed to amass a share of his own. The next hours were spent in unwrapping packages, exchanging thanks, and enjoying the presents. Leon and Seth even got into an impromptu contest to see who could land the most paper in the fireplace.

The rest of the day passed in laughter and games, focused on relaxing. Every so often, Virgil would disappear, or Mary or Caterina, but they rejoined the group later. As the time wound on toward dinner, even Caterina, Petros and Ion had lost some of their dignity enough to unbend and join in the general madhouse. Ion was fiercely competitive when he got started. He, Abel, Caterina and Wordsworth wound up in a poker game, with Leon, Astha and Seth urging them on from the sidelines. Esther was content to sit back and watch Abel, enjoying the look of happiness on his face. She noticed Seth watching her brother as well, but there were other things on her mind.

Seth's words stayed with her, circling in her thoughts. She knew no one wondered any longer when Abel spent the night with her, and she remembered Virgil's indications of approval. She knew that Abel's worst fear would be embarrassing her, but...it wasn't a problem. The only question that remained was whether or not she wanted to take the chance of loving him. Watching him, she was conscious of the mixed fear and desire she felt. When they finally rose to retire for the evening, she still wasn't sure.

Abel followed her to her rooms as usual, and checked the doors and windows. Esther usually went to get ready for bed, but she remained, watching Abel, trying to come to a decision. The moonlight and the soft light of the lamps illuminated his silver hair and pale skin, and highlighted the broad shoulders and slender waist. He was handsome enough to make her heart start pounding.

It was Chirstmas. She and Abel were together, after all they'd been through. She knew, that at any time, Rosenkreutz would come for her. Sooner or later, Abel would have to pursue Cain. And after that...she didn't know what would happen. Despite the promise between them, she knew there was a chance neither of them would survive. And...she did want to be with him, at least once.

That thought decided her. She watched him for a moment, then followed him as he entered her bedroom. She waited until he'd checked the window, then touched his arm. "Abel?"

"Yes?" he blinked down at her.

Esther blushed, fresh doubts in her mind. "I...I can't seem to get the buttons on this. I'd appreciate a little help."

"Of course." He stepped around behind her, his deft fingers going to the topmost button and slipping it free.

The warm brush of his fingers sent a tingling thrill down her spine, coalescing into a warm feeling in the pit of her stomach. She still felt nervous. After all, she had no idea how to say what she wanted, and even less experience in seducing anyone. She'd dressed as a street hooker once, on an undercover sting operation, but that hadn't involved much seduction, and anyway, the stakes were different. Still, the warmth did much to allay her fears.

"There." Abel slipped the last button free, and Esther caught the dress to keep it from immediately falling. She heard the rustle of fabric as Abel straightened. "If you'll excuse me."

"Wait. Abel." Esther turned and caught his sleeve. "There's something I want to ask you?"

Abel turned back, and his ears turned pink. "Ummm...well, you might want to wait until you're dressed."

"No." Esther shook her head, then stepped closer to him. Before he could back away, she reached up to grasp his shoulder and pulled him down, then kissed him.

Abel stiffened for a second, then leaned into the kiss, his hands on her shoulders as he bent to deepen the embrace. Esther let the hand on the back of his neck shift, to slip to his collar. Through the building heat between them, her fingers found the collar and pulled it free, then dropped to the first of his cassock fasteners. It was a bit stiffer, but she managed.

Abel pulled back, a dazed look in his eyes. "Esther? What...?" he blinked down at his shirt, already half unfastened, then at her dress, which she was barely holding up.

"I..." She swallowed, then looked up into the beautiful blue eyes. "I'd...I want you to be with me tonight."

"Well, I did say I'd stay with you this evening, but..." Abel stopped as Esther put a hand to his mouth.

"That's not what I mean. I mean...I want..." Esther blushed, and moved her hand to rest on his chest. "I want to be with you, the way...the way lovers are. Not just guarding me, but..." She stopped, too embarrassed to get the words out.

"Umm, well...oh." Abel blinked, his eyes widening in surprise. Then his gaze darkened. Gentle hands came up to take her shoulders. "Esther..."

"I know. But still...I want you."

Abel swallowed hard. "Esther, I...I don't want...you know." He hesitated. "I...care for you. I don't want to do anything that would harm you. Not your reputation as queen, not your position with your advisers, and not your position in the church. If we...if we did this..."

"It's all right." Esther smiled. "Lord Walsh, he told me that first night you comforted me, that it would be all right. He and Mary both know that you and I are together, and he said he trusts you to be discreet." She smiled again. "And as for my standing with the church, I was absolved of my vows when I became queen so, it's all right. Unless..." She frowned. "Did you...did you take a vow of chastity?"

"Umm, no, actually. I didn't quite dare." Abel blushed. "But...Esther..." he swallowed. "I..."

A tendril of cold fear touched her. "Is it...that you don't want me?" She hadn't thought that was the case, not the way he kissed her, but with Abel it was hard to tell.

He shook his head. "It isn't that. It's just I..." he stopped, and his head bowed. "I don't want to hurt you." The words came out as a whisper. "Not...not if something happens, and I don't survive. And...after hearing what Cain and von Lohengrin did to you...I didn't...I didn't want to do anything that would make you relive those terrible memories. Even if it means I can never touch you...I..."

Esther reached up to touch his mouth, stilling his words. "That's exactly why I want to be with you. I know we might both die, or one of us might. The Order won't disappear forever. And I... I don't want to risk losing you without ever being with you. As for what Dietrich and Cain did...I want you to erase it. Show me what it's supposed to be like, so I don't have to remember what they did."

There was silence between them for a moment, then Abel bent his head to kiss her again. It was a soft kiss, but there was no mistaking the passion in it. His hand slipped lower, to brush her shoulder. "We'll have to be careful, not to re-injure the shoulder." his voice was suddenly rough.

Esther wasn't feeling too steady herself. "Yes."

Abel swallowed again. "Promise me." He rested his head on hers. "Promise me that you will tell me, if I make you uncomfortable. If it's your shoulder, or...or anything else, promise you will tell me to stop. I don't want to hurt you, even by accident."

That was a promise she was happy enough to make. "I will." She pulled him closer for another kiss. Her dress dropped to the floor as she reached up to undo the last of his cassock clasps, leaving her dressed in her shift and undergarments. She got the last of the shirt undone, and pushed it back, running her hands over the smooth, hard muscles of his chest.

Abel shrugged out of the shirt, and somehow, managed to step out of his boots as well, leaving him dressed in nothing but his pants. They held the kiss a moment longer, then Abel pulled back slightly. He held her for a moment, his hands gentle on her shoulders.

Esther stood still. She had no idea what he was thinking, but she trusted him. Still she was surprised when he bent down and picked her up in his arms. He carried her to the bed and set her gently down, then knelt at her feet. Esther blinked. "Abel?" Her voice came out far too hoarse.

"It's all right." He tilted his head. "It's been...a long time, but I want this to be perfect for you." He smiled, a quiet smile that combined passion and serenity, and reached up to brush her face with a gentle caress. "I thought it might be best if we went slowly." One hand stroked her face, down her throat to rest on her chest. It was a light touch, but it burned, sending warmth through her.

Esther swallowed. "All right. What...what should I do?"

"Just relax." Abel's smile widened. His hand traced a slow sensuous path down her arm to the bed, then across her leg. He bent his head, then took her foot in both hands. One hand held her foot, gently massaging it, while the other traced a smooth path up her leg, shaping the contours of the muscle under her stockings, as if he meant to memorize every curve. Esther shivered as his hand slipped underneath her shift, up to the top of the three-quarter hose, then slowly, gently, pulled the hose down. The warm hand left a trail of heat behind it, contrasting deliciously with the kiss of the cool air behind. Abel pulled the stocking free, then bent his head to kiss her bare foot. His lips were even warmer than his hand. It felt like being touched with a live coal, and the feeling went straight to her gut. He held still a moment, then repeated the movement with the other leg, leaving another trail of warmth from Esther's feet to her thighs.

After the second kiss, Abel stilled a moment, letting her get used to his touch. Then he rose from he knees, still moving with that same sure slowness. His hands caressed her legs, then beneath the shift, tracing the lines of her hips, then upward to her waist, stroking across her stomach and leaving smoldering embers behind. His hands moved upward, lifting the shift to expose her belly as his fingers roved lightly across her ribs, then brushed across her breasts. The touch of his thumbs on her chest sent a tingling feeling through her. She didn't even tense as he gently lifted the linen garment over her head, careful of her injured shoulder. One hand dropped the clothing to the side, to land on the stockings, while the other traced down her cheek and throat, then tilted her head back for a kiss. He settled on the bed, his mouth still on hers and his hands framing her face. He held her there for a moment, then his hands dropped lower, to stroke her chest.

Suddenly, it was too much. Memories of Dietrich and Cain flooded through her, dousing the fire in her gut with ice. Esther stiffened, feeling fear sweep through her, even as her mind reminded her that it was Abel, not Cain who was with her.

Abel dropped his hands at once and moved back. Esther closed her eyes, taking a deep shuddering breath to calm the sudden storm of emotion. _This isn't...it isn't like then. Abel isn't Cain, and he's certainly not Dietrich. This is...it's all right._

She swallowed, feeling her fears dissipate as quickly as they'd come. She opened her eyes, to find that Abel had not only moved back, he was standing a good three or four feet away, his eyes watching her with concern. He waited until she met his gaze, then whispered softly. "Esther? Are you all right?"

"Yes." She reached out, and he took her hand carefully in his own, his fingers tracing the back in a soothing pattern. "I'm sorry. I just..."

"It's all right." His voice was as soothing as his touch. "It's only to be expected, given the experiences you've had. And it's fine. We don't have to do this. If it's what you want, I can bring you your nightgown."

Esther shook her head. Even with the vestiges of fear pounding through her, she didn't want to let him go. "No. I still want to try. It's just...I just need a moment."

He inclined his head. "Can you tell me what frightened you?"

Esther swallowed, looking at him. In the dimness, he suddenly looked too much like his brother. The hair falling down his back shimmered golden in the lamplight, and the way he sat, wearing nothing but his breeches, reminded her far too much of the way Cain had appeared when he tried to seduce her. "It's just...the way you look in the light, the way you're dressed...you look like _him_. And somehow...I don't know why, but I felt like...like I was with Dietrich again. Even though I know it isn't true."

"It's all right. I understand." His hand brushed the tears from her face. "Well then. I'll just have to make myself as unlike Dietrich and Cain as possible, now won't I?" He sighed. "I can't help looking a bit like him, but...would you like me to put my shirt on again? Or...I suppose I can get my cross..."

"No. It isn't that." Esther shook her head. Her gaze slipped to the waist of his pants. Cain had always worn pants when he came for her. So had Dietrich. For a split second, her mind flashed to the members of the Fleur du Mal, the night he'd first rescued her. She reached out hesitantly, and laid a hand on his hip, brushing the fabric. "I think...it's not that I want you to be more dressed. Could you...?" She stopped, doubt assailing her as she remembered her feelings when Cain had appeared naked before her.

"I can take them off, if it's what you want. I hadn't planned to, but..." He brushed her cheek again, "You still look a little afraid."

His gentle touch guided her eyes to meet his. There was no impatience in his gaze, no anger or anything like that. Only concern. She looked away, spoke softly into the darkness. "He was always trying to seduce me, to take me from you. Sometimes, he would...just appear, with nothing. I...I'm not sure."

"Hmmm..." Abel's voice was thoughtful. "Well, why don't I try something then? And if it doesn't work..." He smiled, then bent and kissed her. "I'll be perfectly happy with simply kissing you to sleep."

She didn't have time to reply before he rose and disappeared into the bathroom. Nonetheless, the comment brought a smile to her lips, dispelling the cold in her lower abdomen and relaxing her once more.

Abel reappeared seconds later. He'd kept his hair tied back, but...he'd removed his pants, folding them over his arm. Instead, he'd wrapped a bath towel around his waist. He was slender enough for it to cover him, though barely, and the odd mix of modesty and vulnerability he projected was more calming to her than anything else he could have done. He hesitated a moment, then set his clothing aside, and moved once more to join her on the bed, sitting with one leg tucked under the opposite knee. The position afforded him some protection, but when she looked down, she caught a glance of his inner thigh. She flicked her gaze away before she had the urge to look any higher, feeling her cheeks burn with heat.

Abel's hand touched her jaw. "Esther? Is this...is this better?"

She stopped. She still felt oddly nervous and reluctant, but...it wasn't the same feeling. She was no longer afraid of him. She nodded. "Yes. But..."

He chuckled. "Believe me. I understand." His hand traced her chin and neck, then stroked her shoulder. "Lie down. On your stomach please."

Esther blinked, turning to look at him. "Abel...what are you...?"

He smiled, a disarming, almost boyish smile. "Well, your back is a bit tense. If you don't mind, why don't I give you a massage? Seth taught me how. It's been a while, but I think I remember." His hand rubbed a small circle over the back of her shoulder, gently coaxing the muscles to relax.

Esther didn't think, just rolled over and stretched out. She felt Abel shift position, his weight settling to either side of her waist as if he were kneeling over her. Then his hands, strong and gentle and warm, touched her shoulders. He worked carefully, gentle, smooth strokes. She felt him shift a little, avoiding the sensitive area on her left shoulder where the wound had been. Then his fingers dug in a little, rubbing in small circles and short brushes to coax her tight muscles into relaxing.

She had to admit, Abel was an excellent at massage. His hands were gentle, strong without hurting. The warmth in them was even more relaxing. Esther could actually feel her back unknot as his hands worked over the muscles. Warmth spread through her, relaxing her. At the same time, she felt an odd tingling, a low sense of pressure, and excitement. Her mind brought up the image of Abel, kneeling over her in nothing but a towel. The thought made her blush, but she couldn't deny the excited feeling that swept through her. She was half drowsing, lost in those feelings, when something snagged her bra. She started to stiffen, but Abel's quiet voice spoke from above her. "Sorry. It was in my way, so I just moved it a little."

"That's fine." Her voice sounded low and husky, even to her. She shifted upward, to shrug the clothing off her shoulders. "It's okay if you just remove it."

Abel didn't say anything, but his hands unsnapped the clasp, and slid it from underneath her. The movement brushed one of his hands across her breast. Fire danced through her at that gentle touch, bringing excitement to replace her hesitation.

Abel's hands worked for a few more minutes on her shoulders, then moved lower, to the middle of her back. Esther lay there, savoring the feeling of his warm hands moving across her body. Then his hands moved lower, hovering near her hips. He was still massaging her, but the feel of his hands that low was sending little darts of fire through her. Suddenly, her skin felt almost too sensitive. She twisted her head. _What is he doing?_ Without thinking, she rolled over.

Abel froze, his hands now on the front of her waist, right above her underwear line. Esther found herself looking up at him, and in that position, the towel didn't conceal much of anything. Esther felt her cheeks burning, and his were just as red. He swallowed. "Esther..."

"Don't stop." She gathered her courage, clinging to the fire that was building, and reached up one hand to lay on the towel at his hip. "It's fine." And it was. The realization made her relax in his hands.

Abel nodded, and his hands began to move again, massaging her stomach. Heat built in her body, low and pulsing in time with his movements. She felt her body responding, her skin becoming sensitive to every little motion he made. Rather than fear, she now felt...desire. She wanted him to keep going. She watched as his hands moved lower, stroking ever closer to her hips and her groin. Then his hands brushed her underwear. She felt him hesitate a second, then one finger slipped under the band to caress her. It felt like being brushed by a live coal, and Esther fought back gasp of wonder as a small tendril of lightning passed through her. The feeling intensified as Abel slid his hand under the garment, stroking lower, brushing his hand lightly over her. His other hand slipped to her hip, and he paused, looking up in an unspoken question.

Esther felt herself nod, and shifted her hips, moving so the last of her clothing slipped downward, revealing the curve of her hips and the upper edge of her nether regions. Abel took the hint, rocking slowly back, drawing the underwear with his hands in the same movement he had removed her stockings before. But where that had felt like a light warmth, this felt like brushing a bonfire. His hands were actually trembling a little, and the shift of his body revealed that, under the towel, he was already more than ready to take her. But he held back, moving gently for her sake.

Esther didn't think, just lay back so Abel could see her, touch her. She didn't know what to do, but she was aware that he did, and she trusted him utterly. Hesitantly, she parted her legs a little for him, waiting for his next move.

Abel laid the last garment to one side. But instead of moving to straddle her, he shifted, laying carefully beside her. One hand moved to the towel, loosening it. He didn't drop it to the side, but the edges fell away, revealing tantalizing glimpses of his hips and his shaft, already hard. He laid one hand on her stomach, then bent to brush a kiss along her jaw. "Esther." The words was half-prayer, half question, and infused with a world of passion.

She wasn't sure she could speak. Instead, she reached up, running a hand across his chest, then down his arm to where it rested on her waist, giving him a slight nod. She ran it back up his arm, then lower, stroking across his abdomen, and heard his sharp intake of breath. She looked up into the intense blue eyes, the unspoken question. "Yes."

Abel's hand shifted lower, stroking across her body. He rubbed her nether regions a moment, gently coaxing her legs wider, then his hand slipped between her legs and stroked. Esther gasped as lightning danced through her at that simple touch. Abel shifted, stroking deeper, brushing almost completely insider her. The feeling sent heat straight to her belly, and seemed to set all her nerve endings on fire.

Abel stroked her a moment, then shifted his hand. Esther's back arched as one of his fingers slipped deep inside her, penetrating her and stroking along her core. She gasped, her hand clenching on his arm as he rocked his hand back and forth, almost withdrawing, then reaching deeper. Fire raced along her blood, but it brought pleasure, not pain.

Abel stilled then, leaning down to kiss her. He free hand brushed along her chin. "Are you all right?" His voice was rough, hoarse.

"Yes." her voice didn't sound much better. She took his hand in hers, then arched herself against his other hand. Abel bent his head, kissing her once more, then his finger withdrew. His hand stroked her hips a little wider, then, carefully, he inserted two fingers into her, stretching her, stroking her and stimulating her.

Lightning and wonder danced through her, arcing through her groin, her stomach, her chest. Esther felt herself gasping as heat flared stronger, and her legs parted involuntarily, her hand clenching on his arm. Abel stroked deeper, his hands hitting nerves deeper inside her to ignite more flames. His free hand held her face, tracing her jaw as he leaned in for another kiss.

Electricity crackled between them, and Abel froze, pulling back slightly. There was sudden fear in his eyes, penetrating the haze of heat and desire that had fogged Esther's senses. She reached up to touch his shoulder. "Abel?"

"I..." He was shaking. "I can't..._they..._my powers." He swallowed. "Just now...I felt them. And I..."

Esther reached up and laid a hand across his mouth. "It's fine." She smiled up at him, stroking his cheek. "I've told you, I'm not afraid of you. No matter what we're doing, or what you feel, it's fine."

"But...what they want..." He swallowed again, his fingers stroking her neck.

"It's all right. I want you." she brushed his face, then drew his head down, so his warm breath was on her neck. "I want whatever makes this a good experience for you too. Even if you drink a little blood, it's all right. I'm sure I've recovered, and so have you."

Abel lifted his head, doubt and hope and passion warring in his eyes. "Esther..."

"It's fine." She stroked his cheek, then carefully let her hand drop, tracing the curve of his hips in a gentle enticement to continue. She knew she should have been shocked at her own behavior, and a part of her was still afraid, but the fires Abel had stimulated were still burning, giving her courage. And somehow, then honor in him only increased her desire. She shifted, drawing herself closer to him, close enough that she could feel his shaft hard against her thigh. Deliberately, she moved her leg against him.

Abel's head went back for a moment, strain and joy both mixing in the features. Then his hand moved, stroking her again, and she felt his fingers press her wider, then slip into her once more, renewing the pulse between her legs. Three fingers entered her body stretching her still further, stroking deeper until Esther felt her hips come off the bed in helpless response.

Abel stroked her a minute more, then withdrew. His hands came up to catch hers, then he rolled so he was above her, kneeling with a hand on either side of her shoulders. The towel fell away from him, revealing his body. Esther swallowed, staring at his shaft, already hard. Then her gaze moved upward to meet Abel's eyes, and she nodded, shifting her hips to accommodate him.

Abel held her gaze, then slowly lowered himself over her. His shaft touched her, and he stopped, letting her get used to his presence, to the feel of him there. Then, slowly, he pressed forward.

Esther gasped, her hips arcing as Abel's body entered hers. Fire exploded through her, pleasure sweeping her away. Abel's hands caught her, holding her so she wouldn't hurt her shoulder. "Hold onto my hands, Esther." The words were commanding, but the tone, husky and full of desire, was as intimate as a caress, like a kiss.

Esther took hold of his wrists. His hands were burning, his arms trembling. She could see the strain in his face. He held himself still, then pushed forward, moving slowly.

Inch by inch, Abel's body entered hers. Esther felt as if she were drowning in fire. She shifted restlessly, but Abel didn't increase his pace. The slow friction of it was driving her mad, threatening to melt her, and she could see in his face that he felt the same way. Nevertheless, he continued in that slow pace, moving gently to avoid hurting her.

They both felt the resistance in her. Then Abel leaned down, breathing hard. "Bear with me." Before she had a chance to respond, his mouth took hers, a deep passionate kiss like the one he'd given her under the mistletoe.

Esther's world exploded, conscious thought disappearing under the whirlwind of emotions and sensations that kiss invoked. The passion of his lips, the brush of his chest against hers, the way his fingers twisted to twine with hers. She felt as if she were drowning in a sea of sensation. She felt Abel's hips shift forward, brief pain flaring deep inside her, but she was so stunned by that kiss that she almost didn't feel it. Then Abel leaned back, and pushed himself forward, so his body lay against hers, erection deep inside her.

They stayed like that, breathing hard, then his hand slipped from hers, to brush her face. "Are you all right, love?"

Esther smiled. "Yes." She shifted slightly, feeling a renewed pulse of lightning as his body moved in hers, and was pleased to see Abel's eyes widen. "Can we keep going?"

Abel didn't answer, but arced back, his face taunt. She felt him shift above her and in her. Suddenly, wings flared behind him, dark and strong, then curved to wrap both of them in a cloud of night. The feather softness sent little streaks of electricity across her skin. Abel moved then, pulling back, and began a slow steady rhythm. His body stroked in and out of hers, sometimes short strokes, sometimes so long he almost withdrew from her before pushing forward, always in the same slow movements.

Fire built between them, and electricity sparked both around her and within her. Esther felt like she was going up in flames, melting, and she didn't care. The pleasure was almost too intense to bear. She wanted to call a halt, and she wanted more. She could hear herself gasping, but it all her attention was focused on the feel of Abel's body against hers, his shaft pumping in and out of her in that steady rhythm, like the beat of his heart.

She felt as if she was going to shatter under the onslaught of stimulus. Then Abel's wings tightened, and he bent his head. His lips brushed her throat, a light nip that she barely felt, and his hips drove forward, pressing so deep their hips ground together.

Esther felt her body explode, catapulting her out of rational thought, out of her mind. Her body shuddered, clamping around Abel, and she felt it as an explosion shook him as well, both of them going over the edge together. Their backs arched as one, pressing them together at the hips as explosion after explosion rocked through them. Abel flung his head back, his expression filled with ecstasy, and she knew her face mirrored his.

Finally, the intensity faded. Abel dropped beside her, his body still inside hers, his chest heaving. Esther curled into him, listening to the wild beating of his heart as her own body relaxed.

They lay together like that a few minutes, too spent to move. Then Abel shifted, withdrawing from her, and reached down to pull a sheet over both of them. His hair was damp with sweat, his chest shining with perspiration, but he looked happy. He settled back beside her, the sheet cooling them both, and brushed a tendril of sweaty hair out of her face. "Esther? How do you feel?"

She smiled. "That was...wonderful." She remembered the small nip he'd taken, just before the climax. Her hand rose to touch her neck. "Did you get what you needed?"

Abel chuckled. "I got a great deal more than that. You were amazing." His hand stroked her cheek. "I honestly can't remember when I've ever felt that before. As for that..." His hand stroked her neck, and his eyes darkened slightly. "I suppose I shouldn't have, but I didn't drink your blood, not really." He flashed hera smile. "It was a compromise, of sorts. The mark should fade by morning."

"It doesn't matter." She leaned forward to kiss him, snuggling her body against his. "Thank you. That was amazing, Abel."

He laughed, and his arm went around her waist. "Thank you, Esther. For having me. For being with me. I...I can't even begin to tell you how wondrous this feels, to have you and be with you."

"You don't need to." She stroked his jaw. "I know exactly what you mean."

She leaned in and kissed him again. She felt suddenly tired, drained, and barely able to keep her eyes open. She struggled to stay awake, not wanting to let go of this moment.

Abel noticed, and his hand brushed her face. "It's all right. Go to sleep." His voice was low, soothing and caressing. "I promise, I'll still be here when you wake." He brushed her hair back, and she relaxed against him. "Sleep well, Esther." There was a breath of hesitation. "Love. Sleep well."

Esther smiled, and shifted closer to his warmth, and allowed herself to relax into sleep.


	35. FAQ notice 03 & FYI notice

**FAQ **- Frequently Asked Questions Notice#3 plus some TB **FYI**

_Hello again readers and fans of __**TBWC**__,_

_**smcandy**____Authoress of __**Trinity Blood War Continuum **_**(TBWC) **here once more.

A **3****rd** FAQ and also FYI notice to boot on my part. I decided to post again in regards to some **more** good and lingering questions from current fellow fan, reader, writer herself **ObsidianEmpress** asked us through email a few days ago from when we updated chapters 25-26 some more questions that were bugging her and she needed to be sure with us that is been explained so far in **(TBWC)** itself. These are mostly my editor's answer since she comes up with better explanations than me in replying.

**Question #1:** I know what happens when Cain drank Esther's blood. It helps him keep whatever is left of his body together. However, what will happen to Abel now that he drank Esther's blood, and will the same effects happen to Seth if she does so?

**Answer #1 - **_Esther's blood will have a similar effect on Abel. Since he's never undergone disintegration, he doesn't need to hold his body together; his own DNA and structure are still intact. But...Abel has an essentially doubled Crusnik. They're a lot stronger in his system. What Esther's blood will do, is sort of balance it out, add a little 'human' to the mix as it were. With Cain, her intact DNA supports his, and gives him greater physical stability. With Abel, it's more adding to his mental stability, because it settles his Crusnik down, which makes it easier for Abel to suppress them. And yes, if Seth were to undergo a similar transformation, or just need blood and happen to take Esther's, the result would be about the same._

**Question #2: **I know that vampires use Aqua Vitae to keep themselves from feeding on human blood. However, how does it slate the thirst and keep their anemia under control? Can a Crusnik take an artificial version of Methuselah blood?

**Answer #2 - **_Aqua Vitae is sort of like an extreme iron pill would be for us. If you've ever been around (or are) one of those people who has anemia, the recommendation is generally, lots of red meat, foods with allot of ion or iron tablets. While I've never seen the exact formula, I'm guessing that the Aqua Vitae are an iron/hemoglobin compound, similar to the kind of iron pills a human would take. Only it's sort of...on steroids? I can tell you it's water soluble, and that illegal manufacturers use human blood as a base (See manga __**books 2**__ and __**6**__ I believe). As to what it does...the Bascillus virus eats iron and hemoglobin in the natural course of things, and converts it into energy, for super strength and speed and all that stuff. But...this is dangerous. It's active no matter what you do, and it is always consuming material. Exposed to UV radiation (sunlight) it becomes hyper active and goes haywire. What the Aqua Vitae does is provide a steady nutrient source from outside the host body. The 'water' introduces a high density of the necessary proteins, iron and such into the system. The Bascillus eats that, and has no reason to consume the host tissues. So, no anemia, unless of course, they forget to take it, or suffer severe injury. Or they get exposed to sunlight._

As for whether or not a Crusnik can take artificial vampire blood...well, that's a bit tricky. Crusnik don't need blood for iron, what they eat is the straight up energy in the Bascillus...sort of like...a nuclear power plant eating a high level generator. Theoretically, you could give them the Bascillus virus suspended in a serum, not from a Methuselah. But...the original strains were left behind when the Colonists left Mars, so now the only place to find the Bascillus is in vampire blood. And since the iron in vampire blood is what makes it work, it's pretty darn hard to get it any other way. So theoretically...maybe. But highly unlikely.

* On a side note, Seth doesn't really need to drink. Unlike bascillus, the Crusnik can be suppressed to an extremely low or dormant level. At that point, a slight raise in the metabolism provides energy. You may have noticed, Abel can fight even before he feeds, and he doesn't always take. Usually, yes, but not always. Seth, on the other hand, generally uses fighting skills and cleverness instead of her powers. She's only really used them once, when she had to rescue Abel from Dietrich/Radu. Without the frequent activation Abel uses, she has no need for the frequent feeding. But if she did, well, she is loved and respected by her people, and like Abel, I'm betting she could get a donation.

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Now moving onto some **FYI** for everyone to be aware about since most Tb fan are not all both anime and manga familiar with their other counterpart.

Most of the Trinity blood cannon characters and themes are based partly or named from Biblical, Historical or well-known fictional figures or places that can be found even taken on the same full names as their real life counterparts. The late **Sunao Yoshida **possibly got most of his ideas from for created the series. Even in the anime and manga some names and things there are taken and can be seen everywhere within the series.

Such examples are **Cardinal Caterina Sforza** (by a historical personality, Caterina Sforza, Lady of Forlì and Imola), the Duchess of Milan Cardinal Catherina who's personality and image is more or less based to her real life Italian historical counterpart as most fans have read and see.

**Vaclav Havel's** might be off the real life Czech playwright, essayist, poet, dissident and politician. **William Walter Wordsworth's** might be is based on a historic **William Wordsworth **major English Romantic poet.

The Krusnick/Crunick are based off of Krsnik (vampire hunter) based off of Slavic Mythology being type of vampire hunter, a shaman whose spirit wanders from the body in the form of an animal. The _krsnik_ turns into an animal at night to fight off the _kudlak_, his evil vampire antithesis, with the _krsnik_ appearing as a white animal and the _kudlak_ as a black one. Also the origin of the name may be from the word _krst_, which means "cross",= which would make sense since when the mars colonists found the Crusnick or Seth did she named it as such do the nano-machine looking like a cross shape. So far this was shown for how the four test tube babies where when they activated their powers after they each injected the crunsk into their systems being the only ones to manage and survive the prosier anyway. During the time of the human-vampire or vampire-human war 900 years ago.

Esther Blanchett, her name is based on the bilabial book of Esther whom was a Jewish queen of the Persian king Ahasuerus. In many ways like her biblical counterpart it has been shown in the anime and in the near future of the manga that Esther is to be the prophesied to be "the morning star" who will lead the people to peace, meaning her people as being the rightful queen of Albion (England).

The **Rosenkreuz Orderen's** name and uniforms are based off of the legendary **Christian Rosenkreuz **and** the Nazi SS **soldiers uniforms since most of the members names and heritage come from Germany even their leader Cain was created in Germany of the time 2088 AD. Along with the their ranks which was taken from Aleister Crowley'sA∴A∴ Magical order The acronym, A∴A∴, has been attributed many meanings.

**Abel and Cain's history, their relationship and names are based partly off of their biblical counterparts. This has been shown many times in the anime and manga from different aspects, points and views in flash backs from both anime and manga versions so far.**

**[*] ****Abel's** name comes from the biblical Abel, Adam's second son and the first human murdered, as well as being the biblical King of Martyrs. Form what the spoilers say that were not finished by the late **Sunao Yoshida,** Abel get killed twice by Cain once as shown in the anime, manga and another time in the manga again possibly later on if the manga continues to stick with **Sunao Yoshida's **unfinished notes that he left. It's also been stated in those notes they (Cain and Abel) will fight again for a third time but the result in this third fight has been left with question as of what will happen and whom will win it Cain or Abel?. The notes say Abel enters the ark for this final confrontation with Cain that's all.

**[*] ****Cain's** name comes from the biblical name Cain, Adam's first known son who murdered his brother the biblical Abel.

**[*]****Seth's** name comes from the Biblical Seth, Adam's third known son who 'truly' began humanity. Hence why she called Mother of all methuselah in the Byzantium Empire. She was also the one to name the tow nano-mahcine back form the mars colonization project and thus was also the one to discover and name them. Laos it's been stated in the notes that she does get killed by Cain when she is forced to reactive the Ark again form her palace in the empire.

**[*] ****Lilith's** name is from Jewish folklore; Lilith is the name of Adam's first wife, who was created at the same time and from the same earth as Adam. This is some ways make sense because she was a proto-type to the remaining three test tube babes Cain, Abel and Seth and is also older than them by three years making her the first female test tube baby to be made of foe the red mars project which also explaining why she got the lowest military rank of the four.

The ark that is famous vampire moon the second one that is see in the anime and manga hanging in the sky next to our own, as shown in the ending anime last episode credits. It will take part in the third and final showdown for Abel and Cain in the naming of the Ark is based the biblical Noah's ark that was made during the biblical flood.

Most of the countries shown in in Trinity Blood universe are in Europe since that is the only livable country left from after the Armageddon war, the rest of world except for Europe and the Empire are the only places that have not become wastelands by the nuclear pollutions and things that have been used and done from the time of the Armageddon war. Seth restored the lands she used to make the Byzantium Empire. And the names of most of the countries are taken from old names that were used for them in past such as Albion, Byzantium and so on even for the titles of many Methuselah nobles they are based off kingdoms or places that used to exist in real life historical or mythological but are not longer present. Well some anyways.

The term **Methuselah** is taken from the name from the oldest person whose age is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. Extra-biblical tradition maintains that he died on the 11th of Cheshvan of the year 1656 (Anno Mundi, after Creation), at the age of 969, seven days before the beginning of the Great Flood. According to Rashi on Genesis 7:4, God delayed the Flood specifically because of the seven days of mourning in honor of the righteous Methuselah. Methuselah was the son of Enoch and the grandfather of Noah. Also because to form the Bascillus that is in their blood system they live much longer lives than humans since their awakening comes about the age they reach puberty form what the TB infos say, Ashta mentioned in the manga that the oldest of her kind are around 300 years but they are probably just as immortal as they Crusnick's unless they are blood deprived, killed with silver or sunlight or in any of their vial spots. As shown in the anime and manga they do have weaknesses to more than just Sunlight and silver.

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**Also here is list of the names of places that are seen within the TB anime and manga:**

**Istvan** - series' name for Budapest- Esther; home country to where she taken as a baby from the Albion 15 year ago after her birth.

**Bohemia** - A historical name of the Czech state, now known as the Czech Republic. Father Valclave's home country.

**Erin** - The ancient Irish name for Ireland. Judith Jane Joycline's home country.

**Hispania** - The ancient Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula (comprising modern Portugal and Spain). Leon's home country.

**Albion** - An alternative and archaic name for Great Britain or England. Esther's true place of birth and home country along with Abel's he was created there in year 2088.

**Londinium -** The name London, England during the Roman period. The Capital of Albion.

**Byzantium - **An ancient Greek city, which was founded by Greek colonists from Megara in 667 BC and named after their king Byzas or Byzantas. The capital city of the Empire is Byzantium (otherwise known as Constantinople). The Empire lies in Far Eastern Europe and stretches to where Turkey once was and the outer Middle East (Israel, Syria and a small part of north-western Iraq). Home of the **Methuselah**** Empire. **Where Ashta, Ion, Mika, Radu and many other more notableMethuselah nobles are from.

**Germanicus **- series' name for the countery Germany. King Ludwig II, Dietrich, Helga along with few more RCO members are from this country along with Cain whom was created there the same time as Abel in the year 2088 from that country.

**Antwerp, Four City State Alliance **(modern Belgium) Father Huge's home country.

**Kraków **- The second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Sister Paula's home country.

**[*] ****Timisoara** -Second largest city of the Empire. Sharazard use do guard and have home/tuff location there before she had to run after her uncle Sulyman was killed.

**[*] ****Serai**- The Imperial palace of the Empress. "Sarai", a word of Turkish origin meaning "fort" or "harem" or inn. It occurs in some place names. Ion Fortuna mentioned this to Esther as the Imperial palace of the Empress to where the empress lives and is located in the anime from episode 17 to 18 I think.

**These places below where mentioned by both Ashta and Mika whom was posing at the time as the empress.**

**[*] ****Heraklion **– Heraklionor Iraklion is the largest city and capital of Crete. It is also the fourth largest city in Greece. It is one of four Empire cities and borders within the Trinity Blood Manga Universe with a human (terran) country the others, being Alexander, Athena and **Timişoara (Being the s****econd largest city of the Empire****)**

**[*] ****Alexander** - Alexander is a common male first name, and less common surname. It is one of four Empire cities and borders within the Trinity Blood Manga Universe with a human (terran) country the others, beingHeraklion, Athena and **Timişoara (Being the s****econd largest city of the Empire****.)**

**[*] ****Athena** – Athena in Greek Mythology or Atheneis the goddess of wisdom, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, crafts, justice and skill. Athena is also a shrewd companion of heroes and the goddess of heroic endeavor. She is the virgin patron of Athens. It is one of four Empire cities and borders within the Trinity Blood Manga Universe with a human (terran) country the others, being Alexander, Heraklion and **Timişoara (Being the s****econd largest city of the Empire****)**


	36. Authors Notice 2

**Authors Notice #2**

Dear readers and fans of **TBWC**,

Again it's Authoress **smcandy **of **TBWC**, here again to message you on another very important note.

Again I like to let everyone know that as from my first message posted from **10.** **FAQ ****- Frequently Asked Questions Notice #1**that the story is not over yet. I have said many times to all that this story is 40 chapters, the big four and zero together. No more or less.

Please do not assume that it is over yet unless we me and editor say so on our account.

I do not mean to sound rude to those whom think I am implying this but I have grown semi tired with many new readers whom are not fully reading everything as I have asked many times before. I can understand that my story get a lot excited and maybe keep some for hours at a time though I think that is highly unlikely.

Some chapters you have seen with chapters **10** and **27** so far we decide to split in our outlines, or add more notices or anything like that. Again for those of you lamenting the untimely death of a story…it isn't _**dead**_. It simply suffers the occasional lapses that happen to writers with other things to do, like work and house chores. And we don't write a cliff-hanger every time, though we'll take it into consideration if clean endings scare you.

Again to many, we do post Author Notes. Well, sometimes. More like almost all of the time. And we do try to include really important info in them. So pretty please, read them. Even if you'd rather just skip to the fun stuff. Some of it will be explanations…and some of it might be spoilers. And if you skip them, you'll never know what you missed. And it might be really cool.

To many this may seem like a waste of time to read and some will want to move into the chapter itself but it's highly important that you do try and read all of everything. So far I have posted 2-3 important **FAQ**'s regarding the terminology and questions that have been asked or emailed to me threw readers whom wanted to know what this and that was in terms of how they relate with the story itself and the plot

Be reminded that the story is not done yet there is **thirteen** chapters left to go please always keep that in mind unless it says so at the bottom or top of the then be expected to see more updates come along the way.

Thanks again for taking the time to read I hope this again answers many new readers question as to when the it will be the end of the story.

Sincerely Authoress **smcandy**


	37. Twenty Eight: Hostages

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Hiya everyone! just got this chapter somewhat early from my faithful editor last night isn't this sweet. Well nothing more I need to say other than thanks to all newbies whom have commented and have been notified from my last message update on the current status of the story. Keep your positive and encouragements, critiques and constructive critisiums coming in now onward to chapter twenty-eight ^^

**(*)** As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this story 100%.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Twenty Eight – Hostages **

Esther woke to the feeling of warm air brushing across her cheek, and cool sheets on bare skin. She lay for a few moments, relaxing and remembering the events of the night before, then opened her eyes.

Abel lay next to her, his eyes still closed in sleep. The blanket that covered both of them only came up to the middle of his chest, revealing the muscles of his upper arms and his chest. His face was completely relaxed, silver hair falling across his cheek and forehead. Esther smiled, seeing the tangles, and remembering the events that had put them there. She stared at his face a moment longer, then leaned forward and kissed him gently on the mouth.

The touch woke him, as she'd suspected it would. Abel shifted, stiffening just briefly before one arm came up to pull her closer. He held her close for a moment, then drew back slightly. "Good morning, Esther."

"Good morning. Did you sleep well, Abel?" She smiled at him.

Abel smiled back, a tint of pink suffusing his cheeks. "Well, when I got that far." The expression in his eyes softened, and he reached one hand up to brush her face. "Last night..."

"It was wonderful. Absolutely perfect." She took his hand. "Thank you, love." She looked back into his eyes. "I hope...well, I know I'm not experienced, so..."

He chuckled. "You needn't worry about that. Trust me, you were stunning." He shifted again, then kissed her. "As much as I'd like to stay here, we should probably be moving." He sat up to glance at the clock, and the sheet slipped, revealing his body, naked to the waist. "Ah...we'll probably be summoned to breakfast in a little bit." He stretched, then leaned over and snagged the towel he'd dropped the night before. "I'll go run a bath for you."

"Thank you. That sounds lovely." Esther sat up as well. Abel's gaze slipped over her exposed chest. He blushed slightly, then stood, wrapping the towel around his waist, and moved toward the bathroom.

Esther watched him disappear into the bathroom, then stretched. Her shoulder felt a little sore, but no more than usual. There was also an ache deep in her gut, and between her legs, but it didn't bother her, not when she remembered why. She rested her hand on her stomach with a smile.

Abel reappeared in the doorway a moment later. "Esther...your bath is ready." He studied her a moment then moved forward to brush her face with a gentle touch. "How do you feel?"

She smiled. "I feel fine. A little sore, but..."

A sheepish grin touched his face. "Yes, well...it's an unfortunate side effect. I hate to say it, but you'll probably feel that way for a few days." He pulled her into an embrace. "If it's any consolation, I'm feeling a little worn out myself."

"It's fine." Esther grinned, then pushed herself to the edge of the bed. "I really should go get cleaned up though, and so should you." She looked into his face. "You know...you're welcome to join me, if you want."

Abel made a face. "I admit, I am a bit tempted. However, I don't think I want to explain it if Lord Walsh or my sister walked in on us." He grinned. "They might not totally disapprove, but I'm fairly certain that Seth would never let us hear the end of it."

Esther felt him chuckle, and an answering laugh burst from her. "You're probably right. But then, you'd better get dressed." Her gaze slipped to the towel around his waist, the only thing covering his body.

Abel blushed, then stepped back so she could rise from the bed. Esther rose, wrapping the sheet around her for modesty. As she did, something caught her eye. She turned. There in the center of the bed was an irregularly shaped crimson stain, about where she'd been lying.

"Esther?" Abel moved forward and his gaze followed hers. "Ah. Well, that is another unfortunate side effect." He sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't think of that."

"It's all right. It's just...I know you wanted to keep our relationship quiet, and I understand, but..." Esther bit her lip, concern dampening her happiness. "This..."

Abel studied it a moment, then smiled. "I think I might know a way to fix this, Miss Esther. In the meantime, why don't you go ahead and take that bath. After all, it's not going to do you any good if the water gets cold, now will it?"

"You're right. But this..."

"It's all right." Abel laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, and she looked up into his quiet smile. "I will take care of this, Miss Esther, so don't worry. You just go enjoy your bath, all right?"

The calm confidence in his smile restored her own relaxation. She nodded. "All right." She leaned forward and brushed a quick kiss on his jaw, then turned and entered the bathing room. Within moments she had discarded the sheet and was slipping into the tub.

The water was the perfect temperature, warm and relaxing. Esther sat back and let the heat soothe her aching muscles. Gradually, even the deep soreness in her abdomen faded. She shifted, sinking lower to allow the heat to soak into the shoulder, then sighed, smiling to herself as her mind drifted over the events of the night before. She'd heard, in a general way, about love-making, but she'd always thought as a nun that it was something she'd probably never experience. Granted, she had known that Sister Noelle was hardly chaste, and the vows of celibacy were optional, but still, it hadn't occurred to her that she'd find someone she wanted to be with, nor someone that wanted to be with her. Even when she'd realized she loved Abel, she hadn't thought it would come to this. But...the night before had been pure magic. She closed her eyes, remembering him. Remembering the black wings enfolding them both as they came together. A smile touched her lips, remembering how she'd once thought of him as her 'one black angel'. Certainly, last night he'd brought her a feeling that was close to heavenly. She only hoped she'd done the same for him.

The water was beginning to cool. Esther shook herself out of her thoughts, and reached for the soap. It took her only a few minutes to wash, then a few more to rinse out her hair. She frowned, lifting a strand of it. She'd barely had time to notice, but it was getting long. She was used to a shorter hairstyle, but...she rinsed the last suds off, then rose from the tub and wrapped one of the larger towels around her and moved to the mirror. As a nun, she'd kept her hair short as a boy's, with only a few long bangs framing her face. Between her captivity and all the things that had happened, it had grown past her shoulders. It felt odd, seeing it so long, but she didn't dislike the style. It gave her a somewhat older and more feminine appearance. She smiled, running her hands thorough it. She wondered what Abel thought of it.

The thought reminded her of Abel, and the mess she'd left him cleaning up. She grimaced, then turned and took a set of underthings out of the drawer near the tub. She threw them on, then shrugged into a bathrobe and opened the door to the bedroom.

Abel was sitting in a chair, once again dressed in shirt and pants. His hair was loose, but that wasn't unusual. He looked much as he usually did when he stayed with her. At her entrance, he looked up and a smile crossed his face. "Ah, Esther. Was your bath all right?"

"It was fine. And you..." She stopped, not sure how to phrase the question.

Abel's smile widened. "It's all right. Everything's taken care of. And as soon as Seth or Lord Walsh gets here, I'll be off to clean up as well."

Esther nodded, and moved to stand beside him. She couldn't help letting her gaze drift to the bed. To her surprise, the stain was gone. The sheets looked a little rumpled, but other than that, the sign of the night's activity was gone. She looked back at the man beside her. "Abel...how?"

An odd look crossed his face, and he looked away from her. "Well, let's just say I used a special technique, all right? After all, cleaning out bloodstains is something of a specialty of mine." He gave her a quick grin.

"I see." His manner woke her suspicions, but she didn't want to ask. However Abel had managed to clean up the mess, that was his business, and she was grateful for what he had done. "I'm glad it worked then." She moved forward and kissed his cheek.

"Well, you two certainly are affectionate this morning." A soft, amused voice came from the doorway. Esther turned to see Seth leaning against the frame with a smile on her face. She grinned and waved at her brother. "Hey Abel." She tilted her head. "You know, you really look like you could use a shower, brother."

Abel chuckled and rose from the seat, gathering up his belongings. "Yes, well, I was just waiting for your arrival." He turned and brushed a hand across Esther's cheek. "I'll meet you in a few minutes for breakfast, all right?"

"Right." Esther smiled as she watched him leave.

Seth watched her brother go as well, amusement and affection on her youthful face. "Huh. I don't think I've ever seen Abel look that contented before. And certainly not when he looks that...disarranged." She chuckled. "Whatever happened last night must have been good."

"Yes." Esther knew she was blushing, but there was no way to hide it. She sought something to distract the other woman. "You were here to check my shoulder?"

"Well, that and to keep an eye on you for a few minutes, while Abel gets himself cleaned up. Good thing too, otherwise he'd show up at the hall in that condition, and everyone would wonder what he was doing. My brother isn't exactly the neatest person I've ever known, but that...that was a little much."

Esther blushed again. "I...I asked him to help me clean something up...and..."

Seth chuckled again. "It's not important." She grinned as she stepped to Esther's side. "Honestly, I don't have to guess, not with that look on his face. Plus...Crusniks do have excellent senses, in general. And this close up...you've cleaned off a bit, but you still kind of smell like Abel to me."

Esther blushed. "Oh. I see."

Seth shook her head. "Don't worry. I'm not going to tell anyone. The more sensitive Methuselah at your court and mine might notice, to be honest, but I don't think anyone's going to talk about it. Really, I'm just happy, for you and Abel both." She smiled and Esther saw the genuine warmth and affection in that smile.

"Thank you." She returned it.

They held each other's gaze a moment, then Seth turned to the wardrobe. "Well then, let's see about getting you dressed up for the day."

It took less than half an hour to slip into something comfortable to wear. Abel was standing in the hall when they emerged. His hair was still wet, but neatly combed back, his glasses perched firmly on his nose. True to Seth's comments, he wasn't the neatest priest she'd ever seen: his cassock looked a bit rumpled, and the combat boots he wore were scuffed and battered, as were a few of his rosary crosses. Still, the sight of him brought a smile to Esther's lips. Abel looked up at the sound of their footsteps, and an answering smile touched his own face, lighting the winter blue eyes. He straightened as they approached him. "Good morning. Shall we head down to breakfast?"

Seth smirked. "You seem a little hungrier than usual Abel."

Abel flushed slightly. "Yes, well...you know how it is. Sometimes, I just get extremely hungry."

"I do." Seth grinned, and looped her arms through her brother's and through Esther's. "So then, let's get you fed."

They arrived early to the dining hall; early enough that only Virgil was there, laying out the places. He looked up as they entered, and set the plate he was holding aside to bow. "Your Majesties. Father Nightroad. Good morning." He straightened. "I regret to inform you that breakfast is still in the process of being prepared. However, if you wish to wait, I can provide you with tea or coffee or juice." His gaze shifted to Abel. "Your usual, Father?"

"If you don't mind." Abel fidgeted, rubbing the back of his head.

"It is my honor." Virgil's gaze slipped to Esther. "Majesty?"

"Tea, please, one of the blends Lady Caterina gave us, if you don't mind." Seth ordered juice.

Virgil nodded. "I shall return shortly. Please be seated." He bowed them toward the seats at one end of the table. Seth took Esther's right hand seat, Abel her left.

There was an odd silence at the end of the table, not uncomfortable, just quieter than Esther was used to. The three of them simply seemed to relax, and the quiet calm was soothing. Even so, Esther was glad when Virgil appeared, pushing the cart with the tea service. The Methuselah lord brought the cart to the table. He served Esther first, and as he did so, his hand brushed hers. Virgil hesitated, just a moment, and his eyes came up to meet hers. An emotion she couldn't quite catch flashed through the pale blue depths, and then he was setting the cup down. "I beg your pardon."

"It's fine." Esther smiled at him, but there was something about that brief flash of emotion that troubled her. She hadn't felt that he disapproved, precisely, but she couldn't quite pin down what she _had_ sensed from him.

Virgil set the remaining cups before the Nightroads, then turned to present napkins. "Majesty..." The odd hesitation in his voice made her look up, and she caught that odd expression in his eyes. Not disapproving, but considering. Then he inclined his head. "I trust you rested well?"

"I did, thank you." She knew she couldn't quite keep the blush out of her cheeks, but he didn't appear to notice. Instead, he set out the teapots for her and Abel, offered Seth a small decanter to refill her juice, then turned back with the tea towel to lay on the cart.

Once it was set down, he turned. "If you will excuse me, I shall inform the others that breakfast is nearly ready, and return shortly." Esther gave him a nod of approval, and he turned and left, leaving her to stare at the slender back as it disappeared through the doors.

_What was that about? He didn't seem upset. A little surprised, but not even that much. _Esther stared at her tea, considering. _Whatever it was that got his attention, it didn't seem to bother him. It's just; he's never given me that look. It's almost like the look he gives an unexpected issue with the computers...but why would he respond to me like that? It can't be because we were early for breakfast._ She was trying to sort it out when Seth's words touched her mind. _'The more sensitive Methuselah might notice.'_ Along with that came another memory, a lesson she hadn't thought much about. _Methuselah...they can sense when someone is a virgin. There's a...some sort of change in blood chemistry or something like that. So...if that's true..._ Esther felt her cheeks go red.

Seth chuckled. "You remembered, didn't you? That old fact about Methuselah."

Esther nodded. "Yes." Then she straightened in her seat. "However, I think you're right. He didn't say anything at all."

Abel looked at both of them a moment, then at the door. Then his eyes widened. "Ah..." He sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't..."

Esther leaned over and placed a hand over his mouth, stopping the apology. "You did ask if it was all right last night, and I told you. Besides, no matter what happens...last night was wonderful. I don't regret it in the least, and you shouldn't either."

Abel flushed, and a sheepish smile crossed his expression. "Well, actually, I don't regret it at all. And if you're not concerned, I suppose I'll just have to follow your lead."

Seth grinned. "It's nice to see you're having some luck training him, Esther. Someone really should take him in hand."

"Really!" Abel shot his sister a mock-stern look. "That's not something you should say about your older brother. Besides...if we're going to talk about taking people in hand..." He trailed off, his eyes glittering. "I suppose it's a little late to remind you about your homework, but...I'm sure I can find something else. Imperial paperwork, for instance. And I wonder...does Baibars know about your habit of climbing out windows?"

Seth laughed, and Esther found herself joining in. Abel just sat there, sipping his tea, but she could see the gleam of amusement in his eyes. The silence fell again, but it was companionable silence, almost like a family enjoying quiet time.

The rest of the company came in a few minutes later. Esther thought Astha started a little, and there was a hint of sadness in Ion's eyes at the beginning of the meal, but like Virgil, neither of them made any comments. Leon drew the young Earl of Memphis into a discussion of sword versus projectile combat techniques, and the interest in it banished most of Ion's melancholy. Afterward, the group broke up to work on their individual projects, including plans for the envoys to return home. Both Seth and Caterina had decided to remain for the new year's feast, then to return home the following day. Both of them would be returning home with most of their envoys, and travel arrangements had to be carefully handled.

The days following rolled by in planning, and in regular business. Londinium business returned to normal, as did that of the Palace. Working with her companions, Esther made the arrangements for Caterina, Alessandro and Seth to return home. She felt sad to see them go, but she understood that both were needed in their own places.

Caterina would be returning home in the Iron Maiden, as expected. To minimize the risk, she and Alessandro would make a daylight crossing, first thing in the morning on January second. Seth would wait until evening, beginning her flight at night, so she and her escort would be awake. The Professor and Tres would accompany Caterina, with the Inquisitorial knights watching over Alessandro. Seth intended to return with only Ion in her entourage. Leon and Astha were scheduled to remain in Albion, working with Mary on the defenses. Esther was grateful for the consideration, knowing both envoys were skilled strategists. Abel, of course, remained as her personal guard.

Aside from travel plans, there was also the council meeting to transfer the power of the Vatican Special Diplomatic Reserve from William to Abel. Abel was still reserved, but the Professor was just as happy to be freed from the title, and no one on any of the councils objected. The Cardinal di Medici might have, but he refused to participate. With careful planning, it took two days to get the consent from the Vatican and the Albion Royal Council, and another night to gain agreement from the Imperial Council, but the actual transfer took no time at all. The fifth day after Christmas, the Alliance Council met, and the formal transfer of position and responsibility was made. Abel was mostly silent during the whole thing, but he didn't protest.

The next day was New Year's Eve. Esther helped Virgil with the preparations for the feast while Abel stayed with his sister. Dinner that night was a solemn affair, but marked by laughter and easy camaraderie. Esther enjoyed it. They toasted in the midnight bells, and the changing of to the New Year. Then Seth rose, lifting her glass. "To our Alliance, and our friendship." Abel was the first to second, and everyone joined in.

The party broke up shortly after that, but later that morning Seth came in while Esther was getting ready, a solemn look on her face. "Hey, Esther."

"Yes?" Esther straightened her collar.

Seth looked up, and Esther was surprised to see wistful sadness in her eyes. "I was wondering, tomorrow can I borrow Abel from you?"

"Of course. You don't even have to ask." Esther nodded, then impulsively moved to embrace the smaller woman. "Thank you for all you've done for me, and my people."

Seth tilted her head back, a small smile crossing her features. "It was fun, wasn't it? Well, parts of it, I suppose." She shook her head. "But you know, it's funny. I was going to thank you, for taking such good care of Abel for me. Thanks to you, he's become...very much the person I always thought he could be. And he's really happy."

"I'm very glad to have helped." Esther smiled.

Mischief entered Seth's eyes. "I bet you are." A grin quirked the corner of her mouth. "Abel's been here every night, hasn't he?"

Esther blushed. "Well, yes. He is my guard after all." Seth's grin widened, amused. "He's been very...attentive." Her mind drifted back over the nights of the past week.

Abel was every bit the gentle and careful lover she'd expected them to be. He slept beside her every night, but he'd been very considerate. He hadn't even hinted that they should make love again for two days after that first night, waiting for her soreness to fade. When they had come together again, it had been with a little less foreplay, but with no less consideration of her wants and needs. There was no doubt he enjoyed it too, and he was stimulated as much as she was, but he always kept things to her pace. For her own part, Esther had discovered that she enjoyed their time together, but more than that, she enjoyed finding new ways to give Abel pleasure. She felt the heat rising to her face, remembering the nights spent exploring each other's bodies.

Seth's chuckle broke her out of her thoughts. "I can see Abel's doing his part. You look pretty happy too." She rocked back. "That's a good thing. I'd have to scold him if he weren't treating you properly." She flashed Esther a grin. "Hey, we'd better get breakfast." Esther nodded.

The next morning, she and Abel met Caterina and the others at the landing dock. Abel exchanged farewells with Caterina first, before stepping aside to speak to Petros and the Professor. Esther was surprised at how much she felt she'd miss the Cardinal, and the Pope. She was equally surprised at the warmth of the farewell between Seth and Alessandro. She hadn't realized the two were such good friends. From the tilt of Caterina's eyebrow, she hadn't either, but Abel was smiling affectionately. The three of them watched until everyone had boarded, and the Iron Maiden was a dot in the distance. Then Seth turned and took Abel's arm, and the two of them strolled away, leaving Esther with Virgil and Mary at the doors to the landing platform.

Virgil stayed with Esther, helping her go through paperwork while Abel was with his sister. To her surprise, Esther discovered the work was much easier than it had been only a month previously. Not that there was less of it, but the long sessions of going over things with Abel, Alessandro and Seth had sharpened her understanding of such things, making it easier. She did ask Virgil's advice for a few things, but even there, she found herself needing his advice less than before. Instead of broader kingdom matters, now her questions mostly concerned the Underground.

Abel and Seth rejoined them for dinner, along with the rest of the Methuselah. The siblings were both quiet and fairly somber, but there was an air of ease about the two of them that suggested quiet acceptance of their separation, rather than pain. It was, Esther remembered, the expression she'd seen Seth wear after their first visit to the Empire. Sad, but understanding of the necessity.

After dinner, Seth rose. "Well, I guess it's time to go." She gestured. "Come on, Earl of Memphis. We've got a fair way to travel, so we might as well get started."

"Yes Majesty." Ion jumped from his chair with a bow. He nodded to Virgil. "Thank you for your hospitality, Count."

Virgil bowed. "It was my honor."

Ion nodded, then came around the table to Esther's side. "Esther..." He halted, looking her in the eyes. A confusing mix of emotions ran across his face. Concern, sadness, hope, and a number of them that passed too quickly to name. Then he took her hand and kissed it. "Take care, Esther. I hope everything goes well, and you are happy. And someday soon...let's meet again." A shadowed smile touched his face.

Esther nodded, returning the smile with her own. "I'd like that very much."

Ion nodded, then turned to Abel and bowed. "Farewell Father. Take care of Esther."

"You have my word." Abel returned the salute, his own expression grave.

Seth nodded. "And don't forget to take care of yourself as well, my dear brother." She reached up, hugging him tightly, and Esther thought she saw a shimmer of tears. "You and I both know he's out there, Abel. Promise me you won't do anything reckless, all right?"

"I'll do my best. You be careful as well." Abel enfolded his sister in a gentle embrace.

She held him tightly for a moment, then released him and turned to Esther. "I have to go now. I'll return to the Empire in a few days, and I'll be sure to contact you, okay? In the meantime...watch over Abel for me."

"Of course." Esther hugged the slender form, then walked with the Empress and her escort out to the waiting Imperial ship that had come all those weeks ago. Seth and Abel shared a final embrace, and then they were gone, vanishing into the night sky.

Esther stood watching for a long time, until Abel's gentle hand roused her from her thoughts. She turned to find him standing beside her. "You should go in. It's about time for bed."

Esther nodded. Abel led her inside. As they changed into their respective night gear, Esther noticed Abel's odd silence. When she looked up, his expression was melancholy. She reached up to touch his face. "Are you all right?"

He smiled, sadness in the expression. "I will be, I suppose. It's just...I do miss her. And I...well, I haven't had much chance to be a brother to her, and I'm afraid I haven't been a very good one. I enjoyed having time with her like this. Having her leave...I suppose I do feel a little sad. But..." He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to his chest. "I will be all right. And in a few days, she'll contact us, and I'll see her again, and that will help."

"Yes." Esther nodded, then drew him to the bed. They lay down, and Esther wrapped her arms around him, offering silent comfort and love. Moments later, they were both asleep.

The days after that slowly returned to normal. Esther woke, ate breakfast, then went to morning meetings. For lunch, she and Abel often took a short stroll through the gardens, after which they would join Mary and Virgil working on various things that needed to be dealt with. Mary went over things relating to the army; Virgil looked over documents related to the Underground and some of the more general ones. Esther took over the rest of the kingdom affairs, while Abel went over Alliance paperwork, settling into his new role as the Diplomatic Representative. He seemed hesitant at first, but the Albion Council was well used to his presence, and the endorsement from Virgil and Mary only eased his way. After a few days, he settled in, relaxing into the post as naturally as if he'd always fit there.

Work ended about dinner time. Usually, Leon and Astha met them for dinner, going over security with Mary. Vanessa also began to join them occasionally, acting as her brother's assistant in the Underground. The seven of them would share the meal, then retire for quiet discussion before duties and the need for rest separated them again.

The next two weeks passed in quiet routine. Caterina contacted them to announce that they had arrived safely, and all was well in the Vatican. Seth called a few days later to report similar conditions in the Empire. It was so peaceful; Esther could almost believe that the Order of Rosenkreutz was a bad dream. That thought was enough to put her on guard again. After all, she'd studied tactics as part of her AX training, and she knew that one tactic was to wait until your opponent relaxed, then strike. She noticed then the sense of waiting and frustration in her advisers. Abel remained calm, but at night he took a little extra care when he checked the doors and windows. But there was no sign of any attack, no signs of any attempt to break in. In fact, there was no indication that there was any trouble in the vicinity.

The tension was wearing on all of them. Much as they needed the respite, Esther found herself wondering constantly when and where the Order would strike next. Much as she wanted to, she couldn't bring herself to believe Cain had given up on her. And though no one discussed it much, she knew all of them were worried about where the next attack would come from. Abel seemed relaxed, but she caught him staring out the window every now and then, lost in thought with darkness in his eyes.

Finally, Esther took Virgil aside before lunch. "Lord Walsh."

"Majesty." Virgil stopped. "Is something on your mind?"

Esther smiled. "Well, yes, but I think it's on everyone's mind. We're all wondering what's going to happen next. I know I don't think the Order has given up, and I don't think you do either."

He shook his head. "No. I fear not, my lady."

Esther bit her lip. "We're all afraid, but no one wants to say anything. I thought, perhaps this evening after dinner, we could meet and discuss things. Even if we don't have any leads, we can at least make our best guesses as to what might be happening, and plan for them. I think everyone will feel better that way. And after we've planned things, we can contact Caterina and Seth and bring them up to date."

He nodded. "I believe that is a wise idea, Majesty." he bowed his head. "I will inform Vanessa this afternoon."

"Thank you." Esther nodded a dismissal, then went to work on the usual mountain of paperwork that had settled to her desk. Though spring was still some time away, many of the farmers of Albion and the people of Londinium had begun making plans, and there were numerous petitions on her desk to review.

That night, after dinner, they settled into chairs in one of the parlors. Leon and Astha were both holding glasses of wine, and the rest of them were drinking water. Esther took a sip of her own beverage, then set it down. "You know why we've gathered. Please, everyone, I'd like your thoughts on what the Order may be doing, and how we should counter it."

Leon slouched in his chair. "It's too damn quiet." He scowled at his glass. "Back when I was a soldier, a long pause like this meant a major assault was building. And it usually meant your enemies had some new weapon they were bringing out." He made a noise of disgust. "If they weren't so deep in hiding, I'd have already suggested sending spies after them. But since we've got no leads, I don't have a clue. And honestly, I don't know enough about their commander to even be sure I'm right." His dark gaze came up, to meet Abel's. "I hate to say this, but you're the one with the best knowledge of the enemy Four Eyes. So...what do you think he's doing?"

Abel grimaced. "I'm afraid you're probably right about him. He's not one to retreat, but...he is probably developing a weapon. Honestly though, it could just mean he's attempting to further his own regeneration. After all, he did wait nine hundred years for that reason."

"But that's not what you think is happening." Astha spoke from her chair. "You're too tense for that, priest."

"No." Abel made a face. "I really...there's something that concerns me, but I'm not sure what it is." He sighed.

Mary frowned. "Do you think he'll attempt to take Her Majesty again?"

Abel's eyes darkened. "Yes, I'm afraid so. Cain is...well, he's very determined. And if what Dietrich said was truth, then he wants Esther for something."

"He does." Esther swallowed. "He...he wanted me because he said my blood would help his fusion. But also...he...it's because I'm connected to you. He wanted to take me from you." Her hands clenched in her lap.

"Then..." Mary's statement was interrupted by a knock on the door. She frowned. "Lord Walsh..."

Virgil rose, taking his place at the side of the door while Mary moved to open it. The Colonel waited until he was positioned, then threw the door open, to reveal a guard standing in the corridor. "What is it?"

"Colonel Spencer. There was a message delivered at the front gate, from the Order of Rosenkreutz." The guard stood at attention. "Permission to report to Her Majesty?"

Mary nodded, stepping back a few paces, though her posture remained wary. "Report then."

The soldier took two steps into the room, then abruptly he shuddered and collapsed, and a dark figure stepped forward. "Hello, Esther. How have you been?"

Esther froze. "Dietrich!"

"Von Lohengrin!" Virgil and Mary moved almost simultaneously. Virgil was closer. He stepped forward in a blur of movement, almost too fast to see, catching Dietrich's arm and twisting it back. "Hold still, or I will break your wrist."

"Are you sure about that?" There was cold amusement on Dietrich's face. "I wouldn't be so confident if I were you."

Mary jerked her sword free. "Von Lohengrin..."

Esther saw Dietrich's hand move, just a fraction, but it was enough. She jumped to her feet. "Colonel Spencer, watch out!"

Mary froze, then dodged as strands of micro filament wire nearly wrenched her sword from her grasp. Dietrich smiled. "Very good. And you, Lord Walsh, I think it's about time you let go, don't you?"

Virgil's face twisted, shock in the blue eyes. Then his hands fell to his sides. Dietrich's smile widened, and one finger touched the Count's jaw. "That's very good."

"Virgil!" Vanessa stepped forward. Her hot gaze snapped to Dietrich. "What have you done to him?"

Dietrich's grin turned cold. "Well, all I did was touch him. But as Esther can tell you, that's really all I need. I'm afraid your brother is now my marionette." He held up his hand, and they all saw the glittering wires in his fingers. "Rather interesting, don't you think? With him like this, I can make him do anything I want, and I can play with him however I please." He flicked his hand, and a line of red appeared on Virgil's cheek.

"You bastard!" Vanessa took two steps forward. "Let him go!'

"Stop right there." Abel's cold voice froze the younger Walsh in her tracks. He stood, his pistol in his hand, staring at Dietrich. "Nobody is to approach him."

"What the hell, Four Eyes!" Leon's voice was angry. "You're just gonna stand there and let him capture a comrade?"

"Please, do as he says." Esther met Vanessa's eyes, willing the other woman to understand. "I know it's difficult, but please, you can't go near him. If you do, you'll only be captured as well."

Dietrich laughed. "Well done, Esther. You've caught on. I have to admit, I was hoping for a few extra hostages." He shrugged. "I suppose it can't be helped. And I did always like that quick wit of yours." He touched Virgil's shoulder, and his smile was pure evil. "Still...Lord Walsh. Peer of the Realm, Adviser to the Throne, and Governor of the Londinium Underground Facility. I think this will be enough, don't you?"

Esther shuddered. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Abel shift, edging forward.

Unfortunately, Dietrich caught the motion as well. He turned his attention to the silver-haired priest. "I wouldn't if I were you, Father. Unless, of course, you don't care who dies."

Abel stopped. "What do you mean?"

"Simple really." Dietrich smirked. "I know my strings don't work on you, but fortunately for me, I have this convenient toy here. And if you make any attempt to move from that spot, I'll have Lord Walsh here attack someone else." his cold gaze roved over the group. "I think his sister will do nicely, don't you?" His gaze came back to Abel. "Tell me, how much acid do you think she can withstand? Or maybe I can force him to break her neck with his own hands."

"Like hell." Vanessa spat the words. "I'd never let that happen."

"True. But if you try and stop it, I'll be able to take you and make you my hostage as well." Dietrich sneered the words.

Abel cursed, but he stopped moving. Esther felt her heart sink.

Dietrich's gaze flicked past the two of them. "You. I think you should put those down. Otherwise, someone might just get hurt."

Esther turned to see Leon spinning one of his chakrams on one finger. The dark priest grinned. "That's kinda the idea."

"I suppose, but tell me...how much damage do you think you'll be able to do? I don't think you can even hit me." Dietrich tossed his head back. "After all, I can do this." He gestured, and Virgil's body interposed itself between them. "No matter how well you aim, you're going to have to go through him to get to me." His gaze flicked back to Abel. "The same goes for you Father. You could probably transform and use your lightning on me, but I guarantee Lord Walsh will die first. And if you try to use that pistol of yours, you'll just shoot him. If I'm feeling generous, I might even make it an immediately fatal wound."

"You...what do you want?" Abel's voice was hard, his jaw clenched.

"It's really very simple. I have orders from the Contra Mundi to bring Esther back to him, alive and unharmed." A flicker of annoyance crossed the handsome countenance. "Really, you gave me quite a bit of trouble, going and getting hurt like that. And with the damage you did to our forces, we had to wait for your allies to leave before I could do anything." Dietrich sighed. "Well, it's not like it really matters. Mien Herr may be annoyed by the delay, but...I don't intend on returning empty-handed. So Esther..." The cold gaze flicked to her.

Esther squared her shoulders. "I already told you. I have no intention of ever returning to that man." Her fist clenched. "I will not be his toy or yours!"

Dietrich smirked. "You know, that's what I thought you'd say. Fortunately for me, I have Lord Walsh here." He ran a hand across the frozen noble's shoulder. "I'm sure he'll agree to help me change your mind."

"No." Virgil's face was pale, but his eyes were resolute. He turned his gaze away from his captor, turning to look Esther in the eyes. "Forgive me, Majesty." Then he turned to Abel. "Father Nightroad, I beg you, do what you must."

"Virgil, no!" Vanessa took one step forward before stopping, fear and anger on her face. Her gaze met Abel's. "Father Nightroad..."

Abel stood where he was, trembling with anger and a sick expression on his face. "You..."

"I know your little secret Father." Dietrich offered him a cold smile. "You don't really like to kill. Oh, if I were alone, you probably wouldn't mind too much, but in these circumstances...I don't think you have the stomach to sacrifice a comrade."

Abel flinched. Esther bit the inside of her cheek. She knew Dietrich was right. Abel wasn't the type to sacrifice a comrade. She had no doubts that he could kill Dietrich, and that he would have tried, but she also knew that with Virgil between them, it would be much worse for him. Her gaze slipped to Vanessa, who was watching Abel with a mingled expression of horror and pain.

"Enough." Dietrich's cold voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned to meet the cold brown gaze. "So Esther...have you reconsidered yet? This is your final warning, you know."

"Final warning? Before what? Before you burn my city, or destroy my home? Do you really intend to threaten me with that again?" Esther felt her fists clench as anger replaced her fear.

"Well, I did consider it. But actually, I think that's a little too impersonal. You always did respond much better to a more...one-on-one approach. So while I do have a ship waiting to blast this place if anything happens to me, I thought we'd try something different." Dietrich grinned, a cold, evil smirk, and he lifted his hand. "Do you remember, Esther? What I told you about my strings that very first night in Istvan?"

Esther bit her lip again. _The strings...they control a person, make him or her do things. But...there was something else. I...wasn't it..._ She felt the blood drain from her face. _Dietrich's strings, they control sensation. That's what he told me. That I could...that he'd make me feel like I was being drugged and raped...or...or like I was being...tortured..._ Her gaze snapped back to Dietrich.

The cruel smile widened. "I see you do remember. Then you know what I'm going to do, don't you?" He lifted his hand, and his gaze slipped to Abel, then to Vanessa. "As long as you refuse to return with me, I'll just toy with this man here." He flicked his hand. Virgil gasped, a flicker of pain entering the usually calm blue eyes. "For those of you that don't understand, these strings of mine can control sensations as well as actions. So...as long as you're all being stubborn, I'll amuse myself by torturing this man. And Esther..." The cold gaze came back to her, deadly serious now. "The pain will increase every five minutes. And needless to say, death or passing out won't be an option. So if you don't want him to go mad with pain, you'd better hurry. Right now it probably only feels like he's strained a few muscles, but if you let it keep going...well, who knows?" The smirk reappeared. "I wonder..." His finger traced Virgil's jaw. "How long do you think he'll last before he starts screaming? How long before he begs you to end his agony?"

"No." The word was strained, but resolute. Virgil's eyes were dark, whether from pain or fear Esther couldn't tell, but his voice was calm. "I will do neither. I will serve Her Majesty as I swore to do." The blue eyes came up to Esther's, resolve in their depths. "Majesty, permit me to carry this burden for you. And if it troubles you..." His gaze moved to Abel. "Father...do as you must. I trust you to make it quick, and easy. Please, do not let Her Majesty bear more than she needs."

"Very touching, I'm sure. But trust me, that priest is as helpless as you are." Dietrich smiled. "And you know...your first five minutes are up." His hand twisted.

Virgil flinched, his face paling. Perspiration formed on his brow. He made no sound, but Esther saw the pain flare in his eyes.

Abel remained where he was, but his hand dropped to the gun holstered at his hip. There was both anger and pain in his eyes. His jaw tightened.

"No! You can't do this!" Vanessa moved between Abel and her brother, her eyes hot. "I won't let you kill him." Her gaze slipped to the blond man. "Hold on, Virgil."

Abel flinched at her words, paling. "Miss Walsh...I do not wish to do this. But...neither would I have your brother suffer." He met her eyes, his own dark with anguish.

"I don't care. You won't shoot him." Vanessa's gaze was hot and fierce, mingled anger and grief.

"I agree. Father Nightroad, I cannot permit you to shoot Lord Walsh." Mary stepped forward.

Dietrich smiled, and his eyes met Esther's once more. "This is turning into quite the show, isn't it Esther? Tell me, how do you like it?"

"You bastard!" Esther's fists tightened.

"Now, now...you'd better watch your temper, Esther. After all, a display like that will only make the situation worse. Particularly for him." Dietrich tilted his head, and his hand shifted once more.

Virgil gasped, a choked groan wrenched from him before he stifled it. The pain was visible now in the stoic eyes, agony raging behind a mask the Albion lord fought to keep in place.

Abel flinched too, as if Virgil's pain were his own. Grief flared in Vanessa's eyes, and in Mary's. Both Leon and Astha stood to one side, faces still and impassive. Neither made an attempt to interfere. Esther bit her lip, caught between the knowledge of Virgil's suffering, and the memory of his words months ago, when he'd told her he would rather leave his position than have her trade herself for him. She knew he was sincere in his request to die rather than be Dietrich's hostage, but she also knew what it would do to the rest of them, to be forced to watch, or cause his death. Her gaze went to Abel standing with his hand on his gun. His jaw was tight, his lower lip caught between his teeth, indecision on his face.

Dietrich gestured again, wrenching another agonized gasp from his victim. The mask of control slipped, revealing the torment Virgil endured. It hit Esther like a blow to the gut, somehow worse because she knew he'd never been one to reveal such things. She knew the pain he had to be suffering to have lost his grip on his usual calm expression.

The minutes ticked by in deadlock. Esther tried frantically to think of some way to break the impasse, but she couldn't. She knew Dietrich told the truth, that any attempt to attack him would result in another hostage, or in wounds to Virgil. And she knew he'd been serious, when he'd told them that it would be a mercy if he let it be a fatal shot. Knowing him as she did, she had no doubt that even if Abel could bring himself to shoot at the man he called friend, it wouldn't kill, not unless he called upon his lightning. And even that, Dietrich might prevent from being fatal. After all, she'd seen what had happened to Radu, and Ion had confided in her once that Radu had been trapped in a body that had technically died much earlier. Sickness twisted her gut at the image of Virgil, burned but still alive, tortured past living but unable to die.

Another five minutes passed. This time, when Dietrich gestured, the sound that emerged from Virgil's throat was a choked scream. Agony twisted his face, and Esther guessed that if he'd had control of his own body, he'd have doubled over in pain, possibly collapsed. He only made the one sound, but somehow, the silence was worse than if he'd permitted himself to cry out.

Abel and Vanessa both flinched. Abel's gaze met the younger Walsh's. "Miss Walsh..."

"Virgil..." Vanessa bit her lip. Her gaze went to the agonized lord, then back to the priest. "I can't let you...he is my brother."

"I know." There was sorrow in Abel's gaze.

"Enough. Father...please, stand down." Esther moved forward to lay a hand on Abel's wrist.

Abel looked at her, and she saw the pain of indecision in his gaze. "Miss Esther..."

She shook her head. "Even if you do shoot, I don't think it will do any good. Do you really think he'll let you kill his hostage? Even if the shot you make is normally a fatal one...Father, do you remember the Baron of Luxor?" She deliberately used his formal title, not wanting Dietrich to know the situation between them had changed.

Abel paled, a shudder passing through his frame. "Yes." His gaze returned to Dietrich, anger sparking in the blue eyes. "You..."

Dietrich smirked. "Well, you're as quick as ever, Esther. I honestly thought one of you would have tried to end it by now. Considering what my strings are doing to him...I thought I'd get some amusement out of seeing how many times you'd try to 'save' him, before you realized that you were only doing more harm."

"Bastard!" Vanessa stiffened in outrage.

"Temper, temper." Dietrich shrugged. "I've said it before, any displays of bad temper will only make it worse for my little toy here." His cold gaze came to Esther. "Say Esther...did you know? I can control movement, and I can control sensations. So did you ever think about what else I could do?"

Esther felt ice in her gut. "You...what more do you intend to do to him?"

The evil smirk widened. "Well, since you aren't going to provide me amusement my trying to rescue him, I suppose I'll just have to make my own fun, now won't I?" He shifted his hand.

There was a dull popping sound, and Virgil gasped, a long sound of pain and shock that Esther had only heard from those who had been terribly wounded. She whirled on Dietrich. "What have you done?"

"I used my little strings to dislocate his right shoulder. It's not a serious dislocation, not this time, but it serves my purpose. Now you understand. If mere torture won't force you to change your mind..." The amusement was overlaid by a terrible expression of determination. "Then I'll start taking him apart. Not only will he feel pain beyond his worst imagining, but I'll break his bones and dislocate his joints, one by one. And if that isn't enough..." He flicked his hand and a crimson line slashed across Virgil's jaw. "These strings are perfectly capable of cutting as well. I don't know how many slashes it would take to go through his limbs, but if you insist on being stubborn, I'm certain we can find out."

Esther's teeth ground together. She had no doubt he meant every word. Her eyes came to Virgil. He met her gaze, and through the terrible suffering she saw there, he shook his head, just slightly.

"You will pay for this." Abel's voice was low, hoarse, and Esther felt the electricity beginning to spark around him. She looked up. Abel's eyes were still blue, his face still human, but there was a darkness in his eyes that she usually saw just before his powers activated.

"Are you planning to attack me, Father?" Dietrich's cold smile was challenging. He lifted his hand. "Just remember, I've warned you of the consequences. Any death that happens, or additional suffering he undergoes is on your head. Of course..." He turned his gaze back to Virgil. "Don't think I'll let you off just yet. Things are just getting interesting, and I haven't gotten to hear you scream yet." He gestured again, and Virgil's body spasmed in pain.

"No." Esther felt herself breathe the word. She couldn't stand to keep watching as Dietrich tormented her adviser. Her mind kept replaying over all the things Virgil had done for her, over memories of his generosity, his kindness. She gritted her teeth. _I know he would want me to stand firm. But to watch this...I can't do that. I can't stand here and watch Dietrich torture him, or injure him. And as much as I want to attack, there really is no way to get to him without hitting Lord Walsh. He wasn't lying about that. Even if we managed to get reinforcements from the Palace guard or something...he'd only take more hostages, and use them as additional shields. So...there really is only one way to end this._ The thought filled her with dread, but she already knew what she had to do. She took a step forward. "Dietrich, that's enough."

The hazel eyes came to hers. "Really? Are you saying you've changed your mind? That you'll come with me quietly?"

"Yes. I'll come to see the Contra Mundi with you. Now let him go."

"Esther!" Abel's hand caught her, and she turned to see the fear in his gaze. "Esther, you can't..."

"But I have to. Just as you would do, if you thought someone you cared for was in trouble." She reached up to touch his face, tracing the lines of his jaw with gentle affection. "It'll be all right. I don't think he means to harm me at the moment, or he wouldn't be taking this much trouble to bring me alive. And Dietrich did say that he wanted me well and unharmed. So I'll be fine."

"Esther..." Abel shuddered. "I can't..."

"I know. But this really is the only way. We both hate this, and I know...you can't bring yourself to cause him more suffering. I can't either." She touched his face and gently brought his eyes to meet hers, managing a ghost of a smile for him. "But...I do expect you to keep your promise, Father. Don't take too long, okay?" Her hand rose to the chain she wore underneath her dress, to the locket and ring she wore there.

Abel's eyes followed her movement. He held her gaze a moment, then nodded. "I will. I swear it. As soon as I can."

"That's good then." Esther turned.

Mary blocked her path. "Your Majesty...I cannot let you do this."

"I know. I know I'm being reckless. But this...there isn't any other way. And I...I don't know if I could sacrifice someone I cared about to stay safe, but I know I won't stand here and watch that person be tortured and torn apart for my sake. Not even if it's what he asks of me." Esther shook her head, a sad smile touching her mouth. "I know everyone will probably say this is very foolish of me, but...what kind of leader would I be if I could stand here and watch something like that? Especially with his sister standing right there?" Her gaze flicked to Vanessa. "If that happened...I'm sure she would hate me. And I wouldn't blame her if she did. And I think...I would hate myself as well. So...I'm going. Colonel Spencer..." She looked up into Mary's dark eyes. "Please...take care of everything here, and help Father Nightroad. There's a promise I asked him to keep, and I want you to do your best to support him. The necessary arrangements have been made, all right?"

Mary stared at her for a moment, then bowed her head. "If you truly insist...Majesty, I urge you to reconsider."

"I know. But...this is the way it has to be, for now." Esther shook her head and turned to Dietrich. "All right, let him go."

"I don't think so." Dietrich shook his head. "After all, I wouldn't want your allies to try anything." He met her gaze. "There's a ship, waiting out just past the rose garden. Lord Walsh can escort us both to it. If anyone tries to come after us before we're safely on board, the ship will fire on the Palace, and I guarantee there will be fatalities. Not to mention, I'll be sure to kill this man, and take measures to see you don't escape. However, if we make it to the ship without incident, I'll release this man just before we depart." He smiled. "Of course, I'd prefer to take him, but...I'm willing to be generous, just this once. After all, this has been quite entertaining."

"Enough. I said I'd come. But even if you don't release him, I'm not taking another step until you cease this vile behavior." Esther clenched her fists.

"Oh, very well. Come stand in the doorway, and I'll stop this little game." Dietrich gestured.

Esther bit her lip, then moved past him to stand in the doorway. "Now stop it, Dietrich."

"As you like." He gestured, a swift cutting motion, and the tension disappeared from Virgil's frame. Esther could see the relief in his face as he shuddered, taking deep breaths as the pain subsided. Dietrich waited a moment, then stepped beside Esther, taking her arm. His hand gestured, and Virgil fell in behind them, shutting the door on the others. "Now then, let's go."

The journey through the halls was far too silent. There should have been more guards. Esther wondered what had happened. She hoped Dietrich hadn't killed them or enslaved them all. They were halfway down the hall when she realized that the breathing from behind her was strained, hoarse. She turned.

Virgil had remained two steps behind them, but his face was drenched with sweat and ash-pale. He was visibly shaking, his breathing low and labored. The long curtain of his blond hair hid part of his face, but she could see the strained expression on it. She whirled on Dietrich. "You said you'd stop."

"And I kept my word too." Dietrich's eyes were coldly amused, nothing more. "But he insists on fighting my little restraints. And as long as he continues, it's going to hurt. After all, it's a bit like fighting your own muscles. The more you try, the more stress it places on you. And really, he's trying very hard." His eyes flicked to hers. "If you don't want him to injure himself further, then I suggest you persuade him to stop."

Esther glared at him, then stepped to Virgil's side. "Lord Walsh."

"Majesty..." His voice was hoarse. "Majesty...please..."

"I know. I'm sorry, but I just couldn't abandon you. Please..." She laid a gentle hand on his shoulder, feeling the tension of the muscles. "Just stop. It's all right. You've done enough for me."

Slowly he raised his head to meet her eyes, his own filled with an anguish that had nothing to do with his physical suffering. "Majesty...I do not wish to...to be responsible for your capture. I do not wish you to trade yourself for me, nor do I wish to be the hostage that results in your imprisonment. Please...run."

"I can't do that." She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Lord Walsh...but that's not the kind of person I am." She offered him a smile. "You said once, that I was your Star of Hope. But...what kind of Star would I be, if I let my friend and adviser suffer like that for my sake? If it were your sister, instead of you, wouldn't you want me to save her? And if I refused, just to avoid a meeting with an enemy, would you really want to stay as my adviser, especially watching what Dietrich was doing to you?"

Virgil's eyes widened, pain and shock and a tinge of shame in his expression. "Majesty..."

"It will be all right. We both know the Contra Mundi won't harm me, at least not right now. After all, he did specify he wanted me safe, right? So this will just be an inconvenience. So... you should stop causing yourself so much pain. We'll simply do as Dietrich asked, for the moment. And when I've gone...you can help Father Nightroad. I'm sure he'll need your support. And...there's a promise I asked him to keep for me. Besides..." She lowered her voice. "Even though I'll be a prisoner for a bit, I know I can count on all of you to look for me, right?"

"I...yes." Virgil bowed his head. "That is true, Majesty. And I regret, you are correct." His gaze came to hers again, his voice soft. "A true Star of Hope. I will not let your light be hidden over-long." He straightened.

Dietrich eyed them both. "Are you done yet, Esther? We really do need to be going. And if he's that unwilling, I don't mind forcing him."

"That's not necessary." Esther looped an arm around Virgil's still shaking body. "We're coming."

"As you will. But honestly, you don't need to support him. I can manage that." Dietrich lifted a hand.

"There is...no need." Virgil shook his head. "I will...walk on my own." He raised blue eyes dark with anger to Dietrich. "For Her Majesty's sake."

"As you like. Well then Esther, you can walk beside me." Dietrich held out an arm, a mocking almost gentlemanly gesture. Esther shot him a dark look, then turned and continued down the hallway.

The rest of the journey to the garden was quiet. Esther shivered a little as the cold wind hit her, but she suppressed it quickly. She knew Dietrich would enjoy every moment of her discomfort or Virgil's and she didn't want to give him any more amusement.

A moderately sized craft waited in the first of the meadow gardens. It wasn't nearly as big as Esther was used to, but the size suggested that it could hold three or four people comfortably. The design looked familiar, but Esther couldn't immediately place what type of craft it was. Nevertheless, she moved toward it.

Helga was standing at the door. At their appearance, she tossed her head. "Well, it took you long enough, von Lohengrin. I was about to report to my lord that you had failed again."

"Don't be foolish. After all, I've gotten us our prize with a minimum of fuss. Of course, you'll probably have to be the one to search her and bind her hands. After all, our master did say I wasn't to touch her." Dietrich grinned.

"Very well." Helga strode over. "Hands up, little girl." Her eyes glittered dangerously. "Any attempt to resist, and I will freeze you where you stand."

"I understand." Esther held her hands at shoulder height, not moving as the Ice Witch frisked her and relieved her of her knives, and her gun. The woman did a thorough search, then roughly jerked her hands down behind her and tied them with a length of rough cord. Esther winced as the movement jarred her injured left shoulder, but she didn't cry out.

"Careful, Eisehexe." Dietrich noticed her flinch. "You wouldn't want to re-open that wound, now would you? After all, I imagine our lord wouldn't be too pleased with that, now would he?" He gave Helga a cold smile. "He's probably already rather upset at our tardiness, so I suggest you not give him any further reasons to be annoyed."

"Silence." Helga finished tying Esther, and her gaze slipped back to Virgil, standing where Dietrich had stopped him. "And this one?"

Dietrich turned. "Well, he is a useful hostage. However...Esther won't come unless I let him go, so I suppose I'll have no choice but to free him. After all, as she is now, I think Esther really might be capable of defying us both. So then..." He turned back to Esther. "I think it's time you entered the ship."

Esther straightened her spine. "Not until you release him."

Dietrich laughed, a cold and ugly sound. "Surely you don't think I'm that foolish. I'm not going to release him, just so you can grab him and run. Besides, we already discussed this. I'll let him go...when you're safely in custody on board our ship. That way I know that precious Father of yours will have less chance of pulling off some daring last minute rescue."

Esther bit her lip, but she knew he was serious. She hesitated a moment, then stepped into the vessel, Helga ahead of her to prevent her trying to take the ship. She stopped in the doorway. "All right. Now release him."

"As you wish." Dietrich swung his hand in a sharp cutting arc. Virgil gasped, agony slamming through his expression as his body stiffened in pain. Then he collapsed, his eyes closing as he crashed to the ground in a limp heap. Dietrich shrugged. "Well then, that's taken care of." With nimble grace, he leaped into the ship. "Let's be on our way, shall we?" He pulled the door shut.

Esther twisted to look through the viewing port. Virgil lay still, his body limp and crumpled on the ground. Fury knifed through her, and she whirled on the man beside her. "What did you do to him?"

"Oh, do calm down. It's not like I harmed him. But I don't intend to let him give chase immediately either." Dietrich shrugged, his expression bored. "I released my controls by using an energy jolt. A bit painful, I'll admit. But it does insure that we'll be long gone by the time your Lord Walsh recovers enough to start the hunt for us." He lifted one hand, forcing her gaze to him. "You should be rather grateful. After all...another way to release someone is to stop their heart."

Esther stiffened, anger and revulsion racing through her. "You bastard. Get away from me."

"As you like. Well then, I'll go help Ice Witch with the take-off. Until we arrive, you might as well make yourself comfortable." He grinned and turned. "Until later, Esther."

Esther ignored him, turning to the still figure on the ground. _Lord Walsh...I'm sorry. I know this is exactly what you didn't want. But I can't sacrifice you. I hope...I hope you're all right. Please, help Abel. I'll be waiting for you to find me. And I'll do everything I can to stay safe until then._

She felt the engines start, and seconds later, the ship rose from the ground. Fear hit her momentarily at the thought that Virgil would be caught in the backwash. But though the wind of the engines blew over him, it didn't seem to move or damage his body. Esther sighed with relief. Nonetheless, she remained by the window, watching, until the small still form was gone from view.


	38. Twenty Nine: Twin Fury

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Hiho everyone. Finally! After a long wait chapter 29 has arrived. This was finished for me last minute on June 22nd but my good old **draognwriter24** she going to be a brides maids for her cousins wedding and got this done time before hand. The party starts for her this Saturday but there are a lot of things she had to get ready for so she tool a whole week of vacation off for that and getting this chapter to me on time.

Thankies for all the awesome reviews, support and critiques everyone made and to even more newbies whom just added me recently to their alert hope your all watching and will enjoy this chapter more is to come we only have eleven that's right **eleven** chapters left before that's it.

(*) As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Twenty Nine – Twin Fury**

"Shit." As the door slammed closed behind Dietrich, Leon cursed. "That bastard sure had us all figured out. So then...what the hell do we do now?"

"We will wait, as Her Majesty wished." Mary's face was pale, but her eyes were resolute. She turned. "Lady Walsh, can you contact the Underground, without a computer console? I'll need the sensors to determine if there is in fact a ship in the area."

"You think he was bluffing?" Leon snarled. "Then why the hell didn't you call him on it?"

"Because, if he was serious, Lord Walsh and the rest of us would be killed. At the moment, Her Majesty's life is safe. If that is assured, then my duty is to ensure the safety of Albion and its citizens." Mary turned. "Lady Vanessa?"

"I've got contact with a lieutenant underground." Vanessa had one hand to an earpiece. "We're checking for energy signatures and visuals now."

"Priest?" Astha's quiet question cut through the conversation.

Abel was standing where Esther had left him. He was trembling violently, but the expression that twisted his face was more anger than pain.

Leon stepped forward. "Hey Four Eyes..." He reached out, and bit back curse as static energy arced from Abel's body to his hand. "Hey, calm down. Damn it, this is not the time for you to go all crazy on us." Abel didn't reply. Instead, he raised his head and took a step toward the door.

Mary stepped in front of him. "Father Nightroad, where are you going? What is your intention?"

"I'm going after Esther." Abel's voice was low and harsh. "I'm taking her back from that man, and if I can, I'm going to kill him."

Mary took a step back, falling into a defensive stance. "I apologize Father, but I cannot allow you to proceed until we have verified the safety of her Majesty, Lord Walsh, and the citizens of Albion."

"Please Colonel, get out of my way. I will not ask twice." Abel's voice was low and threatening. "I'm sorry, but I'm a little out of temper at the moment."

"I understand, however, please at least wait until Lady Vanessa has verified the situation. You should not rush in blindly." Mary's words were calm, but her hand was already on her sword hilt. Abel didn't even appear to notice.

"Damn it!" Vanessa's snarl cut through whatever Abel might have said next. "Colonel, I'm reading an energy signature that might be a ship out on the mid-gardens. However, there's something bigger just above the Palace. It's too high up to determine what it is, but my men say the readings are similar to the thing that attacked us almost a year ago. It's not on the same scale, but if the readings are correct, then it has a hell of a lot more firepower than we want to deal with."

"Fine. I'll deal with it." Abel shifted, and the hard blue eyes came back to Colonel Spencer. "We've heard the report. Now move."

"No. I have heard the report, and it is imperative that we remain." Mary's face was resolute, though anger and pain shimmered in her eyes. "That force is no doubt controlled by Rosenkreutz."

Leon made a disgusted noise. "So that bastard wasn't bluffing after all."

"No. And one false move on our part, and the ship will fire. It might even be that they have a signal pre-set to attack if their agents are injured, as well as a command code. In that case, we cannot guarantee that any approach is safe." Mary's stance settled. "I am sorry Father, but we must wait for now."

"No." Abel's fists clenched. "I will not send Esther to _him_ again. I will not abandon her."

"I do not ask you to, only to wait until it is safe. We have tracking devices installed in all of Her Majesty's clothing. You yourself placed one in the necklace you gave her after she was rescued previously. As soon as we can, we'll activate them. But we must get the citizens of Albion out of harms way, and Lord Walsh if possible. It is my duty, and Her Majesty's wish."

Abel stiffened. "I told you, I will deal with this." He took another step forward, the air around him crackling dangerously.

"You idiot!" Astha moved forward, her hand catching his shoulder. She grimaced as the air between them sparked, but she didn't let go. "Think about what the hell you're doing. Even you can't handle two targets at once like that." She stepped in front of him. "If you unleash enough power to stop that ship, how the hell will you keep Esther and Lord Walsh out of the line of fire?"

"She's right." Leon came up on his other side, taking the other shoulder. "Besides, they've still got that guy. You move, they're gonna kill him, if he's lucky. If you're okay with that, you should have just put a bullet in his head a minute ago."

Abel flinched at that, his eyes coming up to his comrades. "Leon..."

"I don't like this either. Believe me, if I thought you had a chance in hell of successfully handling both targets at once, I'd be restraining the Colonel, not you." The dark eyes met his. "But you can't do that, not without backup, and I get the feeling that you're not going to wait for the rest of us if we let go."

Abel shuddered under their hands. "I can't just...let them take her, Leon. I..."

"You must wait, priest. Exactly as you once asked me to do." Astha's hand clamped tighter on his shoulder. "I know how you feel. I felt the same way about Enderle, and I'm sure you remember that. But...do you intend to tell me that you'll sacrifice the citizens of Albion? You, who once stepped in front of my sword to protect others?"

Abel flinched at the words. "Astha..." His voice was still harsh, but the crackling electricity abated a little.

"I know. But this is just like the Empire. Sometimes, we must wait, for the greater good. Even if it means placing those we most love and revere in greater danger than we wish. You understood then. I'm asking you, if you won't listen to the Colonel, tovarish...listen to me." Astha's voice was firm, strong, but also calming.

"Father Nightroad." Vanessa stepped forward to face the priest, still held by his companions. She held the blue eyes for a moment, then bowed her head. "I know you wish to protect Her Majesty, but I...ask you, please...spare my brother!" Her eyes came up to his again, pain and anger in them. "Don't sacrifice Virgil needlessly. We might not always agree, but...he is still my brother, and I care about him. And we of the Albion Underground need him." She made a face. "I might have been raised in the same family, but it's Virgil who took up the burden of protecting my people, all these years. He's the one who served the court, who struggled and endured all this time. Even when I rebelled against him...he still fought to protect us, even when I held him at gunpoint. We need him. So..." She stopped, her frame tense with fear and anger and pain.

Abel shuddered again. His fists clenched, but slowly, he relaxed in Leon and Astha's grip. "I...understand." His voice was still low and hoarse, containing the violence of his other self, but the static in the air died, and the electricity sparking around him faded to nothing. With a start, Astha saw the faint outline of the cross upon his brow, but it faded even as she watched. Then Abel's hands slowly unclenched. "Very well. I will...wait." His voice cracked on the last word, but he didn't make any move toward the door.

Mary straightened, her hand coming off her sword hilt. "Thank you, Father." Her eyes met his. "As soon as it's safe, I'll authorize you to take command of our forces. Once we're ready, you'll have my full support."

"Thank you." The words were just above a whisper. He hesitated, then spoke again. "Is there a communications panel in here?"

"No. however...Lady Vanessa, can you tell if the enemy vessels are capable of monitoring communications?" Mary turned.

"I'm not sure. We're reading wide electromagnetic signatures, but that could be from weapons, defenses, or sensors. It's too hard to tell." Vanessa gritted her teeth. "That second ship is just too far up for us to get a proper lock on its capabilities."

Mary nodded. "They haven't seemed to take notice of your connection. Inform your men to begin preparations for multiple communications. As soon as we can, I want to contact our air force. Send a coded message to the Vatican and the Empire, informing them of an emergency, and that we'll contact them as soon as the immediate threat is ended. We'll need Her Imperial Majesty, Cardinal Sforza and either Cardinal di Medici or Chief Inquisitor Petros online as soon as we give the signal."

"Right." Vanessa tapped the earpiece, then looked at Abel. "Any additional orders, Father?"

"I...tell Caterina, and Seth...and Petros, if you can..." He swallowed. "It's just...just a feeling, but I think we'll need to be in combat readiness. Amassing troops will take time, so they may need to begin now. Even an hours delay..." He stopped, almost choking on the words, fear spasming across his face.

"Understood. I'll relay your message." Vanessa turned.

Mary spoke again. "Keep a watch on that ship. If it appears they're beginning to take action...disengage communications at once."

"Yes ma'am." Vanessa reached up and activated the earpiece, then began issuing orders in a low intense voice, stopping periodically to register the responses of her team. Her face twisted in annoyance. "This is definitely Virgil's area more than mine. I hate to say it, but we're gonna need some of his codes to get through the system security."

"You can use some of mine, for at least a part of it. Neither one of us can fully unlock the systems, not remotely at least, but..." Abel spoke softly. "Tell me what you need."

"I will." She nodded tensely, then turned her attention back to her radio.

Leon studied the pale face for a moment. "Hey Four Eyes, if I let go, can you keep a grip on yourself? Or do you think you're gonna go nuts again?"

"I...I'm fine." Abel shuddered.

"You don't look fine, priest." Astha hadn't even made a move to relax her grip. "You look like you're barely holding it together."

"It's...it's all right. I can control it. I'm...I'm still...angry but...I will control this. I promise. You...you don't need to restrain me any longer." Abel's trembling had stilled, though fury and pain still darkened his eyes. He stood still a moment, then raised his head to meet Mary's gaze. "Colonel Spencer...I'm sorry."

"It's fine." A grim smile twisted one corner of her mouth. "If you care so much for Her Majesty, then I'm absolutely certain we'll be able to rescue her, no matter what. And despite my duty to stand against you this once, I fully understand your logic, Father Nightroad." Her own gaze was determined as she met his. "As soon as possible, we'll mobilize."

Abel nodded, then lapsed into silence. He responded when Vanessa asked him for information, but he didn't speak to the rest of them. His eyes were dark with raging emotion, but even Astha didn't dare to disturb his thoughts.

Finally, Vanessa clicked her earpiece. "I've sent the messages I can send. For the rest, we need Virgil. But the Vatican and the Empire should both be standing by waiting for our call, and the first two parts of the tracking activation signals are online. We just need Virgil's code." She listened a moment. "The smaller ship appears to be leaving, but that bigger one is still stationary."

Abel's fist clenched again. "Esther..." He shuddered again, his head bowing. Leon and Astha both tensed, but he didn't move.

Mary's jaw clenched. "Very well, we'll await further developments."

The minutes ticked by with agonizing slowness. Leon shifted restlessly, and Astha was fidgeting with the hilt of her weapon. Mary remained still, her face lost in thought, and Vanessa's hand was glued to her earpiece, monitoring things. Abel remained where he was, darkness raging in his eyes as he fought to keep control of his temper and the terrible power that welled up from within him.

A little over an hour had passed when a knock on the door startled all of them. Mary tensed, her hand going to her sword, even as Astha's tightened on her spear. Then the door clicked open, and Virgil staggered into the room.

He looked terrible. His face was pale, sweat beading on his brow and trickling down his jaw. His face and clothing were streaked with dirt, his hair disheveled. His right arm was cradled close to his side, and the pain of his recent suffering was evident in his eyes, though he was obviously struggling to keep his expression calm. He stepped into the room, and shut the door behind him. "Colonel Spencer..."

"Virgil!" Vanessa moved across the room, catching her brother as he staggered once more, lines of pain crossing his expression as the movement jarred his shoulder. "Virgil... you need to rest."

"There is no time. They have taken Her Majesty. I regret...I do not know how long it has been." His words were calm, but under the quiet tone was pain and shame. "I was...von Lohengrin knocked me unconscious, when he released me. I do not know how long I have been incapacitated."

"Understood. Was Her Majesty well when you last saw her?" Mary's gaze was compassionate, but her tone was quick and business-like.

"Yes. She was bound, and they took her weapons, but she was in no further danger. In fact, von Lohengrin specifically cautioned his partner against harming Her Majesty in any way." Virgil took a deep, shaky breath. Then his gaze shifted, to fall on the silver-haired man standing in near the middle of the room. Renewed anguish touched his expression. Without a word, he straightened away from his sister's support, and moved forward until he stood before Abel. His gaze held Abel's a moment in shared anger and grief, then he dropped to his knees before the priest. "Father...you have my apology. I failed to heed your warnings and now...it is my fault that the Order has once again taken Lady Esther."

"Virgil!" Vanessa started forward, but the blond man shook his head, looking straight forward as if he expected some form of punishment.

"No." Abel shuddered once, but then compassion touched the icy blue gaze, mingling with sorrow. "You need not apologize to me. This...this was my fault as well. I should have found a way to free you before Esther was taken. I must share the blame for this." He touched Virgil's unwounded shoulder. "You must not kneel to me. Besides, I need your assistance now. I have a promise to keep."

"As you wish. I will do whatever I can." Virgil rose from the ground, staggering slightly.

Abel caught him. "Your wounds need to be tended."

Virgil shook his head. "There is no time. We must pursue Her Majesty's captors as soon as possible. As you say, you have a promise to Lady Esther." He drew away from the priest, managing to support himself. "I will be fine."

Abel shifted, coming up beside him. "That shoulder...I can set it. It will heal faster that way." The sorrow in his eyes sharpened. "That much, at least, I can do for you. The sooner you heal, the more you'll be able to assist me."

Virgil nodded. "As you will. I do not wish to waste time in the medical wing, however...I will not deny that use of my arm would speed our work." He straightened. "If you would, Father."

Abel stepped forward, then his gaze slipped to the others. "Colonel Spencer?" The soft question hung in the air.

Mary bowed. "I await your commands, Father."

Abel nodded. "You and Lady Walsh take Father Leon and Lady Astha to the office and power up the communications mainframe. If you think it's safe, contact the Empire and the Vatican and bring them up to date, if not, wait for Lord Walsh and I to arrive. We'll be there in a moment." Mary nodded and turned toward the door. The other three followed. Vanessa left last, giving her brother one last look of concern before she followed the other three.

After the door shut behind them, Abel stepped behind Virgil. "I'm afraid this is going to hurt. I'll have to figure out exactly what he did before I reset it." Virgil nodded, his jaw set. Abel's fingers carefully probed the joint, stopping when Virgil hissed in pain. "Here?" His fingers worked around the area. "Ah. Does it hurt when I do this?" His fingers pressed a certain spot, and Virgil winced. "I see. He didn't tear anything, I don't think. Not seriously at any rate. But the joint is separated, and the main nerve is pinched a little."

Abel shifted his stance, so that he was partially bracing the other man. Both hands wrapped around the shoulder, and his jaw tensed. "Brace yourself. I'm going to reset it now." Virgil nodded, his good hand coming up to hold onto Abel's shoulder. He met the blue eyes and nodded once more, setting his teeth. Abel's hand shifted, then he pushed, giving a slight twist as he did so. Virgil gasped, the sound of his harsh breath almost masking the dull snap as the shoulder relocated, settling back into place. Abel steadied him for a moment, then his free hand reached up to remove the stole from around his neck. He folded it carefully, then stepped backward and used the length of cloth to form a rough sling. "There. Don't move it much beyond this. It should heal in a few days."

"Thank you, Father. Your help is appreciated." Virgil straightened away from his support. "I believe the others are waiting for us."

"Let's go." Abel turned and strode to the door, Virgil only a step behind.

Mary and the others were waiting in Esther's office, and the communications were already up. Seth was on one screen, Caterina on another, and Petros on a third. Everyone turned as the two men entered the room. Vanessa's gaze went straight to her brother. "Virgil..."

"I am all right." He shifted the sling.

Seth snorted. "You're as bad as Abel. You don't look all right. And we already heard from Colonel Spencer." Her gaze shifted to the silver-haired priest who had moved forward. "They took Esther again, huh?"

"Yes. But I'm taking her back." Abel's normally gentle gaze was hard, his jaw tense. "Colonel Spencer, what's the situation? How free are our communications?"

"As of a few moments ago, we should have no problems. The Underground just reported that the secondary ship has departed, heading east." Colonel Spencer turned. "I was considering having one of our fighters or small craft follow. Your recommendations, Father?"

"Leave it. That ship will go to the Contra Mundi, to Cain, as will Esther." His gaze switched to Vanessa. "Are the tracking devices online yet?"

"We've confirmed power and operation, but we haven't yet switched on the monitoring and active signal. That would require an input code from you or Virgil." Vanessa tapped the console, bringing up a blank command line.

"Understood." Virgil stepped forward. "I will handle this, Father. Please begin debriefing with our allies."

Abel nodded and turned back to the projections. "How much do you know?"

Seth made a face. "Colonel Spencer said that that bratty kid, Marionettespieler, or whatever, came and used the Count of Manchester as a hostage to take Esther. And I guessed, from that little exchange, that he must have had back-up in the air."

Caterina nodded. "I'm surprised though, that you would trade. After all, as much as I dislike saying this, there is a viable replacement for the Count."

"Esther chose to surrender. Von Lohengrin didn't give us much choice." Abel bit his lip, then met his sister's eyes. "You recall the matter involving the Baron of Luxor, during that incident in the Empire? And his condition when you confronted him?"

"I do. So that was his game huh? And I understand the Count took some heavy damage." Seth's eyes cut to the slender, bandaged figure. She smiled, a little ironically. "Esther really is just like you, Abel, and...just like her, too. I guess she reasoned that if she went, she'd be safe, and it would guarantee the safety of her people too."

"Yes." Abel swallowed. "If Dietrich is to be believed, then the current orders are for Esther to be brought to the Contra Mundi alive and in good condition."

"At the moment, all indications show that to be the case. In which case, we have a little time. Whatever the Contra Mundi wants with her, presumably we have some breathing space." Caterina folded her hands in front of her.

Abel shook his head. "I'm not so sure about that."

Seth's expression sharpened. "Hey Abel, what are you thinking? You've got a pretty dangerous look on your face."

"It's...too open. The demands, the feints, the attack. Even Dietrich's infiltration this evening. The Order is usually much more subtle than this. And this is the first time since the attack on Londinium that Cain has taken direct involvement, even if it was just delivering an ultimatum." Abel's jaw tensed.

"What are you thinking, Four Eyes?" Leon stepped up. "What's he planning?"

"I don't know. But...he wouldn't have told us his intentions so straightforwardly, nor authorized the kind of force he did, unless..." Abel swallowed.

"Unless he intended to put us on guard, and to distract us from something else." Caterina nodded, her cool gray eyes thoughtful. "By threatening Esther, he guarantees our focus there, and immobilizes you. By making the threat real, he keeps our focus away from other things."

"Then why take her now?" Petros growled the question out. "Surely if his purpose is accomplished he has no need of her. And if not..."

Seth snorted. "Just because she's a good distraction, doesn't mean Cain didn't want Esther. Even in his current state, he's not above killing two birds with one stone."

Abel stiffened. "He does want Esther. He wants to possess her." The blue eyes went hard as steel again, and his body was so rigid he was nearly trembling with the tension. "But I...I don't know what else he wants. All I can say for certain is...he's planning something terrible. And I fear..." he hesitated. "It shouldn't be possible, but..."

"What is it, Abel?" Seth shifted.

"The rocket from America was missing. If he can use it...the defensive weapons on that thing are still quite dangerous. Worse...with a vehicle like that, his range is significantly expanded. He can even get to the outer atmosphere. If he gets that far...the Vatican ships won't touch him." Abel shifted. Then his eyes came up to Caterina's. "Lady Caterina...I have Colonel Spencer's authorization to deploy troops from Albion. But...they may not be enough. I'll need your help as well." his eyes shifted. "Brother Petros..."

"I know." Petros snarled, his shoulder shifting as if he'd struck something in the background. "I know almost nothing of this enemy. I cannot predict his strength or his movements. Therefore, I will place myself and my men under you command as well."

Caterina nodded. "As of this moment, you have the full resources of the AX. And I'll speak to His Holiness and see what other assistance I can get for you."

Seth grinned. "You don't even have to ask, Abel. After all, it might not be totally valid anymore, but you still outrank me, you know?" Astha's eyes widened, and Seth chuckled. "Don't worry, Astharoshe, I'm not giving up my throne to him just yet. But let's just say that, in military matters, Abel knows quite a bit more than I do." She turned back to her brother. "So then, Abel, what will we do?"

"Do you have access to the Aegis shield technology?" Abel's voice was sharp, his eyes distant, though they could all see the thoughts racing behind them.

"I do, but not on any great scale." Seth frowned. "Why?"

"The Aegis technology isn't useful for full combat situations, but for defending a non-military ground structure, it's perfect. Caterina..." Abel shifted. "You should have information on that as well."

"We do. The Professor's been working on a system for utilizing it, but it's still incomplete." Caterina nodded.

"Albion is in the process of developing it as well." Vanessa frowned. "We're having trouble fine-tuning the calibration."

"It doesn't matter. Get whatever you have as operational as you can make it. At the very minimum, we may need the Imperial Star Palace, Buckingham Palace, and the Vatican Holy Church to be defended. If the worst comes to pass, we'll need those shields in place, even if they are only partial." Abel stepped over to a console and began typing, his hands moving furiously. "In the meantime...have any of you begun defensive preparations?"

Seth grimaced. "The Yenceri are moving as we speak."

"We need every available ship standing by. At the moment, I suggest utilizing at least one third of each force for potential evacuation maneuvers. The rest need to be on combat alert, standby, for the moment. Colonel Spencer, I need the fastest light weight craft you have, for travel. Wherever they're taking Esther, I need to be able to follow, quickly." His gaze slipped back to his superior. "Caterina..."

"I'll have the Iron Maiden standing by, and Tres will be at the weapons helm. As soon as we have a plan, we'll be able to lift off." Caterina nodded.

Abel returned the nod, then turned to Seth. "Do you have any ships capable of orbital flight?"

"Aside from my personal craft?" Seth nodded. "I've got one or two, left over and maintained from back then. They aren't in the best of shape, but they'll probably take you where you need to go. And...doesn't yours still fly?"

Abel shook his head. "I crashed it. I could get it operational again, but I'm not sure we have the time." He sighed. "Just in case, can you have your orbital craft standing by? And one or two of your fast combat ships, in case we need to pursue him on a ground chase. He may be headed to somewhere in the Dark Lands."

"Got it. We'll be waiting for you." Seth grinned. "Anything else?"

"We need to hard-wire contact between all of us. Things are going to move fast." Abel's fingers skimmed the panel.

Seth grinned. "Mirka's on it for me, and as soon as we're done here, I'll be assisting."

Caterina nodded. "I'll have Havel get started at once, and tell him to set up another channel straight to Sister Kate."

"Good. Lord Walsh and his sister can handle this end." Abel straightened and turned to Mary. "Colonel Spencer, how long before military and flight preparations are complete?"

"A few hours. We're mobilizing as fast as we can." The Colonel had one hand on her earpiece, listening to her own workers.

Abel nodded. "Lord Walsh, status of the trackers?"

"Fully functional. I've been monitoring for the past few minutes, Father. Lady Esther is being taken east and slightly south at the moment." Virgil moved. "Shall I continue monitoring?"

"Actually, I need you to assist your sister with the communications and sensors. If you can let me take over, I can link the system to a device the Professor gave me some time ago for tracking." Abel shifted.

"As you wish." Virgil stepped aside.

Astha stepped forward. "What about us, tovarish?"

"Assist Colonel Spencer and Lord Walsh for the moment. And I need both of you to be ready to move as soon as the word is given. I want to launch as soon as the first ship is ready to go. I...have a promise to keep." He straightened, pain and fury in the dark eyes.

"Oh? And what promise was that? To kill this guy?" Leon's eyebrow arched.

"No." Abel's voice was soft, and one hand came up to clench his robes. He turned to meet Leon's eyes. "I promised Esther I would come to her rescue, and be by her side. And I intend to fulfill that promise, even if I must pursue them with my own two wings."

"In that case, Abel, you'd better rest and eat something." Seth grinned, though there was no humor in the expression. "Once this gets started, you aren't likely to get much of either, so take this break while you can, dear brother."

Virgil nodded. "I will keep you informed."

"As will I." Mary offered him a nod.

Abel gazed at them all a moment, then nodded. There was a painful darkness in his eyes. "I will...wait." His voice was soft, but vibrating with tension. "Call me if anything happens." He looked at them a moment longer, then turned and left the room.

Esther remained at the view-port, even after Buckingham Palace disappeared into the night. She didn't want to go any further into the ship, or any nearer to Dietrich or the Ice Witch. Besides, even as dark as it was, she hoped to be able to see where she was was going. She didn't want to be as helpless as she'd been the last time, unaware even of where she was.

"You might as well come away from there. It's not as if you'll be able to see anything. And you can't escape from here, either." Dietrich's cold voice made her turn. He was standing in the doorway of the inner hatch. "It's also going to get a little cold in here, once we reach the higher altitude. I'd recommend coming in where the climate control works, if I were you."

Esther stiffened, her whole body going tight with anger. "Why should I do anything you say?"

Dietrich shrugged. "Well, normally I wouldn't care one way or the other. After all, it would make things simpler just to lock you out here until you pass out from cold. Unfortunately, Mien Herr has other plans, and the trip to our rendezvous point will take a few hours. So I can't do that." He held out his hand, a cold glitter in his eyes. "This is your last chance. Come quietly, or I'll be forced to use my own particular methods of persuasion." He lifted his other hand. "I only have to touch you for the sensory control strings, you know. These I can use at a distance."

Esther gritted her teeth, but she didn't want Dietrich to touch her with any for of strings. "Don't you dare."

"Well, if you don't want me to use these, then you'd better come here quietly, like a good little lady." Dietrich smirked.

Esther felt her jaw clench, but she moved away from the portal. Dietrich remained partially in the doorway, and even pressed as far as she could against the opposite side, she couldn't avoid brushing shoulders with him. "There."

"You know, you needn't be so cold. After all, I did say that Mien Herr ordered me not to do anything untoward." Dietrich shrugged, then a cold, cruel smile lit his face. "Or could it be that that's your problem?" One hand reached up, to take her chin. "Maybe you want me to do something to you? If that's the case, I don't mind." He moved forward, until only an inch of air separated them, then leaned down to whisper in her ear. "You know, we never did get to finish what we started. I'm really rather busy, but...if that's what you want, we can do it right here in the corridor. Would you like that? It's a little crude, but I don't mind. If you want to do it like this..."

Esther shuddered as something brushed across the front of her, across her chest and then down to the junction of her legs. She couldn't tell if it was a sensation caused by Dietrich's strings, or his free hand. But there was no question seconds later, when he shifted his hips forward, pressing her back against the wall and letting her feel the slight bulge in his uniform.

Esther jerked away, stumbling slightly as she pulled free of his grip and took a few quick steps backward down the corridor. "Don't you touch me." Her heart was pounding with adrenalin.

"Well if you say so." Dietrich shrugged once more. "Although...I wonder, what's this, Esther?" He stepped forward again, faster than she could evade with her hands tied. One finger looped though something at her neck.

With a start, she realized that the locket chain had come loose from underneath her clothing. She didn't know if it had happened during her struggle with Dietrich, or when Helga had frisked her. "Let go of that."

He smiled coldly. "You should know by now, Esther. The more someone tells me 'don't touch' the more I want to. So then, what is this?" he pulled the locket and the ring free. "Hmmm, interesting little ring. I don't think I've ever seen one quiet like it. But then...something crude like this, well whoever gave it to you really ought to have better taste. So tell me, Esther, who gave it to you?"

She bit her lip. "Father Nightroad. He said it was an apology for something he said earlier."

"Well, if that's the best he can do...it's a wonder you bother with him. And this..." He tapped the locket, and it clicked open. "Well, something like this...still holding onto feelings for that Father of yours?"

"Lady Caterina had it made. She said it was because Father Nightroad and I used to work together, and we were friends." She was glad she didn't have to lie much. "It's just a good luck charm from Lady Caterina, that's all."

"I see. But still...you are aware of what that precious Father of yours did, aren't you?" Dietrich smirked. "You do know, right? After all that effort you went through to defend him, he drank your blood. Right there on the battlefield, and in front of your advisers. Did you know that, Esther?" Dietrich shrugged. "I didn't get a good view, but it certainly seemed that he enjoyed it a little too much. I wonder, is it because he cares for you, or is it just that he really is a blood-drinking monster at heart?" The smirk widened. "I guess he is just like Mien Herr after all."

The memory of Abel's anguished expression, and his ordeal afterward, knifed through Esther's mind. "You know nothing about it. Don't you dare speak of Father Nightroad that way!"

"Hmph. Well you can deny it all you like. But still, that precious Father of yours...he's never going to give you what you want from him. And given his reaction to your capture, I wonder...Do you think he'll maintain his sanity this time? It should be rather entertaining, either way. But if I were you, Esther, I'd rethink my choice."

"I will never accept you, or the Contra Mundi!" Esther took another step backward. "If you touch me again..."

"You'll report me to Mien Herr again, is that it?" Dietrich looked at her coldly. Then a cruel sneer touched his face. "Well, I suppose he is a bit like that priest after all. But you know, he's not always around, and I don't mind taking seconds. In fact, playing with someone else's toy can be amusing in it's own way. And making it your own...well, it's quite a challenge sometimes, but rather enjoyable. It does relieve the boredom a bit."

"I will not let that happen!" Esther bit her lip. "I won't let either of you take me!"

"Well, if you say so. Although, to be honest, I don't think Mien Herr intends to give you much choice about that. If you'd been a little more cooperative, I might have tried to protect you, but since you want to put up a fight...well, I guess you'll see for yourself." Dietrich shrugged. "I've got to go help Eisehexe with the navigating for now. You'll find a door to a room, just down the corridor. It'll be a few hours until we reach the transfer point. You might as well make yourself comfortable." He gestured, then stepped past her, whispering as he did. "Have fun, Esther. I do love you, you know." Then he was gone, around the corner of the narrow hallway.

Esther remained where she was a few moments, trying to control her breathing. She thought about remaining in the corridor, but...here she had no defense from Dietrich and at least in a room, whatever size, she could put a door between herself and him. It probably wasn't enough to stop him if he was really determined, but...it would at least give her some time. She pushed herself upright, and moved toward the room.

The door was ajar when she reached it, which was something of a relief, given the way her hands were tied. She slipped inside, further relieved when the lights came up automatically. It was a small room, and spare, with only a low couch and a small extension clearly designed as a table. A much smaller door led to a bathroom, hardly more than a closet with a toilet inside. Esther sighed, then returned to shut the door to the corridor. She'd half-hoped to find something she could use as a weapon, or at least to free her hands, but there was nothing. She sighed again, then settled on the couch, shifting until her arms were as comfortable as they could be.

She wasn't sure how much time passed. Shut in the dimly lit room, there was simply no way to tell. Esther tried to relax and conserve her energy as much as she could. She kept her eyes closed, listening to the faint vibrations of the ship. She thought they'd been going east, but she wasn't certain. Still, changes in vibration might signal a significant course change right or left. And at least she'd know if they stopped. But the stress of the day was catching up to her, in spite of everything, and eventually, she dozed.

She woke abruptly to the awareness that the engine vibration had ceased, but there was a feeling in the air that she couldn't quite identify. She had just enough time to sit up when the door opened, framing the figure of the Ice Witch.

Helga didn't waste any time. With three strides, she was across the room, hauling Esther to her feet. "Come. Mien Herr has ordered us to bring you to him as soon as possible." She drew Esther upright, then abruptly reached behind her and slashed through the rough cords. "Von Kampfer has ordered us to leave you unbound, however, if you attempt anything..."

"I understand." Esther swallowed. She had no idea where she was, but she didn't need any further warning. Once again, she was surrounded by the Order. And this time, they weren't going to let her get away with tricking Dietrich and escaping. "I won't try to run."

"As if you could. Now that we have joined Mien Herr's ship, any attempt to run would result in a very long fall." Helga sniffed. "Come along, Terran."

Esther gritted her teeth at the insulting tone, but she didn't dare say anything. Instead, she followed the other woman out into the corridor, her mind racing. _Joined...the Contra Mundi's ship? But I thought his major ship was destroyed above Albion. Did he build another one, or was this just something we weren't aware of? _She remembered Abel's fear that Cain intended to start something, and a cold feeling swept over her.

She didn't have time to dwell on that, because Dietrich was waiting for them. He looked up as the two of them approached, then stepped forward to take her chin. "Well, I see you've decided to come along quietly. I don't suppose you've changed your mind?"

"Of course not!" Esther shoved his hand aside. She might have said more, but Helga interrupted her.

"We do not have time for your little amusements, Puppet Master." The Ice Witch sniffed. "Besides, have you forgotten Mien Herr's orders?" She cast a critical eye over Esther. "I do not care what you do with the Terran wench, but Mien Herr has ordered otherwise." She sniffed again. "Have we completed docking procedures?"

"We have." Dietrich consulted a small panel. "The ship has safely settled into the bay. Wizard is probably waiting for us on the other side of the doors. He said he'd take us to our lord."

"Then we should not keep Mien Herr waiting." Helga stepped forward and pressed her hand against the opening panel.

The airlock opened. Helga stepped through, and Dietrich smiled. "After you, Esther."

Esther swallowed, but stepped forward. She didn't trust Dietrich behind her, but she hoped that the presence of the others would deter him, and that the Contra Mundi's orders were enough to prevent whatever perverted games he had in mind.

Helga opened the outer door and stepped through, Esther only a step behind her. The small ship was settled into a large, empty room, almost three times its size. The sight filled Esther with dread. She knew about transport ships. If this was only the loading bay, then the ship they were on had to be immense. The thought of the weaponry and people it might be carrying made her go cold inside.

"Lady Esther, if you'd come this way." The familiar tones brought her attention back to her surroundings with a snap.

Kampfer stood at the doorway exiting the bay, a cool, amused smile on his expression. As her gaze came to him, he bowed. "Lady Esther. It's very good to see you again. If you'd care to step this way, my lord is waiting for you."

She didn't want to, but she didn't think she had any choice. She understood well enough that if she didn't go with him, she'd be forced. The thought of him or either of the others touching her made her skin crawl. She strode forward, trying to look confident and relaxed.

Just before she stepped through the door, Isaac stepped in front of her. "I hope you'll forgive my rudeness, lady Esther, however, I'll need to make sure you're unarmed before I take you before Mien Herr."

"Dietrich and Lady Helga already searched me for weapons." Esther tried to sound commanding and regal, but Kampfer didn't appear to notice.

"I don't doubt. However, considering their recent clumsiness, I'd prefer to make sure myself. After all, we can't have you pulling another little escape like the one a few months prior, now can we?" He bowed a little lower. "If you'll cooperate, this will only take a moment. However, if you insist on making it difficult..." He let the sentence trail off.

Esther bit her lip, but she knew he wasn't above forcing her, no matter what the Contra Mundi said. She held up her hands. "All right."

"Thank you, Lady Esther." Isaac straightened and stepped forward.

He was much more subtle than Helga had been, and his touch was strictly professional. He was also much more thorough. Esther tensed as his hand found the locket chain and lifted it. "What's this?"

"It's a gift Father Nightroad and Lady Caterina gave me." Esther swallowed. "Lady Caterina said it was a good luck charm, because the Father and I used to work together, and she hadn't given me anything to commemorate my term with the AX. Father Nightroad gave me the ring as an apology for an argument we had."

"I see. Well, I suppose it's unfair to take it from you, though I should warn you, I doubt Mien Herr will approve of the choice of jewelry." He straightened. "Well, it seems Marionettespieler and Eisehexe did their jobs after all."

"You doubt my capabilities?" Helga's tone was cold as the ice she wielded.

Isaac chuckled. "After the past few months display, certainly. It took you almost three months just to secure one simple hostage. Not to mention, you lost almost all the auxiliary force you were placed in charge of. That was quite a blunder, charging into battle like that. And given the reports we've heard of the rumor that the Queen of Albion was injured...Mien Herr is not pleased. I'd hate to be you if the rumors are true." His smile was colder and crueler than even Dietrich's.

Helga flinched, but she didn't back down. "It was the Terran wench's fault, for getting involved in a battle she should have remained clear from." She tossed her head. "Even her own advisers told her to stay away from the fighting. I am not responsible for such foolishness."

"You must know Mien Herr doesn't take excuses." Isaac smirked. "He ordered you to bring the Queen of Albion, Lady Esther, to him as quickly as possible and in good condition. Not only that, but I believe he specifically ordered you to avoid confrontations with Father Nightroad. After all, it would be a shame if my lord's plans were stopped at this stage. And yet, you've managed to fail every single order you were given, and our plans nearly suffered a major setback."

Dietrich stiffened. "That was the choice Esther made too, you know." His eyes glittered sullenly. "And you did specifically tell me not to use my strings on her. Otherwise, this would all have been much easier."

"You think that excuses you?" Kampfer shrugged. "Well, if that's the line you're going to take, I suppose you'd better hope Mien Herr is feeling more tolerant than he seems to be." He gestured, turning his focus back to Esther. "My lady, if you'd care to step this way, Mien Herr is waiting for you." He bowed, then turned and began to walk down the ship's corridor.

This corridor was wider than the other, and it seemed far too long for Esther. By the size of it, this ship had to be at least as large as the _Tristan _or the _Iron Maiden. _Her heart was pounding. She didn't want to face the Contra Mundi, and yet, she knew there was no way to prevent it. Then Kampfer's words about the necklace came back to her. She reached up and carefully tucked the locket and ring under her shirt. She bit her lip, feeling another wave of concern wash over her. Isaac and Dietrich had no reason to know of the ring's significance, but Cain had been there. He had known of his brother's relationship to Lilith. And there was no way to know if he'd remember the ring without showing it to him. And if he knew...She swallowed hard, remembering the still form lying in the suspension pod underneath the Vatican.

"Right this way, Lady Esther." Isaac's smooth voice broke into her thoughts. He opened a door, and bowed, gesturing for her to enter. "Mien Herr awaits you." Esther swallowed hard, then straightened her back and stepped through the doorway; the three Order members close behind.

The room beyond was mostly taken up with a large pool. Esther shivered, recognizing it as a tank like the one she'd seen in Cain's quarters at the Order's previous headquarters. There was a small door leading off to the side, no doubt connecting to a more private room. The panels on the tank hummed, and for a moment, she wondered if Cain were in his rejuvenation cycle again. Then her gaze slipped past the tank, to the wall beyond.

Cain stood there, facing one of the windows. He was dressed in his usual attire, black pants and a white shirt with a red border. This outfit looked more like a military uniform than most. The boots were utilitarian, the pants form-fitting but not tight. The jacket went past his hips, with short sleeves and a high collar. The longer sleeves of his black undershirt covered his arms to the wrist. The blond hair tumbled loosely down his back. While she was relieved to see he wasn't naked, or in his other form, something about the uniform unnerved her. He resembled a soldier, about to go on duty. The thought of what he was planning sent a chill across her spine.

Isaac stepped forward, to kneel a few feet in front of her. "My lord. I've brought the individuals you requested."

"Very good." Cain turned slowly and smiled. "Lady Esther. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

He moved so fast she didn't even register it, suddenly slipping around the tank and past Isaac to stand before her. "You know, that was rather rude of you, to go wandering off like that. And to make me wait so long, after I sent you an invitation to return. Were you with 02 again?"

Esther flinched. "It doesn't matter. You had no right to hold me prisoner like that!"

"Come now, my dear, you can't say it was that bad. Still I suppose I can understand wanting to join 02. After all, even I sometimes seek his company." The lazy, empty smile widened a fraction. "Still, to leave after the effort we made to be certain you were comfortable, it was rather rude." He touched her jaw lightly. "Is 02 doing well?"

"How can you ask that? After what your people did..." Esther felt her hands clench. She knew she didn't want to reveal the change in her relationship to Abel if she could avoid it. She also didn't want to let slip the torment he had undergone.

"Well, my dear, I did ask that my subordinates not engage him. Still..." There was a flicker of amusement in his gaze. "Abel is a bit violent, and Puppet Master is such a clumsy boy, I suppose it's hard to avoid a fight. But that reminds me...I heard a rumor that you were injured, my dear."

His hand trailed to her shoulder, then tightened suddenly. Esther flinched. Even with the wound mostly healed, it was still a little tender and sore. Cain's hard fingers dug into the area around the scar, sending a wave of pain through her. Esther bit her lip on a gasp. "Let go of me."

"Isaac...explain." Cain looked over his shoulder.

"Of course, my lord." Von Kampfer rose from where he'd remained kneeling, and moved to stand beside Esther. One hand, glowing with dark light, rested on her shoulder. "There appears to be a mostly healed injury, in the shoulder. Correct me if I'm wrong, Lady Esther, but I'd say something went through your shoulder. It's been well tended, and I doubt there's any permanent damage, other than the scarring, but this could have been quite serious."

"So then, what happened?" Cain's hand forced her chin up. "Did Ice Witch or Puppet Master do that?"

"Mien Herr..." Helga stepped forward, her voice tinged with urgency. "She stepped in front of my spear. I swear, I did not aim at the girl. I was trying to disable the priest, and..."

Cain moved again, another of those unbelievably fast shifts. "Eisehexe..." There was something in the tone of his voice that made Esther's blood run cold. "I think I told you not to engage in a confrontation with Abel, didn't I?"

Helga swallowed. "Mien Herr...I did not mean to disobey. I was simply trying to follow your orders and bring back the Terran wench..."

Cain's hand moved in a blur, backhanding the woman across the face with enough force to send her flying. She crashed into a wall several feet away. Her expression was dazed as she staggered to her feet. "Mien Herr..."

Cain moved in front of her again. More frightening than the violence around him was the cold, empty smile on his face. "I told you not to harm lady Esther, and not to fight with 02. You should know the consequences of not doing what I ask, and getting between me and what I want. Even 02 isn't allowed to forget that."

Power crackled around him, not as visible as Abel's but no less threatening. The aura of violence that surrounded him was enough to match Abel in the worst of moods. Esther flinched as he struck Helga again, this time in the stomach, driving her backward into the bulkhead with a gasp that was half scream. Another blow to the face knocked her stumbling sideways.

Cain's calm viciousness was terrifying to Esther. Worse, neither Dietrich nor Isaac seemed to care. They were both simply standing there, watching.

The next blow sent Helga flying backward again. Her uniform was torn, her face and body bruised and her lip bleeding. She seemed barely conscious. Cain stood over her a moment, then tilted his head. "I'll finish with you in a moment." He turned, that cold, empty smile still on his face. "Puppet Master..."

Dietrich's eyes widened in alarm. "Mien Herr...I..."

Cain was in front of him before he finished, his hand catching Dietrich's face. "I did tell you not to attack 02. I need him for the next phase of my plan. But you went and fought with him anyway."

Dietrich's face twisted with fear. "I was only trying to get Esther to come with us."

"Still...that was very clumsy of you. And you know...I can smell your scent on her. Did you touch Esther?" There was a glitter of playfulness in his eyes, but underneath it was a shine of madness, and of cruelty that made Kampfer seem like the gentleman he pretended to be. "Did you do what I told you not to, after all?" His hand clasped Dietrich's chin in an iron grip. "That was very foolish of you."

"Master Cain...I didn't..." Dietrich's eyes widened.

The other man didn't give him time to finish. On hand struck Dietrich hard in the ribs, and then Cain backhanded him as he had with Helga. The young man went stumbling backward, his eyes dark with fear. "Master..."

"You know...I don't like being disobeyed. And you've been a bit clumsier than usual, lately. Attacking 02, and laying hands on Esther...well, I wonder what sort of punishment I should give you."

Dietrich staggered backward. "I didn't...Master Cain..."

"You know, I think that's quite enough excuses from both you and Ice Witch. After all, I can't afford to have you causing any more trouble. I suppose I'll have to deal with both of you now." Cain stepped forward once more.

Another blow sent Dietrich staggering backward until he crashed into the wall next to Helga. The Methuselah woman looked dazed, shaken, but Dietrich looked worse.

Neither of them had a chance to move before Cain stepped in front of them. Both his hands were shining faintly with a red light, and the aura of danger and violence surrounding him was obvious, even from where Esther stood several feet away. "Now then, what shall I do with the two of you?"

It was too much. The memory of watching him stand before Abel, of Abel's body falling as Cain's power blew away his chest and crushed his heart, hit Esther like a hammer blow. She was moving before she even thought about it. It didn't matter that Dietrich and Helga were her enemies. It didn't matter that Dietrich had threatened to rape her only a few hours ago, or that Helga had almost killed her. She couldn't stand by and watch him kill again.

Esther stepped forward, almost running the few steps across the chamber, and seized Cain's hand. "That's enough! You don't have to go this far!"

The gaze that turned and met hers was completely the Contra Mundi, empty of everything but a chilled, cruel amusement. "Esther..."

He turned, and placed one finger beneath her chin. "Tell me, my dear, do you really want them to live that much?" His smile twisted a little. "Perhaps you like Dietrich after all?"

"It's nothing like that!" Esther jerked back, but forced herself to meet the cold gaze. "It's just...you shouldn't attack people like that for no reason."

"Well, I did tell them not to fight 02, and not to injure you. I can't have them disobeying my orders." Cain tipped his head to one side, a faint flicker of amused consideration in his eyes.

"That's not their fault!" Esther's hand rose to her shoulder. "I chose to get between Lady von Vogelwiede and Father Nightroad. She was telling the truth when she said I injured myself stepping between them. And Father Nightroad chose to fight them to protect me. They were simply defending themselves." Esther bit her lip.

"Hmmm...02 was fighting to protect you?" There was a little more thoughtfulness in his gaze. "I suppose I can't fault them if he starts it. Abel always was such a violent person. But...there's still the matter of Dietrich. I did tell him not to touch you."

"He didn't use his skills on me. He just captured me from the Palace." Esther clenched her jaw. "He used his strings to take one of my people hostage, then escorted us out. That's all. He didn't touch me." That last wasn't strictly true, but still... "I won't let you simply kill them like this. Even if they are my enemies, I won't accept this from you."

The Contra Mundi studied her a moment, amusement and danger sparkling in the blueish-red eyes. Then he slowly straightened and took his finger away from her face. The dangerous aura receded a fraction. "Isaac."

"My lord?" Kampfer came forward, his posture respectful.

"You can take these two out for me. I'll speak to Esther alone." He gestured carelessly to Dietrich and Helga, slumped against the wall. It looked as if Dietrich had completely lost consciousness.

Helga stirred feebly. "Mien Herr..."

"That's quite enough, Eisehexe." Kampfer moved forward and took her arm. "Come." He slung Deitrich's body over his shoulder with a disconcerting lack of effort, then lifted the dazed woman from the floor roughly. Helga seemed too battered and shocked to do anything more than follow his prompting as he shoved her toward the door. At the threshold, he paused and turned. "My lord...how is it holding up?"

"It's fine. I'm sure I'll be able to manage a while yet." Cain shrugged.

"As you wish, Mien Herr. Lady Esther...I bid you a pleasant evening." Kampfer bowed once more, then disappeared through the door, letting it shut behind him.

Esther watched as the door shut, then turned to face her captor. Cain had calmed somewhat. He stood watching her, his head tilted, his posture similar to the one he'd had in Albion, when he'd been behaving like a normal person. A small smile quirked his lips. "You know, it was foolish of you to let them go, my dear. After all, they'll only cause you trouble in the end. However, if that's what you want..."

"I just won't stand by and watch you murder someone in cold blood."

"Hmmm...well, enough of that." He shrugged, then the smile widened. "Tell me, how is 02 doing? Has he recovered from his fight with Dietrich? Not that I'd expect Puppet Master to be capable of doing Abel any serious harm. Still, it would be rather inconvenient if Abel were hurt just now."

"You...what do you want with Father Nightroad?" Esther swallowed.

"I want Abel to join me, of course." Cain smiled. "Just as I want you to do, my dear." He stepped forward, bringing his hand up to touch her face. "So tell me...have you reconsidered? After all...it is only fair."

"No. I told you..." She stopped, uncertain what to say. Uncertain what tone she could take that wouldn't reveal her relationship with Abel.

Cain studied her, and something dark flitted across his features. "02's aura...it lingers on you." His hand cupped her face. "So then, have you been with Abel?"

Esther felt her stomach clench. "It's not...Father Nightroad has been guarding me." Without thought, her hand went to the locket under her dress.

Cain saw the motion. "So, what's this?" His hand touched hers, then traced the length of the chain. "Did 02 give you a gift then?"

"It's just a gift from Cardinal Sforza, and a trinket Father Nightroad gave me. He said it was an apology." She tried to keep her voice level, and as disinterested as possible, hoping against hope that he'd lose interest.

"An apology?" Amusement sparked in the empty blue depths. "02 used to do that for 04 as well. Give her a gift as an apology. But then...he always was very fond of that woman." Consideration and another flash of darkness flickered through his gaze. "Tell me, has Abel become fond of you as well, my dear?"

She didn't have time to pull away before his lean fingers threaded under the chain and drew it upward, exposing the locket and the ring.

Cain's fingers caressed the ring. "I see. The ring Abel gave that woman when they were lovers. So then, I take it Abel's declared his intentions?" Cold eyes came up to her face, dark with danger and a possessive lust that chilled Esther's heart. "But you know, I think 02's already had his chance. And I staked a claim to you, my dear, long before he did."

Esther flinched, then jerked away, pulling the chain from his fingers. "That's not something you get to decide!"

"Hmmm? So you've chosen 02 then? Well, I suppose it's understandable. After all, Abel does have a complete body. However, you don't really think I'm going to release you that easily. After all, with a little help from you, I can have the same strength 02 has. And unlike Abel, I won't hesitate."

"I told you, I won't accept that!" Esther stepped backward again.

Cain moved again with that blurring speed. "You know, my dear, you've seen the consequences of getting in the way of what I want." Madness glittered in his gaze, and a faint red light was once more shining in his eyes. "Besides, you really needn't be so defensive. After all, I'm still planning on taking 02's body. Then you can have the best of both of us, you know. I'll get what I need, and you can stand beside me, and together, we'll make this world a place where Abel doesn't have to worry anymore."

"That's not what I want!" Esther jerked away, but this time, Cain kept his grip. "Even if you do that, that isn't want Father Nightroad wants. I won't help you do that to him!"

"Hmm...but then Abel and I will become one being."

"Father Nightroad will never let that happen!" Esther felt her fists clenching. She knew she should be afraid of him, and there was a part of her that wanted desperately to run. But there was nowhere to run to, and the anger was safer than the fear.

"You really are attracted to 02, aren't you." Cain's hands gripped her shoulders. "So tell me, has my brother been with you yet? Has he showed you how to please a man?" The cold smile widened, and whatever there had been of Cain's gaze was being submerged in the madness of the Contra Mundi.

"That's none of your business." Esther knew his grip was far too strong to break free of, still, she fought, trying to twist away.

An amused smile touched his lips. "Well, I suppose Isaac can always tell me later. Still, you should consider my offer my dear. After all...02 may have a complete body, but he's not very good at expressing such things. And if you're going to come to my side anyway, when the world has been cleansed..."

"I will never do that! I will never abandon Father Nightroad." Esther twisted. Then the memory of combat training with Abel and Mary came to mind. She relaxed in his grip, then drove forward, striking him hard in the chest, then snapping her hands up, one to strike his face in a follow-up, the other to try and break his grip.

Her strength was no match for hers but the maneuver apparently caught him off guard. Cain stumbled, loosing her as he faltered. Esther took the opportunity to jerk backward out of easy reach. She wished she had a knife with her, but Helga and Kampfer had been far too thorough for that. Instead, she stood with her back against the wall, breathing hard.

Cain straightened. When he looked up at her, his eyes were once again cold, emotionless except for the faint amusement. "Well my dear, that wasn't very polite." There was danger in his gaze. "And I've already warned you."

"I don't care! I won't let you destroy Father Nightroad, and I refuse to join you. No matter what you do to me...I won't accept this." Esther met his gaze.

Even though she was watching for it, she didn't see him move. There was a blur as Cain seemed to disappear from sight, then he was standing before her. She had just enough time to register his presence before something hit her, hard, on the left cheekbone. The blow was hard, stunning her and knocking her backward into the wall before she could even think about catching her balance. Esther fought to remain conscious, but the shock of the blow, coming on top of a long day and the stress of her capture was too much. Darkness crashed over her vision, sending her into oblivion.

Cain studied the limp form at his feet, faint surprise in the empty blue gaze. The he shrugged. "Well I did tell you my dear." He bent down lazily, pulling Esther into his arms.

A brush confirmed the young woman was still breathing, and a small smile touched his face. "You know, I had hoped to use your compliance to force 02, but I suppose this will do just as well. And despite your protests, my dear, you will be mine eventually."

He turned, and the ring on it's chain slipped, brushing against his arm as it fell to dangle from her throat. Cain regarded it with amused interest. "Well, I suppose if 02 has already claimed her, I'll just have to make my claim stronger, at least until the two of us have been joined." His eyes went distant. "Until then, you will remain with me. Perhaps I'll even get some assistance without your willing support."

He tapped a console. "Isaac, it appears I'll need you after all." Then he turned and carried Esther back into the other room, the cold empty smile still on his lips. "Sleep well, my dear. Don't worry, even like this...you will help me draw 02 to me."


	39. Thirty: Wheels in Motion

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **At last another long awaited update. This chapter revised a second time due to me not liking something that was done. Me and editor had a semi intense discussion on this chapter and why it's so short so if anyone is unhappy with the shortness of this chapter please just suck it up and wait until the next update. Much to my dismay sometimes not all chapters are long as much as I want them to be more than anything. Hope everyone has fun reading this leave all your comments and critique.

Also many thanks to all newbies whom added this story or me to their alerts recently have fun ^^

(*) As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guys the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in hand sex, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Thirty – Wheels in Motion**

Esther woke lying on something soft and yielding. The left side of her face ached. It felt like she'd been hit by a crowbar across the temple, but a cautious shift of her jaw revealed that it wasn't broken, and she didn't think anything else was either. It just hurt. She blinked her eyes open carefully. _Where...where am I? I remember...the Contra Mundi hit me, and I blacked out. But then..._

"Oh? Are you finally awake, my dear?" Esther froze at the sound of the voice. Then panic jerked her upright.

Pain crashed through her head. Esther gasped, her head pounding. The force of it was great enough to make her dizzy. She clenched her hands on the sheets, trying desperately not to collapse again.

"Hmmm...you shouldn't move too much yet, I suppose." She didn't have time to move before Cain appeared beside her. His arm caught her round the shoulders, supporting her. She would have liked to scoot away, but the nauseating pain forced her to lean into his support instead. One cool finger touched the left side of her face, making her wince. "Isaac gave you something to reduce the swelling, but he did say it would take a day or so for you to fully recover." He smiled coolly. "You really shouldn't be so reckless, my dear."

Anger gave her a little bit of strength to pull away from him. She couldn't get more than a few inches, but at least it gave her some distance. The movement hurt though, making her head throb. Esther gritted her teeth through the pain. "You, why are you here?"

Cain chuckled, a low amused sound. "Well, it is my bed you're sleeping in, my dear." His finger trailed to under her chin, then forced her head up, so that she was looking into the blue eyes. A faintly amused smile crossed his mouth. "I believe I have a right to be here."

_His bed?_ Alarm knifed through her. Esther felt her stomach tense. "Why...?"

There was cold, glittering amusement in his gaze. "Well, I couldn't have Dietrich playing with you, after all. He really is such a foolish boy, he might try something if he thought I wasn't watching. And, of course, I wouldn't want to give you another chance to run away, my dear. After all, if you leave, I won't be able to use you to call 02."

Esther felt a cold chill sweep over her as Cain settled on the bed beside her. Her eyes widened as she realized he was wearing...nothing. He hadn't even bothered to cross his legs. In fact he seemed not to even notice he was naked before her. Red flared in her cheeks, and she jerked her gaze away. "You...what are you doing?"

"Hmmm?" He looked at her with cool, amused eyes. Then his gaze flicked downward, to his bare body. He tilted his head, and smiled at her. "Well, my dear, I did just come from my regeneration. And this is my sleeping chamber, after all." He shrugged lazily. "I don't use it much, but still...I did warn you about a lady in a man's sleeping chamber."

Esther's eyes widened, and her fists clenched. "I didn't ask to be brought here."

Cain chuckled. "Well, that is true. But still...I wouldn't want you to try anything foolish. Besides, it's not as though this should bother you too much. After all, you've been with 02, haven't you?" The smile widened.

Esther felt her stomach clench. "You...I don't know what you're talking about!"

"There's no need to be coy." His hand came up again, tracing her face. Then, faster than she could blink, he moved, pushing her backward into the pillows and leaning over her. The cool smile was still on his face. "Isaac told me all about it. I can smell Abel on you, and Isaac said you're no longer a virgin. So then, you've been with Abel, haven't you?"

Esther bit her lip, wishing she could think through the pounding in her head. "That's none of your business!" She wanted to shout it, but the pain in her head wouldn't let her. Even the softer voices she and Cain used sent pain through her skull.

Cain drew closer, leaning over her with his hands on either side of her shoulders. "Everything about you is my business, my dear. You, and 02." There was a hint of cruelty, of darkness in those low tones.

The closeness of him terrified her. She tried to squirm away, but surrounded and weak as she was, she couldn't seem to get any leverage. The bed was too soft, the sheets too yielding. She tried to kick him, but the pain in her head robbed her movements of the coordination she needed. And the second time she tried, Cain simply shifted, planting a knee between hers. In desperation, she lifted her hands and shoved against his chest. She might as well have been shoving a brick wall for all the good it did. In fact, Cain simply chuckled, a cold smile crossing his face. "You..." She gritted her teeth. "My relationship to Father Nightroad is none of your business. You don't have any right to ask about that."

"On the contrary, my dear. 02 is very much my business. If you've been keeping Abel company, then that's something I want to know. Besides, I did tell you...I plan to have you by my side, just as soon as I've taken Abel into me." One hand pinned her hands above her head, the other traced down her cheek, then lower, across her chest and down her stomach.

Panic made her feel nearly mindless, and pain eroded her self-control. "I will...never accept that!"

Cain's eyes darkened, and cruelty entered his smile. "Well, my dear, if you're going to be that unreasonable, I suppose I could just claim you now. 02 doesn't share very well, but it can't be helped. I do intend to have you by my side. I was going to wait until I'd absorbed Abel, to be polite, but if you wish to be stubborn..." He bent closer, shifting his position until he was straddling her, his body only a few inches from her own. He bent his head closer, so that the blond hair brushed across her cheek, then leaned in to whisper, almost intimately, into her ear. "I don't mind making my claim now. Then 02 will have no choice but to come for you, if he wants to reclaim you."

Esther tried to pull away from him, but she couldn't move. "Let go of me!"

"Well, my dear, I did say it. There are consequences to getting between me and what I want." The cruel smile widened, and he deliberately lowered himself, so that she could feel his body heat as he covered her, separated only by the material of her dress. His knee shifted again, pressing her legs apart, so that his hips were resting against hers, his naked body pressing her dress to her. He smiled, as her eyes widened, feeling the hardness that pressed against her. "If you hadn't defied me and gone to Abel, then you might be safer. And I did tell you to come back promptly, but you went and ignored my request. You should have realized, there are consequences, even for you. Even for 02."

Esther felt her stomach clenching, terror threatening to overwhelm her as he shifted against her, his free hand running down her dress again. Somehow, he was more terrifying than Dietrich. With Dietrich, she'd known that if she could just break the control of his strings, she had a chance. Even when he'd held her helpless, she'd known she had a chance to fight him, if she could just break free. But Cain was too strong. She could feel how little effort he was using to pin her in place. There was no way to break free, and even if she did, the pain in her head testified that she had no chance. He'd simply catch her again. And most likely, he'd violate her on the spot. She looked into his face, and saw nothing but madness in the blue gaze. Somehow, his resemblance to Abel made him even more terrifying.

Cain shifted upward. For a moment, Esther felt relief, then his hand trailed down to the junction of her legs. Esther choked back a cry as his hand clenched over the fabric, as if he meant to simply rip it from her body. "You..."

The empty, cold gaze returned to hers. "Well, I suppose 02 would be a little gentler. But tell me...did you enjoy having him touch you like this?" His hand slid lower, then pulled the skirt up with a wrench, until his hand could stroke her thigh, then upward.

"You...Father Nightroad, he never did anything like this." Esther's teeth clenched as he touched her again, as his knee forced her legs slightly wider to accommodate his hand brushing over her. She felt trapped, as she had with Dietrich. The memory of that time brought another memory to the surface. "You said you weren't like Dietrich!"

"Hmmm? You mean Puppet Master? Well, I did say I wasn't like him, but I don't see how it applies, my dear. After all, I'm only giving you the same thing 02 did. And since Abel and I are so alike, you should enjoy it just as much as you did with him."

"It isn't the same. Father Nightroad, he never touched me any way I didn't want to be touched. He'd never hold me prisoner like you." Esther spat the words, finding slight refuge in the anger that surged through her. She still felt terrified, but the thought that this man could violate her and justify it by his relationship to Abel was more than she could stand. "You...what you're doing is no better than what Dietrich did, and what you punished him for threatening to do to me!"

"Hmmm." There was a faint, thoughtful light in the blue eyes. Somehow, it didn't lessen the coldness of his expression. "Well, that might be true. Abel is a little shy after all. But still..." His eyes came to hers. "02 and I...we're exactly alike. So...if you enjoyed his company, then mine should do just as well, my dear." He leaned forward again, once more pinning her with his body..

Esther choked back a cry of fear. She felt his body pressing against hers, his shaft touching her leg where he'd drawn the skirt up. Then he shifted forward a bit, and she felt it rub along her. She was still wearing underthings, but she had no illusions that they'd prove much hindrance if he decided to take her. She shuddered, feeling helpless tears in her eyes. "No..."

"Well, it matters not." Cain tilted his head slightly; cool disinterest in his eyes, then pushed himself upward, so that he was leaning over her instead of lying on her. "I suppose it's all right to wait a little longer. After all, Abel will come for you, whether I do this or not. And when he comes, I'll absorb 02 and take him into me. Then we won't have to worry about having this discussion any further. Abel's claim and mine will be the same." He smiled. Then the smile darkened, and his hand came up to trap her face, framing her jaw. "However, my dear, there are still consequences to denying me what I want. And since you won't accept my claim, I'll have you assist me anyway."

"You, what do you want?" Esther felt her heart pounding. She wanted to squirm away from that dark smile, but Cain still had her arms pinned above her head.

Cain's free hand came up, framing her jaw. "Well, 02 does have a complete body. Isaac's regeneration is very useful, but it doesn't hold together as well as I'd like. But...you have that very special blood, don't you?" The darkness in his smile widened. "With your help, I won't have to worry about having problems when 02 and I face each other. That will make it much easier."

Esther had no time to respond before Cain leaned down. His hand turned her head to one side, exposing her throat. She gasped as a sharp pain seared through her neck, just above her right shoulder. Red pain slashed across her vision, combining with the pounding agony already throbbing through her temples, as Cain sank his teeth into her neck, drinking her blood. Through the haze of pain and weakness, she felt Cain's body pressed against hers. Though he was no longer trying to violate her, her helplessness and his similarity to Abel made it worse than Dietrich's rape attempt. She tried to struggle weakly, but it only made her dizzy again.

Her vision was going blurry again, and Esther felt a renewed stroke of panic. _He's...if he drinks too much...I'll die. Abel...I...no, stop..._

Her consciousness was fading. Esther tossed her head weakly in one final attempt to pull away, but the effort left her dizzy, barely clinging to awareness. Then, with a sudden jerk, Cain withdrew his fangs. He sat up, and Esther felt the hum of energy around him as white wings flared into view. His eyes glittered red, and a cold, empty smile touched his face as he licked away her blood from around his mouth. "There. That should work much better. Like this, I'll have plenty of energy to face 02." The smile widened, and he stroked her face. "I did say, after all, that I would get your assistance, my dear. You've been very helpful." His gaze went to her neck. Through the gray haze that surrounded her, Esther could feel blood trickling down her throat. Cain frowned thoughtfully. "Hmmm...well, Abel will be annoyed with me if you bleed too much, and I don't feel like claiming another dead woman from him, so I suppose I'll fix this." He smirked, then leaned down.

Esther gasped as his tongue ran across her throat. Though she knew it was meant to stop her bleeding, there was an intimacy about the touch that made her gag. She jerked, feeling the pain knife through her. The last blow to her consciousness was too much, and Esther fainted again.

Cain levered himself off the bed, staring down at her unconscious form. "Hmm...well, I suppose I drank a little much. Still, you were wonderfully helpful, my dear. And now, you can help me send a message to 02. After all, I'm sure he'll come for you." He studied her for a moment, then turned and pressed a button on the wall. "Isaac."

"Mien Herr. Is there something you require?" Isaac's voice resonated from a small speaker.

"Hmmm...well, I just received help from Lady Esther, but I might have overdone it a little." Cain smiled. "I need you to bring something to treat her, and a change of clothing, for her and for me."

"I see. Will Mien Herr be wanting me to bring _that_ dress?" There was a slight note of interest in the voice at the other end.

Cain tilted his head, and the faint smile widened appreciatively. "Hmmm...that does seem appropriate. And then, while I get Esther dressed, you can set up the communications line for me. I have a message I want to send to 02. After all, I need him to meet with me. Otherwise, I can't establish my claim on Lady Esther, or fulfill my plans."

"As you wish, my lord. I shall be there in a moment." The line clicked.

Cain turned his head, his cool eyes drifting towards the figure on the bed. He lifted one hand and flexed it a few times, his expression thoughtful and distant. Then he moved to the bedside and leaned down, tracing a finger across Esther's jaw. "Well, my dear, you have proved helpful. So, as a present, I'll bring 02 for you. We'll send him a message, and bring Abel to my side at last." Then he turned away, shutting the door behind him.

"Father Nightroad..." Colonel Spencer knocked respectfully on the door. "We've almost completed preparations to launch. Please, attend at the meeting hall as soon as possible." She'd barely finished the sentence when the door opened.

Abel's expression was closed, his eyes dark with raging emotion. "Is there any word?"

"No. We've monitored on every channel we can think of, and Virgil's been doing an extensive search for unusual activity, but we've found nothing. Once the ships moved out of Albion satellite range, we lost track of them." She glanced at the device in Abel's hands. "Are the tracking monitors still functioning?"

"Yes. They've continued to move east and a little south." Abel's jaw tightened. "Unfortunately, at their present course, they'll bypass the Vatican territory."

"Understood. Do you still wish to rendezvous with the Vatican forces?" Mary turned as Abel came through the doorway, then fell into step just behind him. "Cardinal Sforza has informed us the Iron Maiden is standing by. We can relay a request to intercept the enemy vessel."

Abel's jaw clenched. "If we do that, they'll undoubtedly open fire, and we can't risk firing back while Esther is on board. But if we don't fire, the ships will be destroyed."

"My thoughts exactly. However...as you are our commander at present..."

Abel flinched, pain and anger in his gaze. "Even for this...I will not uselessly destroy lives." His gaze met Mary's "I will save Esther, but not at that cost. I swear it."

"Understood." Mary saluted him.

They entered the meeting room moments later. Virgil turned from his position at his work station. "Father Nightroad." His gaze slipped to the device Abel carried. "Have you information on their present course?" He turned to the computer. "I've gotten the communications panels up. I was attempting to compute their present course, to plan a more effective strike."

"They're still moving east, and a little south." Abel laid the the tracking device on the surface, then bent to examine the computer interface. "I'm going to connect this to the main grid." His gaze moved to the others. "Leon, Astha...reconnect us with the Vatican and the Empire, while I hook this in and overlay it with the mapping interface." His fingers pulled free a few wires, then began reattaching them, including the professor's device in the network. His head came up. "Colonel Spencer, how long before we're ready to launch?"

"Our fastest ships will be ready within the hour." Mary stepped up beside him. Her jaw was tight. "Unfortunately, it appears as though they've already gotten several hours head start on us. This may be problematic."

Abel's teeth gritted. "We'll catch up. We have to believe that, or this battle is finished."

"Understood." Mary's expression settled into hard lines. "Lord Walsh!"

"The mapping interface is coming online now." Virgil's good hand typed a series of codes into the console in front of him. "I'm recalibrating it to deliver the information in real-time, and input the code from Father Nightroad's tracking device."

"Well, Abel, looks like you're hard at work. I thought you were supposed to be resting." Seth spoke from her projector. Caterina was also there.

Abel shook his head. "There's no time." His gaze shifted. "Caterina, I need the Professor and Havel on this as well. We have to figure out where they're going."

"Agreed. I'll have both of them come online." Caterina turned away, her hand moving to tap in a code on her own console. She looked up. "They'll be with us in a moment."

Abel nodded. From his place at the computer, Virgil spoke. "Father Nightroad, the mapping interface is online. I'm bringing the image up as we speak."

The projection of the world map sprang into being above the table surface. Seth eyed it with consideration. "So then, this is the path he's taking?" Her eyes tracked the line that traced Esther's tracking devices. "He'll cross the Empire's borders by this time tomorrow." There was a gleam in her eyes. "The Yenceri will definitely be ready by then. Do you want me to intercept them, Abel?" Her eyes met her brothers.

"If you can. But...you must not fire on Cain's ship. Esther is...she's still aboard. Until we free her, we can't risk any damage on that vessel." Abel swallowed hard. "Is your Aegis technology working?"

Seth sighed. "It's not perfect, but Mirka has it in standby mode. If he tries anything, we'll be ready. But..." There was a dangerous sparkle in her gaze, a hint of red. "If he attacks my children Abel...then I won't be content with letting him go."

"Be careful." Abel's eyes came up to meet hers. "Seth...don't engage him directly. You can't..." His voice rasped and broke, and his hands were trembling slightly. "We'll intercept him and take Esther back, but you must not fight Cain. Understood?" His eyes were dark with fear. "Seth...I'm asking you..."

"I understand Abel, but I can't promise anything. It's going to depend on what that man does." Seth relaxed a little, and she offered her brother a small smile. "I do have an Empire to protect, after all. I know what you're worried about, but even so..." She sighed, then shrugged. "For now, why don't you concentrate on how we can get Esther back, okay?"

"Yes." Abel's eyes held hers a moment longer, then turned to the two newcomers. "Professor, Vaclav."

Havel nodded. "We came in as soon as Lady Caterina summoned us." His eyes were on the map. "Are those the tracking devices placed with Lady Esther?"

"Yes." Virgil nodded. "This is their present course. It hasn't changed in several hours, so I believe we can conclude their stopping point will be somewhere along this route."

"I see. That course will take them into Vatican territory, but not near Rome. From there, they'll probably cross the Carthage zone, then pass into the Empire." Vaclav's brow furrowed. "But what could they want there?"

William shrugged. "They may be headed for the Dark Lands. After all, considering its lack of inhabitants, and the shortage of knowledge about the region, it's an excellent place to hide. Their only concern would be the effects of lingering radiation. And even that, they can probably shield themselves from, to some extent. At least...a man of Wizard's talents would be perfectly capable of providing protection."

Abel's eyes were dark. "It's true. As far as I know, there's nothing there but...if Cain set up a new facility...then it makes sense for it to be somewhere where we couldn't easily find it." His jaw clenched. "Still..."

"Is there any possibility that the trackers are leading us to a decoy?" Vaclav spoke softly. "After all, it only makes sense that we'd try to keep track of Lady Esther. Surely they know that."

"It's possible, but highly unlikely." Virgil spoke softly. "We had no less than five tracking devices hidden on Lady Esther's person for that very reason. Of all of them, we keep the strictest observance on the one in the locket Lady Esther wears. It is the one least likely to be taken from her. At present, all tracking devices are moving along the same general path, though there are signal distortions that suggest they may not all be in the same exact physical location."

"There's still a chance they were removed and set on board another ship." Vaclav frowned.

"We will have to take that chance." Caterina frowned. "We can't afford to try and second guess things at this stage." her gaze flicked to the man who usually acted as her subordinate. "Well Abel? What do you plan to do?" She folded her hands. "You're the one who best knows the enemy."

"I will board the Albion ship as soon as it's ready." Abel's hand clenched. "I want to rendezvous with the Iron Maiden as soon as we touch the edge of Vatican territory. Seth...get your ships in the air. Monitor only, unless you are specifically attacked. We'll meet you at Byzantium and try to intercept him. At the very least, we'll follow him to ground." His eyes were hard.

"Abel, what if he stops before then?" William frowned at the map. "He may choose to hide in the Carthage free zone, or his course may change at any time."

"In that case, we'll gather forces wherever he makes his stop, and pin him there." Abel clenched his fingers on the edge of the console. "All of you...light assault ships only. We need maneuverability more than firepower here, especially if we want to recover Esther unharmed."

Leon frowned. "And how exactly were you planning to get Red away from those guys?" He met Abel's gaze. "I'm all for siege and guerrilla tactics, but how will that get Esther back? After all, she's probably with that guy by now."

"Leave that to me." Abel's eyes were stone hard and cold as ice. There was a dangerous edge to his expression, and a subtle feel of static in the air, like the ozone before a storm.

Astha stepped forward to put a hand on his shoulder, but whatever she wanted to say was stopped by the light that flashed to life on Virgil's console. The Albion lord tapped a few buttons, then stiffened in surprise. "Father Nightroad."

"What is it?" Abel tensed.

"There is an incoming call. It's back-tracing our own tracking signals. The contact code is not one I recognize, and as near as I can tell..." He swallowed. "It appears to be coming from Her Majesty's location." He tapped another button. "The call is listed as being for you." His eyes came up to Abel's.

Seth's eyes widened. "So...they're calling us this time." Her frame tensed, visible even through the holographic projections. "Abel...what will you do?"

Abel's jaw tightened, and his hand clenched into a fist. "Put it through."

Virgil tensed, but he nodded, and his fingers tapped out a quick sequence on the keyboard, activating another holographic projection system.

The image that appeared was that of a slender blond man, wearing white robes, trimmed in red. His eyes sparkled red, his hair wildly tousled. Behind his shoulders, a triple pair of white wings spread, an angel's wings framing the face of a devil. In his arms, he held a slender, red-haired young woman, wearing a simple white dress. The dress was floor-length and sleeveless, it's only decoration the line of red fabric roses separating the bodice from the skirt, and another rosette that pinned the left shoulder and supported what appeared to be a short cloak. The girl was unconscious, and the garb clearly exposed the bruise that stained one cheekbone, and a set of deep puncture marks at her neck.

The Contra Mundi smiled. _**"Hello Abel. 02. Have you been well?"**_

"Caain..." Abel's words were forced from between teeth gritted with rage. "What have you done to Esther?" The words emerged in a near scream, fury lancing through them. Around the priest's frame, static began to crackle..

"_**Oh, Esther?"**_ Cain looked down at the woman in his arms. _**"I haven't done much, yet. But I did take her assistance. After all, that blood of hers is **_**very**_** helpful in sustaining my body." **_He smiled coldly, cruelty and delight mixing in the expression._** "But then, you already know about that, don't you 02?"**_

"You...monster!" Abel took a single step forward before Leon and Astha caught him by the shoulders.

"Hey. Don't destroy the computer. You can't touch him right now." Astha's voice was low in his ear. "Save your rage. If you blow our communications line, we can't do anything."

Abel's jaw clenched, but he stopped. The electrical energy around him, however, increased. There were actually sparks sliding across his sleeves and jumping from the links of his rosary. "Let go." The darkness in his tones, the cold fire dancing across his frame, was enough to command instant obedience.

Cain smiled again. _**"That's the Abel I know. I always was so very fond of that angry expression of yours."**_ The smile shifted subtly, becoming a smirk. _**"You know, I was going to claim Esther as well, but she wasn't very receptive. That's why I had to knock her out. She just seems far too attached to you. Rather like that woman. Still, I suppose I'll convince her in time. And even if I don't...I have ways of getting what I want, without compliance. Isn't that right, Abel?"**_ There was something of madness in the smile, and a cruel intimacy, an awareness of the other man that almost seemed to taint the air.

Abel was trembling, his eyes beginning to shine red. "You...if you touch one hair on her head...Cain..."

"_**Hmmm...well, I've already done that."**_ One hand shifted, to stroke Esther's throat, over the wounds. Abel actually snarled at the sight, and Cain's smile widened. _**"Still...if you want to stop me from taking this one from you...you'll have to join me."**_

"You bastard...Cain..." Abel's voice dropped an octave, signaling his internal transformation as his hands tightened.

"_**Oh, don't worry. I'll make it easier for you this time."**_ Cain smiled. _**"All you have to do is join me in the place where our fight began. When you do that, you and I can discuss this further, and we'll see who gets Esther. And you can finally rejoin me, and take your place beside me, just as you used to."**_ The smile widened, frightening with its mix of madness and actual affection. _**"I'll be waiting for you, 02...Abel." **_ Then the image cut off.

"_**CAIN! You Monster!" **_ Abel screamed the words in thwarted fury. Lightning erupted in a shower around him, shattering his glasses. Black wings burst from his shoulders as he screamed, tearing through the fabric of his cassock. His head jerked back under the force of his anger, revealing the crimson eyes, fangs, and the blood-colored cross tattooed across his brow. _**"CAIN!"**_

"Shit!" Leon dodged backward with a curse and pulled his weapons off one wrist. Beside him, Astha drew her spear.

"Wait!" Seth's sharp exclamation stopped them both. "Leave him."

"You gotta be kidding!" Leon stared at her. "Look at him. You seriously want us to leave him like that?" He gestured.

"Yes. Abel has to get this out of his system, or it will get worse." Seth's face was pale, but her eyes were resolute. Her gaze slipped to Virgil, who had moved around the table to get clear of the Crusnik's fury. "I'll pay for the broken equipment later, but Abel has to vent, or he'll explode. Right now..." Her eyes were on her brother's figure. "Abel is insane. And if he faces Cain like this...with his mind consumed like this...he'll die. Let him rage."

"She's right." Havel spoke. "When Abel truly loses his temper, he doesn't think to protect himself."

William nodded, his eyes full of sorrow. "Even if he lives, Leon...in this state, we'll lose him. He can't go into battle like this."

"Shit." Leon backed away carefully, pulling Astha with him. His gaze slipped to Caterina. "Cardinal..."

"Do as they say, Father Garcias." Caterina's outward expression was calm, though her eyes were filled with pain for the man before her.

"_**CAIN!"**_ Abel screamed again, a roar of sound that seemed to come from the very earth itself. His hands clenched into fists as his back arched, the wings spreading high and wide as lightning crackled across him. "_**CAIN!" **_ His body shuddered, hands convulsively opening again as the lightning surged. With an earsplitting crack, the doors to the conference room blew apart, and the window glass shattered as horizontal lightning blasted through it. Everyone in the room winced and covered their ears, ducking as the debris rained around them. Then the dark, lightning-touched figure seemed to fold in on himself. The wings folded in and disappeared, the lightning died down to sparks as he hunched forward, clawed hands covering his face. _** "Cain...Esther! Esther..."**_

Astha stepped forward cautiously, avoiding the glass and wood splinters. Abel was curiously untouched by the rain of destruction. She stepped forward to his side, then very gently reached out and put a hand on the tense shoulder. "Tovarish?"

Abel was shuddering, crackles of static still racing over his frame. The eyes were still crimson, but as he raised his head, there was a small measure of sanity in them once more. "Astha...Esther...he..." His swallowed hard, turning his face away from her as the lightning snapped around him.

"I know. But we know where he's going. We can stop him." Astha's hand tightened.

"The Duchess of Kiev is correct." Caterina spoke softly, her voice a strange mix of practicality and compassion. "We'll meet you at the borders of Rome with the Iron Maiden, and turn full speed for Old Berlin as soon as we rendezvous."

"No." Abel's voice rasped hard on the word. "Not Berlin." His red-tinged gaze came to his sister. Somehow, even with the darkness of his other form clouding his features, he had paled, and his hands were shaking. "He said...the place where our conflict began."

"He did, didn't he?" Seth's eyes were concerned. "But...if it's not Berlin...Abel...where do you think he's gone? The first time you fought was on the station, but that...wasn't that destroyed?" her brow furrowed, then her eyes widened. "Abel...he isn't...you don't think..." Alarm crossed her face.

"He's attempting to access the ARK. He'll use the rocket and his own ship to get there, and attempt to break through the seals and make it functional." Abel's hands clenched into fists. "After that..."

"The ARK is sealed. Lilith damaged the weapons, and you damaged some of the primary systems." Seth's eyes were dark with concern. "I want to say it's impossible, but...he has his codes, and those two computer experts of his. I sealed it, but I haven't checked there in centuries." Her hands clenched. "Abel...do you think...that he can get it working again?"

"I don't know. But if that's where he's taken Esther, then I'm going." Abel straightened.

Seth grimaced. "Abel... you do know, right? You have Lilith's bio-signature and yours now. If you go...you'll make it easier for him to activate that."

"I don't care. I'm going for Esther." Abel's skin had slowly lightened to his normal pale complexion, but the stigmas of Lilith's powers remained, as did the elongated fangs and reddened eyes. He looked like a half-feral monster out of legend, ready to explode. His jaw clenched, and the dark gaze came to Caterina. "Don't try to stop me, please." His voice was still lower than normal, deep and rasping.

"Of course not." Caterina met the eyes of her friend and subordinate without a trace of fear. "No matter what the risk, the Contra Mundi must be stopped, and the Queen of Albion must be rescued, if at all possible. At present, you are our best chance of that." She folded her hands. "I'd prefer, however if you went with back-up. So...what will you do, Abel?"

Abel spun to Mary and Virgil. "Colonel, are the ships ready?"

"They should be waiting for us, Father." Mary nodded.

"Fine. We're leaving. Anyone who intends to accompany me...be on the docks within fifteen minutes." Abel's harsh gaze traveled over the group, then came to Caterina. "We'll be in Rome as fast as the ship can fly. Have the Iron Maiden ready to go, fully fueled, and all weapons systems ready. Whoever you intend to be involved should be on board. Have Brother Petros and His Holiness there to meet us. I have some things I need to tell them."

"Understood." Caterina sighed. "Francesco won't appreciate this, but I'll manage somehow. Fortunately, I believe His Holiness will listen if I tell him it's an urgent message from you. He seems fond of you."

Abel nodded sharply, once, then turned to his sister. "Seth, I'll need to borrow your orbital shifts. I need them armed and ready as soon as we arrive."

"I'm already on it." Seth gave her brother a grim smile. "Hey...when Cain passes by here..."

"If you can think of a way to distract him or stall him, fine. But don't engage him, and don't fire on the ship Esther is on. This..." The eyes glittered brighter, and lightning snapped across his hands. "This is my battle. I want you to stay clear."

Seth's jaw set in a sullen line, but she didn't argue. Brother and sister locked gazes for a moment, then Abel turned. "We need to get moving." Without another word, he turned and left the room. Darkness seemed to follow him.

"Damn." Leon rubbed his head. His gaze moved to Wordsworth. "Professor, are you sure it's safe to have him leading us in that state? He looks like he's gonna go nuts at any moment."

"Of course it isn't safe." William's eyes were dark with concern. He sighed. "Even so...Abel is our best chance. And...after everything...can you truly deny him the right to face this challenge?"

"No. But I sure as hell hope that bastard's there, and Esther doesn't die. Otherwise...it's gonna be Four Eyes we fight, and I don't think we have a hope in hell." Leon made a face, then caught Astha's eyes and jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Come on. We can at least keep an eye on him." She nodded, and the two of them left.

Caterina sighed, then met Virgil's eyes. "I'll see to it that everything is ready for your arrival. Until then, please take care of Abel for me."

"You have my word, my lady." Virgil bowed his head to her, then turned to Seth. "You as well, Majesty. I will look after him personally."

"Thanks." Seth gave him a wan grin. Then her connection snapped off. After a moment more, Caterina and her agents followed suit. Virgil and Mary caught each others gazes in unspoken accord, then turned, leaving the mess behind as they hurried to make preparations.

Esther woke slowly. Her mind felt hazy, her body weak and heavy. Gradually, it registered that she was leaning propped against something, something slightly warm and yielding, but firm. It also registered that she was wearing different clothing than she'd worn before.

Memories of the last time that had occurred were enough to send adrenalin surging through her system. Her eyes snapped open, and she jerked feebly, trying to break away and get to her feet. But something held her in position, and as she stirred, the grip tightened, ever so slightly.

A soft amused chuckle greeted her efforts. With a gasp, Esther looked up into Cain's smiling face. After a second, it registered that he was holding her in his arms, propped against his shoulder. He was standing at a view-port. At the sight of her eyes gazing into his, the cool smile widened. "Welcome back, my dear."

"You..." Esther swallowed against the dryness in her throat. "What...are you doing?" She felt terribly weak. She knew it was from blood loss, but she didn't know what to do.

Cain turned from the windows and glided towards his throne. With easy grace, he settled into it, pulling Esther into his lap. One arm pinned her in place. The other hand reached over to a small table and lifted a glass. "You should drink this, my dear. Isaac said it would help."

If she'd had any strength, she would have knocked the glass from his hand. But she felt weak, dizzy, unable to think or move the way she wanted. And her throat felt as if it had been sand-papered, coated with dust. Cain put the glass to her mouth and tilted, and she swallowed, almost by reflex. The cool liquid eased the dryness in her mouth and throat, and gave her little strength back. "You...what are you going to do?"

Cain smiled. "I was watching the world pass. Soon, everything will be destroyed. 02 will help me set the world ablaze."

"No...Abel will never..." Esther tried to push away, but the effort set her head to pounding again. She slumped back helplessly in his grasp, struggling to get her thoughts into some form of order.

"Oh...I think he will. 02 is very angry now." A cool finger stroked her cheek, then brushed across the wounds he had made in her throat. The intimacy of the touch, so like Abel's gentle caresses, made her stomach twist. "While you were asleep, I sent Abel a message." There was amusement and a tinge of excitement in his gaze. "Now, Abel will come for you, and he'll come right where I need him. I'll bring him to the ARK, and with his powers, I'll awaken it. Then the world can be cleansed, and Abel can be joined to me, together for eternity. And after we've become one, you, my dear, will be mine as well."

"No..." Esther shuddered. She wanted to run, but she was too weak even to escape his grip. Just moving made her head hurt and the room spin uncomfortably. She struggled for a moment, then collapsed against his grip, her head pounding and gray spots clouding her vision. _Abel..._


	40. Thirty One pt 01: Abel's Counter

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Hey every I am truly very sorry for such a late and MIA update with this chapter it's gonna be a two parter meaning like with chapter ten this chapter is also gonne be two parts. But here is small message from my editor to all you guys whom have been wondering WFT has happen in the past few weeks with this update.

_**(AN) **__**dragonwriter24cmf:**____ Okay so first things first...sorry about the long wait for updates. I was injured, laid up for about two months, and handling things got me __**way**__ behind on my writing. So to everyone who has been waiting impatiently, I do most heartily apologize, and promise to avoid any more long convalescing._

_Second things: Yep...the action is heating up, seriously. As for what Abel is going to do when he finally gets Cain...wait and see. As for the language he used...well, he was a soldier, so what can I say? And for all you Esther fans who are going: 'Where's the heroine'...she's coming up. I hope you enjoy._

(*) As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter ****Thirty One**** – ****Declaration of War Part One Abel's Counter**

The group that met out on the ship docks was a grim one. Leon and Astha were both silent mirror images of each other. Leon's dark hair and eyes contrasting with Astha's pale blond locks and champagne colored gaze. Both of them were wearing similar outfits, long jackets with almost tight pants, boots and shirts that left their midriff's bare. Just as obviously, both were equipped for hunting. Leon was idly twirling one of his weapons on one finger, and Astha's spear was in her hand.

Virgil, Vanessa and Mary stood at the other side of the platform. Mary wore her working uniform, Vanessa wore the dark leather's she preferred, complete with a gun dangling from one hip. Virgil wore dark slacks, shirt and jacket, and the trench-coat that was his trademark in difficult situations. The Albion lord was pale, but he'd forsaken the sling, the fabric of Abel's stole tucked into one pocket, and a determined look in his eyes.

Abel stood apart from all of them, the winter blue eyes glittering with dark emotions. Though his eyes had returned to human color, and Leon had almost forced him into a clean uniform, the crosses that stood out against his forehead and hands were silent testimony to how close he was to losing control. There was a swirl of wind and electricity around him that made the rest of the party quietly uneasy.

Mary's communicator crackled. She tapped it once, listened a few moments, then raised her head. "Father Nightroad, we're ready to board."

"Fine." Abel turned away from his silent contemplation of Buckingham Palace. His darkened gaze flitted across the company. "Do you intend to accompany me?"

Leon grinned, but there was no humor in the expression. "I'm with you, Four Eyes. Let's go get Red."

Astha nodded. "Let's go...partner."

Virgil stepped forward, his eyes filled with as much turmoil as the priest's. "I will accompany you. Colonel Spencer is needed to help with the government, and Vanessa will run the Underground."

A flicker of concern entered Abel's eyes, vanishing into the coldness there. "You're injured."

"I will heal." Virgil inclined his head. "I assure you Father...by the time we reach our destination...I shall be recovered enough. However, at present I am the most expendable of the Albion government gathered here, and we would not send you to rescue our Queen alone." His eyes flicked to his sister. "Vanessa has my codes, and has been recognized as my successor."

Abel met his eyes for a moment, then turned away. "So be it." He turned without another word and strode up the entry ramp to the ship. Virgil was only a step behind him, and less than a minute later, the roar of engines announced the vehicle lifting off.

The journey to the Vatican was a quiet one. Abel spoke to no one, leaving Leon and Astha and Virgil to manage communications between the Vatican, Albion and the Empire. All three of them were busy making plans, speaking with their respective government heads. Abel remained standing at a view-port, his eyes stormy. The others left him alone.

They were nearing their destination when Leon finally approached his fellow priest. "Hey Four Eyes."

"Yes?" Abel's voice was soft, nearly emotionless, and colder than ice.

"We'll be at the Vatican in an hour. Cardinal Sforza would like to speak with you. She's on the main communications channel." Leon gestured. "You coming?"

Abel didn't reply, just turned and strode toward the forward communications panel. Virgil was already there, with Astharoshe. The Albion lord turned as Abel approached. "Father Nightroad. Lady Caterina is awaiting you on the main line."

"Put it through." Abel stepped forward, facing the screen.

Caterina's image came up on-screen. "Abel."

"Lady Caterina." He managed a short nod of his head. "Are the preparations I asked for in place?"

Caterina's expression turned rueful. "The Professor has what we can manage of the Aegis technology standing by. Both His Holiness and I have triggers to activate it over the Vatican." She sighed. "It should stop an attack of equal destructive power to the one that destroyed section of Londinium. However, the Professor has told me it won't withstand many of them. And anything stronger than that...he wasn't sure. There are no known weapons to gauge by."

"Understood. The Iron Maiden?" Abel's expression was taunt.

"Sister Kate assures me it has been prepared and is awaiting your arrival. You'll be able to leave within half an hour of landing." Caterina saw Abel's jaw tighten and sighed. "We can't do any better than that, Abel, not with the equipment and personnel transfers."

Abel's jaw remained clenched a moment longer, then he nodded tightly. "Understood. We'll begin the transfers as soon as we land. What about the evacuation and defensive preparations outside of the Aegis technology?"

Caterina's expression went stern. "I've received the support of Brother Petros, however...Cardinal di Medici has countermanded several of your requests." A wintery smile touched her face. "It appears Brother is unwilling to take my word that we are at risk. He says the problems of Albion won't extend to the Vatican. At present, he sees no reason to take defensive measures. I'm sorry Abel."

Abel's jaw clenched, and the others could actually hear his teeth grind for a moment. His fists clenched. Then he spoke, his voice soft but carrying a dangerous edge, like a knife blade wrapped in silk. "Very well. Have Cardinal di Medici meet with me when we disembark. I'll explain things to him. If you would, have Brother Petros and His Holiness there as well."

A faint flicker of alarm crossed Caterina's expression. "Abel..."

"You cannot afford to underestimate this threat. It isn't like the Silent Noise. If Cain brings the ARK to power, you won't have time to rethink the mistake." Abel's eyes locked with those of his superior. "I intend to do whatever I can to rescue Esther and prevent that, but you know he has a head start. You dare not take the risk. If Cardinal di Medici refuses to take your word, then I will make him take mine." There was a note of steel, and of madness, underneath the deceptively calm tones that made everyone else in the small chamber tense.

Caterina held his gaze without flinching. "Abel...you know Brother will demand proof. His Holiness will listen to you, and Brother Petros as well, but for full Inquisitorial support, you must have Francesco's words as well, and he won't give them without proof of your words."

"Then he'll have it." Abel's fist clenched. "Even if I must give it with my own blood."

"Even if you must reveal your past to him as well? You know it may come to that. And if the truth is revealed to Francesco..." Caterina's gaze was dark with consternation. "Abel, I can't promise I'll be able to protect you from that."

"It doesn't matter." Abel's glance shifted to the instrument bank mounted nearby. "We'll be landing in Rome within half an hour. Please...do as I ask."

Caterina's eyes were still dark with concern, but she nodded. Then the communications line clicked off.

The ship landed right on time, barely an hour and a half before dawn. Vatican ground control directed them to a landing pad directly next to the familiar ship of the Iron Maiden. Through the view-port, the assembled warriors could make out the small group of people waiting on the landing platform. Leon frowned. "Looks like His Holiness, that Inquisition guy, and both cardinals, plus assorted entourage. Hey Four Eyes..." He turned to Abel, already standing by the hatch. "You sure you wanna go through with this?"

"I must, Leon." Abel didn't even hesitate. He didn't even wait for the doorway to fully open. As soon as the noise of the ship's landing had quieted, the hatch began to swing apart, and Abel was through the doors as soon as they'd opened far enough to admit his lanky frame. He didn't even seem to notice the twelve foot drop that indicated the absence of the disembarking ramp.

Leon scowled, watching as he strode. "Damn." His gaze slipped to his two companions. "I'm gonna go back him up."

Astha nodded. "I'm right behind you."

Virgil inclined his head briefly. "I will begin the unloading and reloading procedures. I believe I can be of far more use there."

"Roger that." Leon saluted, then jumped out onto the now extended ramp. Astha was right behind him. Both of them hurried to fall in behind Abel.

Abel strode right up the group awaiting him. He managed a tight nod to Alessandro. "Holiness." Then his gaze slipped to Caterina. "Have you decided who will accompany me?"

Caterina nodded. "The Professor and Know Faith will join your party, as well as Father Tres. Unfortunately, Black Widow is too volatile for this, and the Gypsy Queen is engaged in other business. I'm delegating Hugue to run ground support for you. Will that be sufficient?"

"It will have to be." Abel's stormy gaze slipped to Petros, standing firm behind the pope. "Brother Petros."

The blue-haired warrior looked distinctly uncomfortable. "My place is with His Holiness."

"Father Nightroad..." Alessandro stepped hesitantly forward. "Sister...she said Lady Esther was kidnapped."

Abel nodded, the ice in his gaze softening just slightly as he looked at the boy before him. "I'm afraid so. But I intend to get her back."

"I know. But sister...she also said...she said we were in a lot of danger. She said...she said the Contra Mundi...was going to activate...some sort of terrible weapon. And that...and that it might...might be used here." The young man swallowed.

"That's true." Abel nodded. After a moment, he bent his knee, so that he and the young man were almost eye to eye. "I will do my best to stop him Holiness, but...I cannot promise. I'm afraid our enemy is already far ahead of us." He bowed his head then. "Holiness...I fear you all are in terrible danger. Please...do as Cardinal Sforza requests of you. Take measures and prepare to evacuate the Vatican. If that weapon is activated...the destruction will be terrible. You won't have much warning. Please, for everyone's sake, be ready to leave Rome at a moment's notice."

"Ridiculous!" Cardinal di Medici's sharp, mocking tones cut through his words. "There's no evidence of any danger. Aside from your vessel, there hasn't been a ship near the Vatican."

Abel's jaw tightened once more, then he rose to his feet, looking the cardinal in the eye. "You won't see the ship. The Contra Mundi's vessel has already gone beyond Rome's airspace."

"Then we have nothing to fear." di Medici's eyes were arrogant, and there was a sneering curl to his lip.

"You're wrong. The Contra Mundi intends to revive a weapon from the wars of nine hundred years ago. If he succeeds, Rome is finished." Abel's eyes were shards of blued steel, mirroring the anger he was trying to keep under control.

"And what exactly is this weapon?" Francesco wasn't about to back down. "You've spoken a great deal about a threat, but you haven't even explained that."

"The ARK. It's an ancient vessel used by the Methuselah. It's been abandoned for almost nine hundred years. But if it activates...the destructive power will make the Star of Sorrow seem like a child's toy. One blast radius will be at least ten times the destructive zone from the Londinium attack."

Petros stiffened, and Alessandro's eyes were wide. Francesco's eyes darkened. "There's no proof that such a weapon even exists."

"The proof is right before your eyes, Cardinal." Abel's hand shot skyward. "Look. The Vampires Moon...that is the ARK. That is the weapon. That weapon destroyed the ancient American continent, and turned three civilized countries into the Dark Lands."

"You expect me to believe that?" Francesco's expression was furious. "What proof do you have?"

"The proof is in the Vatican records, from the time of the Nia Sancta. Look it up if you must, but there's no more time to waste. You must get the Vatican ready for evacuation. Even with the shields the AX has erected, you'll survive one shot at best." His eyes cut sideways. "Brother Petros..."

"I will not authorize evacuation procedures based on the words of one hysterical, ranting priest!" Francesco stepped forward, face red with fury. Alessandro cowered back from him.

Abel almost visibly snapped. He spun around, catching Francesco's robes in two iron fists. His eyes were still blue, but there was a darkness around them, and an aura of fury that made Leon curse behind him. "You don't have any choice, Cardinal. Unless you want another catastrophe like the Silent Noise, you will do as I ask, and you will start as soon as Lady Caterina's ship lifts off. If you refuse, then you and everyone foolish enough to side with you may very well die, here."

"You expect me to accept such vague threats?" Francesco was too angry to back down. "What proof do you even have that the Enemy of the World intends to revive such a weapon?"

"Because...he told me to return to the place where our struggle began. Nine hundred years ago, aboard the ARK...I tried to kill him. In vengeance for the death of the woman history knows as the Nia Sancta...the Dark Holy Woman." Abel seemed to force the words out through gritted teeth.

"If that's the case, then why would he deliberately tell you where he intended to go?" Francesco's gaze was challenging, and a bit smug.

A terrible expression crossed Abel's face, anger or fear or both, it was impossible to say. He let go of Francesco's robes, straightening carefully away, as if he feared one wrong move would lead to disaster. "Because...he knows I will come for Esther. He intends to kill me, and use my blood as well as his own to awaken the ARK. Did the legends in your records never tell you? The ARK awakens with the blood of the Nia Sancta, and the three Nightroads. Myself...and two others."

Francesco smirked. "Then we have nothing to fear. The Nia Sancta is dead."

"And her blood is now in _my _veins. The measure that was used to save my life in Londinium, months ago." Abel held up his hand and threw back his head, revealing the crosses engraved in his body. "You should recognize these, Cardinal. Part of the Nia Sancta's war garb. They were the marks of her power. And now...mine as well." His voice was rough, hoarse.

"How could you know about those markings? Those records are classified." Francesco's looked angry once more.

"The same way I know about the ARK, and what will awaken it. I was there." Blue eyes met dark, and it was hard to say which held more fury. "The Nia Sancta was my friend." Darkness entered his eyes, a terrible kind of madness. "The nine-hundred year Empress. You already know who she is to me." Francesco's expression darkened. "The legends of her reign are the truth, Cardinal di Medici. Everything you know of the Nia Sancta is also the truth...those things written as legends, sealed in the deepest vaults of the Vatican. The stories that even the Vatican does not wish to know. I know of the ARK...and the fact that the Contra Mundi can revive it at least partially, the same way I knew of the Ibilis, the demon of the desert. Everything you wish to deny as legend is truth."

"How? How could you know? Even if I were to accept your claim that you were there..." Francesco's gaze was hard.

A terrible smile, bitter and hard, curved Abel's lips. "Don't you recall...why the Nia Sancta joined the Vatican? The true reason, not the one written in the 'official' records?"

Francesco's eyes widened, then fury and a touch of fear turned his face crimson. "You..."

"Yes." Abel's gaze flickered upward. "There's no more time to argue." His hard blue gaze met the other mans. "If you want the proof, then here." He clenched his hand, and a moment later, there was a trickle of red-black fluid. Abel wiped it away with a square of cloth. "You can verify my words with this. Albion has the rest of the information. In the meantime...do as I asked of you. You have no more time to debate it."

Francesco's face darkened further, and his hand clenched around the cloth holding Abel's blood. But finally, he spoke. "Very well...just this once, you may have your way. However, Father Nightroad...there will be an accounting. I will get the _full_ truth from you."

Abel nodded, that terrible expression still on his face. "As you wish."

He started to turn away, but Alessandro stepped forward and laid a hesitant hand on his arm. Abel stopped and looked down, the lines of tension in his frame softening slightly as he met the pope's gaze. "Holiness?"

Alessandro swallowed. "I didn't...I didn't understand...everything you said but...but is it...is it really that bad? That weapon...it's really...that?" His gaze flickered upward.

"Yes." Abel nodded.

"And...it could really...could it really, destroy Rome?" Alessandro's voice quavered slightly.

"In a heartbeat." Abel nodded. His gaze came to the youth. "Holiness, Father Wordsworth gave you something, didn't he? A control device."

"Yes...but I...I don't know..." Alessandro swallowed. "He...he couldn't explain to me...what it did. I mean...he tried...but...I don't think I fully understand."

"It's fine Holiness. But I have something to ask of you. If I fail...if the ARK regains power, please, use that device to protect yourself." Abel's eyes met his. "What the Professor gave you will keep you and everyone else safe, at least for a little while. It will give you enough time to leave, if you haven't already."

"O..okay. I promise... I'll take good care of it." Alessandro's expression was grave. "Father...Nightroad...you said...you said that man...he took Esther...to lure you there. You said he...he wanted to kill you...to use your blood. Did you...is that...is that really true?"

"It is." Abel nodded. "But I must go, Holiness. I promised Esther I would rescue her, no matter where she was taken."

"I...I know. But...that man...was he the one...the one that...that killed you...in Londinium? When you...when you were protecting me?" Alessandro's eyes filled with tears. He looked up and saw Abel's expression. "He was, wasn't he? And...you're going to...to face him again...to protect everyone...and save Esther. I know...I can't ask you...not to go...but...I.. please Father...I don't want you to die for me again."

"I don't intend to die again, Holiness." Abel bent his head. "Thank you for your concern, but I promise, I have no intention of dying again."

"I know. But...you didn't intend...to die the first time." The youth looked up. "I...isn't there...anything...I can do? I...I don't want...Esther is my friend. And you...you were always...very kind to me."

"All I ask is that you and Lady Caterina protect yourselves, Holiness." Francesco's eyes snapped in anger at being left out, but he didn't speak.

"All right...but...in that case...if you're going to fight..." Alessandro's eyes darkened with determination. He straightened, the turned. "Brother Petros."

"Holiness." The knight stepped forward.

"I want...I want you...and Sister Paula...to go with Father Nightroad. Help him." The words were slightly rough, but the tone was one of command, however wavering.

Petros stiffened. "I will serve as your knight in whatever capacity you require, Holiness. However, in a time of danger, my place is at your side."

"I know. And I...I'm honored...that you feel that way. But...if Father Nightroad loses...then I'll be in more danger. And Sister...Sister and I...we have a way to protect ourselves. And Brother...Brother has the troops. So...I want you to help Father Nightroad."

Petros bowed. "You make an excellent argument, Holiness. Sister Paula and myself will join Father Nightroad's party." He straightened, and his eyes met Abel's. "How soon must we be ready?"

Abel tapped his earphone. "Sister Kate, how soon before we launch?"

"Within ten minutes, or as soon as everyone gets on board." Kate's voice came through clearly enough to be heard by everyone. Her tone was brisk and professional. "I'm running the final pre-flight check now, Abel, and Tres is assisting me."

Abel nodded, then released his earphone. "You have your answer."

Petros nodded sharply. "Paula and I will be on board within the time specified."

Abel nodded, then turned to his superior. "Lady Caterina..."

"It's fine Abel. Go. Take care of what you need to take care of. His Holiness, the Cardinal di Medici and I will arrange things here. You must concentrate on stopping the Contra Mundi, and retrieving Lady Esther." Caterina's words were brisk, commanding, but there was a look of concern in her eyes. She reached out and touched Abel lightly on the arm. "And Abel...be safe. His Holiness isn't the only one who does not wish to hear of your death a second time."

Abel's hard, wintery gaze softened a little. "I understand." his gaze slipped to the two men who stood silent behind the lady. "Professor, Vaclav...are you ready?"

"Of course, Abel. Whenever you are." Vaclav smiled.

The Professor threw him a brief grin around his pipe-stem. "Honestly Abel, the only thing we're waiting for is you."

"Then let's go." His gaze slipped back to the pope's knight. "Brother Petros...we'll be awaiting you on board the Iron Maiden." Then he turned away, striding towards the loading ramp, where Virgil was supervising the arrangements for weapons and supplies. The other four fell in behind him.

Vaclav waited until they were aboard before he spoke. "Abel..."

"I'm going to link in the tracking devices to Kate's main console. We have to make sure there are no sudden course changes." Abel didn't even turn, didn't even stop walking. "Professor, I'll need your assistance. The rest of you...please assist Lord Walsh. We'll lift off as soon as we have confirmation that Brother Petros and his associate are aboard."

William nodded and knocked his pipe clean, then followed after his associate. The others remained at the entrance ramp, watching as he disappeared down the narrow ship's corridors.

Leon frowned. "Sheesh. That guy..." He rubbed the back of his head.

"Priest..." Astha's eyes were full of concern.

Vaclav laid a hand on Astha's shoulder and smiled comfortingly. "I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. I've seen Abel in this state once or twice before. As long as we support him, he'll be all right."

Leon snorted. "Yeah, but look at him. He's barely letting anyone near him. It's a miracle he even asked the Professor to help him. And if anything's happened to Red...he's gonna go ballistic, and I don't think we can stop him."

"It will be all right. We just have to have faith, in Abel, and in ourselves, and God." Havel's words were gentle, reassuring, but his companions noticed the concern in his eyes. "That is all we can do, at present."

"Huh. You sound like Four Eyes when he's sane." Leon shrugged. "Still, you got a point." He shrugged again, then turned to Virgil. "Hey, what do you need assistance with?" Havel and Astha looked at each other for a long moment, then Astha laid her spear to one side, and went to assist the Albion lord as well.

Petros and Paula came up the ramp just as they finished loading supplies. Both Inquisition members sported armor and weapons, as well as small travel packs with supplies. They'd barely crossed the threshold when Kate's holographic image appeared. "Good. You're aboard. We'll be lifting off in about a minute. Father Nightroad would like you to join him in the main forward conference center." Her gaze shifted to Vaclav. "Please lead our guests there. I've got to get this ship into the air."

"Of course. Tell Father Nightroad we'll be there in just a moment." Vaclav nodded.

"Roger." Kate's image faded away.

Vaclav pointed to a corner. "If you wish, you can leave your packs there. I'm sure Sister Kate will let us retrieve our personal belongings later." Petros and Paula both nodded, then dropped their packs in the area specified. After a brief moment, Petros shrugged out of his spear as well, and Paula set her long, folded blades atop her own gear. Then both of them turned back to the group. Vaclav nodded, accepting the gesture of peace, the opened a door. "Please, come this way."

The journey through the corridors of the Iron Maiden took only a few minutes, then they emerged into the main cockpit. Kate was there, standing to one side while Abel and the Professor studied a large scale projection of a map, with a red line tracing the path of the tracking devices on Esther. The Professor was frowning.

Petros wasted no time. He strode over to the map. "What is the current situation?"

William frowned. "We're still following the trackers from Lady Esther's devices. However...we have to include the possibility that they may be a decoy."

Virgil stepped forward and studied the route, his eyes thoughtful. "I do not consider it to be likely. We know Her Majesty was with the Contra Mundi when we launched from Albion. The call from the Contra Mundi confirmed her status in that regard. And the message was sent by back-tracing the signal from our tracking devices. Since then...Father Nightroad, has there been any considerable change in their flight path?"

"No." Abel's response was sharp and short, the tension in it enough to make everyone shift uneasily.

William nodded. "That doesn't rule out the possibility that they launched the trackers in a separate vessel, and then changed course. When that man appeared...Esther's clothing had obviously been changed. And I didn't see any sign of the locket you gave her Abel." The other man's head bowed. "I'm sorry, but..."

"It doesn't matter. We need to stay on course to the Empire." Abel's jaw tensed. "That's the only place we have any chance of getting an orbital vessel that's in any kind of flight-worthy condition." His eyes were focused on the thin line that marked the other vessel's believed flight. "And if we continue on this path, we may catch them before they get that far."

"That is true." Havel stepped forward, his eyes thoughtful. "However, I am a bit puzzled. The Vampires Moon, or the Ark as you call it...they're visible from anywhere in Earth. Why would the Contra Mundi waste so much time on this journey, if that is truly his destination?"

"He's aligning his ship with the orbit." Abel's voice was soft, but his hands were clenched into fists. "It's true you can see the Ark, but...in order to dock with it...in order to safely approach, there are a limited number of flight patterns that cam be followed. Any mistakes, and he'll crash his ship into the surface."

"Of course." William's eyes were thoughtful, but also shining with anticipation. "All orbital vehicles, or objects, have a specific path they follow, aligned with a particular area of the Earth's surface. The Vatican and Albion satellites function the same way. They have to be maintained that way, so maintenance can be performed, and signals can be sent and received accurately. The Ark, of course, has to follow those rules."

"It does." Abel's hands touched the console, and a set of lights sprang into existence. "These are the best locations for a launch to connect to the Ark, based on its final position."

Virgil's eyebrow rose. "Father...one of these points is directly over Albion."

"Indeed." William eyed the map. "Why didn't he launch from there?"

"Because...it isn't optimal. Albion has too many satellites and security forces directly overhead. You couldn't attack him once he reached the Ark, but before that..." Abel's jaw clenched. "Cain knows...he can't use the rocket that's in that place now. But..."

"But you can." William nodded. "I believe Esther mentioned it...that the Contra Mundi had said something of that. And you've said before...there's nothing in the Albion Underground you can't touch. Even if the rest of us couldn't keep up with you...you could have launched the Albion rocket after him?"

Abel swallowed. "Yes."

Havel frowned. "But he's gone overland, so it's impossible. But why would he approach the Empire?"

"Because..." Abel's eyes were dark, and stormy. "The closest path...the easiest orbit to align with...is from the Empire. That's the coordinates we were stationed above...when Cain ordered Lilith's lab destroyed. When she left us...she sabotaged the engines and the weapons systems. She didn't set us to crash, but she re-programmed the machine so we couldn't change our orbital coordinates to orient on another country." He swallowed hard. "And...because...he wants...he wants...Seth."

"The Empress?" Astha's eyes widened.

"Yes." Abel's eyes closed, pain and fury warring openly in the usually calm features. "Seth secured the Ark. If he can force her to release it, then it will save him time. More than that...her bio-signature will also serve to partially awaken the Ark. In particular...he'll be able to activate the science logs. He may be able to obtain a full genetic blueprint from the Ark...and access to any other technology aboard."

"And that...could be rather disastrous for us." William's face went grim. "To supplement the powers the Order already has..."

"They must be stopped. And as the Right Hand of His Holiness, and of the Lord God...I will see it done." Petros strode forward, his expression set into a fierce scowl. He studied the map a moment, grim determination in his features, then spun to face the silver-haired man who stood nearby. "Nightroad. What is your plan?"

"I intend to try and catch them. They have at least an eight hour head start. Sister Kate?" The winter-blue eyes flicked to the captain of the vessel.

"I've got all the systems at maximum output Abel, and the engine is running as hard as it can. Father Tres has been adjusting the components for me, based on calibration simulations, and I think we can get a little more speed, but I'm not sure we can close that kind of gap. Their ships are pretty sophisticated." She frowned. "William!"

"Yes?" The Professor straightened.

"As soon as this meeting is over, get down there and help Father Tres." She sighed. "I know he's an android, but honestly...he can't think of everything. As much as I hate to admit it, we may need that intuition and creative streak of yours to even have a chance to catch them." She fixed him with a glare. "But you'd better not tamper with anything but my engines! I swear...if you make one unnecessary or experimental adjustment down there..."

"I understand." The Professor regarded the vessel's captain with a serious gaze. "This isn't a time for experiments of that nature. I promise, I don't intend to do anything unnecessary. But I'll do my best."

"All right. Then we should finish this meeting as soon as possible." Vaclav took quiet control. "Whenever and wherever we catch them...I'm fairly certain we can count on some serious opposition. The question is...what will we be facing?"

Kate sighed. "If we catch them in the air...then we'll probably have to face off against their pilot, whoever it is. I don't know the specifications of their ships all that well...but Albion reported that it wasn't the same caliber as the one that attacked almost a year ago."

"It was not. Vanessa and I went over the data while we were awaiting preparations to launch." Virgil inclined his head. "Our readings were a little vague, however..." He held up a memory cube. "If you'll tell me where to place this, it contains the data we managed to gather."

"The data port is right over there." Kate gestured. Virgil inserted the cube, and a screen full of data appeared. "The estimated magnitude of the firepower is about three-quarters of the previous attack, and it doesn't look as if you recorded any evidence of the high-end electromagnetic weapons either. But that could be because they were inactive." She frowned, another window appearing in mid-air in front of her. "Based on these calculations...the Iron Maiden can match the ship for firepower. And we've worked on the shields since our last contact. It should be all right."

"Yes. But that's only taking the ship into account." William moved up to stand beside her, his eyes concerned. "You have to consider the pilot as well, Sister Kate. And there are only two people I know of in the Order who would fly that caliber ship. The Wizard...and The Red Baroness."

Even in holographic form, the rest of them saw Kate pale. William immediately took the pipe from his teeth. He couldn't actively wrap his arm about the holographic figure, but he did extend it in what would have been a comforting embrace. "I'm sorry to remind you, Sister. But we can't afford to ignore the risk."

"If that happens...I'll have Tres at the weapons. He can assist me." Kate steadied.

"I know. But if you'd like, I can also re-enforce the core security."

"You don't have time for that, William!" Exasperation returned to the nun's voice. "Right now, we have no guarantee we can even catch up, let alone start a battle in the air. Concentrate your energies where they'll be most useful!"

"Sister Kate." Abel's low voice startled them all into turning. His eyes were dark and determined as he stepped forward. "If we can catch up...please permit me to assist you. Leave Tres at the weapons helm, and allow me to co-pilot."

"Co-pilot? Father Nightroad, I've never used a co-pilot in my entire career. Besides...you don't even know how to handle the main control board!"

"That's not true. I was trained in flight protocols. Besides...the main circuitry and command protocols were written in Albion, before Professor Wordsworth over-wrote them for you. I know those commands. I once used them to restart the Tristan, if you recall." Abel swallowed. "I can also better predict the combat patterns of our attackers. Rather than having you analyze it and counter, I'm offering my knowledge so that we can get ahead of them. It may be the difference between a successful operation or not."

Petros growled. "I recall the Tristan incident. The Cardinal di Medici attempted to end the threat by firing upon the vessel." There was a dark glitter in his eyes that suggested he hadn't been happy with that solution. "It was reported that someone shot down one missile, but two of them were damaged when the vessel unexpectedly preformed evasive maneuvers that could only have been used with prior knowledge of thrust-bomb capabilities."

Abel nodded. "Exactly."

Kate sighed. "All right. You've both made your point. I'll accept your assistance, Abel, but only if we actually succeed in catching up."

"The question remains...what shall we do if we do not catch up to them?" Vaclav spoke softly. "We should plan for that as well."

"If we don't catch Cain before he reaches the Ark..." Abel's voice went cold again. "The ship weapons are damaged, and he can't activate them immediately. The guns of the Ark probably won't be rendered operational before we arrive." He frowned, but there was less anger than thought in his gaze. "In that case..."

"Can we fire on the Ark?" Paula spoke softly.

"The defenses are far too great. That ship was meant to withstand...everything." Abel's voice was tense. "Even if I turned my full power on it...it would not be destroyed. Not from the outside, at least. Besides..." A bitter smile touched his face. "It is the size of a small moon."

Kate snorted. "Even if we can damage it, this vessel doesn't have the firepower to destroy something of that size."

"Exactly."

"Then we will face them in hand to hand combat, as honorable knights should." There was a fierce, dark light in Petros eyes.

Leon snorted. "Somehow, I don't get the feeling these guys are all that honorable. In fact, I'm willing to bet they fight dirty. The jerk, the Puppet Master, sure does." He growled the words out.

"Yes. The Ice Witch is a formidable opponent as well. And it's unwise to underestimate the one they call the Wizard." The Professor's eyes darkened. "I believe he said his name was Isaac von Kampfer."

"Yes." Virgil nodded. "He's also gone under the alias Isaac Butler, according to Her Majesty."

William's eyes widened. "Butler, you say?" Something dark, far too close to Abel's own expression, formed in the green eyes. "Well, in that case, I believe I have a few strategies that can counter him."

"I can handle the Ice Witch." Astha grinned, but there was no humor to be seen in the pale eyes. "I've got a few manners left to teach her, about how proper Methuselah nobility behaves."

Leon grinned. "Well, who does that leave?"

"The Neumann brothers...and the one they call Gudiern, and whatever foot soldiers they brought with them." Abel's expression closed again. "Cain probably won't have brought his lower ranked troops. There's too much risk in exposing them to the secrets of the Ark."

"But they may be accompanied by Auto-Jagers." William frowned. "It's impossible to estimate how many might be in existence, but it's not as if Methuselah corpses are easy to come by."

"No." Havel shook his head. "However...we could still be facing a sizable force. Far greater than our numbers here." His gaze shifted. "Normally, I'd assume it was an even combat, with Abel, but...you will be otherwise engaged, won't you?" The dark eyes met blue ones.

"Yes. I'm going after Esther and the Contra Mundi." Abel looked away. "We'll pick up some support in the Empire. Seth should have the vessels and whoever she can spare waiting for us when we get there."

Kate nodded. "I'm estimating two and a half days of travel at this speed. We should see the Imperial Dome by sunset on the third day."

"Understood." Abel's gaze shifted. "Havel...you should still have the file on the top members of the Order of Rosenkreutz."

"I do." Havel nodded gravely. "Abel...what are you thinking?"

"We don't know what numbers we'll face, nor who will be there. It's safe to assume that we'll at least face them. Those people...those are the most dangerous members of the Order. It's best if you all study the file, and choose your opponents. We won't have much time." Abel shook his head. "Until we catch up...there is nothing else we can do."

"I fear Father Nightroad is correct." Virgil spoke softly.

"Well then..." William nodded. "I suggest those of us who have work to do get started. The rest of us should probably study, make our preparations, and get what rest we can. When things actually start happening, we're going to have to move fast. We need to be in peak condition." The green eyes turned to meet winter-blue ones. "Abel...I know you don't feel like it, but I want you to rest, unless we have specific news. I won't tell you to sleep, but I want you to at least try. And if you can't sleep, eat something every two hours." Abel looked as if he wanted to protest, but William shook his head. "No excuses, my friend. I don't even have to do a blood analysis to see how close you are to the edge."

Vaclav nodded. "I'll ensure he eats, William. You should concentrate on Sister Kate's request." He turned to meet Abel's eyes. "Abel, please don't fight with me on this."

"I...understand. If there's nothing else..." Abel shuddered, a movement barely perceptible, but for the tension in the tall frame. "I need to...I..."

"Go, tovarish." Astha walked over, then pushed him lightly toward the door. "You haven't relaxed since that message came. I don't want to deal with another of your explosions."

"If you wish...I can knock you out for a while." William's eyes had softened, to compassion.

"No. That won't be necessary." Abel's gaze traveled around the cabin. "If you'll excuse me..." He turned and left.

**8888888**

The mood on-board through the three day flight to the Empire was, if possible, even darker than that of the flight to the Vatican. Knowledge of the desperate circumstances, and the consequences of failure made everyone tense, and silent. Kate concentrated on piloting, only taking breaks to speak with Tres and the Professor, working on the engines and weapons. Wordsworth worked nearly non-stop on the ship, and on his own weapons. What he planned, none of them quite dared to ask, but there was a dark glitter in the normally friendly green eyes, far too like the madness that seemed to possess Abel.

Abel remained locked away from the rest of them, by his own choice. Vaclav took over his care, bringing his fellow AX member food and drink. Abel ate, though it was with no enthusiasm, but he spent the majority of his time roaming aimlessly, or up on the bridge, studying the consoles and the forward view port as if staring at them would somehow increase their speed, or bring Esther back to him. He spoke only when spoken to, and then only in clipped, short sentences, his voice a rough, low monotone. The crackling, deadly energy that had possessed him had subsided, but the crosses branded into his skin by his own power remained.

The rest of the party spent the time relaxing, planning, and seeing to their weapons. Paula had an astonishing arsenal with her, and could usually be found with one or another of the weapons, training or cleaning it and testing the balance. Petros had similar occupations. His only weapon was a spear, but the armor he preferred to wear in combat required maintenance as much as Paula's weapons. Leon, Astha and Virgil, with their lighter loads, spent the majority of their time simply relaxing, or doing light sparring in an area Kate designated for them, as a distraction. Other times the group gathered, going over their opponents and trying to sort out who each person should target, based on relative strengths.

The second night out, Astha was settled at one of the view ports, watching the scenery pass, when a slight cough startled her out of her thoughts. She turned, to find Virgil standing in the doorway. The Albion lord studied her a moment, then inclined his head. "Good evening. I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"No." Astha shook her head. "I was just watching the world go by." She looked out the window, and a rueful smile crossed her face. "It's strange. The first time I was in the Outer, my journey to this point took several weeks. We'll be at the Empire tomorrow, and yet...it isn't fast enough."

"I understand." Virgil moved to stand beside the window with her. "This is my second journey beyond the borders of Albion, to seek my queen. Like you, I feel that we should move faster. But I know the engine of this ship. My people and I built the original specifications. I have been down to look at the adjustments Father Wordsworth and Father Tres have made, and I know we can go no faster."

Astha turned away from him, looking out the window, unable to express her thoughts. To her surprise, Virgil spoke them for her. "I fear for my queen. Yet I fear even more for Father Nightroad, should we arrive too late." He paused a moment, then spoke softly. "However...we must continue to trust him, and to believe in our Star of Hope. That was my oath, as a servant of Albion, given both to the late queen and to this one."

"You're right." Astha nodded, finding courage in the words. "Esther's a good woman. And my tovarish...he's a strong man. Even if he annoys me, I know he'll do what is needed."

"A strong man indeed." Virgil's voice was carefully neutral, but Astha's quick ear caught a note of unease.

She turned to see Virgil rubbing his shoulder, his face creased in a thoughtful frown. Concern sharpened her own gaze. "Your injury..."

"Is healed, save for the stiffness. It is not that which concerns me, but the effects of the choice I have made." His pale blue eyes came up to meet hers. "As Her Majesty's adviser, I have been long in the habit of taking a silver nitrate solution. It mitigates the effects of sunlight, and dims the thirst that Methuselah feel. But it also slows the healing and reduces my strength."

Astha understood at once. "You stopped taking it, so you'd be ready for battle." She studied him a moment. "The Thirst?"

"Is not as bad as it may be. But sunlight..." He held up one hand, and the sleeve slipped back to reveal the edge of a burn, bandaged lightly. "I am already vulnerable. And while it is not great, I fear I do...I shall begin to suffer the Thirst soon."

"Don't you have any Aqua Vitae?" Astha stared at him.

A small, ironic smile creased the nobles mouth. "No. I am unused to needing it, with the silver nitrate, and in my concern for Her Majesty, I neglected to gather a supply before our departure."

"I see." Astha watched him for a moment. He remained silent, but she sense the unspoken need in him. She reached into a pocket on her jacket and removed a small bottle, then dumped a pill into her hand. There was a small sink to one side, and cups. She drew a cup of water, then dropped the pill into it, watching it dissolve. She shook the cup, to mix the Aqua Vitae into the liquid, then turned and held it out. "Here. This will help you."

Virgil stared at it a moment, then bowed his head once more. "You are kind."

Astha shifted uncomfortably. "I'm just repaying a favor a priest once did me." She met his startled expression with her predators smile.

Virgil nodded, then reached out and took the glass. "I too, have a favor to repay. My gratitude." He lifted the glass in a salute, then drank the contents quickly. She saw the slight twist in his expression, at the bitter aftertaste the Aqua Vitae always left, and handed him another glass of water to wash it away, pouring one for herself as well. Then, in silent communion, the two of them returned to the view-port, watching the land pass beneath them until dawn made them seek the ship's interior.

The next sunset, the war band met on the forward deck of the Iron Maiden, watching as the Dome came into sight. A burst of sound, static to most of them, came across the system, and Kate frowned. "Roger."

"What's the message?" Abel spoke quietly, but his voice was vibrating with tension.

"We'll be entering Byzantium airspace within ten minutes. We've just received orders from the Imperial Palace. We're to proceed directly to the Empress' private docking area. The craft you requested for orbital travel are ready. All you'll have to do is board, but..." There was worry in Kate's expression. "The Duchess of Moldova is requesting a meeting with you before launch commences."

Abel's jaw tensed. "There's no time. We have to hurry. We've caught up some, but we're still too far behind that ship."

"I'm aware of that. However, the message stated the request was urgent. She said it had to do with the Empress." Kate met his gaze.

"Damn." Abel swore softly, his voice dropping nearly an octave. "Very well. Tell the Duchess of Moldova to meet with me on the landing dock, along with the Earl of Memphis and the Duke of Khartoum, if they're available. And whoever else we need to see. I'll speak with her while we're doing personnel and weapons transfer from the Iron Maiden."

"Roger. Sending the message now." Kate's hands whizzed above the communications console. A moment later, there was another burst of static. "Meeting confirmed."

"I'll be at the disembarking bay." Abel turned away, disappearing into the corridor of the ship.

The rest of the group exchanged quick looks, then Sister Kate made an impatient gesture. "Go on, shoo! I have a ship to dock, and you have an assault to get underway. There's no point in standing around my deck staring at each other. Besides...that's not going to help Abel's temper in the least."

Vaclav actually chuckled slightly. "An excellent point." He turned and followed his companion, the rest of them trailing in his wake.

As soon as the Iron Maiden touched the dock, the doors swung open, and Abel went through them, his whole frame almost vibrating with suppressed energy and impatience. Astha, Virgil and Wordsworth followed him to where the Duchess of Moldova and her companions stood waiting.

Abel didn't bother with the formalities. He simply strode forward, stopping about a foot from the party. "I was informed you wished to speak with me."

"Indeed, Father Nightroad. I fear I have grave news for you." Mirka's usually calm and relaxed expression was solemn, and there was no hint of laughter or teasing in her eyes. "The Empress is no longer in the Empire."

"What?" Abel's eyes widened. "Where did she go?" his fists clenched. "She...Duchess of Moldova...I thought I requested..." His jaw tightened. His gaze shifted to Baibars, standing just behind the Duchess. "What happened? I specifically asked that Seth not leave the Empire. I thought the agreement was that she would meet us here."

"I am aware of it, Father Nightroad. However...five hours ago, the ship of the Order of Rosenkreutz passed over the Capital." Baibar's dark eyes were filled with both anger and frustrated helplessness. "The ship fired on the Imperial Star Palace."

Abel's eyes widened again, and the feel of static built in the air. "He...fired here?"

"Yes." Mirka inclined her head. "We have the shields you suggested in place, and there were no casualties. However...Her Imperial majesty was...very angry. Some of the rebound from the beams came dangerously close to Byzantium. Were it not that the Yenceri have already moved a large percentage of the population to safe locations, the situation would have been far worse."

"_Where is Seth?"_ Abel's voice dropped, taking on a dangerous edge.

"She went in pursuit of the Contra Mundi." Baibars shifted. According to our monitors, they began the final approach to the vessel you call the Ark. Her Majesty took a vessel and followed after."

"Why didn't you accompany her?" Abel's shoulders were tense.

"Her Majesty took her personal craft. She was gone so quickly we did not have time to either stop her or follow her. As I was informed, you require use of the ship we have left. It was her express order that nothing hinder you." Baibars was stiff with his own anger. Then his head bowed. "My apologies."

Abel cursed, a word so vehement that Astha's eyes widened, and the Professor's eyebrow rose into his hairline. "I ordered her not to follow them."

"Her Majesty is concerned for the safety of the kingdom." Mirka spoke softly. "I believe that she is concerned for your welfare as well, Father."

"She's still being reckless and selfish. I ordered her not to confront Cain alone. She deliberately ignored my request and placed herself in danger." Abel's eyes were dark, rage and fear creating turmoil in the blue gaze. "How long has she been gone?"

"Almost four hours." Mirka's eyes were full of concern.

Abel's hands clenched. "Damn." His eyes were distant for a moment, then they met Mirka's. "Duchess of Moldova, I'll need you to remain here and contain the situation. Will you attend to it?"

"Of course." Mirka's eyes mirrored his determination. "Ion will go with you."

The young Methuselah stepped forward. "I would be honored to serve once more by your side, Father Nightroad." He was dressed in light armor, a sword belted at his waist, and a long knife strapped to his other hip. He met the older man's eyes without flinching. "Even after everything...I haven't forgotten my promise to you, to follow you and hunt this enemy until the end of time, if need be."

"So be it." Abel nodded sharply. Then the winter blue gaze turned to the massive captain of the Yenceri. "Lord Baibars?"

The Methuselah shifted uncertainly. "My troops are needed here, to protect the Empire. However, I would wish to accompany you."

"Then go, Duke of Khartoum." Mirka spoke from beside him. Baibars looked down in surprise. The Head of the Imperial Secret Council smiled coolly up at him, her gaze completely serious for once. "I can make use of your second in command, if I must. However, the safety of the Empress is your primary responsibility. If Father Nightroad can use your assistance, then you are hereby ordered, in my name and Her Majesty's, to accompany him and protect Augusta."

Baibars nodded sharply, then turned and bowed to Abel. "Father, it appears I will accompany you, if you will have me."

"Very well. The rest of your men should stay and guard the capital." Abel's gaze shifted restlessly over Baibars and Ion, then to the three standing behind him, and the figures crossing between the Iron Maiden and the weathered ship on the other landing bay. "Your inclusion brings our numbers roughly equal to the numbers of lieutenants the Contra Mundi will lead. It's the best we can hope for." The blue eyes came to Mirka's, anger and fear coalescing into resolve. "I will bring her back to you. I only pray it's in one piece."

"That is my prayer as well." Mirka nodded. "I must go and set our preparations in motion. I wish you good luck, Father Nightroad."

Abel returned the nod, then spun on his heel and strode toward the two docked ships. Leon was emerging from the second ship when Abel arrived. He looked into his colleagues face, and concern flashed in his eyes. He reached out and caught Abel by the shoulder. "Hey, Four Eyes. You look like you're ready to kill something. Not that you haven't been temperamental for the past few days, but...did something happen?"

Abel's jaw clenched. "It's a personal matter. How long before we can launch?"

Leon shrugged. "We've still got to finish loading, and then start the launch procedures. I'm no expert, but Lord Walsh said about an hour."

Abel's face twisted, and he swore again. Leon's eyes widened as Abel's fist clenched, and he bit off another curse. "That's too much time." His blue eyes glittered hard, like chips of ice. "Tell the others to finish the loading as quickly as possible. I'm going to start the launch procedures now. I intend to be off the ground within half an hour." he turned, to regard the Professor, standing behind him. "Professor, make sure everyone is on board. If they don't board when the main ignition begins, I'm leaving them behind." He didn't say anything else, just turned and strode toward the ship, every line of his body radiating tension.

Leon whistled. "Damn. I haven't heard language like that since I was on the front lines. What the hell happened?"

Astha spoke softly. "The Empress has chosen to pursue the Enemy of the World on her own."

"Huh. And Four Eyes is upset about it. I guess that makes sense, he is her brother, right?" Leon scratched his head.

"He is. And of all of us, he knows the opponent they face." William's eyes were dark. "It's true that Her Imperial Majesty is a very formidable person, but didn't she say that Abel was stronger than she?"

"She did." Leon frowned. "And that guy...he can give Four Eyes a real fight. Hell, last time it was stalemate, wasn't it?" He shook his head. "Well, if both my women were in danger...I guess I'd be a little tense too. I hope he can hold that temper of his until we get there though. It'd be a problem if he blows up the ship mid-flight."

"I'm sure Abel will do his best. Right now, we should do _our_ best to assist him." Vaclav moved forward. "I believe our best option is to complete the equipment transfer as quickly as possible."

"Right." Leon nodded, and the group moved forward, half of them to the Iron Maiden, half toward the waiting orbital ship.

Half an hour later, one blond-haired woman and a holographic projection of a nun watched as the ancient ship blasted into the night sky. Two sets of eyes, blue and pale gold, watched with mingled hope, fear and sadness. And it was hard to say who spoke first. "Fare well, Father Nightroad. I wish you every success in your mission."


	41. Thirty One pt 02: Seth's Fight

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Hi again everyone Authoress **smcandy** here ^^, yes another update as promised I got a special two part goodies in my inbox from my number one awesome editor. So... the action heats up. And yes, there's more to come, naturally. As to what happens to Seth...and whether Abel gets his shot in...well, I'm evil, so you'll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this. Many special thanks to all whom just added me or my story to their alerts and to everyone whom commented in for the past recently on chapter **30** keep them coming in ^^

We only have now eight more chapters left until we reach the finale of this story!, BTW do not forget to add your vote to my poll on my profile page to see what fiction work you want to see me and **dragonwriter24** do next. ^^

**(*) **As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided yuri, bisexuality**, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter ****Thirty-One**** – ****Declaration of War Part Two Seth's Fight**

Esther woke again feeling weak, but not nearly as light-headed as she had. A cautious movement on her part verified that her head no longer pounded. Nor did the room spin when she moved. She sat up carefully.

She was lying once more in Cain's bed. The shift of fabric, and the feel of sheets on her bare arms made her start. She looked down.

Someone had exchanged her clothing for a sleeveless simple white dress. A band of roses separated the skirt from the bodice. Her right shoulder was bare, and the dress came up to her left shoulder, held with a wide strap, pinned with another rose. She shifted, feeling the brush of fabric that indicated a cloak of some sort, pinned or sewn in place by the rose. She hadn't been stripped of her underthings, and the dress was ankle length, which was a relief. But the dress itself seemed like an odd combination of Dietrich's angel outfit and a wedding dress. The thought made her shiver. She looked around the room, trying to distract herself.

The bed was comfortable, but the room was spartan, as bare as any soldier or priest's room could be. There was a small nightstand, and a doorway through which she could glimpse a toilet, but the place looked almost utterly un-lived in. There were no pictures, no decorations. Just the metal walls and the sleeping place.

She recalled the military uniform and how Cain had mentioned he didn't actually sleep in his room much, because of his powers and his need to regenerate in the vat. Knowing that, and the fact that they were on a ship, it made sense. What surprised her was the fact that Cain himself hadn't appeared. She wondered if he was in his regeneration cycle.

The thought gave her a small fraction of hope. If he were regenerating, then it was likely that he would be unable to follow her. If she could escape the room, she might be able to sneak through the ship until she could find a way off. She knew the vessel Dietrich had brought her in was here, and there might be others. Esther bit her lip. She hadn't taken much flight training, and she had no idea where they were, but anything was better than sitting and waiting.

Carefully, Esther shifted herself to the edge of the bed, then slid off to land on her feet. She moved quietly, though it was more from habit than the thought that she could move quietly enough to fool Cain. Still, the Contra Mundi did not appear. Esther straightened, then moved to the door. She stood a moment, taking deep breaths to calm her nerves, then twisted the handle and pushed the door open.

There was no sign of Cain in the outer room either. He wasn't standing by the view-port, nor sitting in the chairs. There was only the silence of an empty room, and the vat, sitting in the center. Esther fought back the urge to walk over and check it. After all, if he wasn't there, she didn't want to be caught looking at it. And if he was, she didn't want to wake him, or disturb him. She stood for a moment, then moved carefully and quietly toward the door. It occurred to her then, that she wasn't exactly sure of the layout of the ship, but it didn't matter. She thought she remembered the way back to the hangar, and even if she didn't...surely there were places to hide, to dodge.

There was no movement other than her own as she crossed to the door. She reached it, then looked back over her shoulder. There was still no sound from the container. She took a deep breath, then twisted the handle.

The door was locked. Esther bit back an urge to curse, or to cry out in frustration. Her hand clenched on the knob briefly, then she let go and studied the lock. Abel had taught her a bit about picking locks, for emergency circumstances. She didn't have anywhere near his proficiency with them, but she had learned how to handle the simpler sort of mechanisms.

It was an electronic lock. Esther bit her lip. Those were difficult. Abel could pick them she knew, and probably in under five minutes. She wasn't that good. More than that, she couldn't even begin to guess what the code would be. And she knew well enough, from his warnings, that a wrong guess would probably alert someone. Still, she didn't want to give up without trying. She reached slowly for the lock, trying to remember what little Abel had told her about working with such devices.

"What do you think you're doing, my dear?" Cool hands, strong as steel bands, clamped onto her shoulders. Esther startled, and bit back a scream. Instinctively she moved sideways, breaking free and whirling to face the voice.

Cain stood behind her, unclothed, with his white wings framing his shoulders and a small, coldly amused smile on his face. The eyes that met hers were blue, but tinged with red. Though his expression was pleasant, there was an air of madness about him that combined with his nakedness too send shivers up her spine. He tilted his head. "Esther...you weren't trying to leave me, were you?"

She had been, but she sensed she didn't dare admit it. There was an ache in her temple that reminded her of the last time he'd gotten angry with her, and the dress she wore was ample proof that he could and would do anything he wanted while she slept. She clenched her fist. "You know I don't like being trapped. I just wanted to see what was outside the door."

"Hmmm...well, I can't have that. After all, it would be troublesome if Dietrich got his hands on you. I don't mind handling him, but Isaac might be troubled if he lost his best lieutenant just before a battle." Cain shrugged. "If you need something, my dear, you should have called me."

"I didn't know where you were." Esther swallowed, trying to keep her eyes at his face and chest. She didn't want to think of the fact that he was standing there in nothing, only his white wings affording any protection. "And really, if you want me to speak with you, you shouldn't walk around like that."

"Well...I suppose you have a point." Cain shrugged lazily. Then, before she could blink, he was in front of her, close enough to feel his body heat. One finger, gentle as a kiss and irresistible as an avalanche, tilted her head up to meet his eyes. He smiled. "But then, this really shouldn't bother you, my dear. After all, surely you've seen 02 undressed before? When you were with him?"

Esther felt her cheeks burn hot. She pulled away. "I told you before, that's none of your business!"

Cain chuckled. "Well, it isn't as if it truly matters. Once I've taken Abel into me, I'll know everything the two of you have done. After all, I'll have all Abel's memories of you. So...it doesn't matter. Still...I suppose I can humor you, just for today, my dear." He smiled. "You should wait here." Then he turned, his wings folding down and disappearing as he strode into his bedroom and closed the door.

Esther remained where she was, clenching her hands to stop their trembling. Her stomach was churning with the onrush of adrenalin. Worse were his comments about his joining Abel. She believed in Abel's strength, but Cain's comment about seeing Abel's memories of their time together made her feel sick inside. She didn't even want to contemplate him sharing Abel's emotions and feelings as they made love. The thought alone made her nauseous. She bit her lip, forcing it aside.

A part of her wanted to run for the door and try the lock again. She pushed the urge aside as roughly as she pushed away the disquieting thoughts. She still didn't know the code, and if Cain dressed as fast as he moved, she didn't have nearly enough time anyway. Besides, if he caught her trying to break out, he'd only try to restrain her more firmly. And he was right about Dietrich. She swallowed hard.

The door opened, and Cain returned. He was wearing the shorter of his jackets, over the customary black pants and shirt. This jacket only came to mid-thigh, though the sleeves were long, reaching to the wrist. As with every white jacket he wore, the collar, hem and sleeves were outlined in red, and a stripe of it ran up the front, beside the fastenings. Esther studied it, aware of how much like a military uniform it looked.

Cain noticed her attention, and offered her another lazy smile. "You know, 02 used to wear this as well. But Abel always preferred blue on his uniforms."

Esther blinked. "Uniform? Is that...a military outfit?" It wasn't a military she recognized. But if he were involved in a military, he might have backing none of them had realized.

"Of course. Hasn't 02 ever showed you?" The lazy smile widened, a hint of amusement appearing in his eyes. "This is the uniform of the Red Mars Defense Force. Abel and Seth and I, we all wore them. Even 04, though she preferred other clothing." His eyes went far away, thoughtful behind the emptiness. "I suppose Abel's fonder of that priest's uniform now." A low laugh sounded from within him. "It's really a bit surprising. All that time, 02 used to fuss about being forced into a uniform. And now that he has his freedom, he's decided to don another one."

"That's different. Father Nightroad...being a member of the church is something he chose, not something he was forced to do." Esther swallowed.

"Hmm...well, that woman did have a great deal of influence on him. I suppose she might have convinced him." Cain shrugged. "I thought that by killing her, I'd remove the negative elements that were bothering him, but 02 always was stubborn." He shrugged again. "It matters not. Once we've taken the ARK, I'll be able to remove all the negative influences around Abel. Then he and I can be together again, as one, as we were originally meant to be."

Esther's fist clenched. "Father Nightroad...you can't think he'll let you just do as you like. None of us will accept that."

"Well, I don't really see how you have much choice, my dear." There was a hint of amusement and madness in his eyes that made Esther's skin crawl. Then Cain moved forward and took her chin in one gentle, unbreakable grip. "You see, it will take them quite some time to catch up, and even if they do..." His finger brushed her cheek. "Abel won't fire on this ship while we have you. He cares too much for you. And once I reach the ARK, I'll use Abel's power and mine to revive it, and the world will become ashes."

Esther felt a tight knot in her throat. She knew he was right. Abel wouldn't risk firing on the ship while she was held captive. Even if he had been willing, she knew her own advisers would have argued against it, and Caterina as well. She was too important to the Alliance, to Albion, and to him. She wanted to argue, but she couldn't think of anything to say. She knew Abel would try to stop him, knew the others would support him, but she didn't know what they could do. And though she knew Abel would fight for her till the last breath left his body, the memory of how close he had already come to death only made her more afraid for him.

Cain must have seen some of dismay in her eyes, because the dark amusement in his eyes strengthened. He smiled, just slightly. Then his grip shifted to her arm. "Come. Isaac can get you some food. And since you wanted to see what's outside, I'll take you."

That thought was almost more terrifying than being trapped in the room with him. But she didn't dare show how nervous it made her. "Fine."

Cain's hand lifted, brushed a finger across her cheek. She could see the amusement in his gaze. "I can see why Abel took you as his companion. You have spirit. 02 always did like that. Come, my dear." One hand took her arm again, the other tapped out the door code. Esther tried to see what buttons he'd pressed, but she was in the wrong position. She couldn't quite see around him, and the angle of his arm didn't tell her anything. Then the door slid open, and Cain led her through it. He moved like a gentleman, awakening the memories of when she'd met him in Albion, before she'd learned what he was capable of. Esther swallowed, and went with him.

The corridors Cain led her through were spacious, though not overly wide. Esther studied them, remembering the way they'd come, and the way he was leading her. She was positive they weren't following the same path. Her head was clear enough to begin calculating the distances, forming a rough map of the route she'd been through so far. She thought through the passages, and her heart sank. Even if these corridors took up the bulk of the ship, it was still larger than many Albion craft. He'd already mentioned weapons as well, and she knew the other members of Rosenkreutz were on board. If her judgments were correct, this ship was at least as large as the Iron Maiden, perhaps even bigger.

Cain led her to a pair of double doors and laid his hand on one. The doors slid open, and Esther gasped. The room beyond could only be the main bridge, and it was huge. The room itself was a huge circular chamber. There were control panels for two thirds of the wall. The last third was wall, glass paneled, and Esther couldn't tell if it was a projected image, or a real view of the outside. It could have been either, from where she stood. She looked in vain for something she could recognize, but they were above the cloud line, and the sky was darkened, with dusk or dawn. She thought it was dusk.

The center of the room was occupied by a chair, rather like a padded throne. As she and Cain entered, Isaac rose from the seat and bowed. "Mien Herr. Lady Esther. I trust you've both rested well."

"Hmmm...I'm doing well, and Esther seems to have recovered her spirits." Cain's head tilted, his usual, vaguely empty smile on his face. "But I think Esther needs something to eat, and I told her I'd tell her about the ship, so she can't go wandering about."

"I see. In that case, let me order the lady some food, and I'll be happy to explain our equipment." He gestured to the seat. "Mien Herr."

"Oh, that's all right. Esther can sit." he lifted one hand, flexing it idly. "I'm in good condition at the moment."

"As you wish." Isaac extended a hand to her, with a half bow. "My lady...please be seated. I'll have your food served in a few moments."

She wanted to refuse, but she wasn't certain of Cain's mood, and she knew he could shift from relaxed to dangerous in a heartbeat. And now that the subject had been brought up, she was aware of the emptiness in her stomach, and the growing dizziness caused by lack of food. It occurred to her, for the first time, to wonder how long she'd been unconscious. Not more than a day, she suspected, but several hours at least. Besides...if she wanted to have any chance of escaping, she needed to conserve her strength. She was only likely to get one shot, if that. She moved forward and gingerly settled herself in the chair. It was more comfortable than she'd expected.

"Very good. I'll prepare your meal." Isaac bowed again and started to turn away.

"Isaac." Cain's soft voice stopped the Methuselah in his tracks. He turned back, and Cain smiled. "Don't forget to bring Lady Esther's jewelry. After all, if she's going to be up and around, she ought to have that."

"Of course, my lord." The dark haired Methuselah bowed again, and disappeared through a side door.

_Jewelry._ The word brought Esther's mind to a screeching halt. She'd been so nervous and afraid she hadn't had time to think, but the word froze her in her tracks. Her hand flew up, to touch her throat, even as she realized what had unsettled her so.

The chain with the locket and ring was missing. She didn't remember waking with it on, so it had to have been taken while she was unconscious. She couldn't remember if it had been present when she'd woken in Cain's arms, the first time, but she suspected he'd removed them when he'd changed her clothing.

Grief hit her, shocked her for a second. Then it was gone, replaced by a white-hot rage so intense it left her shaking, trying to control the urge to leap up and attack the Contra Mundi with her bare hands. Even the knowledge that he'd only knock her unconscious again was barely enough to keep her still. Even then, she found herself biting her lip, her clenched fists so tight on her lap that the knuckles were white.

"Does something trouble you, my dear?" Cain moved forward lazily, his head tilted to one side.

Esther swallowed, trying to force back the rage enough to speak reasonably. "My necklace. Did you take it?"

"Of course. After all, even if 02 has claimed you, and you accepted it, I couldn't have you wearing that. The ring that 02 gave that woman...it doesn't belong to you. And it's not fair of you to wear it, not when I've already made my claim to your attentions. I understand you're fond of Abel, but still..."

The calm even tone pushed her over the brink. Esther didn't even think, just shoved herself to her feet, facing him. Her hands were clenched tight, her back so tense the muscles hurt. "I told you, that isn't your place to decide! Besides...even if you did claim me, you have no right to take the things that are mine!" She knew she should be afraid, but the anger in her left no room for fear. She faced him, her body trembling in thwarted fury and frustration. "What did you do with them?"

"I have them. After all, I was going to give 02 back his ring." Cain reached into a pocket, and pulled out the delicate silver chain, with it's two decorations. "Or...I suppose I could give it back to you, when 02 and I have become one being again. Then our claim will be the same and it won't matter who gave you that ring the first time." His face was thoughtful.

"I want it back now. You have no right to take it. Even if you are interested in Father Nightroad, or me, that doesn't give you the right to take someone else's property. How can you even think that, when you won't let anyone else close to Father Nightroad without threatening them?" Esther had no idea where the words came from, but the instant she spoke them, she felt a cold wave of fear sweep over her. After all, she was the one threatening to take Abel from him. She bit her lip, knowing there was nowhere to run.

To her surprise, Cain showed no sign of anger. Instead, he merely maintained that thoughtful, almost empty gaze. It would have looked almost human, almost like Abel, had it not been for the madness that lurked within the blue eyes, the sense of barely leashed destructive power around him. Then he shrugged. "It matters not." He moved, once more with that too-fast shift, and stopped in front of her. "If it really matters that much to you, my dear, I'll let you keep it, for now. After all, it is nice to see someone who might really be interested in 02. Even that woman only used him to try and defeat me. And since Abel and I will be together soon, it's not as if I really lose anything by it. However...I'll expect you to take my gifts as well. It isn't fair to give Abel the only chance."

Esther swallowed, knowing she didn't dare refute him. He was calm for the moment, but she didn't want to provoke him any further than she already had. Cain studied her for a moment, then held out the chain, dangling from the tips of his fingers. Esther took it from him. She swallowed. "Thank you." She didn't think he deserved the thanks, but after taking such a risk, it was better to humor him and be polite. And he had given her the chain back.

"You're welcome...Esther." For a moment, something shimmered in the blue eyes. A touch of humanity. A spark of the man he had once been, before he was the Contra Mundi. It made him look so like his brother that Esther felt her breath catch in her throat.

The moment of humanity was shattered as Isaac re-entered the room, carrying a tray in one hand, a small box in the other. He set the tray to the side of the seat with a bow, gesturing Esther toward it. "Lady Esther, I have your meal here. Please, be seated."

Esther turned, but the shadow of humanity had already faded, leaving the eyes empty as before. She turned back and reseated herself in the chair. Isaac set the tray in front of her, containing fruit and meat and a few roles. "You'll have to pardon the shorter rations, unfortunately, this is a war ship."

"I'm not concerned." Esther swallowed. She _was_ concerned, but not about the short supplies. What frightened her was the term 'war ship'. She forced herself to pick up a bite of food and start eating, though it tasted like sawdust to her. Still, she didn't want them to see how concerned she was. She took a few bites, then a drink of juice to wash it down. "This is a war ship? Like the one you attacked Albion with?"

Isaac smiled coolly. His gaze flicked to Cain. Esther had no idea what he saw in the blue eyes, but he turned back to her. "It's not quite as elaborate as that one. Due to the possible repairs we may need to make, we were forced to abandon some of our longer range weaponry. However, we've fine-tuned the Excalibur system on this ship, as well as the more conventional cannons. And of course, our shields are fully operational."

Esther swallowed again. She knew about the Aegis shields, she'd heard about them from Abel. She took a drink to clear her throat. "Excalibur?"

"It's an electromagnetic and plasma discharge. Of course, you'd probably find the details rather boring, but it's what we used in Londinium. It was was quite effective." A cold, almost depraved smile touched Isaac's face. "I've been working with the technology ever since the smaller prototype proved viable during the Silent Noise incident."

Esther stared at him. "But I thought...wasn't the Silent Noise caused by bells?"

"It was. However, I had other orders." Isaac's smile widened. "I was ordered to speak to Lady Caterina, and either convince her to join D'Este, or kill her. If that Father of yours hadn't interfered, she probably would have been vaporized by my Arrow of Belial."

Esther felt her stomach clench. She remembered the aftermath of the Silent Noise, when Abel had been brought in with severe burns and wounds. It was one of the few times she'd seen him hurt even after he used his powers. "You..."

"Isaac. I think that's enough. You're upsetting her." Cain's voice was soft, even, with just a hint of playfulness. Cool fingers brushed her cheek, and Esther just barely managed to stop herself from jumping like a frightened hare. Warm air blew on her face as Cain's soft voice sounded from behind her ear. "Really, my dear, it's not as if 02 could be permanently harmed by something like that. After all, even if he denies it, Abel is a Crusnik. Crusnik 02. Isaac's little toys wouldn't do lasting damage to him. Not if he's really transformed." She heard the soft echo of laughter in Cain's voice. "Actually, I thought 02 did quite well."

Esther felt a slow burn of anger. She pushed back, and turned to face the Contra Mundi squarely. "How could you say something like that? Didn't you realize he was injured" She bit her lip. She didn't know why she'd spoken of Abel's injuries.

"Well, Lady Esther, I'm afraid it _is _Father Nightroad's fault." Isaac smiled coolly. "I did try to warn him. And I told him not to move, after he was struck. He insisted on attacking. Besides...did the Father tell you what else happened?" Now there was an edge of cruelty to the smile. "All he had to do to stop the Silent Noise and save Lady Caterina was kill me. His enemy, the one responsible for the death of his companion in Barcelona. And he couldn't even do that. He couldn't even kill me. Not even to save an entire city."

Esther swallowed, sick to her stomach. Beneath the horror of knowing what Abel had been forced to choose, she felt anger. Her eyes came up to Cain's. "How could you ask him to decide something like that?"

Cain shrugged. "02's at his best when he's angry. And really, it is better for him. After all, when he's angry, he doesn't have to feel so much pain and confusion. But since he was with 04, he's gotten a lot more hesitant. I just want Abel to go back to normal, so he won't have to worry. And really, my dear, is that such a bad thing?"

Esther felt her breath stutter, seeing the trap of his logic. She could either agree to the destruction of the world, or it would seem that she wanted Abel to suffer. And yet, she knew how Abel felt about the violence of his other side. She knew how much he revered life, how precious every living thing was to him. "That...that's wrong. It isn't like that." She wanted to shout it at him, at both of them, but the confusion warring in her heart made her words a whisper.

Cain studied her a moment, then shrugged. "It matters not. After all...once Abel is with me, he won't have to worry anyway. And you, my dear, you won't have to worry about him either." He smiled, and there was something terrifying about the mix of affection and insanity in his gaze. There was a sense of humanity beneath the madness that made Esther shiver. Then Cain's gaze shifted away from her, to her half-filled plate. "Are you finished eating, Esther?"

She certainly wasn't hungry anymore, so she nodded. Isaac bent his head, then moved to clear the plates. The dark-haired Methuselah placed the dishes on a small cart, then leaned down and removed a small box. He turned to Esther with a bow. "Lady Esther. Mien Herr would like you to wear these." He opened the lid. Within the box were two small circlets, both of pearls. Isaac lifted them out, then laid the box to one side. "If you'll allow me."

She didn't want to let him touch her, but she didn't think it was wise to refuse. The comment Cain had made about accepting his gifts as well as Abel's sounded in her mind. She nodded. "Thank you."

Isaac nodded. He stepped behind her, and deft, careful fingers, slipped a choker of pearls around her neck. Moments later, the other circlet settled over her head, and a light touch indicated pins being pushed into place to hold it in her hair. She had to admit, he was very careful, and almost gentle. Still, she couldn't help comparing the cool brush of his fingers to the warmth of Abel's touch, and fought to suppress a shudder. He brushed a few wayward strands of hair into place, then stepped back. "There. All finished."

"Thank you." She fingered the pearls hesitantly.

"You look lovely, Esther." Cain smiled. Then he held out his hand. "Come."

"I'm sorry. Are we returning already?" Esther tried to keep her voice calm. She felt frightened, almost terrified of staying with the two men. Still, if she was to have any chance of escaping, any idea of what to do, she needed more information on the layout and size of the ship.

"No, my dear. I'll simply show you the rest of the ship, as you requested of me." That cool, empty smile had replaced the spark of warmth from moments before. "Isaac...are things proceeding properly?"

"All my preparations have been completed, my lord. However, you'll have to speak to the Puppet Master about the rest."

"Very well. inform me when we get close to the ARK." Cain shrugged. "I'll be attending to lady Esther."

"As you wish, my lord." Isaac bowed. Cain turned and took Esther's hand in a grip of cool iron, and led her from the bridge.

The rest of the tour took over an hour. Walking the ship at the Contra Mundi's side, Esther felt her heart sinking. The vessel was huge, definitely larger than Sister Kate's ship. Inquisition ships wouldn't hold a candle to it. She knew Albion had nothing of such size, and she'd seen no Imperial vessels like it either. The weapons array was formidable. She didn't see many people, but she knew it didn't take that many people, particularly with the skills Isaac and some of the others possessed. And while they didn't run into and of the Order members, she knew they were around.

Their final stop was a large bay doorway, in the lower decks of the hold. Cain smiled as he touched the door. "This is where my army resides." He pushed it open.

Esther swallowed, suddenly sick to her stomach. Rows of Auto-Jagers stood still, lined up against one side of the room. They were lifeless, still the corpses they had been made from, and the sight of them made her flesh crawl. On the other side of the room, she saw dolls with lifeless eyes. All of them looked eerily like Sieglind, with dark hair, a maids uniform, and a cold, expressionless face. She didn't need Cain to tell her what they were. Killing Dolls, like Father Tres. But there were over a dozen of them.

"Esther." The slow drawl was terribly familiar, and Esther felt herself tense. She turned. Dietrich was standing among the Auto-Jagers, his eyes dark and hard. "And what brings you to my workplace?"

"She's accompanying me." Cain moved out of the shadows of the doorway. His eyes were equally cool.

Dietrich paled, and Esther saw him stiffen. "Master Cain. I mean...Mien Herr." he bowed quickly. "To what do I owe the honor?"

"I came to inspect the condition of the army. After all, it will take some time to finish the repairs to the ARK. I wouldn't want 02 or his companions to stop us. Did you do what I asked?"

"Yes, my lord." Dietrich swallowed, and Esther saw the shadows of fear in his eyes. Her eyes went to his cheek, where a fading bruise told her he still felt the marks of Cain's wrath. "We have over a hundred Auto-Jager units available. Melchior is working on the Killing Dolls, but I'm certain he has at least thirty of them available." He gestured towards the Auto-Jagers. "All of these have had a thirty to fifty percent upgrade in both speed and strength. I've been experimenting on some of them with an electron and heat resistant neuro-thread, which might prove more durable and resistant to attack."

"Well then. We'll see how well your experiment turns out." Cain's smile was cool, with a hint of amused cruelty. He moved then, catching Dietrich's face before the younger man could move. "I hope it proves better than your last effort."

"Of...of course, my lord." Dietrich's face was pale, and Esther could see the fear in him.

"Very good." Cain turned away, as if the conversation and the army meant nothing to him, and held out his hand again. "Come Esther."

Esther nodded, swallowing back the bile in her throat. The army was a small one, by most standards, but...thirty Dolls like Tres. One hundred undead corpses. Even with Abel's power, it was a formidable force. The Dolls alone would be almost unstoppable. Despite her feelings of fear, Esther turned back, looking once more at the army of zombies and androids.

With Cain's eyes off him, Dietrich's expression had changed. Fear had been overwritten by cruelty and lust, and his eyes were fixed on her. As Esther caught the brown, glittering gaze, Dietrich lifted one hand in a mocking salute, and she saw his lips form words. "Take care, Esther. Remember, I do love you."

There was no sound, but she saw the shape of the words clearly. She shuddered and turned away, wondering at the part of her that was somewhat relieved that he hadn't sustained lasting injuries from Cain's blows. A part of her wished she'd let Cain kill him, but there was a corner of her mind that remembered the gentle, helpful young man she'd first known, and didn't want to give up on him. She at least wanted to know why he'd become the monster he was.

She shivered again, and turned to catch up with Cain. She wasn't sure he'd noticed her lag, but there was silence between them as they returned to his quarters. She followed him inside, and was wondering what would happen when he turned. One finger touched her cheek, gentle as a caress, but the touch made her tense. She looked up, and Cain smiled. "Esther. You almost stayed with Dietrich. Do you care for him?"

"No!" Esther jerked backward. "It's not like that. I was surprised, that's all. After the way you hit him, I thought he was injured much worse than that." She swallowed. "I was just surprised to see him. I was wondering if it might be a puppet of his. He's made ones that look like him before." She swallowed. She hadn't actually thought about it, but if the man in the hangar was a puppet, then Dietrich himself could be anywhere. The thought made her nerves twist.

"No, my dear, that was Dietrich von Lohengrin." A cool smile touched Cain's face. "However, there's no need to be concerned. Not even Dietrich will enter my chambers without permission." His fingers tipped her chin up, to look into his blue eyes. "You're safe in here, as long as you're with me."

It didn't feel like safety, but Esther knew better than to argue the point. She nodded, trying to keep the sick dread she felt from showing in her face. But she couldn't quite keep her apprehension from showing.

Darkness touched his gaze, disappointment and the touch of cruelty and madness that seemed to flower within the negative emotion. "Something troubles you, my dear?"

She didn't dare admit that it was his presence she was frightened of. She swallowed. "It's just...this ship. So many weapons of destruction, and all those soldiers...why? Why do you need such things? And with a vessel like this...what possible use could you have for the ARK? Why must you do something like this?"

The coolness coalesced in his smile. "I've already told you, my dear. Everything is for me, and for 02. For Abel. The ARK has the capacity to reduce the world to fire, but it also has the complete makeup of the Crusnik. Using that, Isaac and I can make the fusion of my body and Abel's more complete, and access the full powers of the Crusnik. With the power of the ARK, I will truly become a being who needs nothing. And Abel will share that destiny with me." His finger traced her cheek thoughtfully. "We might even be able to provide a similar future for you, Esther. A way for you to join myself and Abel for all eternity."

Esther couldn't help the involuntary shudder that passed through her frame. She remembered the look in Abel's eyes, when he spoke of the past. When he remembered things that had occurred so long ago that even the legends were fading. That terrible, lost and desolate look. She thought of how hard it was to live with the two decades of memories she had. To imagine a thousand years' worth...she swallowed hard. "No." The word came out as a whisper.

The smile widened just a fraction. "Not even to be with 02?"

Esther shivered again. "You have no right to ask me that." She wanted to answer him defiantly, but she couldn't find the words. She felt as if she was walking blindfolded into a firing zone, with no idea of which way the bullet would come.

Cain shrugged. "It matters not. We will awaken the ARK, and Abel...Abel will come for you. There's no need to worry about such decisions until he and I have been safely joined." He ran a hand along her cheek again. "By then, my dear, your outlook may have changed."

She couldn't think what to say. Cain studied her a moment, his head tilted to one side. Then he brushed his fingers lightly over her temple. Esther winced, and his eyes brightened, changing him instantaneously from the Contra Mundi to the baffling troublesome man she'd met in Londinium. "Ah. I see. You're still confused because of your injuries. Isaac did say it would take you a few days to recover. You just need to rest." He sighed, looking at his hand with an air of detached consideration. "It's holding up well, but I should probably spend a little more time in my regeneration tank." He smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I want to be at my best when I meet Abel again, after all."

Esther studied her hands. She didn't want him to be any stronger than he was, and she hated the knowledge that he had taken her blood to heal himself. She felt as if she was being used as a weapon against Abel. But...she couldn't find any words to say.

Cain's hand on her face roused her from her thoughts. He smiled at her, that disarming, foolish smile he sometimes shared with his brother. "You agree, right? You also want to be at your best when Abel shows up."

"Yes." That much she could agree with.

"Right then, my dear. You go rest, and I'll do the same." He gestured. "You can use my bedroom, since I don't use it much."

"I understand. Thank you." The thought of sleeping in his bed gave her chills, but at least it was a chance to get away from him. She needed desperately to try and sort out her thoughts, and try to find a course of action. "If you don't mind...I'm actually a little tired now..."

"That's fine. You should go ahead." He nodded, flashing her another smile. "After all, we did have that discussion about clothing." His hands were on the fasteners of his over-jacket. "Unless you've changed your mind already."

Esther swallowed hard. She shook her head in denial, and managed to dip a quick curtsey. Then she turned, walking as quickly as she could into the adjoining rooms without breaking into an undignified run. Once inside, she shut the door and settled onto the bed, her hands trembling with reaction.

She'd heard his comments about Abel several times, but somehow, sitting in his ship, speeding toward the ARK, it was all too horribly real. Back at the Order headquarters, she'd been able to make herself think it was just talk, that he couldn't do it. With both of them on the grounds, she'd felt he wouldn't be able to catch his brother. And then she hadn't known how much Abel loved her, and how much he would risk for her life. She'd only known that she had to get away, for her people's sake.

Esther swallowed hard and clasped her hands together to still the trembling. She took a few deep breaths, forcing her thoughts into a rational order. _While we're on the ship, there's not much I can do. I should probably still consider trying to escape and steal a plane, but I can't count on being able to do that. Not if the Contra Mundi is watching me. In the meantime...I have to stay strong, and try not to let him take any more blood. I think I can convince him I'm too weak, if I play it right. And I can look for any weaknesses. He's much stronger than I am, and faster, but...he's arrogant, because he's so powerful. There has to be something I can do. Maybe that tank...I don't know how it works, but if I asked him, or maybe Isaac. Or...I could just try to tamper with it. After all...I can say I thought there was a problem and I was trying to help. I've done it before, so it might not be too unbelievable._

Esther bit her lip. She doubted that even accidentally destroying his tank would be enough. After all, despite the impressiveness of the technology in it, she knew very well that all a regeneration tank really required was a subject and a container big enough to hold his body, plus a pool of nano-machines and other nutrients, or blood. Abel's regeneration chamber had been his own coffin, filled with the mixture Father Tres had brought him. Still...there was a chance that it could damage him, or delay his healing.

In the meantime, she had to find weaknesses, any possible escape routes, any weapons she might use. She had to think of excuses, so she would be able to explain any suspicious behavior. Proper responses to any questions that might be asked.

The whole thing was making her head pound. With a sigh, Esther flopped back on the bed. Despite her fear, the tiredness she claimed was setting in. Almost involuntarily, her eyes closed. Her hand slipped upward, to close around the locket at her neck. She didn't want Cain to take it again. Abel's face appeared in her mind. _Abel...please be careful. Please...I don't want to see you die again. Be careful love. _Those thoughts were still in her mind as she fell asleep.

Esther slept uneasily. She woke several times, Abel's name on her lips, biting it back before she called out for him. Her heart ached, missing his warm presence, and his arms around her. Or even just his watchful eye, standing at the door or window. She looked more than once for a clock, but there were no time-keeping devices. Cain never showed himself in the room, though whether it was because he was regenerating or because he simply didn't bother, she wasn't sure. Either way, she was at least relieved not to see him.

Finally, she sighed and rose from the bed. She couldn't sleep well, and she hated feeling helpless. She fidgeted with the locket around her neck for a few minutes, then took a deep breath and moved toward the door, edging it cautiously open.

The room was empty, as near as she could see. To her surprise, the windows were streaked with light. She couldn't tell if it was dusk or dawn, but she hadn't seen daylight before. She moved to the window, gazing out. Clouds obscured her vision of the ground, so she had no idea where she was. Even with Cain's windows, she couldn't determine the angle to guess what time it was. Nor could she figure out what direction they were going.

"Guten Morgen, Lady Esther." Esther spun around at the familiar voice. Isaac stood halfway into the room, his hands holding a dining tray. "Mien Herr said you might wake." He bowed, oddly graceful despite the armful of dishes. "My lord told me to serve you as soon as you awoke. How are you feeling?"

She started to snap a defensive response, then remembered her plan to seem weaker and sicker than she was. "I'm fine. Just a little light-headed. And I have a bit of a headache, that's all." She managed a thin, self-deprecating smile, much as she would have if Virgil had asked her the same question back at home when she wasn't feeling well.

"I see." Isaac matched her thin smile with a cool one of his own, then moved to set the small table off to one side. He laid out dishes, then pulled a chair out for her. "Please, have a seat, Lady Esther. You may feel better once you've eaten."

Esther nodded and settled herself into the chair. She was aware, despite her apprehension, of how little she'd eaten before. Besides, she needed to eat to keep herself healthy, and she had no doubt that Cain would have her force-fed if she didn't eat. She served herself a moderate helping, then set to, eating lightly but well. Isaac remained beside her, a serving napkin over one arm, refilling her drink as needed offering to refill her plate. When she was done, he cleared away the dishes, then bowed to her. "Do you feel better now, Lady Esther?"

She did feel better, much better. She nodded. Her glance flitted over the chamber, wondering about the odd emptiness of it.

She was just wondering if she could ask Isaac for information when the dark-haired Methuselah spoke. "If you're curious, Lady Esther, Mien Herr is on the control deck, preparing for our rendezvous with the ARK." He studied her with a cool, professional gaze. "My lord's orders were to escort you to him, if you wish."

Esther swallowed hard, feeling the blood drain from her face. She didn't like remaining in Cain's quarters, but the thought of walking through the corridors with Isaac as her escort, knowing the Order members and Auto-Jagers were on board, made her back tense. "No. It won't be necessary. But...are we really that close already?" She swallowed again, feeling the lump that lodged in her throat. She'd hoped to have more time.

"We'll rendezvous with the ARK in two days, my lady." A cool smile touched Isaac's face once more. "It seems my lord wishes to pay his sister a visit before we turn into our docking trajectory."

Seth. He was going to attack the Empire, to try and get her attention. Esther was sure of it. She felt the food in her stomach turn to rocks and lumps of ice. She knew how fiercely protective the other woman was of her people.

"Your pardon, Lady Esther." Isaac's low, smooth voice broke across her thoughts. She looked up, and he gave her a slight bow. "I have many duties, my lady. If you do not wish to be escorted to Mien Herr, then I should report to him that you are awake, and return to them."

"Of course." She felt her voice quaver slightly, and hoped he mistook it for lingering weakness from blood loss and shock, rather than emotion.

"Until later, my lady." Isaac bowed again and left the room. Esther heard the door lock click closed behind him, and then she was alone with her thoughts.

**8888888**

The next two days passed both far too slowly, and far too swiftly. Trapped in the rooms, or in Cain and Isaac's carefully watchful company, Esther felt as if time slowed to a crawl. Several times she had to fight the impulse to make a break for it. Only the knowledge of Dietrich's presence, and of Cain's inhuman swiftness and dangerous temper kept her from doing so. But then, watching the sunlight pass in Cain's rooms, or watching the countdown on the monitors of the main bridge, time felt as if it moved far too rapidly. She ate when Isaac forced her, and slept fitfully, dropping off only when her tired body refused to remain awake.

Cain was with her the majority of the time. Though she sometimes roused from restless slumber to find him regenerating or going about his duties as the Contra Mundi, more often he was settled in a chair, or standing by the windows when she woke. Even knowing that his presence and Isaac's protected her against Dietrich and the others, his presence made her nervous. Worse, being constantly by his side or under watch from him and Isaac, she had no opportunities to even plan an escape, let alone attempt it.

Dealing with Cain was like walking barefoot through a mine-field. It was never easy. Sometimes the man she faced was the same as the man she'd met on the Londinium streets. Absent-minded, polite in a rather over-bearing sort of way that almost reminded her of Antonio. Then, she was reminded forcefully of his resemblance to the priest she'd fallen in love with, and the fact that they were twin brothers.

Other times he was remote, distant. His voice was cool, and his eyes eerily empty of emotion. He spoke to her formally then, always in a soft, even voice. Madness lurked in his eyes then and every word she spoke had to be cautious. Those times he spoke of the destruction of the world.

Worse though, were the times when he pursued her, madness and a hazy red glow sparkling deep in his eyes. The veiled threats, the hints, the glancing touches. Time when he would stand close, enveloping her in his body heat, using any excuse to run a finger across her jaw, or her throat and chest. He didn't threaten to violate her again, but it was clear that he only refrained because he believed his defeat of Abel would allow him access to her body. There was a sort of amused indulgence in his actions, a man humoring a woman because he knew the battle was already won.

Much as his attempted seduction frightened her, what terrified her more was the humanity that lurked within the madness and the absentmindedness. It was as if she watched him switching between two different people, the gentle one that had once fight to save his brother from destruction, and the dark-eyed, destructive madman that threatened to destroy her world. She could have lived with two different personalities, and hoped to draw the gentle one out more often, but the odd mix of the two, when madness and emotions ruled together, was terrifying. She woke several times from nightmares where she watched again as Cain blew a hole in his brother's chest, or strode up the steps of the church, determined to steal his brother's body and memories as he'd claimed his life.

She tried not to let him see her nerves, pretending it was a side effect of the injury she'd received, and the blood loss. She couldn't tell if he believed her, but even in the depths of his madness, he treated her with a sort of reserved care, helping her to her seat, offering her food, drinks, or books. Where he got the books from, she had no idea, but they were a welcome distraction from him, and her situation.

Esther sighed, looking up from her book. Cain had retreated to his regeneration tank. She'd tried to stay in her rooms, but she was far too aware of the passage of time, the flow of minutes and seconds. Finally, she'd come out to read by the light of the windows. But she couldn't concentrate. Her gaze returned to the tank.

The first time he'd entered it, after she'd woken, she'd gone up to look at it, hoping to find a key to sabotaging it. But the array of lights and panels was far more sophisticated than her rudimentary knowledge of computers could handle. Besides, everything was labeled in German. She knew the basic language, but she hadn't studied technological terminology and the words were gibberish to her. She'd thought about simply adjusting the knobs and hoping for the best, but...there was no guarantee she'd do damage. And even if she managed to hurt him, she was locked in his rooms, and the only other person with access was Isaac. She'd be immediately caught. If she'd been able to pick the lock, she might have chanced it, but she'd never managed to catch a glimpse of the password for it. Despite his absent-minded behavior at times, Cain always managed to keep her from seeing it.

A click at the door startled her from her thoughts, and she looked up as Isaac entered. "Mr Butler." She'd taken to referring to him that way, just to keep the barrier of formality between them.

"Lady Esther." Isaac bowed. "If you'll excuse me, I need to speak to my lord."

"Of course." Esther set the book aside, swallowing hard.

Isaac moved to one side, removing clothing from a small drawer in the side of the machine. His hand touched a button. "My lord. I apologize for disturbing your rest, however, we've arrived above the Imperial Capital."

Two white hands appeared on the rim of the tank, followed by an explosion of liquid as Cain heaved himself out of the vat. Esther looked away quickly, moving to stare out the window so she wouldn't see Cain's uncovered body.

"Excellent." Cain's voice was soft, distant, and Esther bit her lip. That was the voice of the Contra Mundi. "And how is 03 doing?"

"Reports indicate that the main Palace has some sort of protection in place, and it appears the activity in the city is far diminished from normal levels." Esther heard the rustle of cloth as he spoke, and suspected that he was helping his master dress.

"Ah well. I suppose 02 must have warned her I was coming. Still, it matters little. I'm sure 03 will understand my message all the same." The coolness in his voice sent shivers up Esther's spine. Then, without barely a whisper of warning, he was behind her, one hand touching her shoulder. "Esther."

She drew back from him, turning to look into blue eyes that held nothing but slight amusement. "What's going on?"

"We've arrived above the Imperial Palace, my dear." A faint smile touched his face. "I'm going to invite 03 to join us." He extended one hand, more demand than invitation. "Come, Lady Esther. You should be there, as I begin my plans to finish things between 02 and I."

She didn't want to join him, but she also knew she had no choice. She let him take her hand. Isaac opened the door with a bow, and the two men escorted her from the room, turning down the corridor to the main command deck.

All the members of the Order were gathered on the main deck, in full uniform. Dietrich stood by the high command chair, Helga on the opposite side. Gudiern was a hulking presence toward the back of the deck, with the three Neumann brothers arrayed around the room. Even Sieglind was there, standing by Melchior's elbow, no expression on her face. Only Skorzeny seemed to be absent. All of them turned and bowed as Cain stepped through the doors. It was Helga who spoke first. "Mien Herr."

The Contra Mundi took no notice of her. He gestured to the main view-screen. "See, my dear. We've arrived. Now I can pay a visit to 03." Esther swallowed hard, looking at the familiar image of the Imperial Capital. Below her, she could see the Palace, Astha's home, and the city of Byzantium. Dismay and dread filled her. She knew Seth had fighters, but this colossal ship...she didn't know if even Seth could do anything. She was jarred from her thoughts by Cain's voice as he drew her toward the center throne. "Balthasar, have a chair brought for Esther."

"Of course, my lord." The Methuselah noble bowed, then turned to his slender brother. "Sieglind, a seat for Lady Esther."

The android nodded and disappeared, returning a few moments later with a comfortable looking chair. With languid grace, Cain moved to the center seat, and gestured Esther to the seat beside him. "Here, my dear. From here you can watch with me." He gave her no time to reply, and turned to Dietrich. "Puppet Master...is everything ready?"

"Yes my lord." A cruel smile lit Dietrich's face "The shot is lined up perfectly. We've detected shields, but the first shot should give us an indication of how far they extend and how strong they are. After that, I've set tentative programming for a volley, subject of course to your approval." He bowed.

"Very well. Isaac...let's ask 03 to pay us a visit, shall we?"

"As you wish, my lord." The dark-haired Methuselah moved to a panel. Esther felt her blood turn to ice in her veins. She started to move, barely even aware of the gesture, but a cool hand clamped her arm.

She looked up into Helga's face. The Countess smirked faintly, then leaned down. "Stay put, Terran wench. You may have surpassed me in my lord's favor, but I shall not permit you to interrupt his enjoyment of this moment. Watch, and see the true power of the man who has chosen you, and how pathetic that little Father of yours and his friends truly are."

"You..." Esther's thought was interrupted as a brilliant globe of scarlet light exploded from the ship, plummeting toward the Imperial Star Palace directly below. "No..." She felt as if she was going to be sick. She'd seen such destruction before, but to have to witness it from the ship _she_ was on, and be unable to do anything...that hurt.

The fiery orb shattered against an invisible wall, just above the Palace. Esther felt her heart start working again. She remembered then that Abel had been working with his sister to alter and expand the Aegis technology. _Abel...he must have figured something out. Or Seth did. That's good._

"Shall I deliver the volley, my lord?" Isaac's smooth voice broke through her relief.

"Of course." Cain smiled. "I wouldn't want 03 to mistake my intentions."

"You..." Esther swallowed, her voice barely a whisper. She knew she was in a dangerous position, but she couldn't keep silent. "Why must you do this! Surely you've already gotten Her Majesty's attention. There's no need to continue firing!"

Cain shrugged. "Well, I suppose I could simply leave it. But...I don't think 03 has gotten my full message yet. After all, there wasn't any damage from that shot. I suppose 02 helped her put up some better shields...he's very good at that. Besides...since we're here...I thought I'd see if I could break that woman's lab. After all, if it's destroyed again, 02 won't worry about it."

"That's not true. Don't you understand? That isn't the way Father Nightroad thinks anymore." Esther's words were lost in the rumble as the ship fired off another shot, followed by a rain of other projectiles. Some broke harmlessly against the shields. But others hit the ground, and Esther saw pillars of smoke rise from Byzantium. One shot hit Astha's house. It was a glancing strike into the gardens, but that made her feel no better. Even knowing Astha was far away didn't help. Instead, she found herself thinking of the old man who served as her primary servant, and her pet tiger. Wondering if they were safe. Another shot hit the Moldova mansion, sending a fresh wave of fear through her. _Ion. Lady Mirka._ "Stop it."

Cain must have heard her. The blue eyes flicked in her direction. He studied her face a moment, then turned back. "I think that's enough, Isaac. It looks like the Palace is too well protected for this ship to destroy. And I think 03's probably gotten my message by now. We should go."

"Of course, my lord." Isaac nodded, and touched something on his panel. The ship shuddered, and Esther felt the motion as it began to turn, then rise. "We should reach the ARK in approximately three hours, my lord."

"Very well." Cain tilted his head, then rose from his seat. His empty gaze flicked to Helga, still standing next to Esther's chair. "I think you should leave her alone, Eisehexe. After all..." A faint smile touched his mouth. "You wouldn't want me to have reason to be annoyed with you again."

Helga paled, then backed away quickly. Out of the corner of her eye, Esther saw Dietrich shift as well, a look of mingled fear and anger on his features. Then Cain shifted, and her attention turned back to him. He studied the view-screen a moment, then turned back to her. "Come here, my dear. You should see this."

Esther rose. She could feel a painful lump in her throat, and involuntary tears in her eyes, trying to break free. She blinked quickly, to force them back. There was no point in showing weakness now, and she knew the Order members would see her tears as just that. Instead, she straightened her back and stepped forward.

The view of the Imperial Star Palace had vanished into a sea of green and blue and brown. Beneath her, white swirls of clouds dotted a softly glowing landscape of sapphire, emerald and dark tones. Esther's head came up, and above her stretched a growing ribbon of night, dotted with stars like endless diamonds on pure black velvet. Or like the lights of the Underground, stretching away under her feet when she looked down from the third floor. There was a brighter glow to one side, and Esther turned, realizing with shock that she was looking at the sun itself. "What..."

"This is the view from the upper atmosphere, my dear. Abel's first view of the world beyond Londinium. 02 used to stand at the windows for hours, looking at the Earth. He always did like the view." The voice that answered her was cool, and Esther felt her hand clench into a fist. "This was the view my dear brother Abel was looking at when I killed that woman, 04."

Something within Esther snapped, and she whirled to face him. "How could you do such a thing?"

"I've told you, my dear." A cold smile creased his mouth. "She was making Abel worry unnecessarily. I thought that by removing the negative element, he'd be able to relax again."

Esther bit her lip so hard she was almost surprised she didn't bleed. "Even so...what possible excuse could you have for your actions now? Why did you attack Byzantium like that? Why are you so determined to take the ARK?"

There was a mutter of anger from the assembled Methuselah, but Cain held up a hand, that lazy, empty smile still on his face. "You should be more careful, Esther. Otherwise, you'll make the others angry with you. And really...if it weren't for your value to 02, and my fondness for you..."

"I don't care! How can you justify this?" Esther had to relax her hand to keep her arm from shaking. She knew she was in a dangerous position, but she couldn't hold back the words.

"I've said it before. It's all for Abel's sake." His hand caught her chin, holding her gaze to his for a moment, before he turned away. "I had to attack 03, otherwise, she wouldn't come to the ARK. 02 probably ordered her not to follow me, but she's always been very headstrong, just like Abel. An attack like that will probably make her disobey him. I need her biometrics to revive the ARK, just as I need 02's. It is a bit troublesome, not having that woman, but Abel has her blood now, so I'll still have what I need. As for why I need the ARK..."

He reached up, stroking her cheek with a cool finger. "All the knowledge of the Crusnik, all the combined technology of two races or more is in that one ship. And once Isaac and Dietrich rebuild the weapons for me, we'll have enough power to cleanse the world and revive it from the ashes. And 02 and I will have all the power of the ARK, and all the knowledge of the Crusnik. I can get a complete body, and if 02 comes to his senses, I might not even use his. And 02...tell me, my dear...he's fused completely with the Crusnik. Has he shown any signs of instability, yet?"

Esther felt her stomach lurch. "That...isn't something I would tell you."

Cain smiled. "It matters not. Abel might be strong, but even he can't hold them back forever. And even if he could, if he continues to fight, he'll lose control. With the power of the ARK, there might be a way to prevent it. Then Abel won't have to be so hesitant all the time. He won't have to worry about protecting people. Including you, my dear."

The words cut Esther like a knife. She remembered Abel agonizing when he'd nearly lost himself, starving the Crusnik to avoid hurting her. Remembered the hesitation their first night together, when he'd been so afraid his powers would hurt her.

Cain saw the hesitation in her face, and the cool smile widened, becoming almost playful. "There. See? It really is all for the best." He took her hand in his, then guided her to the chair. "Here. You should really enjoy the view. Isaac can fetch you something to drink."

She didn't want to sit, didn't want to relax and drink. She wanted to be sick, or to throw things, or to attack someone. But being sick would make her look week, and she was outnumbered and outmatched, with no weapons. She settled back in the seat, taking the glass Isaac handed her and sipping to calm her nerves. It was wine, which she normally didn't drink, but it helped. She settled back into her seat and tried desperately to think.

The next few hours seemed to crawl by. The Methuselah worked at various stations; though Sieglind and Isaac stopped to make sure she was refreshed and taken care of, on Cain's orders. Cain himself remained at closer to the view-port, staring out at the rapidly diminishing world beneath them.

She had to admit, the view was wonderful. In different circumstances, seeing it with Abel instead of the Contra Mundi, she would have been thrilled. As it was, she was in no position to enjoy it. She was too busy trying to think if there was anything she could do. But she couldn't even sneak out. Gudiern had moved around to block the door, and she knew that all of them were watching her like hawks to a mouse.

She was about ready to jump out if her chair, or curse in frustration when something darkened the right-hand, upper section of the view-port. Esther watched as a colossal rock spun slowly into view. The shape seemed familiar, but she couldn't place it. Still...it was enormous, dwarfing even the huge vessel she was on, and it seemed they were headed straight for it. The recognition dawned on her, and she felt a cold chill sweep over her. "That is...the Vampire's Moon..."

"That, my dear, is the ARK. The place where 02 and I will finally settle things." There was faint amusement, and something like satisfaction in Cain's voice. "Isaac..."

"I'm commencing scans now, my lord. It will take a few minutes." The words were spoken respectfully, but Esther heard the hint of excitement underlying the professionalism.

"Very well. Be sure to check that the environmental bubble is still working properly. I wouldn't want Puppet Master or Lady Esther to die just yet."

Esther felt her heart constrict. "What?"

Dietrich spoke. "Honestly, Esther, you should have guessed. A ship this size can't enter atmosphere, and it doesn't have any natural environment. You know...back on Earth, people are protected by the atmosphere. If you set one foot outside this ship right now, though, you wouldn't be able to breathe. Always assuming, of course, that you didn't freeze to death first." A smirk crossed his handsome face.

"That's enough, Puppet Master." Cain's voice was soft, conversational, but there was something in the tone that made Dietrich stiffen. "You really shouldn't talk to Esther like that."

"Yes, Mien Herr." Dietrich swallowed, suddenly pale, but Esther saw the glitter of anger in his eyes once more, as well as terror.

The ship seemed to have stopped moving. At least, they were looking at the same patch of ground, hovering as they had hovered over the Imperial Palace only hours before. Esther could feel a million questions bursting through her mind, but she couldn't think which one to ask first, or even if she wanted to know the answers to any of them. Her instincts told her Cain was in a dangerous mood, and she had no idea what would push him into a rage, or even into that emotionless madness she'd seen before.

"My lord." Isaac's voice broke her thoughts. "It appears the atmospheric stabilizers are indeed operational at this time. My sensors indicate that, temperatures aside, the conditions are optimal for even Terran habitation. There should be no difficulties after landing."

"Very well then. We should land. You do know the coordinates for the entrance, right?"

"Rest assured, my lord. We'll be within meters of it when we open the hatches." Isaac's voice was cool, confident, as relaxed as it had been when he'd been serving her tea. Esther had a sudden irrational urge to leap up and smack him, though she knew it would do no good. She forced her attention back to the screen.

The rough looking ground was getting closer. Then Esther saw the truth, the rocks disguised a smooth curve of metal, the side of a ship. What had looked like a small crater was in fact a docking port of sorts, like the landing pad for Inquisition ships at the Vatican, or the one near Buckingham Palace. But the scale of it made her shiver. And she didn't understand why it looked like rocks. She clenched a fist, watching as they approached the huge vessel.

Then, in a moment that took a lifetime, they reached the landing point. Esther felt the ship shudder as reverse thrusters fired, then the vessel groaned as the weight of it settled to the ground with a muffled thud that shook the screen. Cain stared out the portal for a few moments, then turned. "Puppet Master, Pygmalion, I trust you understand your orders?"

"Of course, my lord." Melchior bowed. "We'll, begin disembarking the troops at once." He turned, then hesitated. "Master...Sieglind..."

"She will remain with me, to keep an eye on Lady Esther and assist her. After all, this is a rather rough place." Cain smiled lightly, his head tilted to one side as if he were contemplating the weather.

"As you command." The slender man bowed again, and he and Dietrich both vanished through the door.

Cain studied the ground before the screen with a detached air, then turned and held out his hand. He said nothing, but Esther recognized the command in the gesture, and the terrible shadows and red glitter lurking in his eyes. She stepped forward, not taking his hand, but taking a place beside him. Blue eyes regarded her for a moment with distant amusement, then he turned away strolling through the door. Esther fell in step just behind, Isaac and Sieglind's presence at her back reminding her that there was no option of running.

The landscape they emerged into was desolate, barren. Esther swallowed hard. She thought she'd seen barren before, in Carthage, but that was paradise. Even the ruins of Old Berlin had seemed less lifeless than this place. And it was unnerving, to look up and see the huge globe of Earth, so far away. Even more unnerving, to realize she was standing on a ship, though she couldn't feel any of the usual thrumming pulse of engines. The air wasn't too bad, not for someone who'd grown up with Istvan snow-storms, but it was cooler than she was dressed for. She shivered, her hand clenching around the comforting presence of her locket. "Why..." She looked around. "This place..."

"It was 02's idea. He wanted to camouflage the ship, and prevent the surface mechanisms from getting damaged. So we encased it in the soil of Mars, just like the original." Cain spoke softly, and Esther couldn't identify the undercurrent of his voice. There was something about it, and it's resemblance to Abel's soft words when he remembered things, that made her heart twist oddly. Then he held out his hand again, his eyes glittered with odd joy and bright, insane fire. "Come, my dear, and I'll show you mine and

Abel' true home." Then he took her hand, and led her across the rocky ground.

Their trek led them to a rocky outcropping only a short distance away. It was tall, at least three time's Esther's height. At first she couldn't see anything, then something in her perspective shifted, and she realized it was a tower, almost derelict from lack of use, and the dim shape of doors. Cain stopped before the doors, and lifted one bare hand to press into a specific spot on the stone. A light flickered weakly, then died. Cain's frowned, a faint line appearing between his eyes. "Isaac."

"My lord." The dark haired Methuselah stepped forward. Esther didn't see how he did it, but within moments he'd exposed a large assortment of panels. A few movements later, he rose again. "It appears that some of the circuitry is damaged from disuse, but also...there's some protective programming in place. It's been very well done. My apologies, my lord, but this may take me a few minutes."

"It's not as if it matters. After all, we're here, and 02 can't possibly arrive this fast. But we shouldn't leave Esther standing in the cold too long. Although...I suppose she can have my cloak. After all, your adjustments seem to be holding up quite well." Cain studied his hand for a moment, then turned and, with a casual gesture, tossed the white over-cloak he'd donned at the door over Esther's shoulders.

For a moment, the familiarity of the gesture made her want to throw it violently back. But practicality won out. The temperature was colder than she liked, and the sleeveless white dress wasn't made for it. She forced herself to accept the cloak and wrap it around her shoulders, accepting the necessary warmth.

"That's better." Cain smiled, then turned back. "Puppet Master should be here in a few moments to assist you, if you need it, Isaac."

"Thank you, Mien Herr." Isaac gave a brief nod, then turned back to the panels. For once, the cool, mocking smile was gone. His face was intent, but there was a frightening amusement, almost as if the difficulty of his task made him happy, as though he was enjoying the challenge.

Minutes later, Dietrich and Melchior strode up to the group. Esther shivered, seeing the dark forms behind the two men. Dietrich moved to Cain's side. "Master Cain...the troops are ready."

"That's good. Isaac?"

The dark-haired Methuselah straightened, a look of triumph on his features. "I believe I've repaired the worst of the damage, my lord. By working with the circuitry, I've managed to bypass most of the password matrix. We should be able to enter. I regret, I couldn't undo the coding to reactivate the ship, but I can get us inside."

"That's all right. After all, the ship was only meant to be activated by a Crusnik. 02 will be here soon enough..and 03 should come with him. In the meantime...you'd better open the doors, Isaac. Otherwise, we might get chilled."

Isaac nodded, and touched a panel in a rapid sequence. The whole area flared to life, and with a low groan of stressed metal, the outlined section of the rock face split open, and began to slide back to reveal the darkness below.

Esther swallowed, recognizing an unloading door. As soon as it was halfway open, Isaac switched another panel, and weak lights flared to life inside. "My lord, I've confirmed power is working."

"That's excellent." Cain nodded, the cool smile slowly being replaced by a kind of cold, pleased excitement. The similarity between his expression and Isaac's made Esther shiver again.

He moved, as if to step forward, when a youthful voice interrupted him. "That's far enough, Cain."

Esther spun around, her heart jumping into her throat. She wasn't sure if it was from fear or relief.

Seth stood there, green eyes totally serious. She was wearing a simple outfit, A white tunic that dropped to just below her hips, offering freedom of movement, with a short train behind her. White boots went to mid thighs, to give her protection and flexibility. Esther saw the slim-bladed knives tucked into the top of each of them. Her sleeves were short, and the only adornment to the outfit was the row of buttons up the right side, and the green and gold Imperial crest on the cuff of the sleeves. Her expression was tight with the battle-readiness Esther had seen from her in the Empire. Her eyes met the Contra Mundi's. "I won't let you do this." Her hands dropped, then tightened on her knives. "I will never forgive you for what you've done to my children, nor to my beloved brother Abel. And I won't let you hurt him further."

Cain smiled. "03. Seth. How have you been? It's been quite some time."

Seth's jaw tightened. "I didn't come here to engage in talk. I want Esther, and then I want you to leave this place, before Abel gets here." Smoldering anger filled her eyes. "I know what you intend to do, Cain. You're going to get Abel here, to make him angry and spill his blood on the ARK. You'll use his power to destroy everything and everyone Abel loves. I won't let you do that to him."

"Hmmm...well, I'll admit, I didn't expect to be able to reason with you. Still...don't you think it would be better if he didn't have to worry about everything? Do you really like seeing 02 in such a condition?" Cain's eyes were faintly amused, faintly mocking, and totally unconcerned.

"That's Abel's choice to make. I might not like the lifestyle he's living now, but that's what he's decided. And honestly...you're the one stressing him. If you really want what's best for Abel...you should just die quietly or come to your senses already." Seth's eyes glinted. "I'm warning you...unhand Esther, and I might go easy on you and your little soldiers today."

"Hmmm. Well, if you say so. Although...that's a little reckless. But then, you always did rush into battle blindly if it was for him."

It occurred to Esther, for the first time, that Seth appeared to be alone. She knew the Yenceri would have materialized by now, if they'd been around. But...Seth stood alone, the sand swirling around her with restless energy.

"For the last time, Cain...I want Esther. Otherwise..." Seth smiled eerily, and cold red fire appeared in her eyes. The sand began to dance around her, her hair beginning to stand on end. When she spoke again, Esther saw fangs, and her voice had an odd echo. "I will obliterate you."

"My lord..." Isaac spoke softly.

"It's fine, Isaac. Really, I did want to give this body a test run before 02 arrived." He turned, and smiled coolly at Esther. "You'll wait here with Isaac and Sieglind, my dear, while Dietrich and the others take the soldiers in."

"Cain..." Seth's voice echoed warningly. The air around her shimmered, and then she was holding two blood colored tuning forks, her barely contained power making the air vibrate.

Cain smiled, and Esther saw the red gleam in his eyes. There was a sort of pressure in the air, and Esther felt her stomach clench. _He's going to use his power. Seth, run! Don't you realize it's a trap. This isn't like with Suleyman and Dietrich._

Cain's hand lifted. Seth didn't wait. She moved in a blur of speed. The air vibrated again, and Esther felt the impact of two silent, invisible forces between them.

"Well, you have improved. Did 04 teach you that, or Abel?" Cain's voice sounded faintly amused. "I didn't know you could use the Fire of Sound so accurately. Ah well, it doesn't matter."

White wings unfurled from his back. Esther saw Seth brace for another attack, but, as quick as she was, she wasn't fast enough. A long black spear appeared in Cain's hand, and she could see the energy sphere around him. Seth's wave attack hit, and the shield reverberated, but it held. Then Cain launched himself forward, a crackling red bolt firing from his weapon.

Seth dodged, then brought her two weapons up and across each other in front of her. Esther was shocked to see a pair of wings form over her shoulders as well, though they didn't look the same as Cain and Abel's. More ephemeral, like butterfly wings.

Seth's wings vibrated, and the two tuning forks clanged together, releasing a blast of energy. Cain didn't quite avoid the blow, but he caught it on his spear. A section of the weapon turned white and crystallized, then the powder blew away, to leave the spear undamaged once more. Esther barely had time to note it before Cain launched a counterattack.

Seth jumped, launching another sonic blast, but Cain reflected it. The younger woman didn't waste a beat. Instead, she landed, launching herself forward and striking out with her tuning forks held like knives. It was a quick blow, and he wasn't shielded against close quarters combat. Esther saw the bladed weapons flick out, scoring hits on Cain's chest and arm. Then his spear whipped around, and Seth dodged backward, hissing as the tip glanced off her shoulder and left a red furrow. Then she landed lightly on the ground, and stood, her lips curled back in a snarl.

Esther felt her stomach twist. Seth's wound bled freely, if slower than a human's would, but Cain... _That blow, it should have sent him reeling. A strike like that...he should have lost use of the arm, or been completely incapacitated by the blow to his chest. With her strength...Seth ought to have been able to destroy his heart, or at least break his ribs. But...he doesn't even seem to notice that he's been struck. They're both using Crusnik, but...he's so much stronger._

Seth launched into another blurring series of attacks, firing off multiple waves of compressed sound at Cain. Esther couldn't even see half the moves the combatants were making. She'd trained herself to be able to almost see haste mode, enough to get an idea of where to fire when she fought a Methuselah, but this was different. She barely even saw the white and green blurs on the field, let alone the individual attacks. Energy crackled around the area. Red lightning fired. One shot came dangerously close to hitting Esther and her two minders, before Isaac stopped it with a shield of his own.

Esther swallowed hard. _The Contra Mundi...he doesn't care what damage he does, as long as he defeats her. But Seth...she's trying to avoid hitting me, to protect me for Abel's sake. But that...that leaves her vulnerable if he moves this way. And...he probably knows that already. Seth..._

The blurs slowed, resolved into two white-clad figures. Esther felt a lump in her throat. Cain's uniform was battered and torn more than Seth's was, but...he wasn't bleeding. His body was fine. Seth's wounds had closed, but Esther could see where she had taken blows, including two that would have killed anyone other than a Crusnik. Her lips were pulled back in a feral snarl, her hands still clenched tightly on her weapons, but she looked slightly worn, as if she was tiring faster than her opponent.

Cain smiled. "You know, you really can't expect to take Esther back if you fight like that. After all...you'll have to be more willing to take risks if you want to defeat me. Even 02 knows that."

Seth's hands tightened. "I'm not like you. I'm not going to risk Esther's safety to fight you." A feral smile flashed across her features. "I don't need to. Unlike you, I've had nine hundred years to learn how to focus my powers." Her hands shifted. "Fire of Sound!"

The air vibrated, like bells struck with a giant hammer. Esther could almost see the riptide of waves, slicing through the air like focused cannon blasts.

Cain smiled, the same empty smile he'd worn when he'd thrown Tres. The waves slammed into his transparent shielding and ricocheted.

Seth was already moving, dodging to one side and closer. Her hand flashed out in a second attack. This one had nothing to do with her powers. Instead, Esther saw one of her throwing knives whiz across the space between the combatants, propelled by all the force of her other form. The knife penetrated the shield, slamming into Cain's chest with a force that probably would have sliced an ordinary person in half.

Seth followed it up with two more daggers, but Cain simply tilted his head, eyes glittering. The weapons bounced off his shield once more. Unconcerned, he pulled the knife from his chest and studied it, then dropped it with a smile. "Come now, you'll have to do better than that."

He moved, so fast Esther didn't even see the blur of it. Suddenly, he was nearly on top of his younger sibling, one hand already raised toward her. Compressed air exploded from around him, circled by scarlet lightning.

Seth dodged, but he was too close. One side of the fire-edged vortex clipped her, and Seth crashed backward with a gasp. She managed to land on her feet, but it didn't stop her from dropping to her knees, fighting to maintain her Crusnik form. Blood pooled, then re-absorbed.

The regeneration cost her extra seconds. Cain attacked again. She managed to bring up her weapons, deflecting the attack and blocking it with her ultra-sonic waves. Still...Esther swallowed hard. She knew being on the defensive was dangerous, and it was clear that Cain had gained the upper hand.

"Well done. I see 02 has been teaching you. Still...you'll have to do better." Cain stepped forward, moving to his sister. "I regret, but I think I've had enough time playing with you." He held out his hand, only a foot away.

Seth exploded off the ground suddenly, slashing him with both weapons with blurring speed. The edged blades caught him across the abdomen. It almost disemboweled him, but Cain shifted backward, making what could have been a fatal strike a glancing blow. Seth used her own momentum to vault over him, dropping to the ground and releasing another blast of sound waves that reverberated off his shield, and actually stopped his movement forward.

There was silence between them for a moment. Seth pulled herself up out of her combat crouch, both arms and blades still crossed at the forearms. "Don't think I'm done with you yet, Contra Mundi."

"Very well. If that's what you want. I was going to spare you, and keep you alive to activate the ARK for me, but if you really want to die...I suppose I don't mind accommodating you." Cain shifted, lifting his hand and letting the black spear reform in his grip. "I suppose it's a good warm-up for facing 02, after all. Abel's probably in a real temper by now."

"I won't let you touch Abel again." Seth's jaw tightened. "You've done enough to him. And this place...it shouldn't be reborn. Whether you like it or not, Abel and I belong to this world now. There's no reason for this artifact to ever come alive again."

"That's where you're wrong, I'm afraid." Cain smiled again. "After all, the information here may help me regain my body, without resorting to too much of Esther's blood. And even if it doesn't with 02 here, I can absorb him. And if we return to our original place, Abel won't have to worry about the world. Then he'll finally have peace."

Seth's eyes flashed. "Haven't you done enough? Even you should understand. That isn't Abel's choice anymore. He had enough solitude while he mourned what you did to Lilith. If Abel truly wanted to be parted from the world, he'd leave on his own. You know he can, even more than you and I. The peace Abel wants can't be found like that. Even I understand that. If you won't accept it...I will take you from Abel's life."

"I don't think it will be quite that simple." Cain's smile widened. "But, since you're here, I can use you to begin things, and give 02 a better reception. I thought the ARK would still be dead when he arrived, but your blood will start the activation as well."

"I don't think so. That's not something I will permit!" Seth's hands flashed, sending a cascade of unheard blasts across the space between them. The force of it was so great it made Esther's ears hurt. Even though their destructive force was aimed away from her, she felt as if she'd stuck her head inside a giant bell.

The younger Crusnik didn't even wait to see if her blows had any effect. Instead, she launched herself at her opponent directly behind the attack, her tuning forks displaced by her daggers.

Cain's shields dispersed the waves, but by then, Seth was inside the spears range. She took a strong leap, both strikes aiming for her opponents throat and face. Her jump gave her a spinning momentum as well as her forward one, adding force to her slash. It was a magnificent maneuver.

Cain blocked her first strike with his arm, smiling as he didn't even feel the blade that nearly severed his elbow. The block threw Seth slightly off balance, changing her angle just enough to miss her target for the second knife. True to her skill, she threw a sharp kick instead, slamming her heel into his face. The force of it made bones crunch audibly, and sent her into a somersaulting leap away from her opponent.

Cain shrugged, looking with total disinterest at the damage to his arm. To Esther's horror, his face was already healed to the point of barely noticing the kick she'd heard break his jaw. Even as she watched, black liquid flowed across the damaged limb, as she'd seen it do in Londinium, the first time she'd seen him as the Contra Mundi. "Well, that's quite enough of that."

White wings spread behind him, the red fire outlining him in terrible power. Esther saw Seth bring her arms up, once more charged for a Fire of Sound attack. The air between the two of them rippled with the force of it.

Cain didn't even bother to block. The red fire glittered with total madness in his eyes. The spear extended, scarlet lightning meeting the sound attack with a force that made the air scream. Esther felt the concussion of it from where she stood, far worse than the power she'd felt previously.

Seth's eyes widened as Cain's wings snapped outward, then down. To Esther's sight, he seemed to simply disappear. Then the white figure was behind his sister, eyes glowing viciously. "I did say it...that's quite enough of that."

Seth's hands shot up, but she was just a split second too late. Cain's backhanded strike sent her flying with a gasp. Esther saw her eyes lose focus, going from blood-red to emerald green. Then she hit the ground with punishing force, and a sharp cracking thud that sounded to Esther like half her bones had been crushed.

"No..." Esther felt as though she was struggling to breathe, as though Seth's injuries were her own. She stared at the small, prone figure. She even started to step forward, but a cool hand caught her elbow.

Isaac looked down at her. "It's unwise to interrupt my lord when he's having fun. And considering the young lady has irritated him on several occasions...I wouldn't recommend interfering, Lady Esther. In fact, given that my lord has ordered me to protect you, I'm afraid I'm going to have to forbid you from taking another step."

"Positive." Sieglind swung the massive sword off her shoulder, using it to bar Esther's way. "Lady Esther, be advised you are not permitted beyond this point."

Esther swallowed, tears stinging her eyes. Then she saw Seth move.

The young woman was getting up. The air crackled around her, and as she struggled upright, Esther could see she had activated her Crusnik again. But she could also see the wounds across her skin, healing far more slowly than they should have. One deep gash across her forehead was bleeding enough to stain her shirt collar, though it should have closed within seconds. Esther felt like her blood turned to ice. She'd seen Abel like this before...and he'd been unable to defeat even Dietrich. This was madness.

She saw Seth bring her hands up into attack position, power flowing about her. The scream broke free from her without conscious thought. "No! Seth, no! Please...run!" She choked, fighting back tears. "Run..." The last word emerged as a whisper. The other woman showed no sign of either hearing or listening.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. She saw Seth release a blast of power. Cain blocked it with terrifying ease. Then his spear came up, crackling with red energy. A blast of horrible power ripped from the end of it. Seth's hands with her weapons came up, but...

The weapons shattered under the onslaught. As if she were watching a terrible dream, Esther saw the red bolt strike the Empress full in the chest, the crackle around her, inflicting a dozen or more wounds that slashed the girl to shreds. Seth catapulted backward into the rocks, slamming into them with deadly force. She didn't even seem to be breathing as she fell to lie, unmoving, on the ground.

Esther felt her breath freeze in her throat. _No..._


	42. Thirty Two: Lives on the Line

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Okay everyone, sorry for taking so long on this. A thousand and one apologies again or such a long delay in updates especially for chapter 32. Life intervened mostly for my editor's part and work schedule which is getting more hectic each month. tan me this long overdue. It was supposed to be update during my birthday which was on the 27th of September. From what **dragonwriter24cmf** says on her part "...Abel didn't want to be written as a Crusnik, and he was arguing with me!". Okay, truth be told, she when checking over the chapter wasn't quite sure how to deal with his 100% form, cause we've only seen it once, which was in the last episode of the anime. And at the time he'd just returned from the dead and was probably completely off his head. We hope this satisfies everybody though, and that you all enjoy reading it.

We know we've had a few concerned comments about Abel acting a little (**OCC**) out of character, what with his temper showing so much and all, and his tendency to transform. Our take on it, or reason for it, is this: Abel is under a huge amount of strain. His brother's trying to kill him, and leading a rogue group out to cause mayhem, the woman he loves is in danger, and his friends are too. Plus, his sister. At times like these, Abel tends to be just a little _'not sane'_. He gets either destructive, or he withdraws and hides in a cave or something where no one can find him for God only knows how long. I think he's being quite well behaved. But for those of you who are worried about missing your fun-loving priest...I'm pretty sure he'll be back. When the crisis is over.

I'd say I'm sorry for the cliff-hanger, but I'm not really...and I'm a horrible liar. So...well, you'll have to wait and see what happens next, and we'll try not to make you wait too long next time. Now that Abel's being a tad more cooperative (we hope ^^), it shouldn't take as long. Until then...please read and review!

(*) As always many _**special**_thanks to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. **I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter.**This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided love, **Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum – **Chapter 32****: - Lives on the Line**

The silence that seemed to follow Seth's collapse was almost deafening. Esther felt numb, sick. She wanted to run forward, but both Sieglind and Isaac had a grip on her arms. She wanted to collapse in the dirt, but she couldn't seem to manage that either. Her mind stuttered to a halt, broken fragments of thought pounding through her brain. _No. No. Seth...please, don't let this be real. Seth..._ Lightning images of the young Empress, her playful manners, her gentle kindness and her easy competence, flashed into her brain, tumbling over one another before the vision of that last, awful strike swallowed them up.

Cain stood still for a moment, gazing at the body. His eyes were cool, empty, not a shred of remorse visible in them. The same gaze he'd worn when he'd looked at Abel's fallen body in the Underground. Then he moved toward the fallen figure, until he stood above her. "Well then, 03. I believe you have something I want." He crouched, his hand reaching down to dip into the red-black pool of Seth's blood.

Esther felt her blood freeze, realizing what he meant to do. He meant to take Seth's blood. His own sister. Rage, fear and sorrow boiled through her. _**"Stop! Don't touch her! Why...how could you do this?"**_ Helpless tears were streaming down her face. _**"How could you do something like this?"**_ Her throat was raw from the force of her screams.

Cain glanced up. "I did warn her. Still, 03 does have something I want. Her power will unlock the ARK for me. And she knew the consequences."

"Consequences? She's your sister. How can you talk like that?" She wanted to throw herself forward, to strike him. Wanted to protect that slender, unmoving form.

"It's nothing to worry about. After all, 03's legacy will still remain in me." He reached down.

"Mien Herr." Isaac spoke softly. "I apologize for interrupting, but it appears we have company." He pointed.

Esther and Cain both looked up. Lights that weren't stars had appeared above the ARK. Esther swallowed, hope and fear in her heart.

"02. I knew he would come." Cain's voice sounded satisfied. "Isaac."

"Judging from the appearance, my lord, they should land shortly." Isaac inclined his head. "I'm afraid I can't give you a more accurate assessment than that."

"Ah, well. I suppose I don't have time to deal with 03 properly then. After all, it wouldn't do for Abel to arrive in the middle of things." Cain shifted, his head tilting to look at the brightening lights. Then he bent, and with a smooth, easy motion, ran his hand through the growing pool of Seth's blood. "This will do for now." He absently licked the blood from his palm, then cupped his hand and let the reddish-black liquid pool in the center. The he turned. "Isaac."

"My lord." The dark-haired Methuselah bowed.

Cain smiled. "You and the others stay here and greet our guests. Lady Esther and I will proceed to the central bridge." He held out his unstained hand. "Come, Esther."

Esther shrank back from him. "No..." She felt frozen, trapped by the horror of watching her friend die. She wanted desperately to look away, but her eyes were riveted on the widening pool of blood, the still, small form at the center of it. "No..."

Cain studied her a moment. Then, too fast to see, he was beside her, an empty smile turning one corner of his mouth. "I'm afraid you have no choice, my dear."

His free hand seized her arm in a grip of iron. Sieglind and Isaac immediately stepped away from her. Esther tugged, but she knew even as she tried that it was futile. But she couldn't seem to get a grip on her emotions. Reality felt distorted. She knew she was going into shock, as she had at Abel's death in Londinium, but she couldn't stop it. "No...let go of me."

"Come. We'll have to prepare for 02's arrival." Cain smiled, then turned and walked towards the open doors, pulling her along. Esther stumbled forward beside him, knowing it was walk or be dragged.

Dietrich was waiting inside, standing at the far end of the room they entered. He'd opened a panel, and he'd obviously been working hard. He looked up at the sound of their footsteps, then snapped to attention. "Master Cain...my lord." His face was tense, pale. "My Lord, I'm afraid we haven't gotten the main power online. I've been able to reawaken the recognition software, but it's degraded, and I haven't managed to crack the security on this. I just need a little more time..."

"02 is on his way. It's a pity, I would have expected better of you, Marionettespieler." Cain smiled, his empty cold, smile. "It matters not. I have other ways."

"My lord..." Dietrich paled even further. "We're almost through..."

Cain didn't pay him any attention. Instead, he strode up to the panel, pulling Esther in his wake. Esther stumbled, cold dread filling her. The Contra Mundi's cold eyes surveyed the panels, then his blood-smeared hand reached out, and touched one specific plate.

Light flared. **"Recognition confirmed. Biological pattern: Seth Nightroad. Primary access to shipboard systems and scientific equipment, granted."** The doors cracked open.

"There." An empty smile touched his face. "And now, for the second phase." He tilted his head, considering something. "I had hoped to wait until 02 arrived, after I'd joined with him, but after 03's interference, I suppose it's best not to wait." He studied his own hand for a moment, then held it out. Crimson flared about him, shining in his eyes. Esther flinched as his nails lengthened to claws, cutting slightly into her arm. Then the Contra Mundi shrugged, and casually tightened his fist, slicing open his own hand to allow black blood to once more pool in his palm. Then his hand tapped a button, and he laid the bleeding palm over the light panel once more.

A faint vibration rumbled through the ship. Esther felt something shudder again. It reminded her of the feel of liftoff, when she rode in a ship like the Iron Maiden, but it was much deeper.

"**Recognition confirmed."** Light flared again, panels all over the room blinking sluggishly to life**. "Biological pattern: Cain Nightroad. Primary online programs beginning automatic repair and access sequencing. Access to major primary computer and onboard systems and databases granted. Limited access to secondary systems granted."**

"There. That should do." Cain shrugged. "02's blood would have given me access to the secondary and weapons systems, but it's all right. After all, he'll be here soon enough." The cool gaze turned to Dietrich, standing ram-rod stiff nearby. "Esther and I will be going on ahead. You'd better help Isaac ready the welcome for our guests. But do remember, I don't want you picking a fight with Abel. Understood?" That cold smile widened just a fraction, laced with madness.

Dietrich paled. "Understood, my lord." His glance touched the now open doors. "If he comes this far, do you want me to let him through then?"

"Well, I do need him to make it to the command deck." Cain nodded. "But...I trust you won't make it too easy for him, or 03's men to interfere with my plans. After all, they've proved quite troublesome in that regard."

"Understood, my lord." Dietrich bowed. "I'll rejoin Wizard and the others then." A tight grin touched his mouth, and he lifted one hand in an ironic wave. "And Esther...do take care."

He looked like he might have added more, but Cain's hand pulled her forward. "Come, my dear." She looked up to see that wild, cruel smile on his face. "It's time for you to see where 02 and I are really from, don't you think?" Then he turned, and strode into the depths of the ship, pulling her with him.

Esther swallowed, and finally found something to say, to break her paralysis. "I thought...Father Nightroad came from Londinium. He told me he was from Albion."

"Well, that is where Abel was born, my dear. But this..." He gestured to the faintly glowing halls. "This is the birthplace of the Crusnik, my dear. And no matter how much 02 denies it, this is where he found his true purpose." One hand reached out to stroke the dark grey walls. "This is where Abel used his power at my side, the Enemy of the World. He did tell you, didn't he?"

Esther bit her lip. "This...you're wrong. Father Nightroad...he...he might have made a few mistakes, but he...he isn't like that." her voice sounded weak, wavering, her protest barely strong enough to echo in the ancient hallway.

"Well, perhaps he's in denial. But Abel and I were originally one being after all. I know 02 better than anyone else. And despite what he might say, Abel really does belong here." His gaze touched her, then he was suddenly behind her, his hand circling her throat. "This is something Abel found, you know. No matter how much he might claim otherwise, this whole thing...everything is because of 02. It's rather fitting, in a way. The place where 02 tried to separate himself from me will become the place where we become one again, together as we were meant to be."

"What do you intend to do with this place?" Esther shuddered. She wasn't sure if it was the utter desertion and silence of the ship as they moved deeper, or the size of it, or even just the slightly alien curve to the walls, but it felt wrong. "What use could you possibly have for a ruin like this?" She knew she was only repeating herself, but her mind has stalled on the concept. _How...this place is almost a world by itself. Why...why must it be used as a weapon?_

"With the ARK, Abel and I can finally cleanse this world and start anew. Once the world is ashes, Abel will have nothing to worry about."

Esther swallowed. He was only saying what he'd said countless times before, but...the enormity of it was suddenly terrifying. She'd always believed Abel was up to any challenge, that any technology, weapons or ships the Order could produce, her people and friends could match. But the ARK's immensity terrified her, and the alieness of it reminded her that this wasn't Terran technology. This was power she'd never seen before. Desperate, she sought another tactic. "But if the world is destroyed, you'll be left with nothing. You'll die."

Cain laughed. Actually chuckled, the sound sending cold chills crawling down her spine. "I told you, my dear. A Crusnik is a being who is in need of nothing."

She remembered. "You also said...you were a being in need of everything."

"Once I have 02, we'll both be complete, and the ARK will take care of the rest." He released her, then stepped in front of her and continued his easy march forward. "Come, Esther."

It was eerie, following him. For the first time, she realized she couldn't hear his boots on the metal floors. Her own steps sent up thin, weak sounding echoes, but he only glided forward, silent as a breath of wind. She wanted to run away to scream, but she couldn't find the energy to do so. The memories of Abel, and of Seth, lying in pools of their own blood, dying, froze her will. The enormity of the ARK, and the knowledge it contained, swallowed her.

Without thought, her free hand rose to the locket at her throat. She wanted Abel to be with her, but... Her eyes slipped to the man in white, who led her through the corridors. It occurred to her, suddenly, how similar these were to the disused corridors in the Albion Underground. Tunnels like the one Abel had died in. Her hand clenched tighter on the locket. _Abel..._

Cain turned, and Esther found herself facing an elevator. A touch of his hand lit the panels, and then they were riding. It felt like upward movement, but she couldn't be sure. She thought they'd been on the topmost surface of the vessel. The confusion distracted her from her fear, and she felt herself begin to calm some. Having something she needed or wanted to figure out helped steady her nerves.

The compartment stopped moving, and the doors opened. Esther caught her breath in a mix of awe, terror, and wonder.

The far wall was a mass of screens. It looked like glass, though she couldn't be sure. Through the window, a massive globe of green and blue and white hung, shining like a gigantic star, or a Christmas ornament. She'd thought at times, during her travels, that the world was a big place, and yet...seeing it like this took her breath away. The area she thought the Empire covered was small enough in the view-screen that she could have put her hand over it and covered it completely. Even watching the world shrink from the ship that had carried her there hadn't quite prepared her for this.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Esther nearly gasped in shock at the cool, quiet voice. "This was always 02's favorite view. Even when we were on Mars."

Esther blinked. The way Abel had spoken of his past, she wouldn't have guessed that. "Father Nightroad...saw this?"

A slight, disinterested smile touched the pale face. "Abel always did like to watch the Earth spin beneath him. He used to say he wished everyone would disappear. That the Earth would be better off without them. And now, I suppose, Abel can finally have his wish."

Ice washed over her. "No...you can't. Don't you understand...he was just angry. He couldn't have...Father Nightroad would never mean something like that."

The smile widened, cruelty edging it. "But he did mean it, my dear. Here, on this very bridge, 02 helped me destroy the world." He tilted her head up, forcing her to meet his eyes, then turned her to point, cold fingers once more encircling her neck. "There, my dear. That land, to the left. That was once one of the most powerful nations the Terrans had. The place where 03 was born. We destroyed it in a week, 02 and I."

The words themselves were horrifying, but the tinge of amusement to his voice made active nausea twist through her gut. Esther felt sick, shaky. She recalled Abel's voice, the sheer horror and shame in it when he'd told her of his past, of the things he'd done. She remembered that he'd told her he'd destroyed an entire continent, but it hadn't really sunk in. But the continent Cain indicated was huge, large enough to make Albion look like a mere speck.

Abel's haunted, agonized words came back to her. _"In one city alone...I took seven million lives." _ The enormity of it crashed into her. Shock washed over her. "No..."

"Ah...it looks as if 02 has landed." Cain tilted his head, straightening slightly. "Now Abel and I can finish what we started."

Those words jarred her out of her numbness. She looked at the land directly beneath her. Somewhere down there were people she loved. She could see the island of Albion, full of the people she'd sworn to protect. The Vatican, where her closest friends lived. Istvan, her home. Even with all the destruction it had suffered, all the terrible things that had happened there, it was still a place that held cherished memories. Memories of the woman who had raised her, of the friends and companions she'd had. Of the first time she'd met Abel.

Anger blazed up, dispelling the numbing fear within her. "Father Nightroad...he won't help you do this."

"Well, 02 might be a little reluctant. Especially with you here. Abel was always a bit shy about letting that woman know his true feelings as well. But once we've joined together, I'm sure Abel will be just fine." Cain shrugged. "It doesn't matter. Once 02's blood has joined mine, I'll have full control over the ARK. If Abel wants to simply sit back and relax, then that will be all right too."

Esther's fists clenched. "So...you're planning to take his life, or force him to watch as you destroy everything he's been protecting? Don't you care how he'll feel about that?"

Cain shrugged again. "Well, he might be upset with me, but then...he always does get over it. Besides...no matter how much he tries to deny it...this is Abel's wish. I'm only going to do what 02 asked me for."

She wasn't reaching him. Her fists clenched. Before she could even think about it, words slipped from her mouth. "I...I won't let you do this."

Cain turned, and Esther felt her heart start pounding as she realized the mistake she'd just made. Then he moved, and she found herself pushed back against the wall behind her, his hand pinning her with terrifying ease, as it had the night she'd been brought to him. The eyes were flaring eerily red and Esther felt a slash of terror. Then a cold smile touched his face. "It matters not. After all, like 02, you really don't have a choice, my dear. With Abel's power and mine merged, we'll be impossible to stop. Besides, once my brother is a part of me, then you'll truly understand how Abel feels."

"You...I'm not going to let you take his life, or him." Esther swallowed, but she met the blue eyes defiantly. "It doesn't matter what you say, I will never believe Father Nightroad will accept something like this. And I won't let you use him for such a thing. No matter what I have to do...I won't let you hurt him."

"Ah...but remember, my dear, Abel might be furious with me but...aren't you the one who can harm him the most?" Ice and malice lit his features. "You say you won't let me grant 02's wish...even though you're condemning him to worry. Tell me my dear, do you truly enjoy seeing Abel struggle so much?"

Esther faltered. "That...that isn't it at all. Father...I know he has difficult times. But that's why...that's why I promised to be by his side. To help him through those times."

"But once Abel is a part of me, he'll no longer have to suffer. Isn't that much more satisfactory? And if you accept my claim as well as 02's then you'll be able to continue to support him. Isn't that right, Esther?" His gaze was cool, amused.

"It..that isn't...maybe it would be easier...but..." She felt her will faltering under that twisted logic, and tried to anchor herself in the things she knew. "But...even so...that isn't what Father Nightroad wants. And even if...even if it might be easier...it's still...that's still wrong." That truth held her. "I can't let you do this, not to Father Nightroad, and not to this world."

"Well then, my dear. I was going to try and convince you to assist me, but I suppose I'll simply have to get you out of the way."

His hand tightened, and Esther felt an instant's fear that he was going to kill her. Then his hand shifted, yanking her forward slightly. He reached behind her, then touched a panel on the wall. Light flared, revealing a tall cylindrical chamber in one corner of the room. A doorway slid open on one side. With casual strength, Cain lifted her feet off the ground, then turned and shoved her through the doorway. Esther landed in a breathless heap against the metal surface; hard enough to make her gasp as the wind was knocked out of her. She raised herself to her feet just in time to see Cain touch the button, slamming the doorway to the chamber closed. He turned and studied her. "There. That should keep you out of the way while Abel and I have our talk."

Desperate, Esther slammed her hand against the cylinder wall. It looked like glass, but even in the weak lighting, she could see it was thick, like the glass she'd seen used in the windows for the Iron Maiden. She bit her lip, feeling a sick sense of fear. She knew how heavy the shipboard windows were. They were made to withstand even limited bullet fire. She looked around, but she couldn't see any controls, anything she could use as leverage. The door was surmounted by a smooth metal frame, and slid from the ceiling. There were no seams in it for her to grasp. She pressed her hand against the wall again, trying to fight back a sense of despair. "This thing...what is this?"

"That's one of 03's little experiments." Esther jumped. She hadn't realized the chamber walls would let sound through. Cain studied her. "It was a little project she was working on, for an alternative to ships. However, since 02 and I didn't really need them...I suppose she never finished it. But...it will keep you from interfering in Abel and I's discussion, my dear. From there, you can watch as Abel and I rejoin, and fulfill 02's wish."

"No...let me out of here." Esther bit her lip, hammering at the glass again. She wished she still had her knives, or her gun.

Cain smiled. "Esther...there's no need to be concerned. From there, you'll be able to watch everything. But I can't risk you interfering with 02. After all, I wouldn't want Abel to be upset again. And I can't simply destroy you as I did with 04. After all, I have every intention of renewing my claim on you when 02 and I have joined one another. So I can't simply remove you."

Esther shuddered. Cain shrugged, then turned away from her, staring out the glass of the giant windows. "Abel will be here soon, and then...he and I will come together, and renew the world. Then...Abel and I will finally have peace." His eyes came back to hers. "And you, my dear, will be a part of it."

Esther shuddered again, biting her lip to keep from bursting into tears, or screams. Fear twisted her gut, and her hands clenched into fists. Conflicting emotions tore at her heart. She wanted Abel to be there, she missed his strong, reliable presence, his calm. But...it was a trap. She knew what Cain wanted to do to him. Her mind kept replaying visions of Abel, in his Crusnik form. Visions of his last battle with Cain, and his terrible death. She looked at the glowing sphere beneath her, thinking of the fire that had destroyed two of her homes so far. Thinking of Abel's haunted eyes, torn with grief. She clenched the hand around the locket tighter. She didn't want him to fall for this trap, to place himself in danger, but she knew he was coming for her. _Abel...please...be careful. Be safe._

**8888888888888888**

"Damn. That thing's huge." Leon stared out the window at the ARK, watching as the huge vessel grew in the view-screen. He cursed again, then turned to face the silver-haired man who stood at the console, his hands busy with the controls. "You're sure that's a ship, Four Eyes?"

"Yes." Abel didn't even bother to turn around. His voice was hard and flat. He hadn't spoken to any of them, except to issue commands or warnings.

Leon shivered. "How the hell are we gonna combat something like that?" He looked around at the rest of the group. They were all standing on the command bridge of the vessel, equipped in battle gear. At his question, all of them shifted.

Petros scowled. "As Knights of the Lord...we will find a way."

"Pray it doesn't come to that." Abel's cool voice spoke. His hands were still on the controls, but the blue eyes were fixed on the Ark, the expression in them a terrible mix of longing, fear, hatred and memory. "That thing..." He fell silent, and after a moment, he turned his gaze back to the instrumentation panel. Virgil studied him a moment, then moved to stand beside him.

"It's very remarkable." William stood, gazing out at the ship with an admiring expression on his face. "To build a ship of that size...it's really quite impressive. Even accounting for the advancements of Lost Technology..."

"We have legends of ships that size in the Empire." Astha moved to stand beside him. "But there hasn't been anything even close in centuries, by order of the Empress."

"Well, considering the legends surrounding this one, I suppose that's not much of a surprise." William sighed. "Still...the size, the ability to coat a ship in rock without losing it's integrity and function, the technology this must have required...I confess, as an AX agent, this thing makes me rather nervous. But as a scientist...well, the possibilities it represents are endless."

"Professor." Vaclav's hand touched his shoulder, the lean face silent. "I don't think now is the time for that."

William's brown eyes drifted to Abel, and contrite expression entered them. He nodded. "Of course. You're quite correct." He studied the straight, stiff back a moment, the tensed shoulders, then sighed and walked over to his companion. "Abel..."

"It's all right." Abel's voice was still a soft, low monotone, but when he looked up, there was a faint spark of warmth in the ice-blue eyes. He looked at the panel once more. "We should be on final approach within an hour. Is everyone ready?"

"Of course. Everything's been prepared." Vaclav moved up to stand beside his oldest friend. He laid a comforting hand on Abel's shoulder. "I hate to ask this Abel, but do you think he's arrived yet?"

"Positive." Tres spoke from the corner. "Based on computations, enemy forces have already arrived." Emotionless eyes focused on the screen. "Insufficient data to calculate whether or not Her Imperial Majesty has also arrived in combat zone."

Abel flinched and bit his lip, fear and pain flashing in his gaze. William's hand joined Vaclav's on Abel's other shoulder, lending silent encouragement. He opened his mouth, but Astha spoke first. "Priest. Get over here. Something's happening down there."

Abel's head snapped up. "Lord Walsh. Tres. Take over for me."

"Positive." The android stepped forward. "Commencing rewrite to piloting mode. Combat system, standby."

Virgil nodded. His hands coming up to rest lightly on the controls. "Shall I switch on the outboard monitor, Father?"

"No. I haven't had the time to repair it, and it hasn't been used in centuries. We didn't clear the visual sensors before we left." Abel turned and strode to the viewing portal "Astha."

"There." She pointed. "I was certain I saw something flash down there."

"Is it possible that it's the Order ship? Or Her Majesty's?" Baibars frowned.

"It is...but..." Abel's brow furrowed. "Lord Walsh...is there any response on the radar sensors?"

"None. However, I am reading very faint energy sources, coming from the vessel ahead." Walsh's brow furrowed. "The signature isn't consistent with any ship I recognize, however, given the age of the technology involved..."

"Priest." Astha interrupted the other man. Abel turned. She gestured. "There was a light. There." She gestured. "It only appeared for a moment..."

As if on cue, another flicker of red shimmered to life, then died out. Abel's eyes widened. "Lord Walsh, focus on the area directly below us."

"Of course." The Albion lord's hands tapped out a quick sequence. "There appears to be some kind of flare occurring. Energy is consistent with plasma bursts, however, I regret that I cannot give you any greater detail."

Abel's jaw clenched. "Cain..." He whirled back to the glass, just as another red flare, brighter than the previous ones, shimmered across the screen.

"What the hell is he doing?" Leon joined the rest of them at the view-port.

"Well, we do know it requires the Crusnik to activate the Ark." The Professor frowned thoughtfully.

"No." Abel's jaw was tight. "That only requires a bio-signature reading, like a palm-print scan." He whirled. "We need to get this ship on the ground, right now." He moved to the controls, studying the readings intently. His hand tightened. "Damn."

"What is it?" Astha moved too his side. "Priest?"

"That's not part of the activation. That's a battle down there." His fist clenched, and he bit his lip again, so hard it looked as if he'd bite right through it, before he spoke again. "Seth is down there."

Ion frowned. "Her Majesty is...an excellent combatant. I'm sure she will manage."

"No." Abel shuddered. "She's at a terrible disadvantage. She's never taken her activation to one hundred percent. And Seth...she'll try to avoid collateral damage." His eyes were haunted. "It makes her vulnerable, just as I was in Londinium."

"Can we land this ship any faster?" Astha was scowling.

"I'm afraid not." Virgil was studying the readings with his usual calm expression. "We're already on optimum trajectory, and going at the maximum safe speed for a landing"

"Well, how about going at an unsafe speed?" Leon growled the words out.

"We cannot afford to crash the ship. Not only will it hinder our ability to retreat, should we require it, but there would be severe damage to both vessels. We would risk injuring Her Majesty, as well as ourselves." Virgil shook his head.

"Positive. For best possible odds of survival, present course and speed must be maintained." Tres met Abel's eyes. "Father Nightroad, do you wish to resume piloting functions, or will you prepare for combat?"

Abel's fists were clenched, the blue eyes stormy with a faintly crimson shine. William placed a hand on his shoulder. "Abel...what do you need to do?"

Abel shuddered once. "I...I'm fine. Just get me to the Ark." His eyes went to the instrument panel once more, then he turned away and returned to the window, his entire body tensed.

William joined him, just in time to see another flare of red light. He saw Abel flinch, and spoke softly. "I'm aware of your concerns Abel, but...just remember, as long as the lights appear, it means she's fighting. You need to have hope."

"I know. But I..." Abel's jaw was so tight he seemed to have trouble speaking.

"Give me your glasses." William spoke softly

Abel's turned to stare at him, a slightly startled expression on his face. "Professor..."

A small, sardonic smile touched the other man's face. "Well, it's not as if you actually need them. Besides...with things in this state, we may very well disembark into a war zone. You may need to transform immediately. It's best if you're as ready as possible. I know you always take your glasses off so they won't get damaged." He held out a hand. "You might as well give them to me now. And if you want to go ahead and let your hair loose, I don't think anyone is going to stop you."

"No. That...isn't necessary." Abel swallowed. He stood for a moment, his gaze already turned back to the flashes of light below. Then he reached up, pulled the steel frames away from his face, and handed them to his companion.

William took them without a word, his face settling into grim lines. He looked at them for a moment, then stowed them in a pocket of his cassock.

"Father Nightroad. I'm reading atmospheric and sonic disturbances from the ship." Virgil spoke softly. "They appear to be rather chaotic and the frequency is not one I've seen registered. I fear I'm too unfamiliar with the technology of the Ark to guess...are these frequencies in any way connected to the procedures governing it's functions?"

Abel turned partially, his eyes going to the readout Virgil handed him. His hand tightened. "No. That signature...that's Seth's attack frequency. Tres...bring us in as fast as possible. Lord Walsh..."

"I will continue to assist Father Tres, and monitor the signals." Virgil nodded, then resumed his station at the panels.

Abel bit his lip, his eyes dark with a swirl of anguish and anger. Then his eyes closed, and a shudder ran through him, silent testimony of a fierce battle for control over his emotions and his other half. The others watched him with concern in their eyes. William and Astha both moved forward to stand on either side of him, offering their silent support. Vaclav and Ion watched from a short distance away, the younger noble's hand tightening on the hilt of his sword. Petros scowled, and shifted restlessly, Baibars mirroring his actions. Paula remained motionless, but the cold look in her eyes promised violence to come.

Abel's eyes opened again, fixed on the ship growing steadily larger in the view-screen, and on the bright crimson flashes. His fist tightened, and William, standing beside him, saw the outline of the cross on the back of his hand. He frowned. He glanced at Astha, who nodded slightly, confirming that she'd seen the same thing. However, neither of them spoke.

Suddenly, a huge flare erupted from the ground beneath them, followed only seconds later by an equally tremendous blast. The force of it was enough to send faint shock waves through their ship, even at the height they were at. Leon cursed. "What the hell was that?"

Abel turned. "Lord Walsh..." His voice was tense.

"Sensors registered an incredible spike of plasma emissions. There was also an extreme discharge of sonic waves. However..." His face creased with concern. "I'm no longer reading any sort of subsonic or supersonic emissions from the Ark. The interference is disappearing."

"What about the other?" Vaclav moved forward.

"Impossible to say. However...atmospheric disturbances consistent with the Enemy of the World's signature still register faintly."

Abel's jaw locked. He spun away from the view-port, heading across the cockpit before William even realized he'd moved. He was almost to the door when Leon caught him. "Where the hell do you think you're going?"

"I have to get down there!" Abel's voice was rough, a terrible mix of anguish and anger. "Leon...I have to help her!"

"And who's gonna help you, huh!" The dark-haired man didn't give an inch. "Even if you can survive just jumping out of the damn plane, the rest of us can't. You're gonna need back-up. And for that, you have to wait until we land."

"Leon..." Abel's voice was a low growl.

"Look if I thought there was just one guy down there, I'd let you go, even if it is the Contra Mundi. But we know he's probably got his team with him. You can't handle all that and protect one person, let alone two." Abel's jaw tightened, and Leon's grip locked tighter on his arms. "Damn it Four Eyes, you already know that. So don't go crazy on me now."

"Leon...I..." Abel's blue eyes were wild, The expression flaring between panic and rage. "I have to..." his hands came up, as if he were about to push the other AX agent away.

"I said, stay put." Leon released Abel, then punched him hard, knocking him backward to the floor. "This isn't the time. You can leave when we land." He spun around. "Yo, Gunslinger, get this ship on the ground now! Before Four Eyes here has a coronary or blows us all out of the sky."

"Positive." Both men at the console were already moving. "Initiating approach and landing sequence on secondary flight plan."

Virgil's hands were busy as well. "Brace yourselves. We are going to encounter some turbulence."

"Fine. Just get us to the ground." Leon moved, putting himself between Abel and the door again.

Abel lifted himself off the floor. His eyes were still wild, but there was at least a small measure of thought and sanity in them. He moved forward, until he was face to face with the other man. "Leon..."

"I am not gonna let you go jumping off on a suicide mission. Never mind the trouble it'll cause for us, how do you think Esther or that girl would feel if you got killed coming after them like that." Leon held his position.

"I'm going to the airlock. I...I promise I won't leave the ship but..." Abel bit his lip a moment. "Leon..."

"Actually, being in position isn't a bad idea. It's obvious we'll need to expect the worst when we arrive, so Abel's plan does have merit." William nodded. "Besides, if we all go, we can keep an eye on him, and I for one, would feel much safer about that than trying to restrain him here."

Petros moved forward. "Move. I need to equip myself, and my armor is in the entrance bay." Dark, intent eyes met Abel's. "Father Nightroad, you may accompany me. However..." He pointed one hand at the other man. "Do not do anything to jeopardize our mission!"

"I understand." Abel nodded.

"Well then, I'm coming as well." Astha smiled, a cold predatory smile. One hand tightened on the spear she kept in a back sheath. "I want a crack at whoever dared to assault the Empress." Baibars and Ion both remained silent, but the look in their eyes was a match for hers, and Ion's hand tightened on the hilt of his blade until the knuckles went white.

The ship shuddered violently. Virgil spoke from the console. "If you wish to begin preparations before landing, I recommend you go now. We pinpointed the landing site for the Order ship, and we should touch down in roughly ten minutes. No more than fifteen before we're ready to open the hatch." Blue eyes looked up, catching Abel's. "Please Father, prepare to disembark. Father Tres and I will join you as soon as the ship is secured."

Abel nodded, and turned to look at the dark-haired man who still stood before him. Leon heaved an irritated sigh, then gave him a sharp edged wolf's grin. "All right Four Eyes. Let's go raise a little hell." He stepped to one side, and Abel shot past him at a near run, not even appearing to notice the tremor that ran through the ship.

Leon met William's eyes. "I sure as hell hope we make it in time."

William nodded. "As do we all." He gestured. "Let's go."

Ten turbulent minutes later, the ship hit the ground with a thud. Abel, standing at the doors in front of the rest of them, tensed, visibly restraining himself from leaping forward and slamming his way through the hatch. The second the motion ceased, the doorway began to open. Abel waited until it was open far enough to admit his frame, then shoved himself through the doorway, heedless of the metal that nearly ripped the fastening from his cassock. Ion was right behind him. The others followed as quickly as they could get through the hatch and to the ground.

The Order ship was only a few yards away, but Abel ignored it. Instead, he dashed forward, blue eyes wide and searching desperately over the rough landscape. "Seth..."

"I'm sorry Father, but you're already far too late." The low, mocking voice jerked Abel's head up, eyes widening.

Isaac stood there, the Neumanns on one side, Helga, Gudiern and Dietrich on the other, and the shadowy forms of Auto-Jagers and Dolls behind. A cruel smile twisted one side of his mouth. He bowed, arrogance and mockery in the gesture. "Welcome to the ARK Father. I hope you all had a pleasant trip."

"Shut up." Astha shoved herself forward. "Where is the Empress? Did you take her captive?"

The cruel smile widened. "It's as I said before, you're already far too late. My lord has already defeated her. However, if you like, I suppose you're welcome to collect the body." He gestured, drawing their attention to a red-stained lump with black hair and an hint of green, crumpled to one side a few yards away.

Abel's eyes went wide and anguished. "Seth..." Then he dashed forward, running to the figure and falling to his knees. The three Methuselah followed him, while the AX members fanned out, forming a barrier between their comrades and the Order forces.

Astha, Ion and Baibars arrived at Abel's side to find him lifting his sister's body into his arms. "Seth..." The word that slipped from his lips was a broken whisper of sound, drenched in agony. His hands were trembling as he gathered the smaller figure into his embrace, pulling her closer to him.

Ion's eyes were wide and shocked, his jaw trembling. "Empress..." The sound was that of a lost child, seeking reassurance. Baibars simply stood, his face set like stone, and his eyes burning with pain and fury.

Astha stood a moment, then knelt. Under any other circumstances, she'd not have presumed to touch the Empress, but Abel was shaking with anguish, and she wanted to comfort him. She touched his shoulder. "Tovarish..." Her hand brushed across the Empress's shoulder, and her eyes widened.

Under her fingers, there was an erratic pulse. It was so faint, she almost thought it was her own, but she could feel it. She seized Abel's arm. "Priest. She's still alive."

Abel's eyes, closed in sorrow, flew open. He saw where her hand was, and trembling fingers brushed his sister's throat. Then he was laying her on the ground. Baibars, seeing the movement, ripped his coat off to provide a cushion. Abel settled the fragile form onto the fabric, then reached across to rip the gashes in his sister's clothing wider, attempting to assess the damage. Astha followed his lead, pulling free a length of fabric from her jacket to wipe away the blood that smeared the youthful face. Then she stopped, trying not to gag.

She'd seen carnage before, and caused a fair amount of it, but...it was different. Even though she knew the woman she tended was the Empress, she still looked like a child. And the wounds were horrific. Blood sponged from her face revealed several cuts, and an ugly, deep gash at the forehead and temple. Below that, there were cuts on her throat, though non-fatal, and several on her arms and legs. But her chest and abdomen were a red ruin, soaked in blood, as if someone had ripped her open by force and then pulverized half her organs. Astha swallowed back bile. Baibars looked almost sick, and she heard Ion dry-retch once, before fighting it back.

Abel's eyes widened, and he bit his lip hard enough to make the blood flow. One hand took his sister's gently, then his head bowed, pain etched across the features so deeply he seemed to age a thousand years in a moment.

Astha grabbed his shoulder. "Priest. Do something."

"I...Astha, I can't." His voice was trembling. "I...I don't know enough. I can't even begin to treat these injuries."

"The ship..."

Abel shook his head, eyes open and filled with grief. "The facilities aren't good enough for this. And even if they were...even the Professor and Vaclav don't know enough to perform this kind of operation. Without her Crusnik to help...we...I...there's nothing we can do." His hand holding the smaller one tightened.

Crusnik. The words sparked a memory in her mind, cascading into an idea. She looked down at the small, fragile body, then back up at the man who crouched across from her. "They saved you."

Abel looked up, tears staining his cheeks. "What?"

"They saved you. Caterina and Father Tres. In Londinium. You had wounds like this then, didn't you?" Astha met his eyes. "They used the Crusnik to save you."

Abel's eyes widened. "Astha, you can't be..."

She interrupted him, her gaze hard as it met his. "You know what they did, don't you, priest."

Abel shuddered. "I do. But Astha...you can't be serious."

"Of course I am. You can do it, can't you? Give her the Crusnik, so she can heal." Astha reached across to grab his arm. "Isn't it possible?"

"It...is...but..." Abel shuddered again, bit his lip, fear in his eyes. "But...what you're asking...Astha...I can't. Even if I can give her enough...I'd have to force an 100 percent fusion. And I...cannot do that."

"Why?" Anger moved through her and she shook him. "Why the hell not?"

Abel was trembling again. "Astha...if I do that...there's no guarantee...and I...I can't. There's a chance, she'll...she'll go mad. Like Cain. And if she does...I...I cannot...I can't face her. I can't risk that. Please...I simply...cannot risk creating another monster. And not...especially not...not her, of all people." Abel's hand clenched around his sister's.

"You idiot." Astha's fangs ground together. Without thinking, she pulled herself to her feet, then reached down and seized Abel's cassock, yanking him to his feet. "Do you even hear what you're saying?"

Abel stared at her. "Astha..."

She shook him hard, once. "Shut up and listen to me, Nightroad." She took a breath, and when she spoke, her voice was low, hard, curling with anger. "If she dies, then the Empire I've spent my entire life serving will be destroyed. Everything will fall apart. The Alliance will crumble. Everything we've tried to build will be destroyed. Everything you've sacrificed yourself for will burn to the ground." She held his gaze. "And with all that...it still shouldn't matter, Nightroad."

Abel blinked. "Astha..." he faltered to a stop, looking into her eyes. When he spoke again, his voice was barely above a whisper. "Why?"

"Because she's your sister, priest. Your family. You've always been so desperate to protect anyone close to you...you really intend to tell me you'll let your own sister die before you now, without trying to save her?" She tightened her grip. "You really expect me to believe a man who'd die rather than risk a friend, and live for the sake of this world, is just going to give up like that?"

Abel flinched at her words. "Astha...if I make a mistake...don't you understand? My brother...because I chose this for him...he's now..." he flinched again. "I..."

"What I understand is that because someone chose this for you, the world is a better place." The anger ran out of her, leaving desperation. She clenched her fists in his robes, her head bowing as she sought the words to make him understand. "Damn it. She's your sister too." A sardonic smile crossed her face briefly. "And I thought priests were supposed to have faith. But you...you're just going to give up? On her...and yourself?"

Abel stiffened, but remained silent. Astha held him for a long moment. She was just about to let go in disgust when Abel spoke. "I'm sorry."

Another wave of anger crashed through her. Astha jerked her head up, about to deliver a scathing retort. Then she saw Abel's eyes, and the words died unspoken.

Grief, pain, fear, and just the faintest shimmer of self-deprecating amusement roiled together in the icy blue depths. His hands were trembling, and he was white as a sheet, but he met her eyes. Then he looked away, looking down at the small figure between them. "I'm sorry. You're right. Even if...even if it means I must face her later, I...can't just let her die." Astha let him go, and he knelt again, to tenderly brush the raven black hair away from the battered face. "She is my sister, after all." The faintest of bitter smiles washed across his face, then vanished into an expression of determination.

Astha knelt across from him. "What do you need?"

"I...this will take time...and I...Astha, I'm going to have to..." he swallowed hard. "To give myself to _them_."

Vaclav shifted, making Astha suddenly aware of the AX members who were standing guard over them. He turned slightly. "Abel, is there something..."

"Yes." Abel swallowed again, resolve darkening the blue eyes. "Please...I need some time."

"Really, I don't know what you're planning, Father, but you can't think we'll simply leave you to it." Kampfer raised one eyebrow. "After all, I can't have you disrupting my lord's plans." He shrugged, then dropped the cigarillo he'd been holding and ground it into the dirt. "If you want to take the body, then be my guest. Unfortunately, I'm afraid my orders are to prevent anything else." He held out his hands, the inscribed pentagrams beginning to glow faintly.

"Why you..." Whatever Leon meant to say was cut off as Wordsworth stepped forward, placing himself squarely in front of the dark haired Methuselah. Leon stopped in surprise. "Professor?"

Kampfer regarded the man before him with an upraised brow for a moment, then a slow, cruel smile crossed his face. "Well, William, what a surprise. I'd heard that you'd taken up with the Vatican, but you never seemed to be the crusading type to me. I wonder why the sudden change of heart."

A cold smile, not unlike Abel's bitter one, crossed the other man's face, leaving icy determination in his eyes. "Well, I do generally prefer to remain in my lab on standby, but I'd heard you were going to be a part of this, Isaac. I thought we might pick up where we left off." He shook his head, a little self-deprecatingly. "Honestly, it's quite worrisome how much I've slipped. I should have guessed at your hand in the Silent Noise, especially given Abel's report. But you did such an excellent job of hiding your nature as a Methuselah, I simply failed to connect the pieces until someone mentioned your alias. Still...they do say science is a matter of correcting your mistakes." He met the other man's eyes, his hands tightening on his cane. "So...shall we?"

"Wait a second...Professor, you know this guy?" Leon was frowning.

"William and I are old school friends." Kampfer smiled. "We used to work together. Isn't that correct, Professor?"

The coldness in William's eyes deepened. "Well, as I said before, even the best of us make mistakes. This happens to be one I intend to rectify." His hand tightened on the head of his cane. He spoke again without turning around. "Abel...do whatever it is you need to do. The rest of us will handle this little problem."

Abel was staring at his companions, shock on his face. "Professor..."

"Do what he says, Four Eyes." Leon shot a quick grin over his shoulder, before turning back. "I'll tell you what I told Red. Whatever the hell you gotta do, do it so you have no regrets." He lifted one hand, chakram spinning on his finger. "And that being said...I say, let's get this party started."

"Positive." Tres appeared from one side, guns already in firing position. "Targets confirmed. Order of Rosenkreutz, battle strength, 150 members. Re-writing resident tactical from search mode to genocide mode. Mission commence." He opened fire.

One of the Sieglinde model Killing Dolls appeared out of nowhere, blocking and countering his attack. As if the movement were a signal, both sides came together in a hail of gunfire and shouts.

Astha itched to leap forward into the front lines, but she had something else to attend to. She tore her gaze away from the beginning battle, and grabbed Abel's shoulder. "Hey, idiot." Abel gasped, his gaze coming back to hers. "We have something more important to be doing right now." She met his shocked stare with her own. "They're trying to buy you time, so don't waste it. What do you need?"

Abel swallowed, looking down at his sister's mangled form. His hands brushed her face once more, an unreadable emotion passing across his face. Astha felt a subtle sense of pressure as energy began to gather around him. Then he spoke, his voice low and rough. "Miss Astha...do you have a knife?"

Astha nodded, and produced the eight inch dagger she had strapped to one leg. She preferred her spear, but she'd been in enough combat to know to have a back-up handy.

Abel took it carefully in one hand, then set it aside. He pulled off his pistol holster, then the outer layer of his cassock, his gaze solemn. Then his eyes closed.

She saw his lips move, but there was no sound. Then power exploded around them, encasing the three of them in a whirlwind of lightning and darkness. Abel doubled over, his fingernails lengthening into claws as black wings burst from his shoulders, shredding the back of his cassock. Then he jerked backward, wings extending and back arching as a scream of pure, primal power ripped from him.

Lightning flared around him, and darkness poured over his frame. Astha bit her lip to avoid voicing her shock. She'd seen him transform, but this was different. Abel's skin didn't simply darken, it changed, as if his body was being dunked in ink. Pure black, dark as a moonless light, spread from his core, turning even his silver hair the color of shadows. In the wake of it, blue lightning seemed to crawl across him, settling in jagged lines across his forehead and the backs of his hands. She even saw the lines glowing across his shoulders, where they showed through the torn robes.

He hunched forward again. She couldn't tell if it was pain or something else. His mouth had opened slightly, revealing the elongated fangs. His face was distorted, predatory. Then his eyes opened, feral and glowing with pure crimson light. Astha swallowed as the wild figure knelt across the body from her. She'd expected a rather violent change, but she couldn't see anything of Abel in the dark figure before her. Crimson eyes touched her, and she felt a flicker of fear inside, knowing that if he'd lost his mind and decided to consume her, there was nothing she could do about it.

Red eyes regarded her for a moment. Then he turned away, back to the blood-soaked figure on the ground. One dark, taloned hand reached out, and gently stroked the youthful face. "**Seth...**"

The voice was rough, deep, almost echoing, but it gave Astha hope. She started to reach out, then stopped. She had no idea what he was going to do, but she didn't want to interrupt him.

The dark hand stroked his sister's cheek for a moment, then his head bowed. He reached out and took the knife from where he'd laid it on the ground. He sat still a moment, and Astha heard a barely voiced. "**Forgive me...**" Then he twisted the knife in his hand and slammed it through his own wrist, completely severing the vein. Astha winced as the point emerged from the back of his arm. She started to move forward, to ask him what the hell he was doing, then stopped as the Crusnik held the wounded arm over the fallen girl.

Black liquid, his own blood, poured from the slash in his arm, flowing into the wound on Seth's chest. Astha watched as it displaced the red, flowing into the wound, then over it, saturating the fabric around the torn flesh. The dark substance seemed almost alive. It bubbled slightly, then settled into a pool. As the blood began to overflow the wound, it coated the Empress, like she was being dipped in tar.

When the wound was completely coated, Abel shifted. His arm moved, dripping blood across the terrible gashes at her throat and temple, saturating them as well. When they were soaked, he let his hand drift lower, to cover the cuts to her arms and legs. As he started to lean across, Astha recovered enough of her wits to gently lift Seth's arm, levering the prone figure slightly so that Abel had a better angle to work with. She was holding the forearm, trying to keep it level, when two red-black dots splashed across her hand. She looked up into his face once more.

Abel was weeping. The midnight-hued skin was streaked with tears of his own blood. It was shocking, to see signs of such emotion on such a violent countenance. Astha watched as the tears dripped down his jaw, to fall across his sister's body. Then she looked away, concentrating on the task of setting the Empress's arm down without disturbing the black blood that coated it.

Abel finished his task, then moved toward her head again. The uninjured hand reached for her shoulder, then stopped, hesitant. Astha frowned, then reached out and laid a careful hand on his shoulder. "What do you need?"

Red eyes flicked up to her. His mouth opened, then he turned away and spoke. "**I need...please...lift her**." The words were rough, halting, as if it was difficult for him to talk in that form, or as if he'd forgotten how.

Astha nodded, then shifted so she could lift the slight frame into a sitting position. It was astonishing, how little Seth weighed. She pulled her head up, so that she was lying at an angle, then stopped, afraid any further movement might disturb the blood pool Abel had created over and around her.

Abel leaned forward, his hand brushing his sister's cheek, his touch gentle despite the eight inch talons on his fingers. The angle of his arm changed, so that the blood welling out around the knife trickled down his forearm and into the palm of his hand, pooling there. Then he lifted his hand to his sister's lips, and gently, carefully, tipped the black liquid into her mouth and down her throat, making her drink his blood.

Crimson eyes looked up, met hers. Despite the wild, feral appearance, she could see concern. "**I...she...needs...food.**" The words came out roughly.

At first she didn't understand. Then she looked into his eyes again, remembering that she dealt with the Crusnik. "You mean blood, don't you, priest?"

"**Yes.**"

Astha nodded. "That isn't a problem." She reached across to put her hand on the dagger still protruding from his forearm. "Do you still need this?"

"**No. I...it's done...they...**"

"Fine. You don't have to explain." Astha took a grip on the hilt, slick with his blood, then pulled, yanking it from his arm. Abel growled, a low sound of surprised pain, but the gash in his arm closed so fast she barely even saw it happen. Astha felt something inside her relax. Even knowing what he was doing, and that she'd asked him for this, it had disturbed her more than she cared to admit to see the blade jutting from his wrist.

Astha studied the blade a moment, then pushed the sleeve of her jacket up, and made a quick slash in her own arm. Blood welled, shockingly red after the black of Abel's. The man across from her started. "**Astha...what...**"

"Idiot. You said she needs blood." Astha looked into his eyes, offering him her battle smile. "You think you're the only one who can do this?" She looked down. "Show me what to do."

The dark hand took hers, hesitantly. Talons brushed the back of her arm, but didn't cut into her skin. She felt his fingers tremble slightly as her blood touched them, then he lifted her arm to his sister's mouth, tilting it as he had his own, so that the blood ran down her throat.

The feel of her blood flowing from her arm was odd, and watching the slight figure in her arms swallow, knowing her own blood was being drunk, made her uneasy. Astha held herself still, forcefully ignoring the warrior's instincts that wanted to leap away, and the shocked voice in the back of her mind, that this could happen to a Methuselah. Instead, she kept her attention focused on the Empress, looking for signs of success, and on her partner, waiting for his next movement.

For several minutes, neither of them moved. Then, gently, taloned fingers closed around her arm, and he shifted, raising her forearm and applying slight pressure. Astha blinked. "Priest?"

"**It's...all right.**" The rough hesitation in his voice startled her once more. Feral eyes regarded the slender form they both cradled, then came to her. "**Thank...you.**"

"It was my honor." Astha swallowed, looked down into that pale face. She couldn't see any immediate changes, but...it was hard to tell with the black liquid that pooled around her, completely covering her wounds. "If she needs more...I'll gladly give her whatever she requires."

"**No...this is...enough.**" His hand trembled faintly on her arm. The dark jaw tensed, and the whirlwind of power around them slowly died down, absorbed into the night-touched figure before her.

Ion and Baibars were both standing guard, and both turned as the wall of energy and nano-machines came down. Ion's eyes widened. "Empress..."

Baibars moved forward. "My lord."

Abel trembled again, conflict in his eyes, as if he were straining to control himself. "**I...don't know. The fusion...takes time. If it...even occurs.**" His voice was strained. "**She...needs...**"

Baibars set his feet. "I will guard Her Majesty with my life, and surrender it to her, if it is required of me." He shifted, facing the conflict that roiled only yards away. "You need have no fear for her safety, Father Nightroad."

Abel nodded, the blood-red eyes shifting to the conflict. Something dark, predatory, moved within that gaze, so foreign to the man she knew that it took Astha a moment to recognize it. The Thirst. Her gaze went to the black liquid that covered and surrounded the Empress. For the first time, she realized how much he had given, and how much it had to have cost him.

Abel stood. Astha rose with him and grabbed his sleeve as he turned toward the battlefield. "Wait." She met his gaze, forcing back the small thread of fear she felt. "Can you fight?"

"**I...**"

"You lost a lot of blood. If you need it..." She trailed off.

"**No. I will...**" Something flared, a predatory madness that made her tense, despite his obvious efforts at control. "**There is...other prey.**" He tensed again, and she felt the violence in him, the terrible conflict within the darkened body. "**Astha...Esther...I must...**"

"Go. We will tend to things here." Baibars looked resolute.

"Well, isn't this a charming sight." A slender form appeared out of the chaos, and then Dietrich was in front of them, a cold smile on his face. "I thought I might get out of the general conflict and find something a bit more interesting, but you know, this exceeds even my expectations."

"You..." Astha's hand went for her spear. Beside her, there was a low warning growl from Abel.

"Well, you've certainly changed a lot, haven't you, Father? Tell me, does Esther know about this side of you?" Dietrich's eyebrow went up. "Still, you must know...however entertaining you might find a fight with me, you can't hope to get anything more out of it than that. After all, I might be a member of the Order of Rosenkreutz, but I'm still a Terran you know. And even so...do you really think you can bypass my little strings so easily, even in that form?" He lifted a hand, revealing the threads between his fingers. "I had a special set made up for you."

Abel's whole frame tensed, a low rumble echoing from deep within his chest. His wigs shifted, from furled to half folded. His hand flexed. Astha didn't see quite how it happened, but there was suddenly a pitch-black, double-bladed scythe in his hand. He swung it across his body, bringing it up into a guard position.

Dietrich raised an eyebrow. "Impressive, but do you really think that's going to stop me? It didn't work so well the first time, after all."

Abel's frame tensed, but before he could step forward, there was a flicker of movement, and Ion was in his path, his sword up and ready. "There is no need for Father Nightroad to concern himself with such things. I shall deal with you."

"You?" Dietrich's voice was mocking. "You couldn't even help your own friend, now could you. Do you really think you're any more of a challenge now?"

Ion tensed, and there was ice in his voice. "It's true. I could not strike you while you wore Radu's body. However, now that I know your true face, I shall have no more hesitation. And I _will_ avenge my tovarish." The young man's eyes turned to Abel, shining with determination. Astha recognized that look, she'd worn it once or twice. The look of a warrior who intended to do his duty, no matter what cost, and carry out his mission even if it was obviously impossible. "Leave this man to me, Father Nightroad. Your task is to rescue Esther, is it not?"

Abel shifted. "**Est...her...**" Protection and love warred with nightmare hunger and violence in his eyes.

Astha turned slightly, and met Baibars gaze. The Yenceri Captain already had his multi-bladed weapon unsheathed, standing in a deceptively relaxed battle stance. As their eyes locked, he nodded, shifting to place himself a little more in front of the Empress.

Astha turned, and touched the Crusnik's arm. "He's right priest. You're needed elsewhere." She met the blood-red eyes. "Go." Her hand tightened on her spear, her gaze slipping over the combatants on the field until she spotted one in particular, a female with long black hair, weaving a defense of ice between herself and Sister Paula. Her battle smile tightened her jaw. "I have an opponent as well."

"Oh, come now. You can't just think I'd let you just leave, now do you?" Dietrich shifted, his hand coming up to attack.

"I won't let you interfere!" Ion stepped forward, slipping into haste mode as he charged his opponent. Dietrich whirled in surprise as the young Methuselah slipped sideways in a feint, then leaped at him from a different direction. His hands came up, barely in time to stop the Count from ripping through his body. Ion's eyes were narrowed, his teeth clenched. "For the sake of my dear friend...I will defeat you."

"Well, you're welcome to try." Dietrich grinned coldly, and his hand snapped out. But Ion was ready for the maneuver, he was already dodging away.

Dietrich smiled coldly, his hand flicking faster, adjusting his strings. Ion made a sound of startled rage as thin strands wound around one boot, stopping him so forcefully, he barely missed tripping and crashing to the ground. His reaction was lightning quick, snapping his hand out to slash at the wires with his sword, but they simply flexed away.

Dietrich laughed. "You won't break them like that, you know. These carbon mono-filaments are far stronger than that. Although, you're welcome to try. I'll enjoy watching you break your sword on them while I tangle you up and cut you to ribbons." A cruel glee touched his face. "Maybe I should cut that vein in your neck again, and turn you loose to see which of your companions you'll attack this time. After all, you were willing to spare Esther, because of those childish emotions you have for her, but I doubt you feel as strongly about those AX agents out there." He lifted a hand.

Abel moved then. A low growl, crossed eerily with a scream, wrenched itself from his throat. There was barely time to register it, even with Methuselah senses, before lightning streaked across the black wings. It flared down his shoulders and arms, setting the blue markings ablaze with energy, before coalescing in his scythe. The terrible light burned through the sleeves of his robe, then ripped into the dark blade. As soon as lightning hit the head of the weapon, Abel snarled again and swung it directly at Dietrich. Lightning flared, then exploded from the blade, toward the young man. Dietrich ducked with a curse, but the strings that bound Ion disintegrated in the blast. The younger Methuselah wasted no time in moving.

Dietrich stopped a few yards away, his eyes stormy with frustrated anger and contempt. "Well, if that's the way you want to do things..." He lifted his hand. Almost instantly, thirty Auto-jagers appeared behind him. Dietrich gestured again, and the troop of corpse warriors attacked, most of them blurring into haste mode.

Rationality disappeared from Abel's eyes, vanishing into a battle madness, mixed with a raging hunger that sent shivers up Astha's spine. Another roar-scream ripped from his throat as he scythed into the Death Hunters. Lightning flared, and the dark blade spun out, both moving in a blur that Astha could barely discern. Within seconds, at least half the soldiers were dust, and Abel hadn't even been touched.

It was an impressive sight, but...Astha bit her lip. They were wasting time, and this wasn't their main objective. She took a breath, then launched herself forward, driving herself to Abel's side. Her spear took out one Death Hunter, wounded another, before she spun around, just in time to block Abel's weapon.

Crimson eyes stared at her over a black blade, filled with raging fury. Lightning sparked along both weapons. If she hadn't experienced his wrath before, along with a few accidental discharges when she'd learned to handle her own weapon, she would have flinched. If she hadn't know who this was, she would already have been backing up, fast. Instead, she held her ground, and met the red eyes. "Get going, and let me handle this."

Taloned hands flexed. A deep guttural voice, half inside her own mind, spoke. "**As..tha..**."

"Go. Your mission is to retrieve Esther from the Contra Mundi. Remember?" She gave him a feral, battle-hungry smile. "Get moving. I will handle this. Your war is with the Enemy of the World, not this pitiful trash."

Light flared in Abel's eyes, the light of madness that surpassed even the hunger of his other form. "**Cain...**"

"Go." A soldier attacked them. Astha spun, blasting it to dust in the space of a breath. She planted herself firmly between Abel and the remaining soldiers, as she had done in the Empire, then met Dietrich's smirk with her own. "Don't underestimate me, little brat. I am Astharoshe Asran, Duchess of Kiev!"

Lightning flared again, blasting just past her, into the Death Hunters. She spun, to tell Abel to move again, when he stepped past her, his wings flaring, eyes and body glowing with eerie red and blue light. _"__**CAIN!**__" _Then he stepped past her, moving in a blurring run, and crashed through the ranks of the undead soldiers. He didn't even slow down. Astha was relieved to note that his allies clearly heard him. Petros had been nearest, and he jumped out of the way, using his rockets on his armor to get him to safety as Abel blasted past him.

For a second, she lost sight of him as he plunged into the chaos of the battlefield. Then blue lightning ripped into the sky from behind a wall of the female Killing Dolls, and she heard another of those primal screams. Incandescent fire ripped over a section of the battlefield, and then Abel was airborne, his wings streaked with blue fire, and his eyes glowing so brightly she could see them from where she stood. Then the wings snapped, hurtling him toward the rocky outcropping a few meters away, on the far side of the conflict.

It was then that Astha noticed the dark opening there. The Crusnik didn't even slow down. She saw the flare of lightning, outlined by the deeper darkness, then by electric light, and then he vanished inside.

Astha grinned, then turned her attention back to the battlefield. Abel's violent movement had startled most of the combatants into stopping for a second or two. She caught Ion's gaze and nodded slightly, indicating she'd leave Dietrich to him and Baibars. Abel had cleared most of the Auto-jagers, and she could see dark corpses littering the battlefield. She knew Ion would fight well, and Baibars could guard his back. She spun back to the battlefield. The Professor was still facing Kampfer, trading blows of technology so arcane that she had no idea what they were doing. Petros was pitted against a massive figure she'd heard Abel identify as Gudiern, and she recognized the signs of a lycanthrope. Tres was in full battle against the other Killing Dolls, moving up and down the field. She couldn't see where Leon and Paula had gotten to, or Havel.

A glitter of blue-white caught her eye, bringing her attention to a purple-haired Methuselah woman with a glowing staff, surrounded by silver crystals. Astah smirked, then clenched her grip tighter on her spear, moving forward into a run. She plunged into the middle of the chaos, arriving just in time to see Helga launch an attack at Sister Paula, trading blows with a strange man that she remembered from their briefing, though she couldn't place a name to him. It didn't matter. She activated her staff with a word, sending a bolt of ionized energy to disintegrate the ice crystals.

Helga spun around, anger distorting her features. "You!"

"I could say the same." Astha stopped a short distance away. "Now then...I seem to recall I had a lesson in manners to give you." Her staff lit again with coruscating energy. Helga's mouth twisted and her own staff flared. Astha grinned again, then launched herself toward the forming ice wall. "Die!"

**8888888888888888**

Esther flinched when the sirens went off. Standing at the wall of windows and computer screens, Cain shifted. One hand tapped a button on the console, and one of the screens flickered, revealing the area in front of the doors they'd entered.

Outside, people were fighting. There was a riot of movement, punctuated by bursts she recognized as gunfire, flashes of light she couldn't even begin to identify, and the dull glitter of light on the metal of armor and weapons. The picture was distorted in places, from age and damage, so she couldn't identify faces. But she thought she saw the crimson and gray of the Inquisition. There were several black-clothed figures on the screen, some of whom seemed to have the white of the AX, some trimmed with the crimson of the Order of Rosenkreutz. Yet, despite the way her stomach tightened and her fists knotted at the sight, that wasn't what held her attention.

Beyond the melee, there was a tower of swirling black, edged in flickering blue fire. Esther put a hand to her mouth. She'd seen that before, when Abel had been resurrected. The first and only time she'd seen him fuse completely with his Crusnik, transforming into a being of darkness, touched with lightning.

Cain spoke then, confirming her thoughts. "Ah. It seems 02 has decided to use his full strength this time. Well, perhaps he's just lost his temper. Still...that will make this much easier."

"Why would you say that? You know he'll fight you." Esther bit her lip. Last time, it had ended in a stalemate, and both brothers had fallen to Earth. But Abel had been newly resurrected at the time, and he had told her he'd barely had any control over himself. "Surely you don't think he'll let you simply steal his life."

A small, cold smile creased his lips. "02 never does think at his best when he's in a fit of temper. Besides...last time I had to rely on Isaac's little tank to maintain my form." He lifted one hand. "This time...I still have the effects of your special blood, my dear." his head tilted to one side, thoughtfully. "I wonder if 02's fed at all since we took you. After all, Abel does have a complete body. I suppose it might make him stronger, if he's actually drunk this time. But...it matters not. I'll still achieve what I want."

Esther bit her lip again, knowing there was nothing she could say, and it was useless to try. Her gaze went to the cyclone still visible on screen. _Abel...what are you doing? You really shouldn't use such power so recklessly before battle. And if...if you're too weak..._ She fought that thought back. She couldn't bear to contemplate what would happen if Abel was weakened.

A few minutes later, the whirling black tornado disappeared, shrinking down into the ground. Esther suppressed a gasp. There, where the storm had been, was a figure she knew at once. A figure black as midnight, with outstretched wings and electric blue markings. She watched him rise from the ground, a gold and black figure she thought might be the Duchess of Kiev beside her. Watched as a black-clad figure approached them, as they were joined by two more figures, one large and strong, clad in imperial colors, the other slender and small with what looked like golden hair. Then, without warning, the figures moved. Seconds later, Abel's scythe seemed to appear out of nowhere, and lightning built into his wings, then streaked across the battlefield. Esther shivered.

"Ah, same old Abel." There was a lilt of genuine amusement and affection in Cain's voice. "You know, that's what I really like about him He's so predictable. And that temper of his...he really hasn't learned to control it any better, has he?"

Esther's fists clenched, watching as another burst of lightning was fired. Then the dark figure slammed into the melee. Unlike the other combatants, it wasn't hard to identify him, even with the rough images. The pure black form and lightning dancing over his lean frame made him terribly easy to spot. Moments later, the Crusnik rose into the air, electricity dancing across his body. He hung in the air a moment, then appeared to shoot straight toward the screen, before he vanished out of it.

"Ah...Abel will be here soon. Well, that's good. I can finally finish activating the ARK. Abel's blood is all I need. And then, I'll be able to merge with 02, and everything will be settled." Cain's head tilted, as if he were listening to a sound Esther couldn't hear yet. "Well, it looks as if he'll be here in just a moment."

"**CAIN!"** The scream was distant, but instantly recognizable. Esther pressed a fist to her mouth, hearing the fury and power distorting the voice. The echo of it through the metal of the ship was far too much like the sound she'd heard when she'd surprised him in the Londinium Underground. The memory of that scream, and how it had been so swiftly followed by his death made her stomach churn, and knots form in her throat. _Please...Abel...you mustn't come here. You can't face him again..._

The door to the room bent, electricity crackling around the frame. Then it exploded inward with a force that made Esther jump in spite of herself.

Abel stood framed by the doorway. His upper cassock was in shreds, his body coal-black, save where the lines of glowing blue fire streaked his arms, face and torso. His eyes were pure crimson fire, the double-bladed scythe in his hand. Energy sparked around him, flickering balefully in his wings. He stood in the doorway a moment, then his eyes touched her. "**Est...her.**" His gaze flicked back to the white-clad figure by the screens, and his grip tightened on his weapon. "**What...have you...done?**"

"02. Abel. So then, now everything we've worked for can finally be accomplished. All I need is for you to join me, and we can awaken the ARK." Cain held out his hand. "Come, Abel."

"**No. Release...Esther. Cain...**"

Cain shrugged lightly, his hand dropping to his side. "Well, I didn't really think you'd come. After all, you're always so unreasonable when you're angry, aren't you, Abel? Still, you should remember what happens to those who get between me and what I want."

Esther saw him shift, but Abel was reacting even as he moved. Cain stepped forward in a blur of movement, his hand targeting Abel's chest. Abel jerked away, fury twisting the already predatory features. He slipped sideways, then lightning flared across his scythe, to fire at Cain's form.

Cain brought his hand up, his eyes already shining crimson. A black spear deflected Abel's energy, before white wings swirled around him. Seconds later, the wings pulled back, revealing Cain in his fully Crusnik form. Pale skin, red eyes, white wings, his blond hair forming an erratic halo of golden fire around his face. Light to his brother's darkness. He smiled tightly, a hint of mockery in it. "Abel."

Abel stiffened, rage flaring in the crimson eyes. **"Cain..."**

Cain moved then, another blur of light. Abel shifted, catching a shot that was meant to break his chest on the scythe. Energy flared around them, red and blue sparks showering around black and gold forms. Then Cain shifted, the spear vanishing as he swiped one hand at Abel's chest. Abel jerked back with a snarl, and his brother's claws grazed his arm. Black blood welled against one of the lines of electric blue lightning burned into his form, then the wound closed. Cain smiled, holding up bloody fingers. "I always did like how predictable you were, Abel. With this, I can awaken the ARK to it's full potential. Once you and I have been joined, I'll be able to repair the damage you and 04 did here, and everything will be taken care of."

"**No. That...will not...happen.**" Abel's voice rasped hard in his throat. "**Cain...**"

"It's already too late, Abel." Cain's hand touched a panel.

Lights flared. **"Biological signatures, recognized. Confirmed presence of Abel Nightroad and Lilith Sahl. Secondary scientific, biological, and combat programming online. Beginning computations to analyze system readiness. Rebooting and rerouting power to forward command deck."**

A roar of fury ripped itself from Abel's throat. He launched himself at Cain, lightning arcing between the two of them even before he was halfway across the deck.

As fast as he moved, Cain's shields still erected in time to stop the bolt from slamming home. His spear appeared in his hands just in time to prevent Abel's scythe blade from slicing into his neck. He blocked, that eerie smile still on his lips. Then the two brothers tangled together, energy sparking around them as they struggled, locked in combat. Cain's face was locked into that empty, insane smile of his. Abel was snarling, his jaw so tight Esther feared he'd break his fangs, or cut his own mouth open with them. Then Abel whipped the other blade, and the long barbed whip around, and the brothers jumped apart, nearly to opposite ends of the room. They stood apart a moment, surveying each other with crimson eyes, eyes filled with violence and madness. Then they crashed together once more, lunging at each other with unconstrained ferocity.

Esther watched the combatants, her hand pressed against her mouth. As much as she disliked Cain, feared him even, watching the two brothers fight each other was horrible, and made her feel faintly nauseous. She wanted to help Abel, but she knew well how powerless she was. Silent tears flowed down her cheeks, but she barely noticed them. Her eyes were locked on the battle in front of her.

Abel jerked away from Cain as a red bolt burst from the spear. Esther watched in horror as it clipped him, striking his shoulder. It wasn't a fatal shot, even if he'd been in human form, but it obviously damaged him. Abel snarled, jerking back. Esther saw him shift positions, moving so he was a more difficult target to hit. Black whirled around his shoulder, healing the torn and damaged flesh, returning the spilled blood to his body. Then he stepped forward, firing a triple-pronged lightning strike that arced toward his brother. Cain caught one bolt on his spear, another on a shield of air, but the third struck him square in the chest.

It should have been a fatal blow, but he only smiled a little. Red light and darkness flickered over his frame, and within moments, his chest was whole. Even as the healing process completed, Abel launched himself forward, striking at him again. But Cain caught the blow, and the two brothers tangled together again. Esther watched as they locked weapons, flares of red and blue energy arcing between them, inflicting small wounds that healed almost instantly. Esther swallowed, feeling uneasy. They two of them looked evenly matched, but she couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong. Wrong with Abel. His wounds seemed to heal a touch slower, and his reactions, while still far above hers, were slightly off, as if he were tired, or injured in some way she couldn't see.

She didn't see how it happened, but there was a sudden, violent explosion between them. Abel was flung backward into the panels next to the cylinder that imprisoned her. Black blood, glittering in the light, seeped from a wound in his forehead. Esther bit back a small gasp. Even with the force of the throw, that wound should have healed almost as fast as it was made. She wanted to say something, to cry out, but then the wound was gone. Abel jerked his scythe up, deflecting an energy bolt that would have done serious damage. With another muted snarl, he attacked, his own lightning flaring around him, and a secondary force she'd never seen him use before and couldn't identify. He blocked the next shot, not with lightning, but with a shield similar to the one Cain had used. Then he struck again, leaving Cain on the defensive.

Lightning and red bursts twisted around them, before the brothers locked into hand to hand combat. It wasn't marital arts as Esther had been taught by Mary, or the AX, but both men had clearly been taught something. Abel feinted, then whipped his scythe around, bringing the blade up for a high strike even as the whip on the other side snaked around to lash at his opponent. Esther flinched as Cain fielded the blow with one hand, redirecting it with the elongated talons as his dark spear blocked the downward strike. Then he drew back, firing another burst of energy.

Abel dodged with a snarl. The red fire slammed into the panel he'd knocked into only a few minutes earlier.

Lights flared to life on the panel, sparking with the influx of energy. **"Primary system online. Activation of atomic quantum temporal and physical dislocation device now beginning. Fifteen percent of required power for long range use now provided."**

Esther flinched as the cylinder began to glow. She didn't know what was happening, or what the words she'd heard meant. She remembered what Abel had said, about Seth being the head of the science department. And what Cain had said, about the tube being part of one of Seth's projects, one that hadn't been used much. Terror filled her. She bit her lip, her hand clenching in the locket. Against her own will, one word slipped from between her lips. "Abel..."

Abel stiffened, his head turning at the sound of that one whispered word, though she had no idea how he'd heard her. "**Est...her...**"

Everything seemed to happen in a sort of lightning quick slow motion, as it had on the battlefield only a few months prior. Abel turned to the cylinder she was imprisoned in, his attention momentarily distracted from his brother.

A cold smile touched Cain's face, and he lifted a hand. Energy, red lightning and compressed air both, flared in his palm, then launched at Abel's body, with a force that nearly doubled the fatal blow he'd thrown at Seth only an hour or so previous.

"_**Abel!"**_ Esther screamed his name. _**"Abel!"**_

Abel spun, just barely catching the force of the blow on an energy shield of blue-white lightning. His fangs ground together as he struggled to hold the blazing fire, inches from his chest, the lightning coalescing around his wings, then pouring over his chest and shoulders and into the double-bladed weapon he had shielding him. The fabric that remained of the upper part of his cassock disintegrated under the combined force, save for the collar and crucifix at his neck. Then, with a snarl of effort and rage, he flung the weapon up and sideways, redirecting Cain's power and his own in one titanic blast of mingled fire.

The double bolt of plasma and electrical energy slammed into the wall panel. The deck actually shuddered under the force of it. Lights flared as the panel seemed to absorb the crackling bolt.

"**Power overload. Redirecting all plasma based and high voltage energy to activated device. Use of device authorized. Standby for dislocation of subject."**

The light in the cylinder glowed brighter, nearly blinding Esther. She staggered back with a gasp. Through the haze of light refracting and reflecting, she saw Abel's eyes widen, saw the dark clawed hand reaching for her. Saw his lips, forming a word she could recognize even with the distortion of his fangs. Her name. But there was an odd sort of ringing in her ears. Then the light brightened still further, and she was forced to close her eyes, though it didn't help much. The light burned through her eyelids. She heard something else, something that sounded like the mechanized voice that had spoken before. Abel's voice, screaming her name. Then the floor seemed to disappear from under her, and she fell into the light.

**8888888888888888**

Abel gasped as the light flared around the cylinder. He saw the blinking panels, still crackling with the aftermath of the energy he released, but he couldn't remember what they were, or what to do. Dimly, he heard the computer voice, but he couldn't think how to stop it.

Esther was looking at him, her eyes wide and terrified. He reached out. _**"Esther..."**_

"**Dislocation sequence complete."**

The light flared brighter, and Abel threw up his hands, the brightness painful to his enhanced vision. He saw Esther stagger back, also shielding her eyes. Then the light seemed to flow around her, distorting in a way that had nothing to do with the glass. Abel forgot the pain of his burning eyes, and lunged forward. **"ESTHER!"**

The light flared, driving him back, and when he opened his eyes, Esther was gone.

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **_**It's not over yet folks with only eight chapters left more's to come, so is Esther truly dead or is she alive?. If so then where'd she go. Not gonna say until next update to which I hope will come sooner than real later. Chao for now everyone! ^^**_


	43. Authors Notice 3

**Authors Notice #3**

Dear readers and fans of **TBWC**,

Again it's **smcandy **of **TBWC**, here once again.

I apologize to everyone for the lack activity for the past month and half but there is good reason to why you have not heard and seen any new updates from me lately.

My editor **dragonwriter24cmf** has just recently gotten bad cold from last week at her work so I hope you'll all forgive her and me.

This is mostly why the next new instalment have not been completed.

We are still going to try and deliver a double possible update for **TBWC** sometime soon by the holiday season ^^ as my editor a week before promised me. I'm really hoping this will be the case in chapter(s) to come my way real soon this week. But also my editor needs her rest and time to recover from her cold we've all been there with some type of flue or cold virus it's not always easy to get over one so quickly which is no the case with her.

**dragonwriter24cmf** had no choice but to take some time off work to get better from this cold. So far it's working 50%/50% it been a good 3-4 days since I last spoken with her.

She also gave me a bit of snippet for the chapter when she could so far it's looking interesting I look forward to reviewing more over with the newest chapters before uploading them.

Until then take care everyone I will update again ASAP.

Sincerely Authoress **smcandy**


	44. ThirtyThree Pt 01: Children of the Past

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **A belated happy new year to all, I trust everyone had a good holiday season and time off?

After many long two to three months and bad cold to keep us help back I present to you everyone chapter 33, this part one since the word size in much lager then the last few chapters since chapter 10 and 27 I am splitting this chapter again. It's gonna be a three to four part chapter .As far as I know my editor is still recovering from her cold but I believe she is much better or halfway from being cured from being sock for a time. Thanks for leaving your warm felt wishes and get wells to her. Have fun reading and laving anything feedback you wanna leave.

(*) As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in?

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. **I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter****.**

This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided love, **Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

* * *

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter ****Thirty-Three****: Part one –** **Children**** of the Past**

Abel stared at the empty cylinder. "Esther..." There was no trace of the young woman behind the glass, no trace of the blinding light that had flowed around her. "Esther...no..."

A scream of pure anguish and fury ripped from his throat. There were no words in it, just emotion. Lightning and blue edged plasma rippled through the room, causing several panels to spark and darken.

The scream died away, and Abel sank to his knees, the darkness that covered him vanishing into a silver-haired man with tortured blue eyes. He collapsed, his hands on the deck, tears dripping down his cheeks. "Esther...Esther..."

Cain watched him, his own weapons and transformation dying away. The cool, empty gaze went to the cylinder. "Really, Abel, that's the second time you've let go of an interesting woman. Still...I did warn you there were consequences." His eyes surveyed the command deck, the broken panels from their fight, and Abel's brief storm of fury. Then he looked back outside. "Ah, it seems as if nothing else can be done here today. So then, 02..." He stepped forward, toward the distraught figure on the floor, one hand outstretched.

Cain's hand on his shoulder caused Abel to jerk away, coming to his feet. His eyes were wild; tear streaks of both blood and water marking his face. Cain smiled. "Come now, Abel."

"You..." The word was a broken whisper, pain and gathering fury in it.

Cain extended one hand. "Really, Abel. You should be happy. I've removed the negative elements. And once you and I become one, you won't have to worry about all this." He tilted his head. "It is a pity about Esther, but..."

"YOU!" Abel lunged forward suddenly, striking his hand aside, catching his shirt with both fists.**"****MONSTER!****"**

"Well, I did warn you." Cain smiled. "So then, Abel, what will you do? 03 isn't here to destroy me this time for you. So then...what will you do?"

A raw, knife-edged scream ripped from Abel's throat. He hurled the other man through the door, and the bulkhead beyond it. The force of the throw collapsed the already weakened supports, bringing down a shower of metal, and separating the brothers with a wall of rubble.

"Monster..." The word was half curse, half moan. Abel shuddered, his knees giving way and dropping him to the deck as tears streamed once more from his eyes. He couldn't see the deck in front of him anymore, only Esther's terrified face as she disappeared into the light. "Esther..."

**8888888888888888**

The rest of the assault team found him an hour and a half later. Tres and Astha were the first to enter the room, shoving the wreckage aside enough for their companions to get through. Astha spotted him, threw a piece of sheet metal to the side, then called back over her shoulder. "Hey. He's in here."

"Positive." Tres entered the room. "Biological signature: Father Abel Nightroad. Condition: Operational."

"Which means he's alive, I guess." Leon shoved at the steel debris in his path. "Any sign of Red?"

"Negative. No sign of Lady Esther Blanchett's biological signature." Tres pushed away another large chunk of metal leaving a relatively clear corridor. "I will continue to search."

"You do that." Leon studied the man kneeling on the floor, shaking with sobs, and sighed. "Crap." He raked a hand through his hair, then moved forward so he could crouch in front of the other priest. "Yo, Four Eyes. Can you tell us what happened?"

Abel swallowed, his eyes haunted. "Leon..." The utter bleakness of his tone made all of them flinch.

Havel came to stand beside them, then lowered himself to kneel on the deck and place a careful hand on the silver-haired man's shoulder. "Abel...I can tell something happened, and I understand you're very upset. But I need you to tell us what was going on."

"No kidding." Leon raked his hand through his hair again. "One minute, we were trading punches with those Rosenkreuz bastards. Then there was an explosion from somewhere around here, and a few minutes later that guy in white just comes out and heads for the ship. Next thing I know, there isn't a trace of any of them."

William snorted, though there was no humor in his tone. "Isaac is very good at making things disappear." His gaze flitted about the room. "But Abel...I'm still puzzled. It looks as if there was a battle here as well, but what happened to Esther? Did you see her?"

Abel flinched again, sagging in Havel's grasp as tears dripped down his face. "Esther..."

"What happened, tovarish?" Astha knelt on his other side, to take his shoulders. "Talk to me." She held his eyes.

"He...trapped her...in the cylinder." Abel's eyes went to the apparatus, making it very clear which one he meant. "We...I fought him...the power...it hit the charging panel. And then...light...and Esther...Esther was gone." He shuddered again, the agony of the words reflecting in his eyes. "She's gone."

"What? You can't mean..." Leon swallowed. His head jerked up. "Professor..."

"I'm on it." William moved over to the cylinder, inspecting it and the adjoining panels. One of the computer screens, near the charging panel, was still flickering weakly. William frowned, then reached into the lower part of the console to fiddle with a few wires. The image steadied. "Quantum temporal and spatial dislocation?"

"What the hell?" Leon frowned. "I can't even pronounce half of what you just said."

"Well, I can't quite believe I'm saying it either. I've heard rumors about an experiment similar to this, but...I've never heard of it working." William frowned at the panel, then moved to the cylinder and began to inspect it, frowning as he looked it over. He ran his hands over the sides, studying the fingertips of his glove. He even knocked some ash out of his pipe onto the floor. Then he glanced up. "Miss Astha...if you could bring that spear of yours over here for a moment, please?"

Astha nodded and joined him, spear at the ready. William nodded. "Excellent. Now, if you could activate the blade and hold it close to the glass." Astha did as he said. William watched the glass for several moments, then nodded. "That's enough, thank you."

"What on earth are you doing, William?" Havel blinked.

"I was testing a theory. And now that it's been proven correct, I believe I know what happened to Esther. The only problem is, I'm not entirely sure how to go about reversing it. Offhand, I'm not even sure it's possible."

Abel flinched. William saw him wince and fold in on himself, and immediately moved to his friend's side. "I'm sorry Abel. Please, rest assured, I'll do everything in my power to help with this. But I'm going to need your assistance, my friend."

"What...?" Abel's voice rasped over the word, grief, hope and anguish raging in the blue eyes.

"Yeah. Maybe you could tell the rest of us what the hell is going on." Leon scowled.

William nodded. "Quite right. My initial concern was, of course, that Esther might have been incinerated. Abel mentioned a bright light, after all, and one usually associates that with an explosion of some kind."

"You're saying Red is dead?" Leon's voice was filled with disbelief.

"I'm saying that the possibility crossed my mind. However, that at least has been disproved. There are no traces of ash or other residue within the cylinder. And, as my experiment with Lady Astha's spear has confirmed, anything hot enough to have completely destroyed an human body and Esther's jewelry would have melted or shattered the glass. But there isn't even much residual heat."

"So, she's alive. Great. What happened?"

"It's my belief that Esther was somehow...transported somewhere." William frowned thoughtfully.

"Transported? William, how is that possible?" Vaclav was staring at his friend as if he thought he'd gone insane.

"I'm not sure. There's no technology I'm familiar with that could have produced such an effect." William frowned, and his gaze slipped to Virgil, standing in the doorway. "Lord Walsh?"

"I've not heard of any, nor produced such technology within the Underground." Virgil frowned. "However...our oldest records speak of many projects that never came to completion, before Armageddon. There may be some mention of a transportation device in one of those records."

"Indeed. In the meantime, this isn't our technology, so I'm not terribly familiar with its operation. I'll have to study it." he turned back to the silver-haired man. "Abel...we're going to need to do two things, and possibly three, and I fear we're going to need your help." He bent down, looking his fellow priest in the eyes. "First of all, I need to know anything you can remember about this device."

Abel shook his head, eyes haunted. "I...don't. This was...this was Seth's project...She...was the scientist. She was...working on something...but I...I can't recall..." Pain twisted once more across his face.

"Unfortunate. It would help to have assistance of someone who actually used this technology..."

"Then we will simply have to wait for Her Majesty to recover." Baibars came through the door, bearing a small, limp form in his arms. He stepped to Abel's side, then knelt and bowed as low as he could around his burden. "Father Nightroad...you have my eternal gratitude."

Abel's eyes widened. "Seth..."

"She has awakened, though only briefly." Baibars colored, and it was then that Astha noticed the new blood streaking the side of his neck. "She was...very strong...but she recognized me and spoke to me by name. I believe she will live, and continue as our Loving Mother."

"Thank God." Vaclav's statement was heartfelt, and echoed by everyone in the room. Abel's eyes were wide with a sort of shocked, almost painful, relief in them.

"Well, that does make it easier. I'll simply consult with her once she's well enough for it. In the meantime, we'll need to look for Esther. While I know it isn't certain, I think it's best we assume that she's somewhere on the planet below us, and that the surge has simply caused her tracking devices to malfunction. That means an on-foot search. And somehow, I suspect our enemies aren't through with us, so we'll have to be rather cautious."

Abel stared at him a moment. Then, slowly, determination mixed with madness, settling his eyes into a steely, winter-blue mirror of resolve. He rose to his feet, eyes glittering. Without a word, he brushed Havel and Astha's hands away, and moved toward the door.

Leon moved to block him. "Hey, what do you think you're doing?"

"I'm going to search for Esther." The voice was cold, hard, dangerous. "And if I must, I will take the Order apart, one man at a time. Including _him_. If it takes me till the end of time, I will find her, and I will destroy him."

Leon's eyebrow rose. "You really think you can do it alone, Four Eyes?"

"I don't care. Help me if you must, but get out of my way, Leon." There was something about the edge of anger and pain in that voice that cut like a knife. Leon moved aside. Abel vanished out the door.

"Well, that's an improvement." William sighed. "At least he didn't say he was going on his own, and I think he'll let us help him this time. Still...he's rather dangerous in that mood. It might be a good idea to give him some space."

"What if he goes after them?" Leon scowled.

"I doubt it. Even Abel couldn't go through atmosphere unprotected. Not well, at any rate. I suspect he's gone to look and see if Esther is anywhere on this ship, after which he'll make his way back to our vessel. My concern is if he reaches it before we do, and decides to leave without us."

"In that case, we should get back." Leon sighed.

"We should, but I'd like to get a copy of this data." William frowned thoughtfully. "Why don't you and Havel check on Petros and Paula, and take the Methuselah back, so we can set Her Majesty up in comfort. In the meantime, Lord Walsh and I will see what we can do here. It shouldn't take more than an hour."

"An excellent plan. I'll notify Tres. He can monitor Abel for us." Havel nodded. "We should hurry." He, Astha and Baibars exchanged looks, then headed for the door, with Leon and Ion close behind.

William watched them go, then turned back to the console. At least the one he wanted looked to be relatively intact. The others had taken the full force of the fury erupting in that room. He sighed and put the thought aside, staring at the screen he had operating. "So then, where did you go?"

**8888888888888888**

Esther woke slowly, feeling disoriented. Her first awareness was that there was something relatively soft under her head, and she was lying on something firm, but yielding. She felt exhausted, and confused. She took a few deep breaths, trying to stabilize her mental state, then opened her eyes.

Clean, smooth metal looked back at her. She blinked. The ceiling above her looked to be some sort of metal frame. She thought it might be steel, but the color was different from that of the ships she'd been on, or the rooms of the Albion Underground. It also looked newer, brighter than anything she knew of. When she glanced around, the room seemed slightly rounded, and what corners she saw were also rounded, with gentle, sloping curves to the walls. The lights were dimmed, but when she sat up experimentally, they brightened. She blinked. She couldn't think of a single place she knew of that had lights that functioned like that.

She looked around. The walls were much the same as the ceiling. She appeared to be lying on a low bunk or bed of some sort, with white sheets. There was a door on the far side of the room, but no hinges, so she guessed it was a sliding door of some kind. The temperature was comfortable. As she shifted she felt fabric brush across her upper arms and looked down.

Someone had changed her out of her clothing. She was wearing a simple white shirt, which fastened with hooks to the side, and one across the collar. A quick glance beneath the sheet confirmed the presence of leggings as well. The garments were comfortable enough, but there was something about the design that sparked an uneasy memory, though she couldn't quite remember why.

She sat up slowly, frowning as she tried to remember. Images flashed in her head. Seth falling. Cain locking her into the glass prison. Abel and Cain fighting. Bright light. And then...nothing. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't bring up an image after that. Only blinding light that seemed to obliterate everything.

She was jarred from her thoughts as the door slid open, and a young woman entered. She stopped on the threshold, and a gentle smile washed across her features. "You're awake. That's excellent."

Esther studied her. She felt as though the young woman was familiar, but she couldn't figure out where she'd seen her.

She had deep red hair, hanging past her waist. The front and sides had been confined to pigtails on each side of her face, the back still hung loose. Her skin was dark brown, an elegant contrast to the red hair and her wide golden eyes. The expression on her youthful countenance was concerned, and remarkably gentle and open. Esther swallowed. She knew she recognized that face. Then she realized she was staring at the young woman. "Oh. I'm sorry. It's just I...I feel like I ought to know you, but..."

"It's fine." The young woman smiled. "Actually, I was just checking to see if you were awake yet. You've been asleep for several hours, you know."

"Several...hours? I see." Esther swallowed.

"Miss, if you don't mind, I was wondering if you could answer some questions for me." The red-haired girl reached out a reassuring hand. "You appeared so suddenly in that flash of light on the upper deck, and we didn't find any identification on you. So I'd like it if I could at least get your name, and where you're from."

"Oh. Of course. My name is Esther Blanchett." She wasn't sure why she didn't give her title, but then...she'd been trained as an agent, and she knew very well there were circumstances where it was unwise to have her identity known. The young woman seemed friendly enough, but she still wasn't sure what was going on. "I'm from Albion."

Puzzlement entered the girl's eyes. "Albion? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the name."

Esther's stomach twisted roughly. "I see. Well, I can promise I'm not misleading you. I...well, I worked in Buckingham Palace, but I'm very new there, and I spent a lot of time working with several different people. Before that, I was living with the Church." Vague, but mostly truthful, and it left her room to elaborate if she needed to.

"Buckingham Palace?" The young woman's expression cleared abruptly. "So, you're from London?" She frowned thoughtfully, then her eyes brightened. "Ah. I understand. You were using the old name for the United Kingdoms, weren't you? I haven't heard it called Albion except in history books. But I've heard that with the United Nations becoming such a power, they were thinking of returning to the older name. Albion, or England."

Esther's stomach lurched again, ice creeping into her veins. Something felt terribly wrong. _England. The United Nations. Those terms...I've never heard them. And why...why does she look so familiar to me?_

She swallowed hard, to ease the dryness in her throat. "I'm sorry, but...if it isn't too much trouble, could you please answer some questions for me? I'm afraid I don't remember much of what happened to me, and...I'm a little confused."

"I understand. The scientists that brought you here said that surge was extremely intense. They were wondering if it was an odd solar wind fluctuation." The girl smiled again, reassuringly. "Well, I've been assigned to look out for you. So...what is is you need to know?"

"Well, I'd like to know where I am, and who you are, please." Her gut felt heavy, weighted with ice. She felt the pieces beginning to come together, and the picture they formed was far too impossible for her mind to accept. _Please...I have to be wrong about this. This isn't possible._

"Of course. You would be confused. This is the United Nations Red Mars Project Phase One Mission Control Center. We're on a station, orbiting above Earth."

It took a physical effort to remember to breathe. _The Red Mars Project? But that...that's the project Abel was involved with...before Armageddon. _ Her head was pounding and she felt dangerously close to fainting. _But then...if this station is the one he was raised on before that, then this girl...it can't be..._ "I see. And your name?"

"Ah. I'm Lilith. Lilith Sahl, Medical Department, in-training. Also a member of the Genetic Manipulations Special Project Team." She held out a hand, warmth in her eyes. "It's very nice to meet you."

The world seemed to slip sideways. Esther felt as if she couldn't get enough air. _Lilith? But then...this is...and I...How? How did this happen?_

Grey blurred her vision. Her mind simply couldn't encompass what she was hearing, what she was seeing. "Father...Abel..."

Two hands touched her arm, and she found herself blinking up into Lilith's concerned gaze. "Are you all right?"

"I...no. No...you...you were...I saw you...in that place...the underground. Father Nightroad...he was...you...and Abel...and I...I don't understand...I..." Esther swallowed, feeling dizzy, sick. She couldn't think what she was saying, knew it made no sense. Images and memories and thoughts tumbled over one another in her head. "I..." She pulled away, trying to find her balance. "I...this can't be happening. I don't understand. How could you...how could I...be...here...?" The world went black once more.

Esther woke feeling calmer. The lights around her had been dimmed, but not shut off. She lay in the bed, thinking. _Somehow...this place, this time...this is the place Abel spoke of. The place he grew up. Somehow...is it really possible that I've gone back in time?_ She'd heard old stories, of course, and fairy tales. But this wasn't a story, and it felt all too real. _A delusion, or a dream maybe?_

She wanted to believe that, to believe that she could wake up and discover Abel, in his familiar form, bending over her, those blue eyes glittering with concern before he hugged her close. She wanted to believe she'd wake up to the Professor's long-winded explanation about how exposure to unknown technology had caused this or that mental condition, which he'd managed to right after a little bit of experimentation and the invention of some device or another. But...as much as she wanted to believe she was dreaming...there were too many details out of place.

The material of the walls, and the layout of the room, for one. Kate's rooms were larger, better appointed. The metal was darker on all the ships she'd ever been in. And the self-adjusting lights, that even Virgil didn't use. And...Lilith.

Her mind went back over her encounter with the other woman. She'd seen Lilith's body behind the glass, but... the woman she'd met was younger. There was no doubt it was the same person, but she knew Abel had never described what Lilith had looked or sounded like as a young woman. Not to the level of detail she'd observed, with the pigtails, and the long hair, or the golden eyes. There was also the uniform. Similar to the one the Contra Mundi wore, but Lilith's uniform was much simpler. A knee-length white shift, buttoned up one side with leggings beneath. Completely plain, except for a band of yellow at the collar and the buttons, and the insignia stitched in plain black thread to the shoulders.

The insignia she remembered, intricately stitched into the sleeve, was what convinced her she wasn't hallucinating the entire thing. She might have pieced together an image of Lilith as a younger adult from things Abel and Seth had reminisced about, but...Abel had only spoken of the bare essentials when he'd told her of his past. And while Cain wore his old uniform still, there was no reason for the yellow, and there was no insignia on his clothing, not even one for Rosenkreutz. There was no reason for her to imagine one. She swallowed hard.

She was, somehow, in Abel's past. She had no idea what it meant, nor how it had happened. No idea what could happen. Her fists clenched, helplessly.

_Lying in bed isn't going to help anything._ She sighed, then pushed herself upright.

The door hissed open, and Lilith stepped into the room. "Awake again?"

"Yes." Esther felt herself blushing. "I'm sorry for the way I acted earlier. I was just...well, I'm not sure what came over me. But that was very rude of me."

"It's all right. It looked like you had a pretty hard time before you showed up here, and it probably was a shock, finding yourself in strange surroundings. Not to mention..." The young woman's voice trailed off.

Esther nodded. "That's true. To be honest, I'm still a little confused. If you don't mind...could you tell me again, where I am? And...what date is it?"

Lilith nodded. "Of course. This is the Red Mars Project Mission Control. It's a space station orbiting above Earth. As for the date...it's February 12, 2105."

Esther shivered. February 12. The last date she remembered was February 10, but that was in 3066. She forced her mind back to the present. "I see. It seems I might have slept for a couple days then."

Lilith nodded. "You were unconscious for about 24 hours." She shrugged. "Not that I blame you. The medical department ran a basic exam on you to make sure you were all right, and honestly, it looked like you've had a rough time."

Esther swallowed. "Yes. I...well, a lot happened, recently." She swallowed again. "You wouldn't know what happened to my clothes, by chance?"

"We took them for cleaning. They were a little bit dirty. They'll probably be ready by now." Lilith frowned. "I can get you your dress back, but it isn't really practical for the station."

"No." Esther shook her head vehemently. "I'm fine. It's just...I was wondering who undressed me, and what had happened to my belongings."

"Ah. Well, I hope you won't consider it too forward of me, but I undressed you." Lilith gave her a shy grin. "As for your belongings...you didn't have much on you. But...I guess you'll want this back." She held up a familiar silver chain and locket.

Esther reached out and took it, her hands trembling. "Thank you." She'd missed the pendant at her throat, and it was comforting to have it near.

"May I ask you something?" Lilith was studying her, her gaze intent.

Esther swallowed back a feeling of uneasiness. "Of course."

"What year...did you expect it to be?" Lilith's eyes met hers.

Esther felt her shoulders tighten. "I'm afraid...I don't understand." She wasn't sure why she was evading the question, only that she was scrambling to get her thoughts in order.

Lilith held her gaze. "When you woke, you said you'd seen me. But...I have a very good memory, and I never met you. You said you were from Albion, but that name hasn't been used for a long time. And...you spoke of a Father Nightroad."

"Yes. He's someone I've known for quite some time."

Lilith shook her head. "It isn't possible. There's no one with that name. Or rather, I should say that the two people who could possibly have that name certainly couldn't have been 'Father' to you. Not at this time." Lilith's eyes went to the locket Esther still clutched. "That necklace..."

Esther swallowed hard. She knew what was in there. Her picture, and Abel's. Abel...as an adult, and a priest. "You...looked inside?"

"I did." Lilith gave her another small half-grin. "I didn't mean to pry. I was just wondering if it might contain some information, someone we could contact for you. But that face..."

"That man...he's someone I've worked very closely with...for a very long time." Esther swallowed again, trying to get the dry feeling out of her throat. There was nothing she could think of to do except tell the truth, and hope it worked out. "The truth is...this isn't the year I was expecting at all. The last year I remember is...well, it's 3066."

"So...you're from the future." Lilith didn't look or sound surprised.

Esther nodded, just slightly. "Yes."

Lilith held her gaze. "You're from...our future?"

"Yes. I am." Esther clenched her hand around the locket.

"I see." Lilith studied her a moment, then reached out to take her hand. "I'll tell the scientists a little but...I really don't think you should tell anyone else." She squeezed lightly, offering Esther a small smile. "You don't need to worry, your secret is safe with me."

Esther released the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "Thank you." She frowned. "Why...why is it so important though, to keep it a secret?"

"Because we don't want to mess up your future, whatever it is." Lilith sighed. "I'll have to tell the science department, so they can take that into their calculations, and we'll try to get you back home if we can." Lilith smiled again, and patted her hand. "Don't worry. It will be all right."

Esther nodded. She knew she should be worried sick, but whether it was the lingering effects of exhaustion, or simply Lilith's soothing manner, she felt better. "So then...what should I do now?"

Lilith tilted her head. "Well, it's going to be a while before anyone has any idea of how to take care of you, and in any case, we won't have a shuttle to or from Earth for a few weeks yet. So...I hope you don't mind, but I asked if you could room with us in the Gene manipulations department. It's got the most space available, and the least amount of hassle I think."

Esther nodded. "That sounds just fine, really."

Lilith smiled. "In that case, would you like to come with me?" She glanced at the room. "You can stay in the medical wing a little longer if you like, but I've already got permission to be your escort whenever you feel up to moving."

"Actually, I think now would be a fine time." Esther smiled and swung her legs out of bed. "To be honest, I was just thinking that lying around in bed wasn't going to help me any."

Lilith nodded. "In that case, please come with me."

Esther rose, and Lilith handed her a pair of low boots to slip on her feet. "The metal floors are usually rather cool, especially around here. These should keep you comfortable. Speaking of which, is your uniform all right? I'm afraid we didn't have anything exactly your size."

Esther shrugged in the white shift. It was a little loose, but not uncomfortably so. "It's quite all right. I'm sure it would be difficult, considering I wasn't expected."

Lilith smiled. "It's not a problem." She gestured gracefully. "This way."

The corridors the young woman led her through were all gleaming silver-steel, smooth curves, and neutral paint schemes. Esther heard her footsteps echoing in the hallways and shivered, remembering the sound of her footsteps on the ARK. After a few minutes, she noticed that each intersection was marked with low doorways, as well as numbers and letters. She blinked. "Umm...excuse me?"

"Yes?" Lilith stopped and turned.

"I was just wondering, these letters and numbers..." She brushed her hand along one of the designs. "Could you tell me what they're for?"

"Oh, of course. These are navigational numbers." Lilith tapped the designs. "The number tells you what deck you're on. The letter tells you what department controls this particular section. If you want to go anywhere without me, just make sure you bring up a map and check your destination marker. I'll show you how."

"Thank you." Esther studied it. "So...this is Deck 3...and we're in..."

"We just crossed over into the housing sector. H. We need to go up two decks, and then across to the GeM sector. That's where we room." Lilith gestured again. "There's an elevator just down the hall."

"You don't room in general housing?" Esther felt slightly surprised.

"No. I'm part of the Gene manipulation Department. Those of us that work there are on special schedules and training programs, so we're kept in separate living spaces as well.

She already knew the answer, but she still had to ask. "Ummm...you said, 'those of you'. How many people...are there?"

"There are two scientists who monitor us, one military, one civilian. They have their own rooms. You'll be rooming with me, and the other three. Two boys, one more girl." Lilith looked at her. "I hope that's all right."

"It should be fine." Esther swallowed back a thin chill of fear. She remembered Abel's stories, about his childhood. Remembered how he'd spoken of himself. Not to mention...she would be rooming with Cain as well. Her head knew that these were children, younger at this point even than she was, but her stomach was still knotting up inside.

Lilith nodded, then led her around the corner to an elevator. The ride up was short and smooth, and they emerged into another corridor, exactly the same. Lilith gestured. "This way."

The walked for a while, then turned down a hallway. It was a short corridor, with a door at the end of the hall. As they turned the corner, Lilith stopped. "Oh dear."

Esther paused. "What..." Then she heard it. Muffled voices, shouting from the other side of the door. Instinctively, she moved closer to hear.

"...it's not like that at all! What do you know about it?" The voice was a teenage tenor from the sound of it. "You..." The next words were muffled by the distance and the door. Then a very clear: "Why should you care? It's not like anyone ever says anything to you." The last word was sharp, the venom in it clear even through the closed doors.

Lilith stepped forward quickly and put a hand on a sensor panel. There was a hiss, and the door slid open, and the red-haired young woman stepped quickly inside. "Abel!"

Esther stepped to the door and stopped uncertainly, taking in the scene inside.

The room just inside the door was clearly set up as a general living area. It was a wide, circular area, with several branching doors. There were four different desk-like spaces, a large main screen, and various tables and chairs scattered in the room. The walls were neutrally colored, like the rest of the station, and each door appeared to have a name-plate next to it, though she couldn't read it. And in the middle of the room...

A small girl detached herself from under a desk and came flying over to Lilith as the door opened, grabbing her skirt. "Lilith!" She was clearly upset, and the reason was obvious.

Two young men stood in the center of the room, the nearer one's posture marking him as clearly angry. As Esther stepped into the doorway he spun around, rage stamped across his features. "What do you want?"

"Abel!" Lilith's voice was sharp, admonitory, but also clearly concerned. Her eyes drifted over the two boys. "Have you two boys been fighting again?"

"It's not a fight." The nearer of the two snapped the words out sullenly.

The other boy shrugged, his posture one of unconcern. "Abel's right. It really isn't a fight. He's just a little upset about something our training instructor said to him today. I was just trying to calm him down."

"Oh, be quiet. It's not like you even care." The other boy, Abel, jerked his head around, eying his companion with undisguised anger and veiled contempt.

"Really. If I didn't care, I wouldn't bother trying to talk you out of your temper."

"You just want to protect your precious reputation as a peacemaker." Abel snarled the words, then spun on his heel toward one of the doors. "I'm going to my room."

"Abel, wait." Lilith's voice was soft, commanding, and the youth stopped where he stood. "I realize you may be angry, but you need to be courteous. We have a guest."

"A guest? Another one of those scientists? Or is it another civilian, trying to curry favor?" Abel's eyes came back to Lilith, then past her, and Esther found herself staring straight into an angry blue gaze. "You and Cain can handle that. I don't care." He started to turn away.

"Wait." Esther stepped forward quickly. "It isn't like that. I arrived here by accident, and I'm rooming here until they figure out how to send me home. Ummm...my name is Esther Blanchett, from Albion." She held out a hand.

"Albion?" Dark anger twisted through the already furious blue eyes. "So...you're another one of the 'citizens'?"

Esther blinked. "I'm sorry...I don't know what you mean..."

"Never mind. Just leave me alone. And tell whoever sent you, I don't want any more 'minders' or observers, or whatever you're supposed to be." He held her gaze for a moment, then turned abruptly away and stalked into a room, slamming the door behind him.

"Oh dear. I'm sorry." Lilith shook her head. "Really, Abel..."

"They were just trying to get to him! It's not Abel's fault!" The young girl piped up, her eyes shimmering with a mix of anger and fear and tears. "Why doesn't he just ignore them?"

The other youth remaining in the room shook his head. "Well, that's just not the way Abel is. I suppose he'll calm down sooner or later, though. I'm sure he'll be more polite then." The young man turned to Esther, a gentle smile on his face. "Sorry about Abel's rudeness." He held out a polite hand. "I'm Cain. Cain Nightroad."

Esther swallowed, feeling her throat drying out. The boy in front of her barely looked twelve, though she knew from Abel's story that he had to be at least sixteen. He had a generous easy smile, a young echo of the smile she knew so well. The hair was cut short, barely chin length, and light gold, accenting sea-blue eyes and a kind expression. He was dressed in a white tunic, high collared with red trim, a black undershirt and black leggings, and low boots similar to the ones the others wore.

She realized she was staring, and quickly moved to take his hand. She felt her stomach clench, and had to force herself to remember this wasn't the man who had nearly killed her so many times. This was a young man who hadn't done anything wrong yet. "Sorry. I'm Esther. Esther Blanchett."

"Ah, yes. As I said, sorry about Abel's temper. He'll probably calm down later, but you shouldn't let his anger upset you too much. He's just a little tense." He smiled again. "I'm sure he'll be better later."

"Of course." Esther swallowed again. Even knowing the truth, she was having trouble reconciling the violent individual who'd slammed a door in her face with the man she knew so well. And reconciling the gentle, polite individual she was meeting with the madman who had destroyed part of her home. To distract herself, she turned to the youngster hiding behind Lilith's skirt. "Good evening. I'm Esther Blanchett. May I have your name?"

The girl hung back. Lilith smiled affectionately. "You'll have to excuse her. She's a little shy, and I think she was upset by all the shouting. This is Seth. Seth Nightroad. She's our youngest. And that..." Her gaze slipped to the closed door. "That was Abel Nightroad."

"Ah. You're all siblings?" She knew the answer, but...she'd promised Lilith she would keep the truth a secret.

Cain smiled again. "Well, biologically, Abel and I are twins. Unfortunately, we weren't raised in the same place, and we're really not much alike. Seth is our younger sister."

"I see. It sounds rather stressful." Esther smiled, then turned her attention back to the little girl still hovering behind Lilith. "Seth. It's very nice to meet you."

Lilith chuckled and stroked the young girl's head. "Why don't you say hello to Esther, while I go change, okay?"

Seth nodded hesitantly, then stepped away. The older woman patted her head once more, then disappeared through a different door.

Esther knelt so she could be on eye level with the child. It was hard to reconcile such a shy little girl with the hyper teen who'd once accosted her in the street, posing as a tea seller. But the green eyes and dark hair were unmistakable. She felt a sense of amusement, seeing the two miniature ponytails tied into the black hair, clear imitations of the hairstyle Lilith wore. "It's very nice to meet you."

"Are you another scientist?" Seth's eyes were wary.

"No. I'm afraid I'm simply here by accident. It's rather hard to explain, but I'm really not involved. At least, I don't think so." Esther swallowed.

"Hmmm. I suppose it has something to do with the explosion in the particle lab yesterday. They said there was a civilian injured." Cain's voice was thoughtful.

"I suppose so. I'm afraid I don't remember much." Esther shook her head. "Regardless, since we're going to room together, I thought perhaps we should try to be friends." She held out her hand to the child in front of her.

Green eyes studied her. Then... "Abel is...he's not a bad person. It isn't his fault!" Defiant sparks danced in those eyes, angry and challenging.

"I'm sure it isn't. We all have bad days sometimes. Back at home, I was raised in a church for a while. And sometimes, some of the other children would make fun of me. Or I would be sad and feel lonely." She felt the sadness tinging her expression. "I know what it's like to be angry, or have a bad day. I'm sure I'll get to meet your brother on better terms tomorrow, right? And I'm sure I'll be friends with him."

The wary anger faded out of the green eyes, and then then little girl moved forward to take her hand. "It's not fair. Why can't he just ignore them?" She was sniffling quietly, and Esther stroked her hair gently.

"Well, I'm glad to see you're willing to give Abel the benefit of the doubt." Cain smiled, and moved to settle himself in a desk chair. "But I suppose I should warn you, Abel's a little temperamental. He probably won't warm up to you tomorrow, or even next week."

"That's not fair!" Seth glared at the older boy. "You don't have to talk about Abel like that!"

"I'm just being polite. It isn't fair for him to bite our guests head off either, you know. I don't want Esther to get hurt, if Abel's in a bad mood tomorrow morning." Cain shook his head. "I'm sorry if I'm being impolite, but..."

"I think it's best if we stop discussing this." Lilith emerged, wearing a sleeveless blouse, close fit, over which she'd wrapped a long length of cloth. Esther recognized the style of clothing she'd seen on the body in her sarcophagus. It looked comfortable, and the younger woman wore it with an ease that said she was used to the design. She was also wearing two armbands, one on either arm. Lilith shook her head again. "There's no point in trying to predict Abel's behavior. And really Cain, Seth's right. You shouldn't speak of Abel like that. I'm sure he's trying very hard."

"Hmmm. Well, he almost got in real trouble today. I think they were about ready to call security on him this time. But...you're right. He is my brother. And he does have his good points. He did start that fight because he was worried, after all." Cain shrugged, then turned to Esther with a gentle smile. "Abel is a bit temperamental, and he's rather anti-social, but he is a good person, if he lets you get to know him. Despite his temper, he's really a better person than he seems. I hope you won't hold this outburst against him."

"No. Of course not." Esther shook her head. "I won't hold it against him at all."

"That's very kind of you." Cain smiled, then turned back to his desk.

Lilith sighed. "Esther, there's a spare bed that we can put together for you, in the closet. I was just wondering, would you prefer to stay here?" She gestured to the living area. "It's not very private, but...if that's what you'd prefer, we can do that. Or you can room with me, or with Seth."

"Umm, well, if it's all right, I think I should room with you." Esther looked the older woman in the eyes. "After all, it might make Seth uncomfortable, sharing a room with a stranger."

"I can handle it!" The girl stiffened.

"I'm sure you can." Lilith chuckled, but the sound was soft and somehow soothing. "I think Esther is just trying to be polite."

"That's right." Esther smiled at the youngster. "If you'd really like, I'd be happy to room with you. I just thought you might like to have a room all to yourself."

Cain turned again. "You know...Abel's less likely to visit you if you have a guest sleeping with you."

"Abel...I'm sure he won't mind!" Seth's tone was defensive, but her eyes were uncertain.

"Does your brother help you sleep?" Esther kept her smile friendly. "In that case, why don't I stay with Lilith? I'm sure your brother wouldn't mind, but I bet he's shy, like most teenage boys. I'm sure Lilith and I will get along just fine."

"Okay..." Seth looked up at the older woman.

Lilith nodded, a serene smile on her face. "I'm sure Esther and I will get along well." She moved forward to stroke Seth's hair, then moved to another door, opening it to reveal what was clearly a storage closet. "Esther, why don't we get your bed set up? This way, we can have you moved in before dinner."

"That sounds wonderful." Esther moved forward, helping the other woman extract a pile of carefully folded equipment and a metal frame from the closet. Once all the pieces were removed, the two of them carried them across the living area, and into Lilith's room.


	45. ThirtyThree Pt 02: Children of the Past

_**dragonwriter24cmf**__**Author's Note: **__Okay, so first of all, really sorry about the delay on this one. It was a tough chapter, helped not at all by being sick for a while, and the general holiday confusion. However, I hope the length and content makes it worth the wait. And yes, I can hear some of you going...'What the heck...time travel?' Yes, yes, I know. But we wanted Esther to really __**see**__ what kind of life Abel had. In the original cannon and spoilers, there's this hiatus that is never explained, and we wanted to fill the void. In my defense, we made it as believable as possible. Or so I think. Hope this doesn't drive you too crazy. We'll get the regular Abel back...eventually. Until then...please stick with us. And as always, reviews are welcome._

_**smcandy **__**Author's Note: **__Most of you figured out from chapter 32 that Esther wasn't really dead. This was the best we could come up with from the spoiler's cannon and flash back s seen about the RMP __**(Red Mars Project)**__ from the anime and manga. Temp. Time travel was the best option for Esther to get a small glimpse at what their past was like. Some idea's we got from RAW manga chapters that have yet to be translated yet in English. We got as much inspiration as we could and I think we did quite well in this area for the youngster crunisks. Also for those whom are and have just subscribed to my stories I have a _**Deviantart **_under the same user name I use here. Go to my main page and you'll find the link there to my galleries and see what arts I made for all the outfits Ester, Abel, Seth and Lilith wear and will wear in _**TBWC**_ along with some commissioned arts that were done for me on my fave galley look under for the folder that is titled __**CDFM **_**(commissions Done For me)**_ if you wanna see the ones that I pad or not done for me for free by some sweet artists. Also before for those whom have not bothered yet to add your vote to my poll on either my or Da main page to see what you'll wanna see me and my editor do next for out next story project once TBWC reaches chapter 40._

(*) As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in?

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**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. **I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter****.**

This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided love, **Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

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**Trinity Blood: War Continuum** - **Chapter Thirty-Three: Part two –**** Children ****of ****the ****Past **

The room proved to be a twelve foot by twelve foot space. It was small compared to the Palace rooms Esther had become used to, but she remembered her room in Saint Matthias had been about half the space, and suited her well indeed. There was a bed, a chest of drawers for clothing, and small adjoining room that served as the bathroom. Together, the two of them settled the frame and began assembling it. It only took a few moments, and it was ready. Lilith spread out the soft, inflatable mattress and aired it, then Esther took over to put the sheets and pillow on. Once they were done, she settled back. To her surprise, it was wonderfully comfortable. "Thank you."

"It's not a problem." Lilith smiled and settled gracefully back on her own bed. "I've never had a roommate before, so I think it will be fun. But...I think you had another reason for wanting to stay with me." She tilted her head. "You don't want any risk that the others will find out your secret, right?"

"Yes." Esther blushed. "I...I'm sorry if you feel I'm taking advantage of you..."

"It's fine. I did agree that it was a good idea to keep it quiet." Lilith smiled. "You know, I wanted to thank you, for speaking so kindly of Abel. I know he can't have made a good impression, but really, he's not so bad. But then...I think you know that." Her eyes went to the necklace Esther had tucked carefully under her borrowed uniform.

"Yes. I do." Esther smiled.

Lilith spent the next few hours telling her all about the station, and the personnel. She gave Esther a computerized map of the structure, and explained where various areas were, and who they were run by. She also highlighted key locations, like their rooms, and the lab where the scientists would be working to determine how Esther had arrived, and how to repeat the procedure. Her explanations included the storage facilities, where Esther would be taken after dinner to receive more clothing, and the basic gathering areas, like the dining hall, where most of the personnel and colonists gathered. For enjoyment, she recommended a small greenhouse located on one of the lower levels of the ship, and a computer room and library.

At Esther's request, Lilith promised to requisition a personal computer, so she could research the station and times more on her own, without asking too many questions. Fortunately, a quick demonstration on Lilith's machine revealed the computer system was very similar to some of the technology Virgil used. Esther breathed a quick sigh of relief, grateful for all the lessons she'd had in the AX, and Virgil's continuing instruction.

They were discussing various routes through the station when a low chime sounded. Lilith looked up. "That's the dinner chime." She rose from her seat. "Come with me."

The other three were already in the main area when they emerged. Cain and Seth looked exactly as they had. Abel was standing to one side, his uniform shirt open to reveal the black beneath, and a sullen expression on his face. He had one hand stuffed into a pocket. Cain turned as they stepped out. "Hey, you're joining us for dinner as well?"

"I am." Esther smiled. "I hope it's not too much trouble."

"Honestly, I don't know why they bother." Abel's soft response cut the air like a knife. "I don't care what they want now, having someone else here isn't going to make things any different."

Esther swallowed. She felt confused. Her head knew that this boy hadn't grown into the man she knew, but...she hadn't expected the difference to be so sharp. Even though he'd told her, even though Cain had told her...she still wasn't expecting it. Her first reaction was the same as she'd had with Ion on their first meeting. To meet fire with fire. But...it wasn't going to work with this young man. She already knew that. Besides, despite the lack of provocation she'd given him, she recognized that anger. She'd seen it so many times, when she'd seen him pushed too far. She just didn't know why he was expressing it now.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Seth stumbled over to the silver-haired youth and took his jacket. "Abel...you don't need to be so mad at her yet. She seems really nice. She said it was okay, if you were having a bad day."

"Whatever. Just don't bother me." Abel's sullen blue gaze caught hers.

"Ummm...well, I really won't bother you if you don't want to speak to me, but I was hoping we could be friends." Esther swallowed nervously.

"That's exactly what the last scientist said. And all he cared about was making sure I was 'socially adjusted'." He glared at her a moment longer, then turned away roughly. "Just leave me alone." With that, he stalked to the door, threw it open, and vanished into the corridor.

Lilith sighed. "Oh dear. I suppose that means he intends to skip dinner again. I'll have to see if I can save something for him this time."

Esther nodded. "I'll help you." Lilith met her eyes with a smile of appreciation, and led them to the dining area.

The dining room for the GeM department proved to be a small room with a long table. Meals were delivered by means of a hatch to one side. When they arrived, a man and a woman were already removing plates from the opening. The man looked up as they entered. "Lilith. Is this our temporary guest?"

Esther stepped forward. She appreciated that Lilith was so willing to be her spokesperson, but she was used to speaking for her herself. "My name is Esther Blanchett. I'll be staying with you for a while."

"Phillip. And that's Karen." The man gestured to the woman, who greeted her with a friendly smile. "We're the observational team for our special kids here." His eyes drifted over the group, and a frown settled across his features. "Abel skipping meals again?"

Cain stepped forward with a smile and took a plate. "He had a bad day in training today."

"I see." Phillip nodded. "Why don't you tell me about it, since he's not here." The two of them settled down at the table, and began a discussion. Moments later, Lilith handed Esther a plate, and she found herself seated near the other end of the table with the other girls, with Seth and Karen talking.

She tried to stay involved in the discussion, but it was all about day-to-day activities she wasn't part of. It was clearly some sort of daily ritual they all went through, one she wasn't used to. For the most part, she remained silent, listening, learning, and putting together her own story in her head. She'd escaped having questions thrown at her for today, but she suspected it wouldn't last. She needed to have a credible story put together, one that didn't reveal her involvement with the brothers.

The thought reminded her of her other concern. That half-familiarity she felt with all of them. She wasn't supposed to know them, and in some ways, she didn't. Everything felt off-kilter. She wanted to reach for Abel, soothe his anger as she had when they were partners, and when they'd become close. But the defiant sullen boy she'd met was almost nothing like the gentle, kind man she was used to dealing with. And he certainly seemed to have no intention of letting her get close to him. And Cain...her eyes slipped to the blond boy at the other end of the table, chatting amiably with the older man. He was quiet, courteous, and she sensed nothing of the madness, or suppressed violence that had made such moods particularly dangerous in the man she'd known as the Contra Mundi.

_Of course. Everything that happened to make them that way...it hasn't happened yet. I have to remember, these aren't the people I thought I knew. I'll have to treat them like complete strangers._ She had a feeling it would be harder than it seemed, but...well, she'd worked undercover before. Perhaps she could consider this another undercover assignment.

Finally, the meal ended. Esther hadn't eaten everything on her plate. She and Lilith shared a look, and she wrapped some of it in a napkin to take back. If the two scientists noticed, they didn't give any indication. The short trip back to the sleeping area was quiet. Cain seemed to be thinking about something, Seth was sleepy-eyed, the way young children usually got right after a meal. Lilith was preoccupied keeping an eye on the youngster. Esther focused on going over her story in her mind, putting it together and repeating the essentials in her mind, so they would come easily to memory when she actually had to answer questions.

When they got back to the rooms, Cain went straight through one of the doors and closed it behind him. Esther turned to Lilith. "So...what do we do now?"

Lilith smiled. "It's usually free time. We have studies, and recreational material. Of course, for Seth, it's time for bed. And the general signal for day's end will sound in an hour and a half. So, we can do whatever we like until then." Their gazes met for a moment, then Lilith nodded toward another doorway. "Why don't I put Seth to bed, and we can talk some more. In the meantime...do you have that food?"

Esther held up the hastily wrapped packet. Lilith tilted her head toward one of the desks. "Leave it there. Abel will see it when he comes in." She sighed. "I hope he doesn't break curfew again, and get dragged back. It will only make his mood worse tomorrow." She shook her head, then spoke in a softer voice. "I can't promise he'll eat it, but...thank you."

"It's no problem at all." Actually, it reminded her of the first night she'd met Abel, in Saint Matthias Church. The way he'd complained of starving, and how she'd brought him food. The memory brought a fond smile to her lips.

Lilith returned her smile, then ushered Seth into her own room. The toddler voiced a sleepy complaint, but it was obvious that she was falling asleep fast. Esther watched them disappear, then moved to the desk and laid the parcel of food on the table. Her fingers skimmed the surface. _I hope he's all right. And Father Nightroad as well._ She swallowed, a lump forming in her throat. She knew Abel and the others would be frantic with worry for her. She also knew there was no certainty that she could make it home. Not from this time. It occurred to her then that, given the fact that she'd been transported from the ARK, there was a very real chance she'd be unable to return until the Mars Colonists discovered the original ship. That was at least three years away, possibly more before she'd even have a chance of using it. The thought of being separated from her friends and surrogate family, and of the devastation it would cause to those who loved her, made tears burn in her eyes. She set the food down quickly, and retired to Lilith's room. As she settled into the bed, the stress of her emotions, and the upheavals of the day came crashing over her. She was asleep before Lilith came in.

**8888888888888888**

The next few days were confusing for Esther, and busy. With Lilith's help, she was able to refine her story of events to reveal as little information as possible, while still being helpful. Her own account, as she reported it to the station commanders and the head of the science division the next day, was that she was from 3066 AD. She'd been raised in Europe as an orphan, by the church, then gone to work for the Vatican, until she had been recommended, and chosen to accept, training and a diplomatic and political posting in Albion. She left the details vague, reporting only that she had been working in Buckingham Palace for a year. Of her appearance in the station, she explained that she had been working with the Albion Science Team, looking into some older technology, and that they had encountered a rogue group of trouble makers, and an accident had occurred, causing one of the machines they were working with to activate.

Remembering the specifics of the device was harder. More so because she wasn't very familiar with technology. But the scientists were patient, going over basic details with her, discussing theories with, or around her, until pieces clicked into place. Esther didn't understand much of what was going on, but they were clearly excited, and she was content to know that, at least, progress was being made in an attempt to send her home. In a way though, it was also frustrating. She didn't know enough to help, not really, which left her nothing to do but wait and occasionally answer questions. After the first two days, the commanders of the station left her alone, issuing her a temporary ID, a low level access card to the station, and permission to continue rooming with Lilith in the GeM quarters.

Lilith saw to it that she got basic supplies. Clothing, a computer, basic utilities. She was patient, showing Esther how everything worked, and what to do in case of an emergency, such as a station breach, loss of gravity, or a collision. But after the first week, she knew everything she needed to know about basic survival, and the young woman reluctantly left her to attend to her own duties and training.

Esther assigned herself the mission of gathering as much information as she could. Even though Abel had told her of his past, he hadn't given any of them much in details. She'd been too concerned with his mental and emotional well-being to ask. Nor had she looked through the journals and records Professor Wordsworth and Lord Walsh had gathered. But, even with the change in demeanor, and the sudden role reversal of which of them was the eldest, she recognized her dearest friend, her lover and her protector. She approached it as she had the AX mission to the Empire, a search for both information and connection.

All four of the GeM children, as they were referred to, were undergoing training for the colonization. From Lilith, she learned that the Nightroads were in general training, with Abel and Cain competing, unofficially, for command of the colony. Seth was still too young to have a position chosen, though she was smart, and expressed an interest in science, and medicine. Lilith herself was training in Science, and had already requested posting to the medical field.

Seth was frequently in and out of the living area they shared, escorted by Lilith or one of the scientists. After the first week, Esther offered to be her escort, and watch over her. The youngster was initially wary of her, but by the end of the third week, the ice had thawed, and the two of them were firm friends.

Cain was there mostly in the evenings. He was usually studying, or relaxing. He was polite, courteous and gentle. He was always willing to give her a helping hand if she needed it, he held the door for her if they were leaving or entering at the same time, and was willing to show her around or answer any questions she had. But he did so with the air of someone doing a duty and a courtesy, rather than with Lilith's friendliness, or Seth's innocent excitement. She knew that it was partly her fault. She couldn't help being nervous around him, and unwilling to be alone with him. But...she couldn't help remembering her last vision of the adult Cain, with Abel and Seth's blood staining his hands, and that cool, disinterested smile on his face. The same smile he wore so frequently when she encountered him on the station. Even knowing from Abel's stories that he had been a considerate person as a young man didn't keep the cold chills from crawling up her spine when she saw that smile.

Lilith was a relief. Esther quickly found common ground and interests with her roommate. The young woman had a lively sense of curiosity and gentle humor. She was intelligent and, unlike the others, shared Esther's deep religious convictions, and many of her moral ones as well. She was also far easier to be with. With no prior associations to avoid, Esther found herself relaxing in the other woman's presence more than she did with even Seth. And, as the days wore on, she had to admit she could see why Abel had fallen in love with the vibrant, yet gentle individual she was getting to know.

Abel, she saw hardly at all. He appeared only for evenings and for meals. At his best, he was closed off, distant, a sullen fire raging in his eyes when he looked at her. Usually, their encounters were limited to a brief exchange of glances before he turned his back on her and stormed away, usually behind his closed bedroom door. It was frustrating, and saddening that she couldn't seem to get him to open up to her. In fact, he barely spoke to her.

The days quickly fell into a sort of routine for her. She spent her mornings speaking to the scientists, discussing what little she knew, and asking questions to help expand her own knowledge. The late mornings and afternoons she spent in personal research, looking up any information she thought might help her if she ever returned home to her own time. Things she'd seen used, or discarded in her own time. She asked for, and received, pen and a journal, and made as many notes as she could. Carbon fiber strings, like Dietrich's. Technology she'd seen or heard Kampfer using. Automatons, or androids, as they were called. And, of course, everything she could access about the genetic manipulations experiments.

Late afternoons and evenings were spent with the others. She watched Seth while the older children worked on their assignments, and answered the youngsters questions about herself, and her home. She'd never thought it helpful, that she had no knowledge of her own parents, but it gave her an unexpected bond to all four of them. And Seth, she knew, enjoyed her stories of Bishop Laura. After the others returned, and later in the evening, she would talk quietly with Lilith, and transcribe her notes into her computer.

She came in one afternoon in the third week to find Seth sitting on a chair, curled up in misery, the child's face stamped with unhappiness. She set her computer and notebook on a nearby desk, and moved forward so she could kneel in front of the girl. "Seth...did something happen?"

Seth sniffled, curling tighter into a ball, the green eyes wet with tears. Esther reached out and put a gentle hand on the girl's arm, trying to soothe her. "It's all right. You can tell me, if you want to. Or, I can just get you something to drink, and we can wait for Lilith to come." She smiled gently, the way she once had for the injured Earl of Memphis. "Come on, I'm sure you'd at least like some water, or maybe some juice or how about some tea?"

Seth sniffled and nodded, just the tiniest bit. Esther wrapped an arm around her encouragingly. "I'll be right back."

It only took a few minutes to run to the dining room and call for tea, then return to the youngster. By the time she returned, Seth had uncurled a little, and was attempting to wipe her face on her sleeve. Esther smiled again, set the teacup down, and went into her room for a damp cloth. She wiped the child's face gently, then set the rag aside and handed her the teacup. "Here. I'm sure that's much better."

The child nodded again, and took a small sip of the tea. After a few swallows, she seemed to calm, her shoulders relaxing as she sank back into the chair. Esther smiled. "There. That looks much better." She studied the young face, the green eyes still dark with unhappiness. "Now, why don't you tell me what happened?"

Seth swallowed again, her eyes damp, and her lip trembling slightly. "I don't understand! Why do people say things like that?"

Esther swallowed. She'd heard those kinds of words before. "Did someone say something mean to you?"

Seth sniffled again. "They said I wasn't trying. But I did...I did try. I just don't understand everything yet." Another sniff. "And then..they began saying mean things about Abel. How he was a trouble maker. They talk like he's a bad person. But he's just not happy! He's not a trouble maker!" The green eyes were glittering with both defiance and hurt. "And they said I was being a trouble maker like Abel. They said he was a bad influence. But...but he's not!"

"Shhh..." Esther reached up to stroke her hair, soothing her. "I know. I'm sure they didn't mean it. I know. I'm sure Abel really is a good person. Sometimes, it can just be hard for other people to see."

Seth sniffled again, fresh tears streaking her face. Esther rescued the teacup just before it spilled, as the little girl curled closer to her. "Everyone always treats us like we're different. Like we're...wrong. I don't know why. Why does everyone have to be so mean?"

Esther swallowed. She had no doubt Seth was fully old enough to understand what was happening, but she didn't know how to put words to it. It was the same thing that had torn her home apart. Her world apart. People were afraid of others who were different. She didn't know how to explain it to this young, frightened and confused child. She swallowed, looking for the right words.

"I don't know. Sometimes, I think people can be really foolish. Back at home, where I lived..." She just barely avoided saying _when _"...I knew some people like you, a little bit." She felt the little girl move, looking at her through watery eyes. "A lot of people were nervous, because they were stronger, and faster, and smarter. But...they really were good people." Her mind went to Astha, and Ion . All the Methuselah she'd come to know. Father Tres, an android and equally strong and difficult to be around. Virgil, with his strength, and the shadowy secrets of the Underground surrounding him. And, of course, Abel. Abel, who hid his strength behind a mask of foolishness, to keep people from being afraid. "When I left home, I wanted to find out why people were so afraid, so I could find out how to fix it. But...I haven't quite found the answer yet. A very kind man was helping me with that."

"He was?"

"He was. So maybe...maybe someday, we'll understand each other, and people won't be so afraid." She stroked the youngster's hair.

Seth nodded. "And Abel...will they understand him too." Her hands clutched Esther's sleeve tighter. "He...why can't he just ignore them? Why is he always so angry?"

Esther shook her head. "I don't know. But...I tell you what. I promise, I'll try to help Abel too. I'll look out for him. All right?" She looked down into the green eyes and smiled. "Only, you probably shouldn't tell him I said that. After all, he doesn't seem to like supervision much."

That brought a watery smile to Seth's face. "Okay."

Esther held her hands a moment longer, letting her calm down. Finally, Seth sat up, scrubbing at her face to wipe the fresh tear stains away. Esther held out the cloth. "Here."

She was helping gently rub the last spots away when the door whisked open, and Abel strode in. His face was set in a scowl, and to Esther's surprise, there was a red splotch on one cheek, as if he'd been struck. His hands were stuffed into his pockets as usual. He saw both of them, and anger flared in the blue eyes. "What did you do to her?"

Esther swallowed. Abel's anger was as hard to bear in his teenage form as it had been facing him as an adult. "I didn't do anything. But she was upset, and I thought I could help her calm down."

"It's true." Seth obviously saw or knew something about Abel's mood that Esther didn't, because she jumped out of the chair and ran toward her brother, gripping the hem of his tunic. "The scientists in the lab just said something today. Esther was just giving me tea and making me feel better. She was going to help me." She looked up into Abel's gaze. "Abel...you can't get mad again. They said they'd put you in jail next time."

For a long moment, green eyes stared into blue. Then Abel shrugged. "Fine. I won't get angry." He drew away gently, turned away from the girl. "Lilith will be back in a while. You can get her or Cain to help you with your work." Then he strode to his room and shut the door, just missing slamming it.

Seth stood staring after her brother, her eyes wide and sad. She turned to Esther, still kneeling by the couch. "Abel..."

"I know." Esther smiled. "He probably just had a rough day, just like you." She held out her hand. "Why don't you show me what you had trouble with. I can't promise I'll be able to help much, but at least I can listen, and maybe that will help you work it out."

"Okay." Seth moved over to her computer station. Lilith found them there fifteen minutes later, with the youngster trying to explain where her problem was, and Esther trying to understand. Despite her interest, Esther was relieved when Lilith took over, leaving her to her own thoughts.

That night found her restless, unable to sleep. The memory of Seth's tear-stained face, Abel's anger, the knowledge that misunderstanding and human fear drove both of them, kept flickering in and out of her mind. But she didn't know what to do. As much as she wanted to fix it, she wasn't sure how. Even more, she remembered Lilith's words. Even if she could help them, it was possible that doing so would change her future. She felt as if she were walking through a field of pitfalls, most of which she couldn't see.

Finally, Esther rose from the bed. She couldn't sleep, but there was a drink dispenser in the main room. Hopefully, a cup of water would calm her down, and let her relax. The regulation nightwear was comfortable enough, and Lilith had given her a robe. She slipped it on and stepped out into the main room.

To her surprise, there was a faint light shining under the door of Seth's room, and the door was slightly cracked. She stopped, and heard a soft voice.

_**...But I'll be there for you**_

_**When the world falls down**_

Esther froze in surprise. She recognized the words. Part of the song Abel had sung for her, the one he'd told her was Seth's favorite lullaby. With that realization came recognition of the voice. It was higher than she remembered and somewhat rougher, but the singer was definitely Abel.

She moved away from the door quickly, determined not to eavesdrop on what was clearly a private moment between siblings. But as she quietly lifted a glass from the sink cabinet and filled it, the song came to an end. There was silence for a moment, then a young male voice spoke. "There. You should sleep now." The tone was short, almost brusque, but beneath the harshness was a clear note of both concern and affection. "Do you need anything else?"

"No." That was Seth. She heard a rustle as someone moved, then the sleepy child's voice came again. "You know, Abel...you could be nicer to Esther. She isn't like the others. She's just trying to help."

"That's what everyone says." There was a harsher note in the voice. Then a barely audible sigh. "Fine. Don't worry. I'll try to be a little better. All right? At least, I'll try not to yell at her, next time she's with you." Another pause. "Go to sleep."

There was a drowsy, half-heard affirmative. Moments later, the light clicked out, and a slender form slipped through the door and into the common room, shutting the door noiselessly. The faint emergency night lighting showed silver hair. Then Abel turned, and saw Esther standing there. Even in the relative dimness, she saw him stiffen. "What do you want?" His head flicked toward the door he'd exited. "You were listening?"

"No. Not at all. At least, I wasn't trying to." Esther spoke softly. "I was just a little thirsty, and came to get some water from the tap. I was having trouble sleeping."

Abel stared at her for a long moment, then made a soft noise, like a huff of exasperation, and started to the door to his room.

Esther watched him move. She wanted to say something, but she wasn't sure what. He was just about to vanish into his room when she found the words. "She's really very worried about you, you know."

Abel paused. "That isn't any of your concern." He lingered for a moment, then the door shut behind him. Esther stood staring at the door for a moment, then finished her water and returned to her bed.

She didn't see any of the siblings the next morning when she woke. She reported in to the Science Department, where they informed her that they'd made headway. They were fairly certain they'd identified the particles and radiation combination that had sent her, they just had to fine tune it, run some more tests, and develop an apparatus to generate the energy and confine it properly. To Esther's surprise, Seth was there, listening carefully, with an intent look on her young face. One of the scientists was working with her, but she was too far across the lab to hear what passed between the youngster and the woman who appeared to be her mentor. She stayed for about an hour, then left.

After that, she stopped by the library, chose a few references, then went to the shipboard gym. It seemed odd, to have such a place, but as Lilith had explained, maintaining proper exercise was even more important in space than on the earth's surface. More than that, Esther was used to regular exercise, but she could hardly go for a walk in the gardens here. She was stretching and warming up when the door opened, and a familiar silver-haired form entered.

Abel stopped in the doorway, expression going dark and guarded as he spotted her. She had a feeling, looking at his expression, that he'd come here expecting, and hoping to be alone. Before he could turn away, Esther spoke. "It's all right. You're perfectly welcome to join me."

"I don't feel like having people around." Abel seemed to be trying to contain himself, and she wondered why.

"It's perfectly fine. There's more than enough room for both of us here. I'm sure we can manage not to disturb each other." She held his gaze, willing him to stay. "Surely we can manage at least that."

After a moment, he stepped into the room and let the door shut. He moved immediately to the far side of the room, and began going through his own warm-up routine. Esther returned to hers, watching him carefully out of the corner of her eye, or in the mirrors of the room. She didn't want to disturb him, but she'd never seen Abel exercise, not as an adult or as a youth. She knew the other AX members took regular exercise, as well as combat training and practice, but he'd never needed it.

She finished her stretching, then moved to one of the machines Lilith had shown her, something she'd called a 'treadmill'. It let her walk in place. It wasn't as good as walking a garden would be, but it was better than nothing. She set it at a moderate pace, and began walking. She saw Abel dropping down to do push-ups on the far side of the room, and quickly averted her gaze. She knew that if he thought she was watching him, he'd leave.

She finished three miles on the machine, then picked up a set of light weights and did some toning and strengthening exercises, trying to remember the specific ones Seth and the Professor had given her for rehab on her shoulder. She went through each set three times, then began the basic drills Mary had taught her. She worked carefully, not wanting to strain anything, but the exercise felt good, relaxing.

She was halfway through one of the slightly more complicated drills when she noticed that Abel was engaged in similar exercise. The moves he was going through were different, but still familiar. She watched, noticing the fluid easy grace with which he moved. Remembering his training, briefly, on the fields, and watching him in combat.

Abel noticed her stare and froze. Esther bit her lip, aware of the mistake she'd made. "I'm sorry."

"What?" Abel's eyes met hers challenging, but she didn't know what he was thinking.

Esther swallowed. "It's just...I saw you, out of the corner of my eye. And what you were doing, well, it's a lot like the training I received. I was wondering, if it isn't too much trouble, I could use a partner. It's been a while."

Abel turned sharply away. "You don't want me as a partner."

"Why not? It looks like you've had good training."

Abel spun back around. "You already know what we are, don't you?"

Esther swallowed. "Well, I've heard that you were special. Lilith said something about being...genetic manipulations children, I think was the term she'd used."

"I'm not like you. Everyone else is afraid of that. You probably are too." Abel turned his face away, rage and hurt dancing in the winter-blue eyes.

"That's not true. I'm not afraid of you at all. It's true, it's a little disconcerting that you seem so angry all the time, but that doesn't make me afraid of you. I'm just a little concerned."

"I don't need your concern." The words snapped out, reminding her of Ion, the first time she'd tried to clean his wounds.

"Well, in that case, you don't need to be concerned about scaring me." She hesitated. "You know, you might feel better, if you worked out with a partner, instead of being alone all the time. Let me show you."

For a long moment, she thought he was going to leave, to storm away and vanish back to his duties or his room. Then he shrugged, stiff and tense. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you if you get hurt."

"I'm not worried about it." Esther nodded.

They moved to the open area of the gym, to the area designated for sparring practice. Esther looked at the gear stored in the boxes. "Do you need to get anything?"

"No. Do you?"

She knew the dangers of sparring without guards, but...she wanted to show she trusted him, that she believed in him. "I'm all right."

Abel didn't say anything, just moved to stand across from her. They both stood loosening up, then Esther shifted sideways.

Abel remained still, face dark and tense, hands loose by his sides. It was clear that he had no intention of making the first move.

Esther decided to try a basic attack. She moved forward, striking out with a high strike to bring his guard up, and a quick succession of blows lower down. Textbook, and something he'd probably learned to counter ages ago, but it would give her an idea of his response times.

Abel moved almost blindingly fast, his hand countering her feint with effortless grace, even as he spun around to block her second shot. His own counter was accurate, precise, and far faster than her own. She felt the impact; the jarring brush that she knew would leave a bruise even as she dodged. She also felt, in that micro-second contact, the shift as he adjusted and just pulled the shot.

The micro-second hesitation allowed her to react, blocking the second strike and disengaging enough for another plan of attack. But then there was no time for any more thought, or serious planning. The match was on.

Abel was stronger than she was, and faster. He'd had far more training than she had, and from a much younger age. Her advantages were that he seemed to be trying to control himself, and that she'd seen him fight. She knew his combat style. He'd taught her some of what she knew, in conjunction with other AX members, and Mary and Virgil. And she'd seen real battles, life-or-death fighting, whereas the boy in front of her had only been well trained. But even so, he was a good fighter.

She ducked another attack, moving in to grapple slightly with him, to block his hands. Abel countered the movement, sidestepping. Esther followed, swung around, and by sheer accident, her hand slipped his guard and came across to backhand him across the jaw, fairly hard.

Abel's jaw tensed, and real anger flared in the blue eyes. His hand moved so quickly she barely saw it, and certainly had no time to counter. He struck her with stunning force, knocking her backward to the mat a good two feet away. She crashed to the ground, stunned, her own cheek aching from the blow. She felt dazed, though even then, she knew he hadn't hit her hard enough to break bones. It would bruise, and probably look ugly, but she'd had as bad and worse. It was nowhere near as hard as Cain had hit her, when he'd knocked her unconscious on board his ship.

Abel stood there, blue eyes dark with conflicting emotions, cheek red where she'd struck him. She saw fury, shock, apology, and an odd sort of relief in his gaze.

She was just sitting up when the door whirred open again, and two men entered. Their gazes took in the silver-haired boy, standing in the ring, and Esther sitting on the ground, and the bruises. Esther saw both men's expressions change, going dark and ugly. She started to get to her feet and explain, but one of them moved forward and grabbed Abel's arm in a bruising grip. "What the hell did you do?"

"I didn't do anything. We were just working out." Abel's voice sharpened with anger and tension.

"Huh. Why don't I believe that, with all the fights you get into, Nightroad." The second man moved forward, offering Esther a hand up from the ground. His gaze slipped over her cheekbone, where she suspected a bruise was already forming. His gaze flicked back to the young man his partner was still restraining. "Let me guess. You came in, spouted some of your mouth, and the young lady gave you what you deserved. And that was all the excuse you needed to hit back, right?" His gaze flicked over Esther's clothing. "She's not even military. You were fighting a civilian?" A flicker of both anger and disgust went through his eyes. "What, tired of fighting with people who can fight back?"

Abel wrenched free. "It's not like that at all! I didn't attack her!"

Esther pulled free of the gentle grip and moved to stand between the silver-haired youth and his accusers. She knew very well how it had to have looked, walking in on them like that, but the fact that they accused him so readily made her feel strangely angry. And oddly ashamed. It reminded her of how she'd assumed Ion was a villain in their first encounters. "Excuse me."

Both men blinked. Esther met the nearer one's eyes steadily. "I'm sorry if it looked wrong, but he's telling the truth. I asked him to help me work some on my self-defense. I was afraid I might be losing my skills. Things just got a little out of hand, that's all. And really, he didn't hit me very hard. I know it looks bad, but it's only a very minor bruise."

Both men blinked. The one who had seized Abel shook his head. "You don't have to defend him, Miss. Military aren't supposed to fight the colony personnel. Too risky. Abel here knows that." He shot a dark glance at the sullen boy behind her.

"Well, he didn't really want to. I asked him to. I probably should have picked another partner, but he seemed to be well trained, and I thought it would be helpful to fight someone with more training."

"Hmph." The older of the two men sighed. "All right, Miss. Since you vouch for him, we won't report it to security. Although..." The look he shot Abel was almost venomous in its intensity. "Military brat like you ought to have better control." He snorted again. "Honestly. All that training and 'special' conditions and you can't do any better than that? Or is it just that you didn't want to?" The glare he gave Abel was challenging.

Abel said nothing, but Esther turned to see his jaw clench in anger. Without a word, he stalked out.

The men watched him go. The older of the two sighed. "Brat's nothing but trouble." He turned, and took a look at Esther's face. "You should go to the medical wing and have that looked at, Miss. And if you want my advice..." He gestured to the door. "Stay away from that silver-haired lad. He's got a bit of a temper. You want a sparring partner, I can give you a few names of people without the issues that guy has."

"Thank you, but I really don't think that's necessary." Esther looked both men in the eyes. "To be honest, if someone came in and accused me the way you two did, I'd probably be very angry myself. And everyone can have a bad day, especially if people treat them with suspicion and hostility." She didn't give either man a chance to respond, just bowed slightly. "If you'll excuse me." She turned and left.

Her cheek was throbbing, and a quick glance in the mirrored walls revealed it was swollen and red, and beginning to turn an ugly color. Esther sighed, then sought the medical wing. To her relief, Lilith was there, wearing her work uniform. She was hard at work when Esther arrived; gloved and wearing her simple white uniform, undecorated save for the UN badge on her chest. She looked up as Esther entered, then hurried to set aside the clipboard she was holding. "Esther, what happened?"

"It wasn't anything serious. I'm sorry if I disturbed you." Esther sighed.

"No. It's fine. This is just bacteria and vaccination checks." Lilith moved to a cabinet, stripping off her gloves as she went, and removed a first aid kit. "Here. Sit down." She guided Esther to a seat, and pulled out a piece of gauze to dab at the injury with cooling liquid. "What happened? It looks like you've been fighting."

"I wasn't really fighting. I was just sparring a bit with Abel."

"With Abel?" Lilith blinked.

"Yes. He came in while I was exercising. He looked a little stressed, and I thought it might help." She told Lilith the rest of the story while the young woman dabbed a soothing medicine over her face to reduce the swelling and ease the ache. When she finished, she sighed. "I was trying to help, but I'm afraid I made things worse for him."

Lilith sighed. "It probably wasn't the best idea to spar him. Still, you were trying to help, and you stood up for him. That was...that was very good of you. It's not something Abel's used to, having someone speak for him. Maybe...maybe he'll remember."

"I hope so." Esther swallowed.

Lilith finished her treatment, and Esther headed back to her rooms. She wasn't surprised to find Abel wasn't there, and Seth and Cain were still gone as well. She looked around the room, then sighed and settled down with her books. A part of her wanted to seek Abel out and apologize for getting him into trouble, but a part of her knew she'd have to wait.

Abel didn't show up for dinner, either. In fact, he didn't appear until just before the lights out tone sounded. Esther wanted to speak to him, unfortunately, Cain spoke first. As his twin entered the room, the gold-haired the boy turned. "So, Abel...I hear you got into a fight with Esther today."

Abel stiffened in anger. His eyes met his twin's. "It wasn't like that."

"I'm simply telling you what I heard." Cain shrugged. "Really, Abel, you have to be more careful. Even if it isn't your fault...you know what people will say. Unfortunately, you do have a bit of a reputation."

"Shut up!" Abel exploded suddenly. "I didn't do anything." His eyes burned with anger. "I never attacked anyone. They just assumed I did. And you probably believed them. They didn't even give me a chance to explain." His fists clenched. "It wasn't any of their business. They just barged in and accused me."

"Abel..." Cain sighed. "You know what the commander said about any more fighting."

"Shut up. It's none of your business." A short bark of laughter, or a choked sob, emerged from his throat, anger twisting it. "Just leave me alone." His eyes came to Esther for a brief moment, shimmering with hurt and anger, then he whirled to his door and all but ran through it.

Esther swallowed hard. She hadn't meant to cause him pain. But she knew enough to know that he wouldn't hear her apology then. She turned to Cain. "It really wasn't his fault, you know. It was just an accident."

Cain shrugged. "I know. But Abel is already in a lot of trouble for fighting. Even an accident is a bit problematic for him." Then the gold-haired youth turned away, leaving Esther to her thoughts.

She spent another restless night, tossing in the bed. Remembering Abel's pale face, the way the men had assumed he had hurt her, without even asking. Finally, she rose and moved into the common area. All the other doors were still closed, and she saw on the clock that it was only 4 am. The waking call wouldn't sound for another two hours, the breakfast call for three. She sighed, then moved to the door to Abel's room. She didn't press the button asking for admittance. He wasn't likely to grant it even if he was awake. Instead, she simply rested her head against the steel panels, wishing she could make things right for him.

She didn't mean to speak, but somehow, she found the words emerging from her mouth. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause you trouble. The truth is...I was simply trying to help. I just...I wanted to be your friend, to support you. You seemed so angry and so lonely, I wanted to help you. But...I'm afraid I made things worse for you. I'm sorry. I hope you'll be able to forgive me, for putting you in a bad position today. And I know...you probably don't believe me, but I hope, someday, you'll believe I only meant to be your friend."

She stood a moment more, then turned away quietly, to seek her own bed. Hopefully, she'd be able to get a little rest.

Abel was there, when they rose for breakfast. His face was set in a sullen scowl, and his eyes were dark, smudged with shadows. He looked slightly disheveled as well, his shirt partially unbuttoned. He looked up as Esther entered, and something she couldn't quite name slid across his gaze. Then he looked away.

Esther studied his back. She couldn't tell if he was angry, or simply tired. She thought about apologizing again, but she didn't know if he'd heard her the night before, or if he cared. Not to mention, Cain was already there, standing by the door, and she was strangely reluctant to speak in front of him. She settled for a more neutral remark. "Good morning."

Cain smiled. "Good morning." Abel said nothing, and Esther let the silence lie. A few minutes later, they were called for breakfast, and her concerns were forced to take a back seat to daily routine.


	46. ThirtyThree Pt 03: Children of the Past

**AN:** (*) As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in?

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

* * *

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. **I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter****.**

This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided love, **Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

* * *

**Trinity Blood: War Continuum** - **Chapter Thirty-Three: Part three –**** Children ****of ****the ****Past**

The next several days were tense. Abel seemed to be actively avoiding her. Cain was as politely distant as ever, and Lilith was normal as well, but Seth seemed to catch some of her older brother's wariness and anger. Esther couldn't tell if it was simply Abel's mood affecting all of them, or their schedule, or something else. She did the best she could, continuing to be friends with Seth, talking with Lilith, and looking up information. But she felt ill at ease approaching Abel, or the others. She wanted to speak to him, to apologize for what she'd accidentally put him through, but she also respected his privacy, and his apparent need to be left alone.

During the weeks that passed, Esther made more effort to spend time in the colony area, and with some of the personnel and staff in the Science Department and the command. Her excuse was that she was bored, and that she was considering applying to join the colonization if the scientists couldn't get her home. But her reading had taught her that the military command and the colonists were two very different groups. And she wanted to hear what they said, if anything, about the four Gene manipulations youths.

What she heard made her stomach tighten. Cain, they spoke of with respect, and in some cases, fondness. Like a prodigal son, or the top student of an academy. She heard the whispers of the likelihood of his ascension to leadership, and the acceptance of it.

Lilith was spoken of with general acceptance. The general consensus and view was of a young woman, a bit odd, who was shaping up to be a decent medic, and scientist. There was more affection, but still a sense of remoteness. People talked about her intelligence, and her faith, and competence, but she heard very few speak of the young woman as a friend. It was subtle, but as a monarch, she'd heard the difference between the way the courtiers who accepted her spoke, and the way Lord Walsh and Colonel Spencer spoke. Had Lilith been in the same position, she'd have said that almost everyone spoke of her in the former tone.

Seth, she heard spoken of in a half-joking, half-wary tone. She was bright, engaging, and young. But she was also being trained as a leader, at the age of six. She was working with scientists. Her precociousness made people as wary of her as anything else. Her evident fondness for Abel made them warier still.

Abel was almost always spoken of with dislike, or apathy at the very least. Most compared him to Cain, with the air of those dismissing a lost cause. Is temper made him disliked among the military personnel, and feared among the colonists. She heard more than one person hint, or say, that he should be removed from the project, that he wasn't worth the effort. There were a few who tried to be fair, but even they spoke more often of his temper and his problematical nature than they did anything else.

Several people asked her about them, when she revealed she was rooming with them. She did her best to defend Abel, but it was hard. She wanted so much to tell them that he was simply confused, to tell them what a strong, wonderful man the boy would grow up to be, but she couldn't. Because it might change the future. Because, for all her knowledge of the truth, she knew it wouldn't happen easily, and she couldn't tell them why she knew. She did try to remind them that teenagers were often volatile, and temperamental, and shrug it off as that, but she got the impression that most assumed that, as a Gene Manipulations, child, he should somehow have been better than that. Especially with his brother as an example. Esther bit her lip, and went to sleep, wishing she could do more.

She was reading in the rooms, relaxing one day, when the door burst open and Seth came in, tears streaking her face. Esther rose at the first click of the door, and caught the child as she came in, pulling her close to embrace her. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Abel..." The word emerged on a sob. "Abel...one of the scientists...he said something to Abel...and Abel got angry." There was another gulped in sob. "Abel...he should have ignored him, but he didn't. And now...he's in trouble."

"I see." Esther swallowed hard. She held the young girl a few minutes, letting her get the crying out of her system. "Is he in a lot of trouble?

Seth sniffled. "They took him away. I heard them say...Abel's going to...to isolation." Her small hands tightened in Esther's sleeves. "They're putting him in jail. But Abel didn't do anything wrong! He was just...trying to..." She sniffled again. "That scientist. He said Abel was bad for me, and making me fall behind. That Abel and I shouldn't be allowed to be together. That they would take me away from him." She sniffled again. "I don't understand. Why did Abel have to hit him? Why did he have to say such mean things to him?"

"I'm sure Abel just lost his temper. He shouldn't have hit the man, but I'm sure he only did it because he loves you."

"But...they're going to take him to the commanders. He might get sent away." Fresh tears streaked Seth's face. "They said I can't see him. I don't want Abel to get sent away!"

Esther felt a lump forming in her throat. She didn't want Abel to be sent away either. She swallowed hard, and turned her attention to the small child crying in her arms. There wasn't anything she could do about Abel now, and Seth needed her comfort.

She held the youngster for several minutes, comforting her. Finally, Seth's crying slowed. Esther stroked her head a few more minutes. "There. Is that better?"

Seth nodded. "I'm just...really worried about Abel. It's not fair. He shouldn't get sent away! I know he gets in a lot of trouble, but it's just cause he cares, and people say mean things about him."

"I know. Maybe we could go see how he's doing." Esther managed a small, half smile.

Seth gulped. "They said Abel's in isolation, and I can't see him."

Esther nodded. "All right. Well, why don't I go see him, and see what I can find out, and then I can come back and tell you how he's doing."

Seth sniffled one last time, then nodded and let go of Esther's shirt. Esther rose to her feet, smoothed the black hair once more, and spoke softly. "Try to get something to drink, and some rest. I'll do my best to be back soon."

Seth nodded again, and Esther turned and left the room. She thought, then turned and headed to the medical wing.

Lilith wasn't there. A question to one of the others revealed that the scientist Abel had struck had been brought in, and she'd left when she heard about Abel. Esther thanked the medic, then left. She had no idea where Lilith was, or Cain, and no idea if she could even access the isolation section of the brig. Finally, she went and sought the scientist who worked as Abel's observational scientist. Hopefully, he'd have some news.

She found Phillip in his office, working on something that looked like a report. He looked up when she knocked, then gestured to the other chair. "Miss Blanchett. What can I do for you?"

"Ummm...well, actually, I prefer Esther. Aside from that..." she moved to settle into the chair. "I was wondering if you could tell me anything about Abel's status. I heard from Seth, that there had been trouble."

Phillip sighed. "There has. Abel got into a fight with a member of the science department. In a way, it's even worse than the military personnel he's tangled with before. You expect a little bit of harshness with them. And the fact that he and the others are getting special treatment, that there's talk of promoting them all to top ranks as soon as they meet age requirements...it rankles a little. A bit of friction is natural. But with him, it's more than a bit. He's gotten into far too many scrapes. And a scientist...it's bad. Even more than military, he can't afford to upset them. If we lose the scientific communities support, this project won't make it. So it's a serious offense."

"I see. Do you know what his status is?" She swallowed.

"He's in the brig, in isolation, with limited visitors allowed. They military panel will meet tomorrow, to decide how to handle him." Phillip sighed again. "If he's lucky, then they'll leave him in the cell to cool his heels a while, then give him double shifts on maintenance and clean-up crews to work off his energy. And, of course, a heavy letter of censure on his record. In a worst case scenario, he could face an actual physical punishment, though it's unlikely. Or he could be removed from the project and sent back to the planet, back to the Gene Labs. At worst case, they'll probably put him in storage."

"Storage?" Esther swallowed hard. She didn't like the sound of that.

"Yes." Phillip must have seen the confused, sick look on her face. "Sorry. I know you're used to dealing with him as he is. But the truth is, no matter how human he is, Abel is also an experimental human being. If the military task force concludes that he can't be managed, they'll put him to sleep. With Cain doing so well, Abel can become an auxiliary. Or...if they feel it's necessary, simply cloned parts for a medical crisis for Cain."

Esther put a hand to her mouth, fighting back bile. "No. That...that's wrong."

Phillip shook his head. "It is. But it's out of my hands. Of course, I'll make very strong recommendations against it, if I'm called to speak, but...it's not my decision. I hope it doesn't come to that. I'll admit Abel is a very troubled young man, and possibly suffers from some sort of mental disorder. But that could be managed, if I got a chance to speak to him. If he were a little more forthcoming, I'd be able to work more with him, help him more. But he's so closed off and so surly, it's difficult."

Esther bit her lip and clasped her hands to stop their trembling. Then she looked into Phillip's eyes. "Ummm...if it's possible, I'd like to see him."

Phillip sighed. "It isn't a good idea. And I know your access pass won't get you in."

Esther swallowed. "I know. It's just...I don't think he's a bad person, and I know he can be good. I've heard him, soothing Seth at night, and he...that incident we were involved in, he really was only helping me. And he really did pull his strikes, until the last one. I think he would have pulled it too, but I threw him off balance. He didn't mean to hit that hard." She looked up again. "Please. I might be able to help him." Even if it meant telling him a part of the truth.

Phillip stared at her a minute, then nodded and pulled a key card out of his pocket. "Your access won't get you in. Mine will. I need it back, later, but I'll let you borrow it. Do your best." He handed her the card, then turned back to his desk.

Esther nodded. A quick consultation of her the map Lilith had given her gave her directions to the brig. She made the trip quickly, and slid her card into the key slot. The door slid open, revealing a short corridor that branched a few feet ahead. She moved forward, and was just about to turn the corner when she heard Lilith's voice. "Abel! That's a terrible thing to say. Those people down there are humans, just like you."

"They're not like us at all!" The words came, muffled by the walls, but so laced with anger that Esther had no trouble hearing it. "You, me, even Cain and Seth...we're all just experiments. Just expendable goods created for the Mars Colonization Project."

There was a moment of silence, and when he spoke again, the anger was laced with pain, so deep it cut Esther's heart like acid. "So...knowing that's who we are...what kind of a future do you think we could possibly have?" There was anguish in his tone; a sort of pained grief that made Esther put a hand over her mouth, fighting back tears.

"Abel..." Lilith sounded hurt, and at a loss for words.

There was silence for another moment, then another voice spoke. "I don't know." Cain's voice, calm and gentle. "But, you know. I'm happy to have been born at all, brother."

"Cain..." Abel's voice was weaker, almost inaudible. The anger was gone, only pain and confusion in it.

Cain spoke again. "You know, I really don't think it matters how we were born. I think, no matter where you're from, if your will is strong enough, you can make the future whatever you want."

Esther felt her breathe lock in her throat. Abel had told her of this moment. The moment that had turned his life around, had meshed his destiny with his brother's. She froze, feeling trapped.

Cain spoke again. "So then, Abel...what kind of future do you want?"

Esther heard the unspoken promise in that low, even tone. The offer the young man was making.

His brother heard it too. "I...I want... the future I want is ..."

Esther broke, spinning around and going back out the door. She couldn't stay. Her heart wanted desperately to know what kind of future Abel wanted, but...she couldn't listen. Her heart was pounding, her mind filled with images of her own time. She bolted, running through the corridors, her pulse ringing in her ears. She stumbled through the corridors, not caring who saw her, until finally; she staggered into one of the small observation ports. She stumbled forward, letting the door shut behind her, then sank onto the floor, her mind whirling and helpless tears staining her cheeks.

She wanted to comfort Abel. Wanted so much to tell him that his future would be a good one. To tell him of laughter, shared in the Vatican. Of His friendship with Ion, and Astha. Of all the people in the AX, who loved him. Of the relationship the two of them would share. She wanted to tell him about sunny days in the garden, and touring Rome and Londinium with his sister, laughing in the sunlight. Even, perhaps, of their love-making. She wanted to describe the Professor, with his kindness, and Tres, and Leon. And Caterina, who she knew would go to hell and back to protect her AX member.

She wanted to tell him of all the good memories, of how much he was loved, how his existence would bring forth peace, and how many good men and women had mourned when they thought he was dead. All the respect and friendship he would gain. But...it was only half the story. And the other half, she couldn't bear to tell him.

_You __will __be __betrayed __and __left __to __die. __The __person __you __most __love __in __the __world __will __be __killed, __in__front __of __your __eyes, __by __the __person __you __most __respect __and __depend __on. __In __saving __your __brother's __life, __you __will __drive __him __insane, __make __him __a __monster.__You __will __become __the __most __powerful __being __in __the __world, __and __spend __your __life __trying __to __hide __it, __in __shame._

The words pounded in her thoughts. She tried to shove them away, but more came to take their place.

_You __will __mourn __for__nine __hundred __years.__You __will __suffer, __and __fight, __and __be__hurt. __You __will __be __tortured. __You... you __will __die,__at __your __brother's __hand. __And__be__revived, __to__continue __fighting, __to __continue __being __tormented.__You __will __grieve, __terribly, __and __suffer,__because __you __care __so __much._

The thoughts made her head ache. And yet, if she changed nothing, they would all be true. She remembered his face, the first time he had told her the truth of his Crusnik form. His expression as he had died, and been resurrected. The terrible doubt he had borne, living with his powers. The pain he had suffered. His grief, for Noelle, and Lilith, and her.

Esther felt tears coursing down her cheeks. She wanted so much to tell him of the good things he would see, but all she could think of, in that moment, was the suffering he would endure. A part of her wanted to step forward, to tell him, to tell the commanders of the Red Mars Program. To put an end to it. All she had to do, to prevent his pain, was convince them to stop. All she had to do was tell them, of the Armageddon, of the wars, of the price that would be paid. And then...she could spare him.

But...if she did, Abel would almost certainly be erased from her time. Everything she knew would be erased. No Contra Mundi, no Abel, probably no AX. Certainly no Methuselah. All her friends, her people, people like Lord Walsh...she would destroy their lives, alter their destinies, wipe them out of existence. Even her own life might disappear.

She sat there, tears on her face, conflict in her heart. She didn't know what to do. What to say to the young man whose broken voice she had heard. She hadn't really guessed, until now, how truly terrible it had been for him. He'd told her, Cain had told her, but she hadn't really guessed at the depth of his pain, not until this moment. The knowledge that she would be, at least indirectly, responsible for making it worse was almost unbearable.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there. But she was still sitting on the floor when the door hissed open, and Lilith's soft voice spoke. "Esther?"

She didn't, couldn't answer. Lilith's voice only reminded her of the terrible truth, which the young woman standing behind her was going to die, and die horribly. The fact that she had another hundred hears and more before that fate was scant comfort.

She heard rustling fabric, then Lilith was beside her, a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Esther, what's wrong? Seth said you went to ask about Abel, and Phillip said you had his key...but...you weren't there. And when you never came back, Seth was concerned about you." There was a pause. "Esther, what happened?"

Esther swallowed back tears. "I went to see Abel. But, you were there, you and Cain..." Her voice caught in her throat.

"You heard Abel?" Lilith's voice sharpened with concern. Then she spoke softly. "I know, Abel can be a little harsh. But I don't think he meant what he said, about wanting to destroy the human race. He's just...very hurt."

"It wasn't that. When he spoke, of his future...he sounded like he was in so much pain...and I..."

"You know his future. What Abel faces." Comprehension entered Lilith's tone. "You know, already, what will happen to him."

Esther nodded. She knew she wasn't supposed to speak of the future, that they'd agreed to keep it secret. She settled for a half truth. "The Father...he was very kind, but, when I spoke with him...he was so lonely. And so much...he endured so much..." She swallowed, and stopped. "I...feel very selfish...wanting to protect my future. Knowing...what he will go through...I...is it wrong of me?" She looked up into the golden eyes.

Lilith said nothing, only reached out and embraced her, gently, as a friend, sister or mother might. Esther let her, letting the gentle embrace soothe her. After a moment, the young woman spoke. "I don't think it's selfish at all. But...was there nothing good, where you came from?"

"There was...there was a great deal of good." She smiled. "I have many good friends that I treasure, and I know the Father does as well. But still..." Her smile faltered.

Lilith smiled. "That's good. It gives me hope, you know. That someone like you, could weep for him, and speak of him with love...it says something very good about Abel's future. If even one person loves him, and speaks well of him, then its worth, I think." Her hand touched Esther's hair again. "I think that you are doing the right thing. I'm sorry it pains you, but still...I think the future should remain as it must be." She sat for a long moment. "The truth is, I think Abel loves this world, but he can't see it. He's been so hurt, he's trying to hate everything. But...you...you're proof, that Abel will one day realize the truth, and be able to let go." She took Esther's hand gently, and something about the grip made Esther look up, into those golden eyes again. "I know it's hard, but someday, I want Abel to be able to start over. You're the proof that he can. Please, I know it might be hard, in times like these, or when he's angry, but please, don't ever forget that."

The words felt right. She remembered Abel, standing beside her, with his arms wrapped around her. _I __believe __we __are __all __God's __children_. And, more importantly...

_I __am __on __your __side. __I __did __say __it __after __all, __didn't __I? __I __am __your __friend._ And later... _I __love __you._ His promise, to always come for her, and his request for her to wait, so that they could be together. She nodded. "I understand. I won't forget."

Lilith smiled. "That's excellent. So then, why don't we clean away those tears, and rejoin the others."

Esther nodded, and accepted the handkerchief Lilith gave her. Then the two of them turned and headed to the GeM housing area. They stopped to give Phillip his key back, then continued on.


	47. ThirtyThree Pt 04: Children of the Past

**AN:** (*) As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in?

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

* * *

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. **I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter****.**

This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided love, **Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

* * *

**Trinity Blood: War Continuum** - **Chapter Thirty-Three: Part four –**** Children ****of ****the ****Past**

Cain was there when they arrived. He smiled at their entrance. "I spoke to the commander, and to the scientist. Abel's going to be in holding for a few days, and he's going to get a lecture, but I did convince them not to send him away or anything."

"That's good." Esther's smile was a great deal more heartfelt.

At the sound of her voice, Seth's door cracked open, and then the girl flung herself out of her room and buried her face in Lilith's skirts. She hugged the woman tightly, then looked up at Esther. Her eyes were bright with hurt accusation. "You said you would come back and talk to me!"

"I know. I'm really very sorry. But I got lost on my way down to the holding area, and I couldn't find my way back. I'm very sorry I made you worry. And I didn't get much information on Abel for you. Next time, I'll be sure to ask for directions."

Seth looked up at Lilith, and she nodded. The confirmation made the child relax. "Okay."

Lilith smiled. "On that note, we should probably get some dinner." Esther was aware then of her stomach growling, and the four of them headed to the dining hall.

Phillip announced at dinner that night that Abel was being confined for two weeks. The rest of them nodded, and went back to their rooms, but Esther slept restlessly that night, and knew Lilith did as well. They were both thinking about Abel, and the future.

The next few days that passed were strange. It felt wrong, being without Abel. Despite his avoidance of her, she at least knew he'd been there. His absence was felt, mostly by Seth. She missed her older brother terribly, and spent long hours curled up with Esther or Lilith, her eyes dark and unhappy.

Esther woke early on the morning of the two weeks were up. She wanted to see Abel again, to ask if he was all right. Even if he brushed her off or ignored her, she wanted to speak to him. To her disappointment, Abel wasn't at breakfast with the others. She waited in the room for a few hours, hoping he would come by, then reluctantly left to stretch her legs.

Her feet and her troubled thoughts led her to one of the observation decks. It was one of the one's facing Earth, and she'd discovered it her first week. The view was comforting, soothing. It helped, to be able to look down and see the place that was her home, even if it looked slightly different from what she remembered. She wasn't really paying attention, until the door opened. Then she stopped, her heart suddenly pounding.

Abel was standing by the window. His hands were in his pockets, his back to her. His posture seemed relatively relaxed, but she couldn't be sure. At the sound of the door, he turned, blue eyes regarding her with the familiar look of wary anger and frustration, but also a slight air of puzzlement.

A million things went through her mind, that she could say. But some of them she knew she shouldn't say, and some of them felt, just wrong somehow. She finally decided to try to be neutral, and let him steer the conversation. She moved to the window. Abel turned to go, and she spoke quickly, hoping to stay him. "Please, you don't have to leave. I was just coming to admire the view. It's all right if you stay."

He didn't answer, but he didn't leave either. They stood in silence for a few moments, until she found something else relatively neutral. "Seth has missed you. I know she's been very worried about you."

"I know." Abel's voice was as neutral as her own.

She waited a moment, but he didn't seem inclined to speak any further. She tried something else. "Are you all right? I thought you might not come to much harm, but the way Phillip talked..."

"I'm fine. And you shouldn't bother worrying about it." A tinge of bitterness touched his voice. "You said you aren't a scientist, so my health isn't any of your concern."

"That isn't true." She spoke softly. "I said it before: I want to be your friend. I know you may not believe me, but it is true. I just want to help you."

"Why?" The word was laced with surprise, and suspicion, but it was at least a beginning.

She thought of several things she could say, but chose the closest version of the truth. "Because, I know what it's like to feel alone, and angry at the world."

"Save it. You have no idea what my life is like." The sharpness, stung, but not enough to deter her, now that he was speaking to her.

"That's true. But that doesn't mean I don't know what loneliness is like, or anger. I also know, that when I was at my worst, a very kind man spoke those words to me. He told me that he was on my side, and that he would be my friend." She smiled, just a little. "I didn't really believe him either, not at first, but...I was very glad later, that he said those things to me. They really helped me out, a very great deal." She paused, then spoke softer. "I really am sorry, that I got you into trouble that day."

"It doesn't matter. They hate me anyway." Abel's voice was laced with bitterness, but slightly softer. After a moment, he spoke again. "You didn't get me in that much trouble. They didn't report it, after you defended me."

"I'm glad. But still, I'll be more careful next time."

Abel didn't say anything else, and neither did she. After a few minutes, he turned and left the room. Esther remained with her thoughts, wondering if the brief meeting would help things between her and Abel.

That night, Abel actually waited at the door for her to pass him on the way to dinner. He didn't say anything, but the gesture of courtesy was more than he'd made since her arrival, over two months prior.

The next few days fell back into a familiar routine, but Abel kept showing her signs of...well, she wasn't sure she could call it thawing, but he was no longer sharp. His eyes, when he spoke to her, were still guarded, but no longer snapping with ire. He was more quiet, in general, than he had been, but he no longer slammed his way to his room the minute he arrived in general sleeping quarters.

His demeanor with Cain was also different. More than once, he seemed about ready to lash out, then checked himself. Even more frequently, there was a strange sort of tension and confusion between them. She caught Abel studying his twin every now and then, with confusion and a sort of wary, fragile hope in his eyes.

She knew why. She remembered what he'd told them, that night he'd revealed his past, and the scars lacing his soul. She knew what had passed between him and Cain, what the gold-haired boy had offered him that day. She could see in his eyes that he didn't quite trust it, and she wanted desperately to tell him it was all right. But she held her peace.

Three weeks after Abel's return to the group, she was summoned to the Science department. She arrived to find the head of the particle physics team assigned to her project looking very excited. He smiled as she arrived. "Esther."

"Yes. You said you had news?" She swallowed. She wanted to go home, more than anything, but the thought of leaving behind the fragile relationships she had so recently built made her heart ache.

"We do. We've isolated a containment barrier that should support the radiation energy we require. It's a combination of carbon and glass, in a special mix, and overlapped with a protective electro-magnetic field. It should contain the emissions for maximum efficiency. We've run through computer simulations, and through a few small scale live tests, and it appears to be viable. The emission won't be nearly as strong as the one that sent you here, but we aren't sure if that much power is necessary. And we've already made records to have this station, or an emergency satellite, here, since it's purely a quantum temporal transfer. However, we also recommend that you wear an emergency suit, when you go, in case of a miscalculation. We'll fit you with one of the long term ones, with at least a week's supply of air and pressure. Should be more than enough time for you to be heard and found."

Esther nodded. She didn't dare say what she was thinking. That in the proper time, the station wouldn't exist, and there would be no one who could find and save her. She knew she had to trust her luck, and have a little faith. "Thank you. When will...?" She stopped, hesitating over the words.

"About two weeks. The shuttle with the parts will arrive in five days or so, and after that, we'll set up and calibrate for you." The scientist smiled. "Have to say, it's been an interesting project. I wasn't sure we could actually make it, with all the work on the Mars Project. But I'll say in advance, I hope you get home all right, Miss."

"Thank you." Esther shook his hand, then walked back out the door, her head spinning. Her mind felt dazed. She'd been living on the station only a few months, but it was long enough for her to feel at home. Long enough for her to have made friends. And long enough for her to have become resigned to the thought that she might not get home for years. She'd actually begun considering putting in her application to be part of the colony, and telling Lilith what to look for once they reached Mars. It was difficult, keeping her secret, and would have been harder still, through all those years, but she could have done it. Only now, she was going home. It excited her, and saddened her, especially the knowledge that she had only just begun breaking the ice with Abel, and she had to leave him.

She was so lost in her thoughts; she didn't hear the door to the GeM quarters hiss open as she neared it, nor the footsteps out. She didn't notice anything until she slammed into a warm, firm body. There was an instant of off balance confusion, stumbling, and a young male voice crying out, then something struck her shoulder, snagged in her pendant, and she jerked away, and both of them crashed to the ground.

The fall wasn't hard, but it startled and winded her. She lay still a moment, catching her breath, then sat up.

Abel was sitting in the doorway, shaking his head. Esther swallowed. "I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

"It's fine." There was only a touch of sharpness in Abel's voice. He moved his hand, and Esther saw the chain snagged in his fingers. Her hand went to her throat, but the pendant chain wasn't there. She swallowed hard, her mind going blank as she realized that the locket had sprung open, revealing the pictures inside. She could only think that she was lucky, that she'd taken the ring off and kept it in a pocket for safe keeping, knowing how suspicious it would be to have a ring of Martian stone on her.

Abel blinked. "This is yours?" He started to hand it back, but the blue eyes fell on the open locket. His eyes widened. "This..."

"A friend of mine gave it to me, about a year ago." She swallowed hard.

"This man..." Abel's eyes were wide.

"He's a very close friend. The one who spoke those words to me, that I told you of." She hoped he wouldn't guess the man's identity.

She should have known better. After all, he'd known his sister after nine hundred years of absence, without ever seeing her face.

Abel looked up at her, eyes wild. "Why do you have something like this? How...how did you get this?"

"I told you, a very dear friend of mine gave it to me."

He moved forward then, his hand catching hers. "You know...you know..." He couldn't complete the question, but she knew what he wanted to ask anyway.

There was no help for it. She took her hand in his, covering the locket chain. "I do. I'm sorry, but I can't tell you. If I do, things might be changed for worse." It was the hardest thing she had ever said. "I'm sorry. But I can't tell you what will happen."

He gazed into her eyes, his own filled with surprise, and hurt. Then he let her go, and turned away, that shocked pain still in his gaze.

She couldn't let him leave like that. She reached out to touch his shoulder. "I will tell you one thing, though." He turned to her, and she reached out, to brush the silver hair, as she had brushed it from his face as an adult, when he was in pain. "It will all work out, I promise you. The world is full of people who will care for you. Please, don't forget that."

He stared at her, then sighed. "You sound like Lilith." He shook his head, then turned away and disappeared up the hall, leaving her unable to tell if he'd complimented her or not.

She told the others of her impending departure that night, after dinner. Cain, as expected, expressed gentle regrets. Seth, she held in her arms for well over an hour, hugging the child, and promising not to forget her, and that she would, eventually, see her again, though it would be a long time. Abel didn't say anything to her, but she saw a sort of confused anger in his eyes.

Lilith remained quiet until they retired to their quarters. "So they found a way to return you to your time."

Esther nodded. "At least, they think they have."

Lilith smiled, a touch of sadness in her expression. "I see. Well, I suppose it's for the best. But...I'm glad you came. You gave Abel a little faith in humanity, I think. And you've been wonderful with Seth." She met Esther's eyes, her own serene. "I hope we don't change your future too much, by having you here."

Esther nodded, unable to say anything. She was reminded, once again, that the girl in front of her would die. She didn't it to happen, and yet, for her future to exist, for the man she knew as Abel Nightroad to exist, it had to be. She swallowed hard. "I'm sorry, but I'm rather tired this evening."

"Not surprising, you've had an exciting day." Lilith nodded, and the two of them retired.

The next two weeks were bittersweet for Esther. She spent a lot of time with the scientists and the outfitters, being fitted for her suit. She spent the rest of the time, as much as she could, with the four GeM children. To her surprise, she found she was going to miss all of them. Even Cain. They'd never really had more than a politely friendly relationship, but he was a kind, generous youth, reminding her of the times when he was relaxed, when she saw the humanity in his face. Of their first meeting, when he'd been acting like a scatterbrained idiot, exasperating yet helpful and oddly amusing. He was more serious now, but the charming, easy manners were still there. She found herself wishing she could preserve them.

She spent long hours with Seth, determinedly playing and enjoying her company. The youngster was sad about her impending departure, and determined to get as much time as possible with her. Esther understood, and was more than willing to go along with the child's request. Her heart ached, knowing she would miss the youngster's bright cheerful innocence.

She and Lilith spent a few hours talking, but they were both adults. The farewell for them was easier in a way. She could see the melancholy in Lilith's eyes, and felt it in her own heart, but it they'd both been expecting it, and understood the necessity.

Abel didn't speak to her. He watched her, with dark eyes, but he didn't speak. She wondered if he was angry with her, for leaving. Or if he was relieved that she would stop intruding into his life. Or if, having found out about her relationship with his future, he was angry at her for not telling him, if he felt betrayed by her silence. She wasn't sure, and wasn't alone with him long enough to ask.

The night before her journey, she couldn't sleep. Fear for the unknown tumbled together with fear of what she did know. Her heart ached, knowing what she was leaving these four individuals to face. The temptation to go to the command, tell them she'd decided not to return, was strong. So was the temptation to tell them everything she knew about the future, to tell them to abort the project, or at least remove the Gene Children from it. To spare them. She clenched her hand around her locket firmly, reminding herself of the price that would be paid. Finally, she rose from her bed and headed into the main area, for a drink.

Abel was there, silver hair glittering in the faint light, getting water from the tap, and snacking on a roll he'd evidently brought from dinner earlier. Esther smiled, remembering the many times she'd caught the adult Abel wandering around after hours. And the peanut butter sandwiches she'd made him, the first night they'd worked together.

Abel turned and spotted her, freezing where he stood. For a long moment, they stared at each other through the darkness of the room, and then he spoke. "What do you want?"

"Nothing." She shook her head, moving forward. "I just came to get some water. And I was thinking, how normal it looks to see you like this."

Abel turned away, though she couldn't be sure if it was anger or embarrassment. "I get hungry at night. It's not something to be concerned about."

Esther smiled. "I know."

"How?" He faced her, his own gaze challenging.

There wasn't much about the future that could be changed by telling him that. "You do it all the time. I've seen you. I even made sandwiches for you, and tea."

He turned away again. "You're leaving tomorrow. For wherever...whenever, you came from."

"I am." She nodded.

His shoulders were tense. "I thought...I thought you wanted to be my friend, to help me."

Sorrow hit her. She swallowed. "I do. I do very much. But...I need to return. If I stay here, something might go terribly wrong. But...I will tell you this. You'll see me again, and I promise, I will always be your friend. No matter what happens."

Their gazes locked, for a long minute or so. Then Abel turned away, and disappeared back into his room. Esther stood for a long moment, swallowing back tears, then returned to her own room.

The next morning, Esther spent in preparation, getting the suit fixed, the final adjustments, and last minute instructions on use, and what to do in an emergency. To her surprise, both Lilith and Seth came to help her with that. Lilith made the final alterations, settling the air and power packs a little more securely. Seth delivered an endless barrage of questions, quizzing her on what to do if she thought she might fall into atmosphere, if there was a leak, if she hit something, or got hit by it. Esther answered every question, trying to keep a smile from her face at the child's serious demeanor.

Finally, it was time. The two girls escorted her down the hallway to one of the experimental labs, where the apparatus had been set up. To her surprise, Cain met her at the doorway, a gentle smile on his face. He was leaning against the wall, but he straightened as she approached. "So then, you're really leaving?"

"Yes." Esther swallowed hard, feeling a lump in her throat.

"Well, I hope you have a safe and pleasant trip." Cain's smile widened. "I wish I could tell you Abel will be here, but I think he's off sulking again. But, you know, you really have been good for him."

"Well, I think you may have helped as well." Esther smiled back. She took a deep breath, trying to ignore the pounding of her heart and the painful lump in her throat. She met Cain's gaze, and without conscious thought, found herself reaching out to the young man. "I'm sure you'll do very well, and take good care of him. But please, just remember...be careful, all right?"

Cain nodded. "Of course."

She turned to Lilith. "Please, tell Abel I said goodbye, and I pray for his health, and his happiness." She looked into the golden eyes. "And please know, I pray for your health and happiness as well. All of you."

"Of course." Lilith smiled, and held out a hand, brushing Esther's glove. "Have a safe journey, Esther. It was quite nice meeting you."

"You as well." Esther nodded, then turned away and strode into the experiment chamber. The scientists were standing by the panels, awaiting her. The center of the room was dominated by a huge clear cylinder, just like the one she'd come from, only slightly larger. She was just moving to step inside when a scuffle sounded in the corridor.

She turned. Abel was standing in the doorway, his silver hair disordered, his eyes dark with roiling emotions. He didn't say anything, but the fact that he was there to see her go lifted her heart and broke it at the same time. She smiled sadly at him, and whispered, "Good bye." Then she stepped into the containment chamber, and the door closed behind her.

A familiar hum began to build slowly around her. Esther clenched her hands, her heart pounding as the sound built, and small flashes of light began to flicker through the space. She looked up, and met a pair of winter-blue eyes, watching her. Abel. She held his gaze, trying without words to convey her care and love for him, her hope for his future, even if it changed hers.

The hum built, and radiance began to blot out everything. Esther closed her eyes, feeling a familiar sensation of vertigo. She swallowed hard, praying silently for God to protect her on the journey. Her last sight, as the light flared and she fell into it, was the glimpse of winter-blue eyes, watching her.

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**Author's****Note: **_But Esther's not out of the clear yet, think she'll return to the present time her timeline or what? _

_Until the next time everyone we promise to be back on regular track and schedule with the next update._


	48. Thirty four Pt 01: Flight and Sanctuary

**AN (smcandy): **Another thousand and one apologies again everyone or as my editor would say at this moment "readers are probably alternating between begging and threatening us with bodily harm". I hope everyone had a swell past few weeks since the last update. Here's part one and yes another split chapter that gonna be _extremely_ long or long enough that it cannot be fit within just one page only.

**(*)** As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in?

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**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. **I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter****.**

This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided love, **Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

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**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

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**Trinity Blood: War Continuum** - **Chapter Thirty-four: Part one –****Flight and Sanctuary**

Esther fell through light and darkness, and sensations she had no name for. Vertigo gripped her, turning her stomach end over end. The suit she wore protected her from losing consciousness, or at least, she thought it did, but she almost wished she could pass out. The dizzying, falling and flying sensation made her feel almost sick. She closed her eyes, praying silently.

Finally, the world seemed to stabilize. She felt something solid underfoot once more. She still had her eyes closed, but her ears told her that she was in an enclosed area, and she could tell there were intermittent bursts of light somewhere in front of her. She took a deep breath, willing the last of the nausea and dizziness to subside, then opened her eyes.

She was on a ship, in space. That much was apparent from the view-screen before her, the view of Earth, floating before her. The deck was darkened, with only dim lighting, but she recognized it. Her heart went to her throat. The ARK. She was, somehow on the ARK. But...

The floor under her knees wasn't dusty and scarred like it had been. She wasn't in a cylinder, simply curled in a corner of the room. But she was on the main deck, where she'd been when she'd been transported. But the glowing lights and panels indicated a fully functioning ship, not the near-derelict she'd been on before.

The thoughts passed through her mind in a matter of seconds. Then her gaze riveted on the view-screen, and the people standing before it.

There were at least half a dozen people standing on the deck. Three, dressed in simple uniforms, were standing at the consoles. Three more, dressed in far more elaborate attire, stood in the center of the room, in what was clearly the command center. Esther felt her breath freeze as she recognized silver hair, longer now. It looked completely wrong, against the backdrop of white and blue clothing. On either side, she saw gold and black, red trim and emerald green. The three Nightroads.

The image in the screen in front of them was vaguely familiar. After a moment, Esther recognized it. The Empire. But it looked different to her. The lights were wrong, the colors were wrong. But she didn't have time to really think about it before Cain spoke. "Is it ready?"

"Yes." That voice was Abel's cool and controlled. She recognized the tone, and a shiver went through her. That tone was the one she'd first heard when he'd destroyed the Star of Sorrow. The tone he used when he was acting as a military commander, or a soldier, instead of a priest. "It's already perfectly aligned. We're tracking on the target as we speak."

"Excellent." Cain's voice was soft, relaxed, and equally chilling. The Contra Mundi's tone.

Just then, the door shot open, and another figure entered the room. Esther swallowed hard, recognizing the simple white uniform, though it was longer than she remembered, and the long red hair flowing down the woman's back. Lilith.

_This isn't...this isn't the time I left. It's not my original time, but it's not the time I left behind either. So when am I? And what is Abel doing?_ Esther swallowed again. Her stomach felt like it was filled with rocks, and suddenly, even with the independent air supply, her suit felt stifling. She detached the gloves, then reached up and yanked off the helmet, just in time to hear Lilith speak.

"What are the three of you doing now?" Her voice was sharp, with a note of urgency. "The entire Russian and Chinese coast is already in flames! America is destroyed! Has there not been enough death already?"

"It's nothing, my dear. Abel and I are simply cleaning up a few loose ends. After all, it would be problematic, if they managed to find that secret, don't you think. But one or two shots, and we'll have nothing to worry about. The genetic manipulations program will cease to exist, and one of the last things that troubled my dear brother will be destroyed." He turned back to the screen. "Whenever you're ready, Abel."

Esther felt as if the blood in her veins had turned to ice. _No. _She didn't believe it could be happening. Abel couldn't be about to do what it sounded like he was going to do.

"Abel! Don't do this!" Lilith's voice was sharp. "How can you?"

"How can you ask me that?" Abel's voice was soft, and far too controlled, reminiscent of the boy he'd been. A quieter echo of when he'd screamed _'What kind of future could we possibly have?'_ "I won't let another person share our fate, or worse." Then his head turned. "Fire."

The ship shuddered, and then two flaming balls, over three times the size of the shots Londinium had weathered from Kampfer's attack, streaked through the sky. Esther felt her heart in her throat, watching helplessly as the weapons shot toward Earth. She wasn't the best marksman, but she could see where they would hit. The heart of the Empire. Even as her head protested that there was no Empire yet, that the three siblings hadn't split up, and that no one she knew was down there...still, her heart was screaming that everyone she loved was about to die. She felt tears breaking from her eyes.

The spheres of light impacted the globe below. They were hardly the size of coins, but even from that distance, Esther could see the devastation, as a section of the surface disappeared in a haze of smoke and terrible flame. "No..." The word came out as barely a whisper.

"Target impact successful. Reporting a fifty kilometer destructive radius, with additional fall-out. Ground penetration for at least half a kilometer, my lord."

"That's fairly good. Still...there is the underground facility to worry about. What do you think, Abel?" Cain's voice was mild, conversational.

"The Eastern Lab wasn't reported to have much of an underground component. There shouldn't be many survivors. However..." Abel turned to the red haired woman on his left. "My information is second-hand. It would take a native to be sure."

Lilith's voice was cold, almost frozen, when she spoke. "You truly think I'll help you destroy my home, Abel?" Her slender form was stiffened in outrage, and despite the control to her voice, Esther could hear, through the pounding in her ears, the tints of anger, and hurt. The notes of betrayal, such as she'd heard in her own voice after the destruction of Saint Matthias, and the realization Dietrich was a traitor. "Abel, please...cease this madness. You cannot do this."

"You know why I must." The voice was still too calm, too collected. As if he were discussing why he needed to go buy more tea, or deliver a report.

"Ah, well, a second volley wouldn't hurt I suppose. Abel...why don't we make sure. Although, you might want to make sure the shots are off center this time. So we can get the maximum spread of damage." Cain gestured.

Esther's chest felt like it was about to explode. _No. he can't. Surely he wouldn't...he wouldn't._ The rare occasions Abel had used his powers, he was always careful to avoid innocents. The only time he'd ever violated that was when he'd lost his mind in Carthage. _No. Father...Abel...please don't._

But the slender, silver-haired figure before her nodded. "Prepare a second round."

"Yes, my lord." One of the men standing at the panels began to tap out a sequence, and Esther felt the faint vibration, heard the faint hum of a massive amount of energy being transferred.

"Abel...please, don't do this." Lilith stepped forward, laying her hand on the silver-haired man's arm. "There are innocent people down there!"

"Those people have already participated in one near-genocide, in Armageddon. Would you want us to be next? Besides...you know what's down there." Abel's voice was sharp. "Do you really have to ask why we have to do this? Do you really want them to begin another Genetics program, only this time for soldiers to fight us?"

Lilith flinched at the sharp words. "Abel, you can't believe that..."

"I can." His voice was soft. Then he turned away from her. "Fire."

Two more shots streaked away from the ship. Esther watched, horrified, frozen in place, as they blasted into the planet's surface. Watched as a section of the screen turned black with smoke and fire.

Her heart was pounding, hopeless tears streaking her cheeks. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She knew Abel had warned her, that he'd told her what he'd done. She remembered him telling her that he'd been the one who'd destroyed the world. And yet, as horrifying as hearing his confession had been, to actually see him doing it was a thousand times worse. "No..."

"Well, that should have taken care of that." Cain's soft voice caught her attention. "Now then, that just leaves the German lab, and the one in Londinium. So tell me, Abel, which would you like to take care of first? I suppose the German one is closer..."

The last of Esther's control over her emotions dissolved into panicked, grief-stricken hysteria. "No!"

She moved without conscious thought, leaping forward. She was, almost, aware of all of them turning to face her, expressions shocked. But all she could see was the silver-haired man. She crossed the deck in heartbeat, her hands clutching his uniform as she slammed into his chest. She was aware of the tears streaming down her face, the fabric under her fingers as she clutched him. "No! You can't do this!"

Abel stiffened as if she'd struck him. "You don't understand..."

"I don't care!" One hand balled into a fist, striking his chest. "You can't. You just...you can't do this. You, more than anyone else...Don't you see what you're doing? All this will do is cause more pain, more suffering! This is wrong!"

"Seth...please escort this hysterical young lady off the bridge." Cain's voice came from her side. He sounded vaguely annoyed. Abel hadn't moved, hadn't spoken a word to her beyond those original three.

She felt small, strong hands taking her arms, and clung tighter. "No! I'm not going to let you do this. Please...you can't...I won't let you. Don't you understand..." Her sobs choked her, cutting off her words, but she continued to cling to the figure before her, fighting the grip that tried to pull her away.

"Well then, if she won't go quietly, I suppose I'll have to take care of this." Cain's voice still sounded no more than mildly irritated.

"Cain..." Abel's voice. Then strong hands took her shoulders and nudged her backward, almost roughly.

"No! I won't leave! Not until you stop this!" It was Abel's hands on her shoulders, but not comforting as she felt he should have been. Instead, he was pushing her away. In its own way, that was far more terrible than the guns he'd fired on the planet.

"Cain! Abel! That's enough!" The smaller hands on her arm disappeared, and strong, but gentle hands pulled her away. She fought to hold on, but the owner of those hands was nowhere near as hesitant as the other two. Strong arms enfolded her, pulling her close. "Cain, I won't permit you to hurt her. She's obviously very distressed, hysterical."

She recognized that voice. Lilith's. Her tear-stained eyes opened just a fraction, to reveal white-clad arms pulling her back. "No. Please...let go of me. You can't..."

"Enough. You mustn't push any further." Lilith's voice was soft.

Cain was frowning at her. "You know, my dear, she does look oddly familiar." He moved forward with that terrifying speed she remembered, so that his hand tilted her face upward. "Hmm...and where are you from?"

"Albion." She choked, shocked. She'd thought he would remember. That Abel would remember. Or Lilith, or Seth. Had they all forgotten?

"Ah. Don't tell me. A spy, sent by the Terrans to upset my brother?"

"No. But I...I won't let you do this." She felt fresh hysterics bubbling below the surface.

Cain shrugged dismissing her as unimportant. "Well, it matters not." His gaze flicked upward to Lilith, still holding her. "As long as you've restrained her." He turned. "Abel...how long till we're in position for the other two labs?"

"Two to three hours for Germany. Longer for Albion. We'll have to correct our orbit for that." Abel had already turned back to the control console.

"Well, then, in the meantime...there should be some strategic points in the general territory." Cain drifted back to his place. "I assume you know where they are?"

"Of course." Abel's hands were dancing across the keyboard. "Istvan, Carthage, and Amsterdam. Istvan and Carthage are the closest." He turned to look at his brother. "You're thinking we should handle all of them now? That's going to be a drain on the ARK."

"Hmm. Well, it's not as if it matters." He gestured. "Soon, everything will be over anyway." He considered the glowing screen before him. "I think Istvan is our next best target. After all, Carthage has some valuable resources. We don't want to damage it too severely."

"I understand. Beginning calculations for optimum firing range and timing." Abel nodded, and his hands began working again, typing in a code she vaguely recognized.

They were going to bomb Istvan. Her home.

Esther felt frozen for a moment, too shocked to move. Then it sank in. _Abel is...going to destroy my home._

A fresh wave of anguish and outrage swept over her. "NO! No, you can't!" She pulled broke free from Lilith's startled grip, and took a few running steps forward. "No!"

She slammed into Abel's back, striking him. Abel jerked, startled at the vehemence of her attack. Looking at his console, she could see the calculations already in place for the next assault. An assault on her home. "No. I won't...I won't let you do this."

She leapt past the startled man, slammed her hands down on the controls, her blurred vision seeking desperately for a kill switch. A shutoff code, anything. Her hands dug into the keys, wild lines of random numbers and letters flowing over the panel. _I have to stop this. I have to stop them._

"That's enough!" Abel seized her from behind, pulling her away from the station. "Lilith!"

Esther fought him, even coherent words beyond her. She could hear herself crying out, screaming, knew she was flailing like a madwoman, but she couldn't bring herself under control. Then she felt one arm around her, and something cool touched her on the back of the neck, and everything went black.

She woke some time later to a semi-darkened room. She was lying on her back, on a firm, but soft bed of some sort, a blanket tucked over her.

The hysterical terror and pain that had gripped her had faded, but...Esther swallowed back a lump in her throat. Her mind kept replaying the image of Abel, standing in his white uniform with Cain. Calculating the trajectory. Calmly calling out the order to fire as if it meant nothing. Fresh tears stung her eyes, and she blinked furiously, trying to will them away.

Abel had warned her. Cain had warned her. That Abel had been the Enemy of the World, as much as Cain. But still...she hadn't quite believed it.

The memory of his words came back to her. _"The one who destroyed cities, who ordered the guns of the ARK to fire...it was me. I destroyed this world."_ She remembered something else he'd said as well. _"In one city, I took over seven million lives."_

She'd known then, that he wasn't lying to her. But still, she hadn't been able to comprehend it. The man she knew, the gentle priest who would rather suffer debilitating wounds than lift a hand to harm someone...she couldn't reconcile him with those words. Even seeing him in a full rage, lost to the Crusnik, she couldn't picture him doing something like that.

She swallowed hard, suddenly realizing why it was so terrible. Not just what he'd done, but the fact that it had been _Abel_ who did it. Not Abel in his Crusnik form, when battle madness could be partially to blame. But Abel, in his human form, had been the one who had given the order.

Esther put a hand over her eyes, feeling renewed tears course over her cheeks. For the thousands who had just perished. For the thousands who were injured, or living in fear. And for the silver-haired man who, nine centuries from now, would carry the burden of these deeds as scars ripped into his soul. "Father..."

"Are you awake?" The soft question startled her into jerking upright, adrenalin suddenly singing in her system, temporarily replacing despair.

Lilith was seated in a chair nearby, partially hidden in shadows. She was still wearing her simple uniform, a calf-length white shift, with buttons attaching the collar. Each shoulder was adorned with a united nations insignia, and there were dark green rank tabs on both sleeves at upper arm and just above the wrist. She was taller than Esther remembered, and she'd changed her hairstyle. The majority of it was pulled back into a single long ponytail, fastened near the crown of her head. Only two locks, one on either side of her face, were left free. But the dark skin was the same, and the gold eyes. And the compassion in her gaze.

Lilith studied her a long moment, then spoke gently. "Are you all right?"

"I...yes. I'm sorry." Esther reached up to touch the back of her neck.

"I knocked you out with a sedative. You were hysterical, and Cain was getting impatient. Not to mention Abel." Lilith spoke softly.

"Yes. I remember. I'm very sorry I caused you trouble." Esther flushed. "It's just...it's not..."

"Not what you expected to see. This isn't 3066, after all."

Esther blinked, her eyes open wide. "You..."

"I remember you. Esther Blanchett. Of course." Lilith smiled. "After all, we spent over two months rooming together. And, of course, knowing what I did about you...that would make you very hard to forget."

"I see." Esther swallowed back a lump in her throat, mingled hurt and relief. "It's just...the others..."

"Well, Seth was very young. It may take her some time to put the pieces together. As for Cain and Abel..." Lilith sighed. "Abel...well, I think he was too shocked. And besides...with Cain distracting him, he might not have thought of it right then. He can be absent-minded. As for Cain..."

"It happened, didn't it?" Esther felt the ice in her stomach, remembering what Abel had told her of his past. "Cain...the accident...the Crusnik..." Her stomach heaved, realizing that this too, was a consequence of her silence.

Lilith caught her shoulders as she dry-retched, holding her gently. The older woman waited until her shaking subsided, then left, and came back with a damp, clean cloth, which she wiped across Esther face. Once her face was clean, Lilith handed her a cup of water. "Here. Sip it slowly."

Esther took several sips, her mind roiling with emotion and conflicting thoughts.

After a few moments, Lilith spoke softly. "So...this was in your past?"

Esther took another sip, then managed a soft word. "Yes."

"I wondered. When you let it slip that you knew him...I'd wondered about the time difference. But the Crusnik...this is part of what you knew." Lilith spoke softly, her voice heavy.

"Yes. He...Father Nightroad told me." Esther shivered. "He told me...but I...I didn't believe him..." Tears were coursing down her cheeks again.

Lilith sighed. "I didn't think Abel could do this either. I knew he was angry, but..."

Esther swallowed, trying to slow and stop her tears. "You have to stop them. Please. You have to."

Lilith sighed again. "I wish I could. But I don't have the controls for the ARK, and I cannot fight them. I do not wish to fight Abel and Seth, whatever I think of Cain. And both of them will come to his defense."

"I know." Esther swallowed again, hard. She knew what she was asking. Lilith's leaving, opposing Cain and the others, would result in her death, and Abel's grief. Grief so terrible that he would weep at her tomb, nine centuries later. The memory of his tears, of his pain and sorrow, made her hesitate.

She remembered Abel, agonizing and tortured by guilt, as he confessed his past to her, told her what he'd done. She already knew what the memory of this day would do to him. What the memory of this war would do to him. Her emotions and thoughts wavered, caught between the pain she would cause Abel by changing his future, and the pain she would cause in maintaining it.

She thought of all the innocents who'd died in the attack she'd witnessed, the uncountable numbers more who would die, if she kept her peace. And all the people she knew and loved, who wouldn't even exist, if Cain continued uninterrupted.

"Esther?" She felt a hand on her shoulder, a gentle touch, and looked into Lilith's eyes.

She swallowed hard. "Please, you have to...to stop them. Please. If you don't...so many will die. And Father...Father will..." She choked on a renewed spell of tears, the lump in her throat making it impossible for her to speak.

Lilith's hand tightened on her shoulder, offering silent comfort and sympathy. But the older woman didn't say anything. She was just getting herself back under control when Lilith stiffened, and her hand tightened. The older woman pushed her shoulder lightly, forcing her back down onto the pillows. "Stay still. If anyone else enters, pretend to be asleep." Esther had no time to ask what was going on before she straightened and left the room, the door shutting behind her with a soft click.

Esther blinked, confused, but she curled herself into the blankets anyway, shutting her eyes and trying to force her breathing to be calm and even.

There was a soft, almost inaudible footstep in the corridor. Then a low, masculine voice spoke. "Lilith. How is she?" Esther stiffened. Abel's voice.

"She's asleep. Unconscious still." Lilith's voice was soft as well, but there was an edge of sharpness to it, a knife hidden in cloth.

"Hmmm...did you discover who she is?" It was another man, his voice was soft, and far, far too calm. Esther felt her stomach turn. Cain.

"One of our colonists, one of the group immune to the Bascillus, apparently. Her name is Esther." There was a short silence, then Lilith spoke again, and her voice was harder. "I told you, not everyone from Mars supports this destruction. Abel, did you really think she was a Terran spy sent to distract you? With a reaction like that?"

"She said she was from Albion." Abel's voice was still soft, but Esther thought she heard the faint note of uncertainty trembling in it.

"Not all the colonists cut themselves off from their birthplace as completely as you did, Abel. Don't you understand?" Lilith's voice softened just a fraction. "When you destroy places in this world, you destroy precious memories, and homes. Even for you, even if you don't want to admit it."

"Lilith..." There was a faint note of exhausted exasperation in the muffled voice. "I told you...you know better. Are you still going to insist on that, after everything?"

"Are you still going to insist that I am wrong, Abel? After everything?" Silence for a long moment. "Can you tell me it didn't bother you, when that young woman spoke to you? When she begged for you to stop?"

"Hmmm...well, Abel always does get flustered about things like that." Cain's faintly amused voice shattered the tension between the other two.

"Cain..." Lilith's voice was sharper.

"It's quite enough my dear, trying to upset Abel. Now then, I think my dear brother and I have business to attend to. After all, that young lady's intrusion rather disrupted things. So then...I trust you'll call us when she wakes?"

"If she's not still hysterical with grief and shock, perhaps." Lilith's voice had gone cool. "However...Cain." Her voice paused, an note of uncertainty. Then, softly, "Why? Why must you do this?"

"Hmmm. I already told you that my dear. In order for there to be peace, everything must be cleansed."

"You destroyed my home." There was true grief in that statement. The voice was still collected, but under the calm was hurt, and rage, and anguish. "You blasted it to rubble, with not even a chance to defend themselves. Why?"

"To fulfill what needs to be done." Cain's voice was still cool, distant. "Igne Natura Renovatur Integra, my dear."

"By flames the Earth will be reborn." Lilith's voice cracked, ever so slightly. "Cain...you can't be serious."

"Oh, but I am." A hint of calm amusement. Then there was a slight whisper of movement. "Come, Abel."

There was a faint click of shoes on metal, but only one. After a moment, Abel's voice spoke, soft but rough with uncertainty. "Lilith...I..."

"Abel...can you not see the madness this is?" Lilth's voice, once again calm, but with a note of pleading. "Please, you have to stop."

"I can't. You know I can't. After everything. Besides...Cain..."

"Then go with him. If you will not listen to me, then go with him, Abel." Lilith's voice was sharp with anger, and hurt. "Only remember...this world...is not your enemy. Someday, you'll realize that."

Silence for a long moment, then Abel's voice spoke softly. "I'm sorry." Esther heard another whisper of cloth and boots on steel, fading away quickly into the corridor.

Esther lay still, wondering if she should sit up or remain still. The door hissed open. Esther clenched her hands under the blanket, cracking her eyes open just the slightest bit. She relaxed when she saw a slender figure, who's long hair shone red.

Lilith stood in the doorway a moment, hesitating as if she was unsure about something. Then she moved forward and knelt by the bed, laying a gentle hand on Esther's shoulder. "Esther?"

Esther blinked her eyes open. She wondered if she ought to sit up, but Lilith's careful hand on her shoulder seemed to preclude that. In the dim light, the other woman looked tired, and sad. Their eyes met in shared distress, blue on gold, then Lilith sighed. "We need to get you off this ship. Cain wants to question you. Even if Abel and Seth believe the story I told to explain your presence...even if Cain himself does, he still wants to speak to you."

Esther felt a shiver run up her spine, remembering what had happened when she and Cain had spoken in her own time. She didn't want to even contemplate forging that strange, twisted bond between them again. She swallowed, knowing that this time, Abel wouldn't save her. "No."

"I know." Lilith's hand moved soothingly on her shoulder. She sighed again. "I can't recall if Cain was ever told the truth, or figured it out. But we can't risk him either discovering it, or remembering." She patted Esther's shoulder. "I have some things I need to attend to. Stay here, and rest as much as you can. If anyone else comes, pretend to be unconscious. I'll return as soon as I can."

Esther nodded against the blankets. Lilith stayed beside her for a moment longer, then rose to her feet and left the room. Esther heard the click as the door locked behind her.

Alone in the dark room, Esther took several deep breaths, to calm her racing heart and slow her breathing. As frightened and distressed as she was, she knew that panicking wasn't going to help matters. She swallowed, to get rid of the lingering ache in her throat, then concentrated on relaxing, soothing her nerves and releasing the tense muscles of her body. She felt herself begin to unwind, to relax. Eventually, she dropped off to sleep once more, dreaming of a silver-haired man, who wavered between darkness and light.

She woke to a gentle hand on her shoulder, shaking her lightly. Half-awake, she jerked away and nearly crashed into the wall, before she realized that it was Lilith standing over her. She stopped, and took a deep breath. "Sorry. You startled me."

Lilith smiled, but it was a sad, wistful smile. "It's all right. Abel and Seth have the same reflex." She held out a bundle of fabric. "Put this on. It's Terran clothing." Esther nodded, pulling on the long skirt, the tunic, the leggings and shoes.

"Thank you." She set the last article in place, smoothed the fabric, then looked up at her companion. "What now?"

"We'll have to hope the Terrans will give us a safe haven." Lilith sighed, and her eyes were distant, and sad. "I cannot continue to watch what Abel is doing. As little as I wish to fight them, what Cain is doing...this genocide is wrong. And Abel...he cannot be allowed to continue this path." Lilith sighed again, then shook off her thoughts. "Come with me."

Esther nodded and followed her into the corridor, both of them moving with quick, quiet strides. Normally, Esther would have been looking around, trying to map out their route, and their location, to guess their destination, but she couldn't seem to manage the concentration required. As they strode quickly through the corridors she was conscious only of the size of the place, the pounding of her heart, and the dryness of her mouth.

After several minutes, they emerged into a large, open bay. Esther recognized it at once. A docking bay for ships. One of the larger ships was open, and a small group of people waited near the open doorway. They were watching, clearly nervous. Esther saw them relax as Lilith came toward them. "Lady."

Lilith looked at the ship, that expression of mingled sadness and hope in her gaze. "Is everything ready?"

"Yes ma'am." One of the men, a dark-haired older individual, spoke up. "We're all set to go. Everyone who wants to get up is on board already."

"Good. Then we need to leave, before the others realize we're going, and where." Lilith turned back to Esther. "Can you fly a ship?"

Esther shook her head. "No."

"Very well. I suspect I'll still need your advice." Lilith nodded, and the small group boarded. Behind Esther, the hatch closed. She was surprised to see they were in a smaller loading dock, and that a small ship rested there. Even more surprising, she recognized it as the one she'd seen underground, in the catacombs. But she didn't have any time to think about it, as Lilith took her arm and escorted her to the flight deck.

There were people already in place on deck, and she saw the glowing consoles and panels, indicating that the ship was active. There was no hum of the engines yet, but then...they were still in an enclosed place.

Lilith reached the command deck, and spoke quickly to one of the technicians. "Initiate remote access for the bay doors. Start the pre-launch countdown." She turned back, her voice soft. "So...where do we go? I would have taken them to my home, but..."

Esther swallowed. She knew enough of history to know the Vatican wouldn't be safe. Then she remembered, what Virgil and Abel had once told her. "Albion. We can go to Albion." She met Lilith's eyes. "We can barter for sanctuary using our technology."

"It's a good idea." Lilith nodded to one of the other technicians. "Set course for Albion." She turned to another. "Plan for a relay message. When we're halfway there, I want to contact them."

"Yes ma'am." The man nodded, and turned back to his board.

Esther felt a subtle growing vibration as the ships engines came to life. Then, directly in front of her, a crack formed in the metal. With a low, rumbling vibration, two massive doors began to slide apart, opening the way.

"My lady, incoming message from the ARK command deck."

Lilith inclined her head slightly. The man clicked a switch, and the console went from red to green.

"Lilith! Lilith, what's going on?" The voice was Abel's, sharp with both worry and a tinge of anger. "What are you doing?"

"We are leaving, I and everyone else who cannot stomach your actions Abel." Lilith's voice was soft. "I told you...I will not help you destroy my home. Nor will I stand by and let you slaughter countless innocents."

"Lilith..." Abel's voice had sharpened still further.

"I'm sorry, Abel." Her voice was soft, sad. You leave me no choice." She paused a moment, then spoke in a firmer voice. "I've disabled your navigational thrusters, and your primary and major weapons systems. If you truly wish to continue the killing, Abel, then you must do it with your own two hands. If you still wish to pretend that you hate this world, then you must be willing to witness the consequences of your own actions, and the devastation you have caused."

"Lilith, wait!" Esther felt her heart crack as she recognized that tone. Abel had used it with her, once or twice, begging her to listen to him.

A sad smile crossed the other woman's lips. "I'm sorry, Abel. Goodbye. And Abel..." She hesitated a moment, then spoke softly. "Never forget." Then she gestured, and the line clicked closed. Her gaze transferred to the now open doors. "Launch the ship."

The rumbling vibrations grew louder, and then the ship lurched and began to glide forward, toward the opening doors. Esther swallowed. She'd been on ships plenty of times, but they'd always launched from the ground up. To see the multicolored orb hanging below her, to realize how far they had to go...her stomach did a slow flip. She grasped the nearest railing hard and swallowed again, willing her stomach to settle.

A loud, blaring klaxon sounded. Esther thought it sounded like an alarm of some sort. Then one of the men on the consoles spoke, his voice sharp with concern. "Main Command Deck is attempting an emergency shut-down of the launch pad! The authorization code is Lieutenant Colonel Nightroad's."

"Disregard." Lilith moved smoothly to the console, gesturing the man out of the way, and slipping a communications headset on. She began typing furiously, but her face was calm. "Engine room, begin launch acceleration."

There was a burst of static, a faint noise of surprise that Esther didn't quite catch the words to. But Lilith only nodded serenely. "I am aware of that. But it's our only choice, if the Cain and Abel attempt to stop us. Be prepared to initiate the launch on my command."

There was another burst of static, barely audible over the alarm. Lilith nodded again. Esther watched as she continued to tap keys, wondering what on Earth the older woman was doing. Then Lilith spoke. "Initiate."

The ship lurched forward, the rumble becoming a muted roar. She saw a wave of dull red-gold glowing on the bay that surrounded them, then the ship burst through the doors, and they were driving toward Earth. It didn't look like they were going too fast, but at the same time, the descent was terrifying. Esther fought vertigo. Then two of the figures seated at the forward consoles did something, and Lilith did something, and the view rotated around, changed, so that the lower half of the view port was a slowly expanding vista of the Earth, and the upper half was the star-studded sky. Esther felt herself relax and release the breath she'd been holding.

Lilith remained seated at her console for several minutes, then she rose gracefully, and gestured. "Esther, if you would accompany me, please."

"Of course." Esther nodded, rose from her seat, and followed Lilith out of the command deck.

The room the other woman led her to was a modest sized one, obviously meant as personal quarters. Lilith gestured her inside, then moved to a set of drawers, and removed a set of garments. Civilian garments, and too small for her. She held them out. "My followers and I have all elected to change out of our uniforms." A small smile creased her face. "There is no hiding what we are, but I hope to represent that we come in peace, and not as bearers of destruction. To that end, I've gotten you some clothing roughly approximate to Albion garb. I hope it fits properly."

Esther nodded. "I'm sure it will be just fine." she took the clothing, noting a shirt, skirt, leggings and light shoes, much like she'd worn for undercover operations in the AX, and later, when she'd slipped out as the queen. "Thank you."

Lilith sighed. "I only hope I've made the right decision." She turned. "I'll be in the room across the hall. Come knock when you're ready to speak with me."

Esther nodded, but she couldn't help hearing the sad note in Lilith's voice. Impulsively, she reached out and laid a hand on the other woman's arm. "I'm sure everything will turn out all right."

Lilith turned back, and offered her a small smile. "Thank you, Esther." Then she turned and left.

Esther stood staring at the door, then turned and began to strip off the uniform she'd worn from the past. She's removed the light garment, and turned to lay it to the side, when what she'd said hit her.

She'd told Lilith it would be all right, but...it wouldn't. Soon, the red-haired woman would die, at Cain's hand, and both brothers would be plunged into a kind of terrible, twisted madness. Abel had never told her how much time had passed between Lilith's defection and her murder, but she doubted it had been very long. He'd mentioned that he'd destroyed several cities, but it had only taken him about five minutes to wipe out two airships and a tank, and only ten or twenty for the Silent Noise to level Barcelona. She knew, from his words, and from the records she'd seen, that Lilith had arranged protection for her followers, joined the Vatican, restored at least Istvan and Carthage, before her death. Presumably that took longer, but she had no idea how long she had.

Esther swallowed hard, feeling a lump reforming in her throat. She'd come to like Lilith during their time in the Mars Colony Station. The woman she knew now was a little harder, with older, sadder eyes, but she'd still received nothing but kindness from her. And yet...by maintaining silence, she was sentencing her to certain death, probably within the next year or two.

Esther's hand crept upward, to the locket and ring on her chest. With a start, she realized that, in this time period, it was Lilith who wore that ring. She hadn't seen it, but then, she hadn't looked hard. And it was possible that Lilith, like herself, wore the ring on a chain under her clothing, rather than on her hand.

For a moment, Esther wavered, feeling an unexpected surge of jealousy. Then she shoved the thought away and turned back to the clothing she'd laid to the side. She slid the garments on, letting the familiar and simple task of dressing properly settle her raging emotions.

Finally, she was dressed. She took a moment to smooth her hair into place, smiling as she noted how long it had become. Long enough that she could tie it back, if she wanted to. But...she didn't. She remembered how Abel, the Abel of her time, had liked to stroke her hair. Besides, she'd never in her life worn it tied back, and she wasn't sure she could manage to get it back properly. So she settled for smoothing it back, ignoring the errant lock that flicked around her face, and went to speak to Lilith.

The door was still closed, but when she knocked politely, Lilith's voice bid her to enter. Esther pressed the panel to open the door, and stepped into the room. She had meant to ask what they were going to do, debated whether she should give Lilith hints, but at the sight of the figure standing before her, she froze, every thought but shock gone from her mind.

Gone was the white uniform of the colonists. Instead, Lilith had chosen to dress in one of the garments Esther had seen her wear in her time off. A sari, she had called it. A very short top, this one a dark hue, and a long skirt. The two joined by a long band of fabric that wrapped around her waist, then up over and around one shoulder. Gold bracelets, at least two per arm, dangled from her wrists, and she was wearing hoop earrings instead of the studs she'd worn as an officer of the colony. There was even a heavy gold necklace at her throat, and suspended from that, a long chain and cross, a cross Esther recognized.

Abel's cross. The cross he'd worn every day she'd known him. The golden crucifix that not even death, or a full transformation could make him relinquish. The cross he wore as both comfort, and reminder of the sins he still sought penance for, in her time. Even though he and Seth had both mentioned that he'd taken it from Lilith when he'd chosen to leave her side, the sight of it on someone else's person was enough to shock Esther.

More than that, the outfit Lilith had chosen was startlingly similar to the one she'd die in. The one Abel had buried her in. Despite everything she knew, on some level it hadn't really sunk in, that the young woman she'd shared a room with, and the woman who had helped her escape now, were the same woman, and the woman she had first seen lying in a coffin, silent in death, with Abel weeping by her side. Now, she could practically feel the reality of it hitting her like a hammer blow, crashing over her.

She stood, too stunned by all the sudden realizations to speak, until Lilith broke the silence. "It's not uniform, I'll grant, but I thought perhaps it was better not to approach the Earth governments as members of the colonists, not even ones who defected. It would, of course, be far too hard to prove." She sighed, her hand brushing across the skirt she wore. "I plan, actually, to present ourselves as refugees. Non-combatants fleeing after the home we knew was destroyed by this war." Sadness entered her eyes. "It is not...so far from the truth, is it? My home was destroyed, by the man I thought would understand better by now. And even those places which still stand, this war will warp all out of recognition, tearing apart good memories and soaking them in bloodshed."

She remembered how that felt. The destruction of Saint Matthias. When Dietrich had destroyed part of Istvan. The battles they had waged since then. But at least, she'd had her friends, her companions. The AX members, and later Ion and Astha, Seth and Virgil and Mary. People like the Pope, or Caterina. And, of course, Abel. Standing beside her even in his death, whispering encouragement in her heart. But Lilith had given up all those who had been her support, turning her back on them for the greater cause.

The realization prompted her to step forward and lay a hand gently on the other woman's arm. "I'm sorry. But...you needn't despair. I'm...I'm on your side." And it was true. As long as she could, she knew she'd help the other woman, support her in the trials to come.

Lilith smiled at her. "Thank you." Her gaze turned to the wall, a slight frown appearing. "Do you truly think there will be any welcome for us in Albion?"

Esther spoke softly. "I think...well, Albion has always been important, hasn't it? But in this war...there's no one to really help them. Everyone is having trouble. And the continent is being devastated, so they're more likely to want to take control, or use Albion as a special base or something. And I don't know how warm a welcome you'll receive, but I do know that you have something to trade with, at least." She gestured to the ship. "If I remember correctly, Armageddon destroyed a lot of technology. If you offer to trade what you know, for a place to live...I think it might work." Actually, she knew it would. She'd asked Virgil, back at the beginning of their relationship, and she still remembered how he'd explained their presence. Scientists, living underground because they wished only to be left alone. The Methuselah of Albion had traded their technology and skills for safety.

Lilith nodded, looking thoughtful. "That is true. And I had thought of it, but I'm not as versed in politics as Cain. Even Seth knows more." A rueful smile graced her lips. "Still, it is the best hope I have. However, eventually..." Her hands clenched. "Eventually...I will have to face the others. Eventually...Abel will come to Albion."

Esther nodded, trying hard to remember that they were talking about an Abel who was still in league with Cain. "I'm sure you'll work out what do about that situation by the time it occurs."

Lilith sighed. "I hope so."

The rest of the journey was mostly silent between them. Esther couldn't find anything she wanted to talk about, and Lilith seemed to feel the same way. Both of them were touched by the understanding that, the next time they saw Abel, he would be their enemy. It was a terrible feeling. More than that, Esther felt the weight of her past and Lilith's future hanging between them. Her temptation to speak too freely, and Lilith's own unspoken desire to know what lay ahead, if there was really any hope of salvation, for her world, or her people, or the people she was trying to protect now.

The silence was finally shattered by the crackle of the intercom mounted near the door. Lilith blinked, then rose and tapped a button. She blinked again, then spoke softly. "I'll be right there." She clicked the connection closed, then spoke to Esther. "We're approaching Albion airspace. The first warning calls have already been transmitted to us."

Esther nodded and rose from her own seat, where she'd dropped aimlessly as her thoughts wandered. "We should go then." A thought stopped her. "Ummm...I'm sorry. I don't mean to seem rude, intruding on you like this, and acting as if I want to take command. I apologize if I seem forward." She felt a faint blush staining her cheeks.

Lilith shook her head, a small smile on her face. "No. It's all right. I can lead, but I haven't much practice. That was for Abel and Cain. Besides... at this stage, having an Albion native who isn't Methuselah visibly on our side is a slight advantage, and I suspect we need all the help we can get." Esther nodded, and the two of them headed for the command deck.

The deck was buzzing with people when they arrived. Most of them were clustered around a single station, which Esther's hazy memories identified as the communications station. All words ended as Lilith and Esther entered the deck. Activity stopped for a moment, and then everyone moved to make way for the two women, bowing slightly as they did so. It was so eerily reminiscent of when she entered the Albion Council as queen that Esther had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from saying anything.

Lilith strode to the communications station at once. "Status?"

"We've been hailed twice, my lady." the young man looked up, a worried frown creasing his brow. "They've demanded to know our name and our business. The last hail threatened an attack if we didn't respond soon."

Lilith nodded. "Very well. Please, pull up the communications with the person who most recently contacted us."

The young man nodded, and moments later, a human face filled the screen, the eyes hard and wary. "This is the Albion Guard. Identify yourself, or be prepared to be fired upon."

"We are refugees." Lilith spoke calmly, her back straight and proud, though Esther could see the tension in her shoulders. "We've come to ask sanctuary of Albion."

"Sanctuary? Here? Why not the continent?" Open suspicion in the man's voice.

"Our home on the continent is destroyed, and cities continue to fall every minute. We hoped for better shelter here." Lilith paused. "If I may, we would like to be permitted to speak with your current ruler."

The man's lips thinned. "Of course you would." He snorted. "You think we of Albion are blind, or so gullible? I know the ship you ride is a twin to the ones that burn cities to the ground on the mainland. You're spies from those...those vampires."

"We are Methuselah, it is true." Lilith acknowledged that with a nod of her head. "However, I pledge my word we are refugees. We do not agree with the current actions of the leadership of our people, nor the majority who follow them. We seek sanctuary, and are willing to offer payment in return for a place to rest and hide."

"Likely story." There was no softening in the eyes. Not even a glimmer of interest at the mention of payment. They were losing the negotiation.

Esther reached out, touched Lilith's arm in a silent request. Lilith nodded, ever so slightly, and Esther stepped forward. "Sir."

"Yes." The man, commander in the guard if she remembered her rank markings correctly, stared at her. "You..."

"I'm from Albion, sir. And I am not a Methuselah. I accidentally wound up on one of their ships, trying to return home after I was kidnapped. This woman here took me under her wing, and protected me from the suspicion of their commander. She even left everything behind, to return me here. Please, I beg of you, listen to what she has to say." She gestured to Lilith. "I've been with these people, and I watched them depart their home. I swear to you, they have no intention of harming Albion. They truly only wish a place to be safe. And they have the means to help you! Please, listen to them!"

The man studied her a moment. "An impassioned argument, young lady. But how do we know you are not a traitor?"

Esther swallowed. "Please, allow me to come to the Palace. Alone. You can keep me bound, but you must allow me to speak with Her Majesty." She recalled that she'd heard the Methuselah had offered their services to a queen, not a king. "Please, let me speak to her. Let her be the judge of whether or not to speak to my companions."

The guard considered long and hard. Finally, he nodded curtly. "You alone."

Lilith spoke softly from Esther's side. "Every moment spent in orbit places my ship in danger. Is there somewhere we may land, at least? I pledge my word, no one save Esther shall disembark until we have the leave of your queen."

There was another long consideration. Then he spoke. "Very well. The hills outside Londinium, the capital. I'll be waiting with a full company. Any one save that child..." he jerked his head at Esther. "...any one save her who disembarks will be shot, and then we'll target that ship with everything we have. Or we'll call in the Vatican, and have the whole gang of you captured."

"Understood." Lilith inclined her head gracefully. "We will land within the hour."

The man gave her a curt nod, then the connection clicked dead.

Lilith stared at the screen, then nodded to one of the figures working at the navigation console. Esther felt the subtle change as the ship slipped out of it's previous path and into a new one. Then Lilith sighed. "Well, they are at least speaking to us. It's better than I'd hoped." She smiled. "Thank you Esther."

Esther shook her head. "I'm sure you would have convinced them on your own. I just helped speed it up a bit. That's all."

Lilith inclined her head, then turned back to the work of commanding their landing.

Thirty minutes later, they were settled on the ground. Esther swallowed hard, seeing the view in the port. These were the hills where she'd watched Abel battle Cain, in that first awful battle after his resurrection. When she'd known that the battle was bigger than she knew, and more terrible than she could even imagine. The thought that she was now living in it, tied by accident to the beginnings of the fate Abel had endured, made her stomach flip.

Lilith noticed her nerves, and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Esther, you don't need to do this."

Esther shook her head. "No. It's all right. I was just...thinking about something else for a moment." She shook away the unwanted images, of black and white figures, red and blue fire. "Have the guards arrived?" Lilith nodded, and Esther squared her shoulders. "Then I'd best be on my way."

Lilith nodded. "I wish you the best of luck, Lady Esther. And...thank you." She inclined her head. Esther met the nod with one of her own, then turned and strode out of the room.

The hatchway was open when she arrived, and she could see the guards in Albion red, gathered near the ramp. She paused a moment, to steady her breathing, and gather her focus, then stepped down the ramp, trying not to flinch as every man there leveled a gun at her. It was, after all, only what she'd expected.

She didn't have any of her weapons, but she submitted to a search, and to her hands being bound, noting that at least they were kind enough to bind her hands in front of her. Then they walked her a distance away, to a carriage, and handed her inside, three of the t men in with her, all armed. After a moment, she felt a jolt of a driver getting to the seat, and the carriage lurched into motion.

The ride was made in silence. Esther said nothing, not wanting to irritate her guards. She felt when they hit a road, as the uneven, dull thumping became slightly less uneven. Then the city, where the dull thunking was replaced by the clattering click-click-click of wheels on paving stones. Then, after what seemed an interminable amount of time, they pulled up, and the guards handed her out into the courtyard of Buckingham Palace.

Esther swallowed hard. It hadn't changed much from her current time to her proper one. She had to bite her lip, hard, to prevent from crying out in relief, or charging up the stairs to look for her comrades. She forced herself instead to look at the faces of the guards, reminding herself firmly that these weren't the people she knew. This wasn't her time, and she wasn't the queen here. Just a young woman, caught in the midst of a disaster.

Silently, the guards escorted her through the dark hallways, through corridors she could have walked blindfolded without missing a step. Finally, they reached a room she knew well. The audience hall. Not the formal, grand chambers, or the Great Hall, but the slightly informal quarters where the monarch gave private audiences, and discussed things too delicate to be dealt with in open court.

Esther swallowed hard as the guards escorted her in. In truth, she hadn't thought of what to say. Just getting this far had been hard enough, but now, to convince the queen of Albion, a woman she knew virtually nothing about, to agree to host a band of refugee Methuselah...if it hadn't been for her own life experiences, her friendship with Ion, and Astha, and Seth, she'd have said it was utterly ludicrous. She shook the thought away, and focused on the figure seated at the far end of the room.

The chair the queen sat in looked nothing like a throne, only a very well made armchair. Her clothing Esther recognized as casual court robes. The things she did office work in. The queen herself wasn't all that old, certainly no older than Caterina, possessed of bright blue eyes, alive with light and intelligence, auburn hair, and signs of weariness imprinted into the lines of her mouth and forehead.

It occurred to Esther, with another sense of shock, that this woman was, most likely, her ancestor. She swallowed hard, praying not to make any stupid mistakes while she was here.

The queen regarded her a moment, then gestured to her wrists. "Unbind her."

The guard stiffened. "Your Majesty..."

The queen snorted. "If she's weak enough to be held, I suspect you can stop her if she attacks me. And if she's capable of getting past all of you to murder me, then having her bound does us no good at all. Release her." She gestured again, and Esther saw the imperiousness of the gesture, the presence she hadn't quite learned how to project yet.

The guard nodded, then loosed her bonds. Esther rubbed her wrists a moment, then took two steps forward and dropped into a polite curtsey, her head bowed. "Thank you, Majesty, for your courtesy and your agreement to meet with me."

"Rise, child, and give me your name." Esther lifted her head, then rose as the queen gestured again. Blue eyes met hers, and the other woman nodded. "You've been taught manners, at least, and more than that if I'm not mistaken."

Esther nodded, carefully spinning little bits of truth into her story. "My name is Esther, Majesty. I was orphaned as a child, raised in the Church, Majesty. But I...I always wanted to travel, explore, see the world. Make a difference. I was...I was leaving the church and beginning some diplomatic training, when everything fell apart." She swallowed. Close to the truth, at least.

"I see. And now you come to my doorstep, with a ship full of Methuselah, who claim they are refugees, and you come forward to speak for them. Why?" Blue eyes caught and held hers again, alight with that regal presence. "Why speak for them? Why are they seeking sanctuary here? You say they offer to pay. How? I need no Methuselah money to mark me a traitor to the humans. I do not need the trouble of housing the enemy. I do not even know if my reign could survive such foolishness. So tell me, young woman. Put that diplomatic training of yours to use, and explain to me why I am listening to your words, why I should continue. Give me a reason to consider meeting this...red-haired commander of your companions."

Esther swallowed. This reminded her of the first time she'd had to give a speech to her people, convince them not to panic with Isaac raining fireballs on their heads. Or the first time she'd had to convince the Council to accept her alliance with Seth. She took a deep breath.

"Majesty. These people, they are indeed refugees. They only want a place to be safe. I...I was accidentally caught on board one of their ships, and their leader protected me, kept me from being hurt. I was very nearly attacked by their commander, but she kept me safe. That is why I will speak for them. But also...Majesty, I truly believe they want nothing to do with the violence the rest of their people have embraced."

The queen nodded. "And the payment they claim they can provide?"

Esther took another breath. "These men and women understand much of the technology that has been lost from the world. They also understand the weapons of the enemy. In return for safety, they can share that knowledge with you. I'm certain such information could be a powerful tool for Albion."

"Weapons and technology?" The queen frowned in consideration. "You say they are willing to supply us with those?"

"I believe so, Majesty."

The queen nodded. "Albion could use such an advantage. As it stands, we have no way to prevent ourselves from being annexed by another, larger country. But with a power like that...Albion's independence would be assured for a long time. And should we choose to sell it...so would the country's prosperity." She inclined her head. "A generous offer. However...my people would surely dethrone me if they discovered I had given Methuselah a home in the city. Even for so gracious an offer, I do not believe it is a wise move."

Esther swallowed. "The lady who leads them, Lilith Sahl, she mentioned there might be...well, an abandoned area, under the city."

"The old labs?" The queen raised one eyebrow, managing to make even that gesture look graceful and elegant. Her eyes went distant, considering. "An interesting proposition. No one has lived there for years, but...it does make an ideal hiding place." She sighed, and shook her head. "Unfortunately, I have only your word that they would be willing to accept such arrangements. And despite your politeness and apparent honesty, that is not enough. I do not know you. Nor do I know the people you represent, who might have duped you."

"Then please, agree to speak with the leaders of these people. I give you my word, they will not try to attack you. If you wish, I'm more than willing to be a hostage for their good behavior. I trust them."

The queen studied her for a moment, then nodded slowly and gestured to one of them guards by the wall. "Captain. Return to the Methuselah ship, and tell them they may bring their leader, and five others to this place, and I will speak with them. Warn them, however, that one breath of treachery, and their young red-haired speaker will be the first to die, followed by as many of them as I can manage."

"Yes, majesty." The man bowed, then disappeared.

The queen settled back into her chair, and met Esther's eyes. "I hope your friends are as trustworthy as you think." Esther could only manage a nod in reply.

An hour later, there was a knock at the door of the chamber. Esther had been all but pacing in frustration, relying on her AX training to keep a cool head, and the sound at the door made her want to faint with relief. Even more so, when the door opened to reveal Lilith, still dressed in her sari and jewelry, and five Methuselah following after her solemnly.

There was a moment of silence, two leaders looking each other over, measuring each other up. Then Lilith inclined her head and curtseyed slightly. "Your Majesty."

The queen returned the salutation with a very slight nod of her own. "Lady."

"Lilith Sahl." Lilith rose.

The queen regarded her a moment longer, then spoke. "Your young diplomat informs me you seek sanctuary, to be paid for in information and technology."

"She speaks the truth." Lilith nodded her affirmation as well.

"She says you know of the Underground, that place that has been disused for over fifty years. And you are willing to accept it as your home, to live in the shadows to avoid unrest among Albion's people." There was a faint challenge in that statement.

"That is correct. We desire neither conflict nor disruption. Only a safe haven." Lilith's voice was calm, but with a slight note of wariness.

"Perhaps. But I would ask why you know that place. And who you are running from. I am no fool, Lilith Sahl. Man, woman, group or individual...one seeks sanctuary because one expects to be hunted. Who do you flee from?"

Lilith sighed. "You know what we are, Your Majesty. We are those of the Methuselah who do not hold with the war that has begun between our two peoples, nor the slaughter of Terrans. Humans, as you say you are. But...there are few who would accept our word, and many who would seek our destruction simply for what we are. And since we have broken from our companions, it is highly possible that they may condemn us as well."

The queen nodded, slowly, thoughtfully. "A difficult position." She frowned looking past Lilith. "Albion too, is in a difficult position. Alone, we stand no chance against the enemy who has come, then enemy you have broken from. But to seek an alliance is to spell our doom as a free nation. We have neither capital nor trade nor power to offer. Your technology offers a solution. However...whatever I may think of it, it will take more than your word to convince my people."

Lilith nodded. "Understood. What would you suggest?"

Blue eyes met gold, strength matching serenity. "Will your people swear loyalty to Albion? To me, and to the throne I am bound to? Will you, Lilith Sahl?"

Sadness, and a kind of sorrow fell over Lilith's face. "I cannot. There are things I must do. The ones you call Enemy of the World must be faced. And truly...there is a chance one of them may realize...I truly do not believe this world is our enemy. It is my hope that I can bring them to realize this as well. Whether I succeed or not...it is my duty to face them, and that duty will most likely take me from Albion."

The queen nodded, a wry smile imprinting itself across her face. "If you truly intend to face them, and have the power and technology to do so, the Vatican will be summoning you within a fortnight."

"Precisely." Lilith sighed, sorrow once more ingraining itself across her features. "I do not wish to fight, however, I will not let this continue any longer. Not if I have the power to stop it."

"I see. It is an admirable sentiment. However, that still leaves the original question. If I accept your offer, and trade technology for safety, I need an oath of loyalty. If you cannot give it, then how can I ask my people to trust yours?"

"Majesty, Lady, if you will, I believe I have a solution."

Esther jumped. She'd been watching Lilith and the queen so intently, listening to their interaction and praying for the best, she'd forgotten Lilith's five companions. Then one of them stepped forward, and Esther suppressed another gasp.

The hair was darker, and cut shorter. The man wasn't quite as slender, and yet, his resemblance to Virgil Walsh was unmistakable. Esther had to swallow back her adviser's name, to keep from calling out. She could see Virgil and Vanessa both in the fine lines of his face, the set of his shoulders as he stepped forward. His eyes were Virgil's blue, intent and focused. The hair bespoke Vanessa, dark and thick, though much shorter than the young woman wore it.

The man stepped forward, placing himself between the two women, then dropped to one knee, bowing his head. Esther swallowed, recognizing the movements as those of the man who had sworn her his loyalty and his life, on the other side of nine hundred years. The smooth grace with which he knelt, the tilt of his head as he bowed, the way he lifted one hand to rest over his heart, all the mannerisms she'd come to know so well over the past year were there.

"Speak." The queen's voice was soft, but curious, rather than irritated at the interruption.

"Majesty, I am Alexander Walsh, chief technician and lieutenant of the Lady, Lilith Sahl." he raised his head, meeting the queen's eyes with his own. "Majesty, it is true that Lady Sahl cannot give you her pledge. She is needed elsewhere. However, my companions and I are the leaders among those who support her, and we have agreed. If you will accept my pledge, then they will give me theirs. We will pledge the loyalty of our people to you." He bowed his head further, past his upraised knee. "Majesty, I ask you to grant us shelter, in return for such technology, benefits and knowledge as we can provide you. In return, I offer you, and all your house, the support of me and mine, for as long as Albion stands. Provide sanctuary for my people, our people, and I pledge to you my loyalty, and my service, even unto my life, if it is demanded of me. My loyalty, and that of my heirs, and successors, for as long as Albion requires."

Lilith looked surprised, and faintly stricken. Esther understood why, remembering how it felt to have someone else take the burden for her. She knew well what would happen. The House of Manchester, bound to the fate of the throne, to the point that one descendant would rebel against another. But then...she remembered Virgil, her strong, wise adviser, and the warmth of the friendship they shared. Remembered too, the loving relationship he'd spoken of having with her grandmother, and her father. She moved forward, catching Lilith's eyes, and gave the tiniest of nods, trying to convey that everything would be all right. She wasn't sure if the other woman understood her message, but she saw Lilith relax slightly.

The queen was watching Alexander Walsh with interest, and obvious consideration. After a moment, she spoke again, her words slow and thoughtful. "An interesting proposal. However, words are simple. And I know well you are loyal to your Lady, if you followed her this far. You are an honorable man perhaps, but my Council and I would require a stronger oath than this. Have you a surety you can extend to me, beyond your word?"

The man kneeling on the floor looked up, equal consideration upon his face. Then he bowed his head once more. "Majesty, if you would have me walk unprotected in sunlight to prove my faith, then command it of me. I will walk into the dawn, and instruct my followers and kin to place no blame with you."

One corner of the queen's mouth compressed. "An earnest offer, and well meant. But it is hardly auspicious to begin a potential alliance by destroying one who offers you loyalty."

Alexander nodded. "Truth, Majesty." He seemed to consider a moment. "Among Methuselah, those who would bind themselves in an oath swear a blood bond." He met the queen's eyes. "To swear such a bond, I would ask you to permit me to take a small amount of your blood, or..." He extended his own hand, looking briefly at his wrist before returning her gaze to her. "Or, you may take mine. It permits a certain...connection. A bond between the two who undertake this oath. Among my people, such an oath is sacred, never to be broken or interfered with. And among those with my gifts..." He hesitated. "Granted this bond, I would always be aware of you and your kindred. Always at your side if needed. Your guard, and whatever else you might require." His head bowed again.

The queen looked thoughtful. "Interesting. And certainly, if this oath is as binding as you claim, then it would absolve all doubts. However, there is one more consideration." At her tone, Walsh looked up again. "You say you wish for secrecy, and safety. But if you bind yourself to me, you must interact with my court. And someone will eventually guess, or discover what you are. What will you do then?"

Walsh frowned in thought, then looked up. "Majesty, have you or your guards any silver that you could spare me?"

The queen's eyebrow rose, but after a moment, she reached up to undo a necklace and hand it to one of her guards. The man frowned, but brought it to the man who knelt upon the floor. Walsh took it with careful hands, then undid the clasp. "Thank you. If you have no objections, I require only a link or two."

The queen nodded, and watched with solemn, curious eyes as he gently pried two links away from the rest of the chain, then reset it and handed it back to the guard. Esther watched as he closed his hand around it. When he opened his hand, there was a slight dampness in his palm. Moving carefully, he lifted the links between two fingers and compressed them. The metal crumbled like paper after a fire. Esther blinked, shocked at the sudden brittleness of the silver. Then she remembered Virgil's acid and blinked again. She'd never thought about where he'd gotten the talent, but it was clear he'd inherited more than a position from the man now kneeling on the floor.

The queen's eyebrow rose again, but her voice was calm. "Interesting."

Walsh inclined his head. "A talent possessed by some of my kindred." He looked at the silver dust glittering in his palm. "Do you know of the affects of silver on my kind, Majesty?"

"No." The queen's voice sharpened with interest. "Tell me."

"It weakens us, deactivates those Bascillus that make us as we are. Like sunlight, which burns, it is one of our few vulnerabilities." He met her eyes then, very deliberately, raised his silver dusted hand to his mouth and licked the metal from his palm, swallowing as he did so.

The effect was almost instantaneous. Less than a minute later, he paled, falling forward to brace himself with suddenly trembling hands. His face twisted, brief pain and shock crossing his features, before he smoothed it away. Esther swallowed hard, seeing that look on his face, remembering how Virgil had once explained his ability to walk in sunlight. Wondering if the silver nitrate he took caused her adviser this much discomfort. He'd said it didn't, but then...she'd never seen him take it. It caused an ache in her heart, that he might bear such pain. And that this man had to suffer it, so his descendant would be by her side. A glance sideways gave her the impression Lilith was having much the same thoughts. The beautiful face was tense, and there was sorrow in the golden eyes.

One of the other men spoke his name softly, hoarse with shock, and started forward, but he held up a hand, shaking his head. After a moment, he raised his head once more, looking the queen in the eyes. "This too, Majesty, will I do as proof of my intentions. For my people's sake, and to lay your doubts to rest." He inclined his head. "The effects will wear off, perhaps in a few days. However...I am willing to do this as often as you require it of me."

"An earnest gesture." The queen rose, for the first time, and stepped slowly down from the throne. The guards tensed as she made her way to the figure crouched on the floor, but he made no move, other than to follow her with his eyes, and they remained where they were. "Very well. You've proven your point." Her eyes met Lilith's, and the red-haired woman nodded slightly, a silent gesture of approval. The queen returned her gaze to Walsh, and laid a hand on his shoulder. "I will grant your people sanctuary, and permission to establish yourselves in the Albion Underground, in return for the benefits of your advanced technological knowledge. And in in return, you shall serve me, my throne and my successors, Lord Walsh."

Alexander's eyes widened. "Majesty...I am no lord." His head bowed.

A small smile creased the queen's face. "To serve me, you at least must function within the court. And to do so, you must have a title and rank befitting such a place." She sighed. "Many old titles and positions were left vacant at the end of Armageddon. I will revive one for you."

Alexander inclined his head in a brief nod. "As you will, Majesty. Thank you."

"We will work out your formal introduction to Court and allegiance oath later, when I've had time to make arrangements. In the meantime, you may bring your people underground. I trust you will be discreet?"

"We will." Lilith spoke. "That I can promise." The queen turned to look at her, and Lilith bowed her head. "I know much of the Underground, including a few of the back entrances. I will be sure we do not disturb your people overmuch."

The queen nodded. "Very well. One more piece of business then." Moving casually, she withdrew a small, ornate dagger from her clothing. A quick movement left a narrow cut in her hand, across the palm. Esther swallowed, realizing then what she meant to do. To their credit, none of the Methuselah in the room, not even Alexander, so much as twitched. Neither did the guards, though one or two of them stiffened, and Esther heard at least one sharp exhalation of either surprise or disapproval. The queen watched the crimson liquid stain her palm, then extended her hand to the man who knelt before her. "I trust this is sufficient for the bond you spoke of?"

Alexander extended one hand, still shaking slightly, and took her wrist, looking up for permission. At her nod, he bent his head smoothly to her palm. Somehow, despite the silver that coursed through his blood and made him ill, he managed to make the gesture look graceful, reverent, more like a kiss than what it was. When he raised his head a moment later, both her palm and his face were clean, the only mark of what had passed between them the faint red line across the queen's hand. Then he spoke softly. "It is more than adequate, my queen." Esther watched as he turned the queen's hand over, and pressed a kiss to the back of it, a silent pledge of his fealty.

Even ill and weak as she knew he had to be, he made the gesture look graceful, elegant, everything a nobleman should appear to be. Esther found a small smile creasing her face, remembering Virgil. She'd wondered how he managed to look so collected and almost regal, even when facing down guns, attackers, and members of the Court out for blood. Clearly, however he'd been raised and taught, the mannerisms were also an inherited trait.

The queen smiled as well, then turned back to her throne. "Very well. Rise Lord Walsh. You and your companions should return to your people. You may begin moving into the Underground tomorrow. I will contact you when the preparations are made."

Alexander nodded. "Understood, Majesty." He inclined his head in a bow. "Thank you." Then he rose, staggering slightly as he gained his feet, clearly weakened.

Lilith stepped forward immediately, wrapping a gentle arm around his shoulders. "Thank you, Alexander." A small smile touched her face. "Lord Walsh." Her gaze transferred to the queen. "You as well, Majesty."

The queen nodded. "Fare you well, Lady Lilith. I look forward to this new association with you and your people."

Lilith nodded, then gestured to Esther. Then, with the two of them supporting the weakened Methuselah, and the other four lieutenants surrounding them like an honor guard, they left the audience chamber.

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**AN (smcandy):** Ok as you seen Esther has seen and encountered per se two other semi important people from the past that will be mentioned again in **TBWC**. I'll give one guess at one of them, she's a minor character in the manga. Recalled what mentioned about a certain Albion queen from chapters 30 of volume 13 of the manga.

That much I'll leave you to ponder with I will **not** confirm the answers until the next chapter updates get finished. Post what think the answers are in your comment if you want but wither way neither me nor my editor will confirm or deny anything until the next update. Along with explanation will be made clear as to clear away any confusions some of you might have about these two other characters.

**dragonwriter24cmf**** Author's Note:** _Why Alexander? I have no idea. This scene just sort of bounced into my head, while I was trying to make the transition from fleeing to Albion, to having sanctuary and giving Lilith freedom to fight. And Alexander...I blame the character. Totally. _Anyway, hope you enjoyed this. Rest assured...Part Two is in the works.


	49. Thirty four Pt 02: Descent into Battle

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **At long last here's part two of thirty four I _never_ thought it come ^^ My editor just sent this to me I've re-read it over and now it's time for everyone else to read it and send in their thoughts. We've only got now**FIVE**chapters left and then we'll be done **TBWC** for good. I do not mean to say it negative way but I look forward to what next writing project everyone who's voted on to have us do. Chapter 34 looks to be another four part chapter, we have two more chapters to go to which my editor promises to have the next part sent to be hopefully by this weekend since we have been keeping many of you waiting long enough for new reading material.

** Just remember for everyone whom is knew or just added me or the story to their alerts to add your vote on my currant poll on my profile page or on my **Deviantart** poll if you have an account there I'm under the same name as the one I used here you cannot missed it. That along with seeing what arts have been done for TBWC by me and others that have commissioned arts for the story ^^. Now onto part two enjoy everyone.

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**(*)** As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. **I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter****.**

This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided love, **Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

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Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter Thirty-Four**** – ****Part Two: Long Lost Love****,**** Descent into Battle **

The next few days were chaotic ones. Lilith informed the refugees of the bargain they'd made that very night. The rest of the evening, and the next day, was spent in planning and organizing. Technicians and computer experts went over every scrap of data from the ship's computer, copying what they thought they'd be able to use, storing the things they weren't sure about. Esther even saw a few of them examining the ship's master code, debating in low tones about things that she had to admit she couldn't really comprehend.

Lilith spent the day attending to the new Lord Walsh. She'd informed her people of the transition in leadership, to make sure it went smoothly. Fortunately, her other lieutenants had all witnessed the exchange, and agreed to it, and their words and actions soothed any unrest the rest of them might have felt. When night fell, and Alexander came forward to lead them to their new home, Lilith at his side, Esther saw nothing but kind words and supportive gestures from his people.

That night, the entire group moved into the Underground. Esther had expected it to be chaotic, noisy, and busy, but watching them, she understood how Lilith had gotten them out of the ARK as quickly as she had. Even with the children that were in their midst, the group was extremely efficient, and organized. Within the first half of the night, everything that could be safely transported was underground, and groups were dividing up to accomplish their planned missions. Technical groups led by Alexander and Lilith began working with the decades old computers, finding ways to bring them online and gather information on their new home. Other groups began working on getting power, water, and so forth, while planning groups looked for ways to compensate for things that would be difficult to obtain.

Exploratory groups and those less technically minded, searched the Underground for living spaces, and began to make the places they found comfortable. Portable lights, small heating and cooling units, cots and makeshift furniture frames sprung up in abandoned rooms. Others unpacked traveling rations and began to plan meals, including one select group for the newly appointed Lord, and for Lilith.

Once they arrived, Lilith kept busy helping revive the Underground, helping sort out where technological centers should go, living spaces, and how everything worked. Her password was essential in several places for assisting in opening the sealed areas of the old labs.

Esther acted as a general assistant. At times, she ran messages between the groups of workers, using her familiarity with the place, though Lilith gave her a map. At other times, she helped with cleaning, or arranging things, relying on her memory of visits to the Underground to make careful suggestions. She knew the population was going to increase by her time, and likely there would be plenty of changes made, but she also knew it didn't hurt as a starting point.

Four nights after their entrance to the Underground, a message came from the Palace. It was short and to the point, requesting a status report on the movement underground, as well as a messenger to relay plans for Lord Walsh's upcoming entrance into the court. Esther volunteered to go. Lilith was working on the computers, and some formulas to make living in hiding easier on the Methuselah. In particular, she was working on a formula for Alexander to use when attending court functions, to help him blend in with the Terrans. Alexander Walsh was working with the other leaders of the refugee group, alternating between work on the technological systems, and ideas on how to form a stable society, what rules needed to be in place and so forth. Both leaders gave their blessings, and Walsh gave her a list the things they'd come up with so far, requesting that she present it to the queen and ask for her input. Esther agreed, tucked the sheaf of papers under her arm, and left.

It was odd, walking through the tunnels alone. She missed the presence of Virgil at her side, even with all the time she'd had to get used to his absence. She missed Vanessa, and Abel. Her heart clenched at that last thought, remembering. In this time period, Abel was currently her enemy. His presence would mean the destruction of this place, and all its inhabitants. She shook the thoughts away, and continued down the passageway, to emerge from a secret exit only a twenty minute walk from the palace.

The guards at the gate recognized her, and the senior one nodded when she told them of her business, so they'd been informed. That was at least slightly comforting. One of them led her inside, then handed her off to another, repeating her statement of her errand. Esther followed quietly as he led her through the Palace, concentrating on not showing just how familiar she was with the corridors.

Finally, they stopped at a guarded door, which Esther recognized as being an antechamber in her own day. She stayed a respectful distance away from the door as the guard escorting her spoke to the others. After a moment, the door guard nodded, and turned his attention to her. "You may enter, my lady. Her Majesty is expecting you." With that he turned, knocked politely, then opened the door and stood aside for her.

Esther entered to find the queen seated in a padded chair, the casual cousin to a throne, behind a desk. She took three steps into the room, then lowered herself in a respectful curtsey. "Majesty."

The queen looked up, and a small smile touched her face. "Esther Blanchett. Our diplomat from the Methuselah. Come. Sit." She gestured to a smaller chair facing the desk. "I have some things I need to discuss with you, and messages for you to return to my soon-to-be lord, and his lady."

"Of course. Thank you." Esther moved to take a seat, reminded of all the times she'd reported to Lady Caterina in this fashion.

The queen studied the paper in her hand for a moment, then set it aside. "And how are our new tenants settling in?"

Esther smiled. "I think it's going quite well, Majesty. Lady Lilith and Lord Walsh think they can have the main computers set up and running within a week. He said he'll start setting up equipment and production lines as soon as he's sure they're fully functional, and not attracting any unwanted attention. He did have a few questions he wished me to ask you."

"You may ask." The queen nodded to the papers Esther pulled from the folder under her arm.

"Thank you, Majesty." She looked at the list, to see what Alexander's first item had been, when the queen spoke.

"Vivian will do." Esther looked up, surprised. The queen offered her a small smile. "In private only, of course. But I dislike formalities when they aren't needed, and you are not a subject of my kingdom. More like a business partner. So here, alone, you may address me by my name. And tell that red-haired lady of yours the same."

"Thank you, Your- Lady Vivian." Esther smiled. "I appreciate it." It was uncomfortable, sitting in a room she'd worked out of, calling a stranger Majesty. Particularly when she was on such informal terms with so many powerful individuals back in her own time.

"It's nothing. So then, what are these things that Lord Walsh wishes to discuss with me?"

Esther looked at the list. "Well, he'd like your permission to tap into the city power grid, at least for the sector they're living under. He says he'll reinforce it, and of course, he'll pay city and crown for its usage, but it's easier than building a separate network."

"Granted." Vivian nodded, writing something briefly on a piece of paper.

Esther nodded, turned to the next item. "He asked me to speak to you, regarding the autonomy of the Underground. It's still a part of Albion kingdom of course, and subject to your laws, but given the differences between the regular inhabitants of the Londinium and his group, and the fact that they must remain hidden for the moment, he thought there might need to be some additional rules in place. Also, there will be some interaction with the surface, for some necessary supplies, and for the health of the people. He asked me to hear your opinions on the matter, and what steps should be taken if something goes wrong."

"Of course. I suspect, in majority, he'll have to police his own. We cannot have the general public spooked by vampires in the city. And certainly, we can't afford to haul them in for public judgment, if their presence is to be kept secret." Vivian frowned. "Does he have any suggestions?"

"He does." Esther produced the list Walsh had given her. "He sent this with me, to ask for your approval, and any corrections or demands you wish to make."

The queen made a soft, noncommittal noise, and drew the list to her. "Very well. Let us see..."

They spent the next hour or so going over Alexander's proposed government solutions, with Esther taking notes on what the queen approved, disapproved, or made slight changes to. At some points, she offered clarification for a condition the Methuselah had requested, applying the knowledge she'd received from Abel, Seth, Ion and Virgil.

They finished finally, an hour past midnight. Esther gathered the paperwork together, carefully making sure it was all in order for Alexander to go through when she returned. Once it was stacked, she tucked it firmly into her folder, and looked up. To her surprise, the queen was watching her, a disconcerting expression of concern on her face. "Lady Vivian?"

"I find it odd." The queen met her eyes. "Only a few months since these...vampires, or Methuselah as they call themselves, have arrived. But you speak of them as if you have known them far longer. To trust your savior is not unreasonable, but that is not the way you speak." The look in her eyes sharpened. "You told me you were raised in the church, and beginning to be trained in diplomacy and politics when this happened. But you're no beginner, Esther Blanchett."

Esther swallowed, realizing her mistake. She'd gotten so used to negotiating and debating things during her year or so as queen, that it felt natural. Surrounded by people like Seth, Caterina, Virgil and Mary, she had been the youngest and least experienced of the group. But...she remembered how she'd felt on her first assignment, the nervousness and the fear. Or her fumbling and mistakes when she'd first encountered Ion. Despite her inexperience, her reactions now were still much different than the ones she'd had then.

"Well?" Vivian was still frowning at her. "Explain this to me. How comes a child to be so experienced? And to know so much of a race only newly come to this world?" Her hand moved out, faster than Esther would have expected, and caught her jaw. "Why are you lying to me?"

Esther swallowed hard, as the queen released her. "It's not...I'm not trying to lie to you, Majesty. But it's very complicated. I...when I was in the church..." She searched for and found a measure of the truth. "The Bishop who raised me was killed, in an attack by terrorists. The Father who found me agreed to be my guardian and mentor. He...he was friends with a Cardinal, and he...he taught me a lot. He was the one who suggested I get formal training. But I was with him, on several assignments, and I learned a great deal, watching him."

One eyebrow rose, an expression of polite skepticism on the queen's face. "I'm surprised such a conscientious guardian isn't here now."

"No. The Father...he was killed in one of the first attacks." Esther swallowed, not having to fake her sorrow at the memory of Abel, lying motionless on the floor as blood pooled around his wounded body.

"I see. My condolences." There was just the faintest bit of softening in the severe lines of the queen's expression. "But your knowledge of the Methuselah..."

"Well, I've been living with them for a few days. And Lady Lilith explained some things to me. But...well, I honestly don't understand everything either. And the Father...he taught me, if I didn't understand, then I should ask more questions." Abel hadn't ever actually said anything of the sort, but she'd learned after the Carthage incident, and the endless months of trying to figure him out. "So I, well, I'm trying to understand everything properly, Majesty."

"I see." There was a faint shimmer of amusement in the serene, regal, gaze. "Trying to understand. Well, I don't envy you, Esther Blanchett. And I fear, in this war-time, your efforts shall gain you nothing. But I have other concerns." She met Esther's gaze again, and the humor died. "I know you are still hiding something. However...I find no danger in your words, so I will leave it be. But a fair warning...be cautious in how you speak. In these times, there are those who will kill you, for seeking...understanding. Bury your feelings, or stick close to Lady Lilith."

Esther nodded. She knew the queen was right. "I'll be very sure to heed your advice, Majesty." She swallowed. "Did you have any more messages for me?"

"I did." Vivian transferred her gaze to her desk, then lifted a small stack of three or four sheets of paper. "The ceremony for Lord Walsh's ennoblement and his introduction to court shall take place in a fortnight. I've made it evening, for his sake, on grounds that I need his assistance, and this was the only time we both had free. But I can't make exceptions frequently, so he'd better find an alternative quickly." She held out the sheets of paper. "These will tell him what he needs to know. Dress formally, as well as he can. Silks and fine linen, or velvet. Whatever you can muster. Neutral colors, as I'll be bestowing him a noble's colors and crest when I make him a lord, and I hate clashing colors in the court. The details of the ceremony, his expected responses and so forth, are in there. And this..." She withdrew another two sheets. "This is what he needs to know of the title and lands I'll present to him. It wouldn't do for him to display ignorance. And this..." Yet another sheaf of papers. "This gives the names and brief descriptions of the major lords and councilmen within my court. He'll have to deal with them, so he'd best know beforehand who he's dealing with. This situation is too precarious for much adjustment time. Tell him he needs to have a plausible story in place for his presence, one that does not involve the Methuselah. And tell him he's permitted an honor guard of four, at his discretion." Vivian flicked her fingers. "That will be all."

"Yes, Majesty. I'll be sure to tell Lord Walsh everything you've told me." She moved to the door, then stopped and dropped a curtsey, appropriate to the moment. "I wish you a very good evening, Majesty." The queen offered only another shooing motion, and Esther left.

Back in the Underground, Esther located Alexander Walsh and presented him with Queen Vivian's alterations to his documentation, as well as the announcement of his impending knighthood. He accepted both with a smile, eyes brightening as he scanned the rules and requests. "I thank you, Lady Esther. In truth, I had not hoped for half of these concessions. You have done well by us." He inclined his head.

Esther flushed. "It's really nothing. After all, if you hadn't agreed to take me with you, who knows what might have happened. And really, I'm just glad to be able to help."

Alexander frowned, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. Esther recognized the look. Virgil wore it often. "You were under Lady Lilith's protection. But...I am surprised. Very few, even so rescued, would wish to aid us. Not when our former leaders are currently your people's worst enemies."

"I know." Esther let a small, sad smile touch her lips. "But...I wasn't raised to think like that. And besides...I promised someone very important to me..." She stopped, then shook her head. "I understand it might seem strange, but that's really all I can say." She looked into the blue eyes, so like the man she knew in her own time.

As if he'd caught her thought, Alexander frowned. "You...you seem..." He shook his head. "Never mind."

Esther blinked. "Is there something wrong?"

He shook his head again. "Only...when Lady Lilith first introduced you, you were a stranger to me. But now...I feel as if I know you. Not just you...but as if I could find you...anywhere in the Underground. Much as I feel with Her Majesty, now. It is very faint with you, but...Her Majesty is the only individual I have ever taken the bond with."

Esther swallowed. Virgil had known her from her grandmother's blood. She shook her head, forcing a lighthearted shrug. "That's rather strange. Still...I'm sure you must have heard by now that I was raised by the church. Maybe one of my parents or grandparents was related to the royal line. I've read...don't a lot of royal lines wind up having half-cousins sometimes? Or maybe an ancestor of mine?" She shrugged again. "I really can't explain it."

She saw his shoulders relax. "Nor can I. However, Her majesty..."

Esther shook her head again. "No. It really isn't necessary to speak with her. Even if that's true...it's not really fair of me to try and claim royal favor now. Especially with all this going on. Besides...I already have a place."

He met her eyes for a moment, then nodded. "As you will." he inclined his head. "Thank you for your assistance this evening. If I may...I should like to request one more favor, Lady Blanchett."

"Of course. You have only to ask."

"In light of Her Majesty's request, I had thought to have two female, and two male escorts for the evening of my knighting. I should like for you to accompany Lady Lilith, in recognition of all the good you have done for my people."

Esther took a deep breath. She wasn't sure she wanted to be recognized. Still, she knew it would be almost insulting to refuse. Besides...she'd only be an attendant. As far as she could remember, the only thing remembered by her time, or even Virgil's, was that Queen Vivian had made a pact with the Methuselah. There had been no names mentioned that she remembered. The matter had been deliberately kept vague. She nodded. "Of course. I'd be honored...Lord Walsh."

A brief smile flashed across his features, startling her once more with the similarity to the man who would be his grandson or great-grandson. "My gratitude, Lady Esther." His hand moved to the papers she'd brought him. "I fear you must excuse me. There is much to be done, if we are to be prepared and presentable within the fortnight." Esther nodded and took her leave, her mind feeling uncomfortable with its contradicting thoughts.

**8888888888888888**

The next two weeks were, if anything, busier than the preceding days had been. Alexander, Esther, and the two lieutenants all had to be fitted with new clothing. Even Lilith consented to new garments, though she insisted on retaining the style of her eastern clothing. She said she preferred it, and that it also emphasized their refugee status. The rest of them chose to outfit themselves in Albion robes. Esther had been worried about the selection of fabric, but Lilith had proven indispensable. The saris she habitually wore were yards of fabric, most of them fine linen and silk, and as soon as she heard the news, she donated some of the darker ones to the cause. More than that, the dress uniforms that everyone had changed out of were also fine linen. With five tailors, some creative use of limited amounts of dye, and clever insets of fabric, Esther had to admit she was impressed. None of them looked like rich lords, but they did look competent, well dressed and fashionable, in a practical sort of way. Exactly the image Lord Walsh needed.

In addition, they finished making the Underground reasonably habitable, and began bringing the computers online, and arranging the production facilities. Alexander spent his time making sure the rules for their haven were understood, and preparing himself for the ceremony to make him knight, lord and councilor. Esther often found herself closeted with him, quizzing him on the things he was supposed to know, like the names of the council lords, or watching as Lilith helped him rehearse his responses to the Albion queen. Fortunately, Alexander was as quick to pick up information as his descendant, and possessed of the natural grace and manners that he'd displayed their first evening.

Two days prior to the ceremony, Lilith finally found a formula for a silver nitrate solution that she thought would work. Alexander tested it that very evening, and pronounced it reasonably comfortable. Esther, watching from the side of the office, noticed his expression wasn't nearly as pain-filled as it had been. He even stepped out, very cautiously, into the early light of dawn. He withdrew very quickly, with slight sunburn, but that was far better than it could have been. He and Lilith made notes, and Esther went to bed with a sigh of relief.

Finally, the night of the ceremony arrived. Esther was too nervous to rest, or sit still. She changed into her clothing, a uniform that had been modified into a pretty dress, and dyed blue, then went in search of Lilith.

She found the older woman in her own rooms, also dressed for the evening. To her surprise, Lilith looked pensive, uncertain. For a moment, Esther wasn't even sure she'd registered her presence, but then Lilith looked up. "Esther." A small smile graced her face. "You look lovely in that."

"Thank you. You look very nice as well." And she did. A deep midnight-blue top, with white and blue fabric, highlighted her coloring and her hair. A tasteful amount of jewelry emphasized her darker skin as well as the long red hair. She looked beautiful, stunning even. Esther felt a small sigh of relief. Compared to Lilith, no one was likely to even notice she was there. Then she saw the uncertain, unhappy expression cross Lilith's face again. "Is something wrong?"

Lilith sighed. "I feel it is unfair of me, to ask Alexander to take this burden. I know I have no other choice, not if I am to leave my people protected, but still...I ask a great deal of him."

"I'm sure he understands. After all, he did offer." Esther smiled. "I think Lord Walsh understands you have other things you have to do."

Lilith sighed. "I know. But...it concerns me. Almost three weeks, and we've heard nothing of Abel and the others. It is a blessed reprieve, I know...but I dislike the silence. And when I think of what they may be doing..." She sighed again.

Esther bit her lip. She'd had the same thoughts lately. A part of her wanted to rush out and find Abel. A part of her was terrified, afraid to see what he'd done. What kind of person Abel was in this time period. Even though he'd warned her, more than once, it had still been a terrible shock. Much like seeing his Crusnik form for the first time. She shook her head. "I think it might be best if we don't dwell on that for now. At least, I don't think I really want to. And...if there's nothing we can do, then it really doesn't help, does it?"

A small, warm smile touched Lilith's mouth. "Those were my thoughts as well. But it is good to hear them from someone else." She rose, straightening the folds of the outfit she wore. "In the meantime, I believe we both have a ceremony to attend." Esther returned the smile, and saw Lilith relax, just a fraction. Then the older woman held out her hand. "Shall we?" Esther nodded, and the two of them left to join the rest of their party.

Despite Esther's concerns, the ceremony went well. The Queen received Alexander before her court and Council, made a brief speech as to why she had chosen him. Esther could see some disbelief on a few faces, as Queen Vivian spun a story of family inheritance of old technology and developmental sciences to build a new future for Albion, but no one protested. Within an hour, Alexander was brought before the court, and officially dubbed Lord Walsh, Count of Manchester, and Overseer of Albion's Underground Technological Center. Afterward, he and the rest of their party mingled with the council and nobility.

Esther tried to stay out of the way. After everything she'd experienced, she wasn't particularly shy, but she didn't want these people to remember her too well. Instead, she stayed to one side, watching Alexander circulate and get to know his new colleagues. The man of his honor guard joined others who were obviously escorts, relaxing and forming connections in their own way. Lilith...

Esther watched as Lilith made her own circuit of the group. She was far enough away from Alexander that she wasn't influencing his discussion overmuch, but close enough to be clear they were partners and friends. Esther watched, amazed by the smoothness with which Lilith transferred from one person to the next. Her smile seemed to set people at ease on sight, and Esther could see how the various nobles reacted, relaxing around her, chatting with her in an amiable fashion. Her appearance and the dignified presence she seemed to radiate commanded attention, but her kindness, gentleness and courtesy softened the blow, made her approachable. Even the women of the court, whom Esther half-expected to be jealous, relaxed and seemed to enjoy speaking with her. She even saw Lilith and Queen Vivian engaged in conversation at one point, as the evening wore down.

Finally, well past midnight, the queen released the gathering. Alexander and his men stayed behind, to offer a private farewell and gratitude to their new monarch. Esther waited, then joined Lilith as the older woman departed.

Lilith waited until they were into the tunnels underground, then sighed and stretched, revealing how tense she'd been. "I'd forgotten how difficult it was."

Esther blinked, surprised by the statement. "But you handled everything so well. I mean, you looked so comfortable out there." She felt a small, wistful smile crease one corner of her mouth. "I don't think I'll ever be able to be like that."

Lilith made a soft sound, like a tired laugh that couldn't quite get started. "You've your own charm and grace, Esther Blanchett, and don't underestimate it. And that...I wish ..." Lilith sighed. "I had hoped..." She sighed again. "What you saw tonight, is what I used to do on Abel's behalf. I have spent the last eighty-five years moving amongst people, coaxing, calming, trying to protect him. And, of course, trying to soothe him." A brief smile touched her face, then vanished into melancholy. "I am grateful, of course, that it has come to have a better use, but I wish..." She sighed again, then spoke more softly, her eyes sad as they gazed down the corridor. "I wish with all my heart, that it were unnecessary. Both for Alexander...and for Abel."

Esther looked into the older face, seeing the sadness there. "It isn't just that, is it?"

Lilith shook her head. "I spoke to Her Majesty this evening. According to her information, several cities have been destroyed. By ships. And by..." She bit her lip. "By Abel's hand."

Esther winced, feeling her stomach clench. "You're sure?"

"I am. They described him perfectly." Lilith's eyes were hurt. Not angry, as Esther half-expected. More desolate. They reminded her of Abel's eyes, just after she'd seen him in Carthage, though without the self-loathing she'd seen. "I had hoped, when I left...I'd hoped he would turn from this path. But now...there is only one way." Pain crossed the beautiful face, and anguish.

Esther felt her own eyes burn with tears. "No." She swallowed, looking for words to say, looking for anything that might turn her mind from the thought of fighting Abel. Of watching Lilith and Abel fight. After a moment, Lilith began walking again, and Esther moved with her, both of them wrapped in silent memories and grief.

Their path took them through a ruined chamber, haphazard pillars and broken stone lying everywhere. Esther blinked, startled out of her thoughts by the familiarity of the place. For a moment, she couldn't place it. Then she remembered. It was where Dietrich had trapped her, bound her. It was where he'd told her that he was going to destroy the Underground and Albion with it. And here...Abel had come here. He'd rescued her from some Death Hunters

She crossed the broken room, mentally identifying the spot where Dietrich had caught her. A part of her was relieved, to be distracted from her thoughts of Abel. The rest of her was remembering. Remembering the auburn-haired boy who had betrayed her so many times. She had, in part, left Istvan for that. She had been more interested in Abel than anything, but...she had wanted answers. She had hated Dietrich for his betrayal of her, hadn't wanted to believe he was as evil as he really was. In her anger at the events in Istvan, she'd lashed out at others. Not the Vatican, of course, since she'd been sheltered by the church, but she'd hated Methuselah, and been wary even of Abel.

Esther frowned. It had been a long time since she'd thought of those events. But still...she remembered. And she remembered how Abel had spoken of his feelings during the war.

Lilith stopped, and Esther blinked, startled out of her thoughts. They were standing outside the door to her rooms. She blushed. "Sorry. I sort of got lost in thought for a while."

Lilith nodded. "It's all right."

Esther heard the sadness in the other woman's voice. She looked up. Lilith's eyes were still filled with sorrow. Despite her youthful countenance, the expression made her look older, and weary.

Esther looked back at her door, gathering her thoughts, then spoke slowly. "You know...when you're hurt, or angry, sometimes...sometimes, it can be very difficult to stop yourself. Even when you know what you're doing is wrong. Even if..." She swallowed. "Even if you don't really want to do it. Sometimes...it's very difficult to know what you want, even." She took a deep breath. "I remember...when the bishop who raised me died...I did some very reckless things. I knew I shouldn't have done them, but...I think everyone does foolish things, things they don't mean to, when they're really angry or hurt." She blinked, remembering how she'd said the exact same thing to Abel, after he told her about his past.

"That...is very true." Lilith's voice was equally soft, equally slow. There was silence a few moments, then she spoke again. "But this..."

"I don't think you should give up on him quite yet. Even with what he's doing..." She looked up into those golden eyes. "You told the queen that you thought Abel still loved this world."

"I do. Even after this." Lilith sighed.

"And...didn't you say..." She paused. "I think he told me once, that you said he loved, and so he felt betrayed, and so he made the world his enemy."

"That's true as well." Lilith nodded.

"Then...well...what do you think we should do? If that's true..." Esther paused. She wanted to do for Abel what he had done for her. But she didn't know how.

"I cannot let him continue to rage and destroy. However..." Lilith's voice firmed, determination overlaying sadness. "I will not give up on him. Not yet." She looked down, and to Esther's surprise, a faint smile warmed her eyes. "Thank you, Esther."

**8888888888888888**

They were working in the control room two days later, putting together the first of the production labs, when a high pitched note shrilled from the communications console. Alexander and Lilith had set up a connection to the Albion guard and to the Palace, by dint of removing three of the shipboard computers from their transport vehicles and placing them in the appropriate locations. Alexander moved to the console immediately and switched it on. The queen's face appeared, and Alexander immediately stiffened. "Majesty."

The queen nodded, her expression tight. "I have words for Lady Lilith."

"Of course." Alexander turned to where Lilith was already straightening. "Lady..."

"Yes." Lilith crossed to the screen, and met the queen's eyes with a grave expression. "They're coming, then?"

Queen Vivian nodded. "My guard called me only moments ago. The ships of the World's Enemy, of the Methuselah you fled are on course here."

Lilith nodded. "They are undoubtedly headed for Londinium. For this place." She sighed, sadness in her features. Then determination replaced the sorrow and resignation. "Majesty, may I have your permission, to take the field?"

"Of course." The queen snorted. "At present, Albion does not have enough fire-power to stop them. And no allies we can call on." She raised a hand, as if in benediction. "My guard will be standing by to assist you, and they have orders to obey you as they would their own command, or my personal orders. Do what you can for us. Lord Walsh."

Alexander moved, coming back to stand in the field of view for the screen. "Majesty?"

"You have a safe haven for your people, and for the court, as I requested?"

"I have. There is a section of the Underground, directly beneath the Palace." he inclined his head. "Shall I come to escort you, Majesty?"

The Queen shook her head. "Monitor the situation with my general for now. When you agree that it is too unsafe to remain, then come to find me."

"As you will." Alexander nodded. "I will be on standby." The connection clicked off, and Walsh turned to Lilith. "My lady, do you need any assistance?"

Lilith shook her head. "No. I will face them. Keep our people safe."

Lilith turned to leave, and Esther stepped forward. "If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to come along." Lilith looked at her, and Esther met her eyes. "I know I might not be much help, but it's always good to have someone to watch your back. At least, I'll be able to yell out a warning or something. And I do have a little combat training."

Lilith stared at her for a long moment. Esther met her gaze squarely. _I have to go with her. What's happening to Abel...is my fault. I...I could have stopped this. Besides...I swore...I promised I'd help. And I...even if it's not my place, even if it risks my future...I can't leave things like this. I can't just sit by and watch everything happen._

Finally, Lilith nodded. "As you wish." She gestured. "We need to go. They'll be here soon."

Esther nodded and followed her out into the corridor. They stopped briefly in their rooms, changing from the work clothing to battle outfits. Esther wore a heavy-weight shirt and leggings, and a skirt. At Alexander's suggestion, she'd gone through the scant armory in the Underground, and come away with two knives and a gun, though she only had one clip of ammo for it. She strapped all three weapons on, within easy reach, then joined her companion.

Lilith, with her powers, wore a plain, loose sari, and no jewelry, except for earrings. The skirt was cut wide, to give her legs freedom of movement, and the outfit left her back open. Esther remembered the wings the other three had manifested and wondered what Lilith's would look like. Then she shook her head, forcing her thoughts to focus.

The journey to the landing area was silent, both women lost in their thoughts. Esther felt her stomach twinge a little as they approached Lilith's personal combat craft. She'd seen it before, in the Underground. She remembered. Abel had used it to transport Lilith's body, after his own was lost in the ocean. She wondered, briefly, if she'd see that battle. Then she locked the thought away, and climbed in, seating herself in the co-pilot's seat. Quickly, she strapped in, and put on the headset that Lilith held out to her.

Lilith powered up the craft, then flicked on the communications. "Lord Walsh...can you hear me?"

"Yes, lady. The Albion guard is standing by on channel two. Shall I connect you?" Esther noted hazily that Alexander's voice sounded different, higher pitched or something. She couldn't remember if Virgil's had ever sounded that way, when she'd spoken with him over a communications system. Or Abel's. She swallowed, knowing her random thoughts were a symptom of her nerves.

"Please do. Standby for further orders. You have a secondary channel for contacting the enemy fleet?"

"Ready for them to arrive in range."

Lilith nodded. "Estimated time of arrival?"

"Within the half-hour, lady." Walsh's voice sounded tense, even through the connection.

"Very well. I will be launching momentarily. Please connect me to the Albion fleet commander, immediately."

There was a soft acknowledgment, then a click. "Albion Fleet Commander. We're standing by for your orders, as per Her Majesty's request."

"Thank you. Please assemble the fleet in a stand-by defensive formation, behind me. I will engage the enemy alone, for first contact. I would request that you not engage unless they attack Londinium. And Commander..." Lilith hesitated, then spoke firmly. "There is one enemy craft whose specifications match mine. Under no account are you to target that craft. Leave that pilot to me."

"As you command, Lady." There was a pause, then a note of question. "Have you any advice on firing targets?"

"Aim for the engines and weapons housing. Get behind them if you can. They'll be heavily shielded both forward and below. Watch the heat and electrical signatures. They'll surge just before firing, and you cannot afford to get caught in the blast. Most likely, they'll be using plasma or electro-magnetic bursts. They'll shred your ships if you get caught."

"Understood. We'll do our best. Thank you for the information." Another pause. "Best of luck to you, lady. Fly well."

There was a trace of sadness in Lilith's eyes. "You as well, Commander."

Lilith clicked the visual communication off, leaving the audio channel on standby, and resumed powering up the craft. Esther remained quiet, trying not to show her discomfort, and the fear that was churning in her gut.

She'd been in combat before, but never aerial. Like most AX members, she'd learned enough to put a ship on the ground if necessary. Kate had given her an overview of the systems, and she thought she recognized which switches performed which functions. But...this wasn't the Iron Maiden, and everything looked enough different to make her nervous. The switches were labeled, in short, abbreviated notations, and Esther focused on those, trying to still the pounding of her heart. But the concept of being hundreds of feet in the air, surrounded only by the structure of the airplane, made her stomach twist. She swallowed hard, fisting her hands as Lilith completed the launch procedures.

With a low roar of sound, the ship launched. Esther swallowed against the pressure, and a renewed surge of fear. It was hardly the first take-off she'd experienced, but...everything felt different. She took a deep breath, focusing on the view screen.

Abel was out there. Soon, she'd be flying combat with Lilith. Soon...she'd be fighting him. Fighting against Abel, the person who meant so much to her. She felt sick, less from nerves about the battle than the feeling she was betraying him. She bit her lip, then forced her focus back to the panels in front of her. She trusted Lilith, and knew she'd been trained with this craft, but she knew enough to try to be prepared for anything that might happen. It was a battle, after all. She ran her gaze over the controls, trying to identify what she could from her lessons with Kate and the Professor.

_Let's see. The steering column...I wonder what it's called on a ship like this...that's fairly obvious. And I think that might be the throttle. But if it is...then are these the engine controls? And these...ALT...altitude? I think that's how Kate had it abbreviated. So then...HOR...horizontal, maybe? If so, then VERT is probably vertical, and REV might be reverse. And these...they might control the airspeed. At least, I think so. And these gauges...they look the same as the ones Sister Kate had me study. Fuel, altitude, speed...I think that one is distance traveled. And...let's see...emergency controls for evacuation and crash procedures..._

"Esther?" Lilith's voice broke her concentration, startling her out of her thoughts. She blinked, to realize the ground resembled more of a darkened shapeless mass below her, punctuated by the glow of Londinium, and outlying towns and homes.

"Yes?" She forced her thoughts back to the matter at hand.

"Do you know how to fly a ship?" Lilith's voice was soft, but there was an undercurrent of tension to it.

"A little, I think. A..a friend of mine taught me a few things. But I...I haven't had much practice. And that ship was much different from this one." Esther swallowed. "I...I've never flown in combat before."

A small, warm smile touched Lilith's face, gentle and soothing. "It's all right. I don't expect you to fly during the fighting, if we engage. Though...if you wouldn't mind keeping an eye on the sensors for me."

Esther nodded. That, at least, she knew how to do. "All right."

That faint smile widened, then disappeared into shadows. Esther swallowed. She'd seen Abel do the same thing, preparing for battle. Watched as the gentleness in him was subsumed by coldness. Then Lilith spoke. "Abel will be here soon, with his ships. I'll try to talk him out of this assault, but since he's come this far..." She shook her head. "If I am forced to leave the ship, to combat him, can you land this vessel?"

Esther swallowed hard, looking back at the controls. "I think so. I should be able to at least get it on the ground in one piece." She took a deep breath, trying to still her nerves. "I'm not entirely sure, to be honest, but the controls do look somewhat familiar."

Lilith nodded. "Use the steering column, and these switches..." She pointed to the ones Esther had been studying earlier. "If I should leave the ship, I want you to bring it to the ground, and get to safety. Understood? Try to make it back to the Palace, or the Underground."

Esther nodded. Her throat felt too tight to speak. It felt wrong, being asked to abandon her comrade. And yet, if Lilith was forced to leave the ship, it was likely because she'd transformed into her Crusnik aspect. She'd seen enough of Abel and Cain to know she'd only be in the way if she tried to help. The memory of Abel falling in the Underground rose in her mind, and she pushed it away.

A thin beep sounded from one of the panels. Esther blinked at it, then saw the small dots entering the upper edge of the screen. In the pilot's seat, Lilith stiffened, her shoulders straightening and her hands clenching ever so slightly on her own steering column. "They're here. Please, leave the talking to me."

Esther nodded. "Of course."

Within minutes, she spotted the lights on the horizon. Lights of ships. Esther swallowed. She hadn't thought there would be so many. She knew that each ship had more than one set of lights, often three or four, but still, there were far too many. She was suddenly very aware of the single ship she rode in, and the fact that the rest of the Albion fleet was behind them, in standby. Even ready as they were, if their opponents attacked, she and Lilith would weather the first assault alone. Her stomach clenched, feeling as if it were being tied into knots.

Lilith's face was calm, but her eyes weren't. Esther saw the concern, and the conflict in them. Then Lilith seemed to shake it away, focusing on the task at hand. She watched the ships approach, then reached out and flicked a switch on the console. "Attention. This is Albion Airspace. Be advised, you are trespassing."

Esther hadn't expected the simple warning, but it made sense. Even knowing these were hostile forces, it didn't make sense to start the fighting. Better to be neutral until forced to fight.

The speaker in the cockpit crackled. Then, a single voice replied. "Lilith?"

Esther felt her breath freeze in her throat at the sound of that voice, so familiar to her. In the pilot's chair, Lilith's hands tightened on the controls.

There was a pause, then Abel spoke again. _**"Lilith, what are you doing here?"**_

"I told you Abel." Lilith's voice was calm, but Esther could see the rigidity of her posture. "I warned you, I would no longer abide this senseless bloodshed. Those of our people who agree with me have chosen to seek refuge in Albion. So...I have sworn to protect them." There was a moment's pause in her words. "And you, Abel? Why have you come to Albion? Why have you brought the fleet?"

"_**You know why. That place..."**_ Abel's voice cut off, then spoke again. "Lilith...get out of the way. I don't wish to fight you, but..."

"I will not. I have no wish to fight you either. However, I have said I will not permit you to do this, and I meant those words. Besides...Abel, that place has become a refuge for our people. Do you still intend to destroy it?"

"_**That place.**__**..it cannot be allowed to exist. I will not..."**_ The words broke off again.

Lilith sighed, and Esther saw the sorrow in her eyes. "Then I have no choice, Abel. I will prevent you from destroying this refuge, and this city. Even if it costs me my life."

"_**L**__**ilith, wait..."**_ Abel's voice sharpened.

"I'm sorry. However, if you insist on continuing this course of action...then this is how it must be. Fare well...Lieutenant Colonel." Ester flinched as Lilith abruptly cut the connection. She understood why the other woman had done as she did, but at the same time...it felt wrong. Addressing Abel in such a manner...she couldn't wrap her mind around it. The title didn't suit the man she knew at all.

She was jolted out of her thoughts by Lilith speaking again. "Commander. I regret to say opening contact has not dissuaded our attackers. Please stand by for battle. The enemy will be in range in moments."

There was an affirmative response, and the connection clicked again. Esther bit her lip, watching the approaching ships. Her stomach knotted with dread and conflicting emotions. She found herself clenching her hands on the steering mechanism in a mirror of Lilith's, and forced herself to let go. Lilith was piloting, after all. She didn't need to be jerking on the wheel herself.

The lights grew brighter in the forward viewport, resolving into the shadowy outlines of ships of varying sizes. Then, abruptly, one of them moved. Esther saw an odd glow forming about the lower section, lighting the vessel. Then she was jolted in her seat as Lilith jerked the ship to one side, forward and to the left, accelerating as she did so. In seconds, they were among the battleships. Esther swallowed back nausea and terror as Lilith spun the ship in a tight turn. She saw, from the corner of her eye, as Lilith reached to flick a switch. There was an odd humming from beneath her feet, then a shiver went through the vessel, and light flared from just beneath her range of vision, streaking toward the enemy ship, just as another streak of light shot toward them. Lilith twisted the controls again, sending them spiraling out of the way, then flicked yet another switch. Another light glanced off a barrier that Esther couldn't quite see, sending a shudder through the ship, and then they were flying again, spinning through the maze of enemy ships.

The next several minutes were some of the most terrifying of Esther's life. She didn't bother to keep track of who they shot at, or how often, or even much of anything else. She focused on the gauges, and on not being sick, as Lilith maneuvered them through the air. It was nothing like flying on the Iron Maiden. Nor any other ship she'd ever been on. Even Cain's ship, when he'd attacked the Empire, hadn't been like this. Several times, she bit her lip to keep from crying out, as this or that maneuver set her stomach heaving, or when shots came too close. She couldn't think, couldn't keep track of anything in the chaos, and wasn't sure she wanted to. The little she could see was a scene out of a nightmare.

Lilith, on the other hand, looked completely calm. Not relaxed, but Esther didn't see any signs of the terror she felt on that beautiful face. She was torn between jealousy, and a desperate wish to know_ how _the woman could remain so calm. She listened as Lilith periodically gave orders, watched as she controlled the craft, and tried not to think too much. She wondered, briefly, how Mary could have managed this sort of thing. Then she forced the thought away.

A sharp flash caught her eye, and she bit her lip again. She knew what that meant. Another ship had gone down. She couldn't tell whose ship, not amidst all the confusion and the night sky, but she heard Lilith utter an exclamation from the pilot's chair that could have been a curse from anyone else.

The communication panel crackled, and Lilith tapped it. "Commander."

"We're losing too many, Lady. We can't hold them. At this rate..." There was weariness and desperation in the man's voice.

"I understand." Lilith seemed to sigh. "Tell your men to hold defensive positions a few minutes longer, then disperse and come in for a landing when they see the yellow flare from the ground. I will handle the situation from there."

"If you say so, Lady."

Lilith smiled softly, sadly. "Thank you, Commander."

Esther felt a fresh thrill of unease go through her as Lilith swerved and turned out of the battle, dropping toward the ground. She had a good guess what the other woman planned to do. She swallowed hard against the knots in her stomach, and the tension in her shoulders, as the craft came to a landing. Lilith released herself, then turned to look at her with those golden eyes. "Esther...it's best if you stay out of the way from here on. I don't know if it's safe for you to try and head for the Palace, so you'll have to do the best you can."

"I understand." Esther nodded, then watched as Lilith strode to the open hatch, and out into the night. She considered for a few seconds, then took a deep breath, unsnapped her own restraints, and followed, stopping in the doorway.

Lilith had landed the ship in Trafalgar Square. Esther watched as the other woman moved to the center of the square, then looked up. She heard the sounds of battle, saw the streaks of light shooting in all directions, but it all seemed so far away, almost unreal. Then she heard the clang as Lilith removed her earrings. Then, as if in a dream she heard the other woman speak. "Nanomachine, Crusnik 04. Power output...eighty percent."

Esther watched, wide eyed. She hadn't been sure what to expect, but...this wasn't it. As she watched, a triple set of wings unfurled themselves from Lilith's shoulders, but they weren't white. Instead, they appeared to have an iridescent, rainbow sheen to them, color flickering through the feathers. She saw, just barely, the delicate fangs extending from Lilith's jaw, the red glow overtaking the amber in her eyes. The dark red hair seemed to frame her face, like a crimson halo. Then Lilith extended both hands outward, down and to the side. Esther watched, fascinated, as red-black liquid erupted from her palms. It streamed forth, not onto the ground, but out and slightly down, in its own pattern. Then it solidified into a pair of thin swords, somewhat like sabers, with wrist guards, one for each hand. As the weapons settled, they almost appeared to bleach, taking on a hard, cool polish that reminded Esther more of bone or horn than metal.

Esther stifled a gasp. She'd never actually witnessed Abel summoning his weapon. He did it so quickly and easily, she'd never had a chance. But it was...eerie. She knew Abel had mentioned that the scythe he bore was a part of him, but she'd never actually thought about what that might mean. What it was made of.

She watched as Lilith shifted stance and posture, like a soldier testing her balance and weapons just before battle. Then both hands tightened. Golden light gathered around her hands, around the blades clenched in both fists. Then, without warning, the red-haired Crusnik whipped both hands upward in a violent slicing motion. The light flared, then shot skyward, shattering the darkness.

At once, several of the distant lights broke free, heading towards the Palace. Esther watched, her heart in her throat.

Lilith swung her hands skyward again, in another arcing motion. More light blasted from the twin blades, this time cutting between the fleeing ships and their opponents, preventing them from being followed. Almost simultaneously, her wings unfurled, expanding to their full breadth. Esther saw them flex, once...twice...then Lilith was rising into the air, shining with that beautiful, terrible golden glow. Esther watched, her hands clenched into fists.

One of the glowing lights flared brighter, in what Esther recognized as an attack. But Lilith was far, far faster, just as Abel had been. She accelerated, all but launching herself through the air. Esther couldn't see what happened, but there was another surge of golden light, and then the ship flared, and second later, she heard and felt the distant concussion of the explosion, like thunder in the cloudless sky.

She kept her eyes on the distant battlefield, and saw Lilith's glittering light plunge into the midst of the ships. Her stomach felt twisted up, and there was a lump in her throat. Her hands tightened helplessly into fists. She wanted to help, to fly upward and assist the other woman. Or to look away. But there was nothing she could do, save watch and pray.

Once, twice...three more ships vanished in flares of golden light and strange, electrical fire. Then, without warning, blue fire shattered through the battleground, crashing against the gold. Esther felt her breath freeze in her throat. _Abel._ Even as far away as she was, she knew what had happened. Abel had transformed and entered the combat.

In the distant night sky, a glowing sapphire spark appeared, then surged brightly, to be met with a halo of sun-bright fire. The lights of the ships withdrew, leaving two glowing forms darting about the sky in a terrible dance.

Esther's stomach heaved, remembering Abel's combat with Cain, just after his resurrection. Only the color of the plasma-lit bursts had changed. She wondered, suddenly, if he had remembered this battle, on that night. The night he'd been fused to his other half, and faced his brother in the terrible haze of madness that accompanied his transformation. She sank to her knees, her chest aching with sorrow, her stomach twisting in knots. _Oh, Father...Abel..._

There was another surge of mingled gold and blue lightning. Then, suddenly, she became aware that both lights were getting brighter, larger. She scrambled to her feet, remembering how Abel and Cain had fallen from the sky, praying she wasn't about to witness a similar scene. Bad as it had been to see the two brothers, she didn't want to see the same happen to Lilith and Abel now.

Lilith settled to the ground a few yards away, still glowing with power. Esther took a deep breath of relief. She didn't look as if she'd been harmed. The wrap from shoulder to hip was gone, and her skirt looked worse for wear, but Lilith herself looked untouched by the violence of the fight. Esther swallowed back a second sigh, then looked beyond Lilith's shoulder.

Across the square, Abel was settling to the ground. He looked to her just as he always had when he transformed, save that the clothing that covered him was white, not black. But his skin was still that same dusky color, his eyes still gleaming red, his black wings half furled over his shoulders. He still held his red-black scythe in one hand. Like Lilith, his clothing looked battered, but he himself looked none the worse for the wear. Esther felt something inside her relax at that. No matter that he was an enemy right now, she hadn't wanted to see him wounded.

Lilith spoke, breaking the tense silence between them. "Abel. Will you truly continue this?" Her voice, like Seth's, had taken on a slightly metallic, echoing edge. It was still far less of a shock than the way Abel's dropped half an octave.

"I must. That place..." Abel's rough growl brought Esther's attention back to him. Her heart ached. That voice sounded so familiar. She remembered the low growl of it, as he stood over her, protecting her with his own body.

"Will you truly destroy every soul in this city, merely for a secret no one alive even understands? Has Cain's madness possessed you so far?" Through the harsh echo of the voice, Esther heard disbelief and anger in Lilith's voice. "Or do you still believe you hate Terrans so much?"

"Must you ask me that?" Abel's...the Crusnik 02's voice hardened. "They attacked us! Simply because we were different. Nothing...nothing has changed from the first time I walked these streets." In the dancing, flickering light of his lightning and Lilith's fire, Esther saw his hand tighten on the scythe. "Knowing that..."

"Will you not even try, Abel?" Esther saw Lilith's hands tighten around her own blades, wings shifting slightly, as if she was preparing to attack.

"I must...protect our people. For all our sakes. For Cain, and Seth...and the others." Abel's low voice was hesitant though.

"Your people, some of them, now live here. Under the city, where you once lived. By choice. They wish to be left alone. Will you destroy them, Abel? Simply because they do not believe in your cause?" Lilith faced him squarely.

There was a long moment of silence. Then abruptly, Lilith relaxed. The light around her faded, her wings withdrawing into her frame, swords dissolving. Within seconds, she was human again, and moving across the square.

Abel didn't move, didn't even release the scythe. He looked rigid, unbending, outlined in the glow of pale electrical fire that shimmered about him.

Lilith strode up to him, and watched him for a long moment. Then, gently, she reached forward, through the lightning that snapped around him, and laid one hand softly on his jaw. "Abel...I know you're angry, and hurt. I know...I know you've forced yourself to believe you hate the Terrans. But still...is it truly worth it? Are you so determined to destroy them that you'll take the lives of your own people in the process?"

"I...they betrayed us. And I...I cannot..." Abel shuddered, crimson eyes closing for a moment. He looked into Lilith's eyes, and Esther saw the scythe vanish from his hands. Every so slowly, the lightning that played over his form died down.

"They came because I led them. Because I told them I wished to seek a new home, away from the conflict. Surely you understand. They betrayed no one, Abel. I...perhaps you feel I betrayed you, for leaving. So then, Abel...do you hate me?"

Abel shuddered again, an expression Esther recognized as Anguish crossing his face. "Lilith...I..." He shuddered again, then drew back abruptly from her touch, as though he'd been burned. Then he turned away, his posture radiating a sort of pain-filled rage that had Esther's heart in her throat. "I...tried. But I...I can't. Lilith...I..."

"I know, Abel." she reached out, touched his shoulder. "I know your heart, Abel. You know, even now, that this is madness." She held him for a moment. "You must end this."

"I...can't. Cain..."

"Then at least leave this place alone. Leave our people in peace."

"I...that place. You know I cannot." Abel turned back to her. Even in the dim light, Esther could see the strain etched in his inhuman features.

"That place is safe. You have my word. Our people are protecting it, and I will seal it for you. No one will ever go there, not even its current guardians." She paused, then spoke again. "Albion is now allied with the Methuselah Underground. You remember my lieutenant, Alexander Walsh? He is now lord of the Underground. I will seal that place you fear so much, so not even he can enter it."

"And if...the seal is broken?" There were so many terrible emotions in that altered voice that Esther couldn't even begin to sort them out.

"It will not be, save by you or Cain. Besides...I will ask Alexander to guard it for me, to make sure that no one ever enters those tunnels. Not even his own kin." She met his eyes, standing straight and tall. "It will be safe. Safer even than destroying it will make it. But...I will only do this if you leave. Leave now. Leave Albion, and those who have settled here, in peace."

"Walsh is...a...good man." Abel's face was tense. For a long moment, he stared at her. Then, suddenly, his transformation melted away, leaving Abel in human form, standing on the stones. "You swear it, Lilith? That not even your own people will breach that place?"

"I said I would. You have my word, unless...do _you_ no longer consider my honor good enough?" Lilith's voice was sharp.

"I..." Abel turned away once again. "Lilith...it's not that." He spun again, terrible hope and anguish in his eyes. "Come back. Cain...he's furious, but...I think...I can ask..."

"No." Lilith shook her head. "I will not participate in this madness."

"I see." Abel regarded her a moment longer. Then, silently, he took her hand and raised it, then pressed a brief kiss to it. Then, without a word, he turned, and began walking towards the edge of the square.

"Abel." Lilith's voice stopped him. He didn't turn, but Esther could see the tension in the set of his shoulders. "Abel...I've made my choice. If you and the others continue this, then I will side with the Terrans. Continue to bring war to them, and I will fight you, with everything I know. All the strength I have. Even if I must ally myself to the Vatican, I will continue. Until I am killed, or you end this senseless violence."

"Then...we are enemies." Abel's voice was heavy, so quiet Esther barely heard him, and so pain-filled it brought tears to her eyes. But he said nothing further, only stepped away. Moments later, he vanished into the shadows.

Lilith remained where she was. The two women stood together in the square for a long time. Then Esther saw a light, too bright and close to be a comet, shoot into the sky. She knew, instinctively, what it was. Abel's ship. She saw Lilith's head move, eyes following the track of the vessel. Then, the whispered words reached her. "Goodbye, Abel. I'm sorry." Then Lilith turned and entered the vessel, settling into the pilot's seat. Esther followed, silent tears of grief staining her cheeks as she wept for the two of them.

**888888888**

The return trip to the Underground was made in silence. There, Esther and Lilith disembarked. Both took a quick moment to clean up and change clothing, then presented themselves in the main computer room. Lord Walsh was already there, and speaking to the queen on the monitor. Both looked up as Lilith entered the room. Then Alexander bowed. "My Lady."

"Lady Lilith." The queen's voice was neutral. "My compliments on a job well done. I've received the report from my commander. Half a dozen ships downed in combat, and then...whatever you did. I'm afraid my commander wasn't very specific on what happened after you ordered him from the fray. I've reports of bright golden lightning, and one or two of some angel of God ascending to attack the enemy. Perhaps, you'd care to explain."

"A gift, Majesty. A power I possess. One shared by those who command the attacking forces. I know you are aware of the attacks on the mainland. You've heard some of the reports. I believe you know of what I speak."

"You're referring to the reports of the Black Angel, the Destroyer. And...the others?"

"Indeed. There are only four of us, majesty, but...I fear...the three that remain will be formidable opponents."

"Quite. So far, Albion is the first I've heard of to repel an attack even of their ships, let alone..._that_." The queen sighed. "It will take a while for the rumors to get back to the mainland, but I suspect we'll see emissaries from the Vatican, and half a dozen others within a fortnight. When that happens..."

"I will go to the Vatican, Majesty. I have made my decision. I will ally with their troops. As for the rest..."

"We will be prepared. My engineers are already beginning to disassemble and blueprint the primary components for ships and weapons systems, Majesty." Alexander spoke up, his voice strong with reassurance and competence. "We'll have the blueprints within two days at the longest. As for new parts...as soon as we can get the equipment and set it up, we'll begin production. You need only tell us what you require."

"Start with upgrading the weapons and the defenses of every ship Albion has, land and sea based." Vivian sighed. "I can appreciate your will to ally with the Vatican, lady Lilith, but I confess..." A small smile touched her face, more sardonic than amused. "I'll regret not having you to defend us. Without you, we'll be sorely pressed if they attack again."

"They will not." Lilith spoke softly. "That, I have achieved. I spoke with their commander, and he has agreed to leave Albion in peace and intact, as much as his own control of the situation will permit, for the sake of those of us who have found shelter here. However...there is a price attached."

"What price?" The queen's eyes hardened. "There are some things I cannot grant, and some I will not, lady Lilith."

"I am aware, Majesty." Lilith inclined her head. "However...it is not such a great one. There is a section of the Underground, which I will seal. That place...no one is to enter it. No one is to approach it. Nor attempt to breach the security I will place around it. And...it is my request that the Lords of the Underground be placed in guard of it, until the rightful resident of that place returns, if such should happen."

Queen Vivian considered a moment, then nodded. "You are correct. That price, we can afford. Lord Walsh, will you accept the guardianship of this place?"

"I will. And you have my word, Lady Lilith. Neither I, nor any of mine, shall attempt to enter into the bounds you declare forbidden." Lilith nodded.

"In that case..." The queen spoke. "I believe we have a great deal of work to do. Lord Walsh, I shall expect to hear regular reports from you on your progress. Lady Lilith...I will send a messenger to you when we receive message, or visitors, from the Vatican, or other interested powers. I bid you good evening." Then the connection clicked shut.

**88888888888888**

The next several days were restless ones for Esther. Alexander Walsh was busy getting the computers and the production labs up and running, as well as solidifying the tentative government in their new home. Lilith was busy keeping her promise to Abel, sealing the Underground Genetics Lab. Esther was left to fend for herself. She ran messages for Lord Walsh, and assisted with repairing and furnishing the living facilities, but it still left her with far too much time to herself, and her thoughts.

It was distressing, being Abel's enemy. Thinking of him that way, the way she thought of Cain in her own time made her feel confused, upset. And it wasn't the only thing bothering her.

She couldn't get the image of Abel, standing in the square, out of her head. Nor the sounds, the tone of voice in which he'd spoken to Lilith. The same tone he'd used when speaking to her, in her own time. When he'd told her of his past, apologized after the battle in the garden. She recognized that tone, and the love in it. Love and despair.

She'd never before thought of herself as being the jealous type. And she'd known before, that Abel loved Lilith, in this time period. But it was one thing to know about it, quite another to watch the two of them interacting. Watching them, thinking about it, made her stomach twist uncomfortably. She couldn't help feeling envious of Lilith, for being his first love, even as her heart ached with sorrow for what the two of them were suffering through. And she couldn't help feeling the sharp sting of inadequacy.

Lilith was...beautiful. Stunning even. She was also smart, strong, independent. Compassionate. She was an amazing woman. And she'd known Abel since he was a teen, and throughout all of his adult life. Working beside her, Esther couldn't help but be aware of how little _she_ knew him by comparison. Nor could she help comparing Lilith's elegance to her own rather tomboyish appearance. To say nothing of their differences in skill and personality. It reminded her of when she'd first seen Abel with Caterina, and realized the two of them shared ten years of friendship that she would never understand. Or the first time she'd seen Abel beside Astha, and recognized the relaxed informality, almost intimacy, that they shared, and the fact that Astha was both beautiful and a noblewoman. Both situations had around in her that uncomfortable heaviness in her gut, the sharp sting in her mind, that she didn't want to admit was envy.

But this was different. With Caterina, she'd realized that their relationship as leader and subordinate was only possible if they were friends. The way they teased each other, the way Abel yielded to the Cardinal and accepted her leadership; it wasn't a balance they could have achieved as lovers. Not when he was so obviously stronger than she was. And with Astha...well, she'd only had to see them together once to recognize that half-amused, half-exasperated behavior on Astha's part. She treated Abel like a cross between good friend and irritating sibling. And he responded much the same way, though with more humor and teasing, and less violence. But this...

Abel did love Lilith. And she loved him back. Despite their position on opposite sides of the war...she'd heard the love in both their voices. And despite the fact that she'd known it was true, that she'd seen how deeply Abel had cared for the other woman, it still hurt, like being hit in the stomach, or slapped across the face. Not that she doubted Abel's love for her in her own time, but that somehow made it worse, in a way she couldn't explain.

Esther tried not to think about it, but...it was hard. When she was working on setting up rooms, and shops and other things like that, it was easier to avoid thinking, but she couldn't help replaying everything in her mind when she was alone. She finally settled for trying to stay as busy as possible, occupying her mind with cleaning and planning. Plans for what to do when she and Lilith were called to the Vatican. What she'd do if she were faced with another battle. Trying to remember anything and everything she'd ever heard or read about this time. She also spent time looking through records, with Alexander and Lilith's permission, for anything pertaining to a way for her to return home. She knew the time/space travel she'd undergone had been an official experiment for the Mars Program. To her disappointment, there were few records. Apparently, the lack of evidence for success had caused the project to be abandoned just after her own transport. It was depressing, but hardly surprising. After all, she knew they'd sent the colonists to Mars only two years later, and she was well acquainted with the concept of limited funding.

She was in the middle of assisting in setting up a kitchen area six days after Abel's attack when Lilith appeared in the doorway. "Esther."

"Yes?" She saw the serious look on Lilith's face, and immediately set down the pots she was holding. "Has something happened?"

"The Vatican representatives are here. Her Majesty sent me a message, requesting our presence."

"I see." Esther swallowed, feeling a tense knot in her stomach. "Then I'd best change into something more appropriate."

"Of course. I need to change as well." Lilith was wearing one of her more informal saris, dark blue and brown. "Meet me by the Palace entrance, within the hour."

"I will."

Back in her own rooms, Esther located the dress she usually used for audiences and slipped into it. Her own mind was whirling. She had, after all, been claiming to be a member of the Vatican. It wasn't a lie, but...it wasn't the truth for this time period, either. She'd been careful to avoid giving names for any of her mentors, but she wasn't sure how good the records were. And she doubted there were any 'Esther Blanchetts' listed. Worse, she wasn't sure how far the church's reach had been, nor how frequent travel was, so she couldn't simply claim to have been from some place that had been destroyed. She bit her lip, then took a deep breath. The best she could do was tell the truth, if she was asked, and hope not to come under too much scrutiny. She smoothed her dress one last time, then left.

Lilith met her at the Palace entrance. The other woman was wearing an outfit similar to her usual sari, but much more elaborate. The top was short, as usual, but instead of the usual dark sleeveless design she favored, it was cream colored, with a high white collar, somewhat similar to a nun's, and short sleeves that came to mid bicep. The center was pinned by a pale red jewel, cut as an octagon. Wide silver bracelets encircled her wrists, along with the narrower ones she usually favored. The skirt was a pale off-white, a few shades lighter than the top, and looked to be a fine silk or linen. Her over-wrap was dark brown and tasseled, also silk. Her flame red hair had been pulled back into its usual style, a single ponytail, with two locks framing her face, but over that she'd placed a small silver tiara, shaped as at three pointed crown. And over the sari, she wore the ornate rosary, from which her crucifix hung. The effect was striking. The style of her clothing hinted at her refugee status, while it's quality and the jewelry displayed her position of authority. And the crucifix made an open statement about where she'd chosen to place her loyalty. The combination was both subtle and impressive.

Esther swallowed, conscious of her relatively plain attire. She'd chosen blue and white, one because the colors mirrored those she'd worn as a Sister in the Vatican, and two because she knew they complimented her. But she felt suddenly like a drab servant, compared to Lilith. Of course, that meant she was far more likely to be overlooked. But it also reminded her of the turmoil she'd been experiencing over the past few days. She wasn't sure whether she felt more relieved or embarrassed. Then she pushed the thoughts away and followed Lilith into the Palace. There were more important things to worry about.

A guardsman met them at the entrance and escorted them to the throne room, before gesturing them inside. Lilith led Esther into the room, then paused and swept a graceful curtsey. "Your Majesty. You requested my presence?"

"I did. I have some visitors who would like to meet you. Come here." Queen Vivian smiled, gesturing with her hand. Lilith and Esther both nodded once, then rose. Esther swallowed, her gaze turning to the two men who stood beside the throne.

They were both older gentlemen, dressed in black robes, trimmed in red. Esther studied them. She couldn't remember if the modes of dress for different ranks was the same as in her time. But if it was, then these were either senior arch-bishops, or else lower level cardinals. There was nothing about their headgear to suggest which, and they were both wearing signet rings, which she knew were issued to arch-bishops and higher. She couldn't see any signs of secular rank of status, but that didn't mean anything. She swallowed.

"My lady." the older of the two, a stocky man with graying hair that had hints of brown still in it, stepped forward to meet Lilith. "I am arch-bishop Devon. My companion is Arch-bishop Santiago. We've come from the Vatican to speak to you."

Lilith inclined her head gracefully. "I wish you good evening, Arch-bishops. I am Lilith Sahl." She gestured. "This is my assistant, Esther."

Esther blinked, used to introducing herself, then kept quiet. She knew most people didn't notice assistants, and avoiding direct notice was high on her list of priorities. Especially now. She didn't know enough to be sure of _not_ changing the time-line, and she certainly didn't want to do anything that would get her written about.

The other arch-bishop, Santiago, stepped forward, studying Lilith's cross. "You're a Christian? A Catholic?"

Lilith shifted her weight slightly, as if uncomfortable. "I have faith. However, I was not baptized, nor have I attended church."

"Well...faith is what's important. Of course, one must follow the proper way. However, that is not what we were sent here to speak of." Devon brushed the topic away. "We heard that Albion successfully repelled an attack by the Enemy of the World, and that you had a hand in it. In fact, there are rumors that you, personally, drove them away single-handed."

"The rumors are exaggerated, arch-bishop. I had the help of the Albion fleet. Though...I will admit to having special advantages."

"They say you've provided Albion with new technology, to defeat the invaders."

"I have. If you wish use of it, I'm sure that Her Majesty would be willing to negotiate with you." Lilith nodded slightly to where Vivian sat, watching the proceedings from her throne.

"Of course." The queen's expression was smooth, relaxed and professional, but Esther saw the mingled amusement and satisfaction in her eyes. "I'm quite willing to negotiate with the Vatican, for sale of arms and other technology, as soon as out Technological Center is up and running."

"That is a matter for the Foreign Affairs Department, Majesty. However, we will be glad to relay your words to His Holiness." Devon waved the matter away, then turned back to Lilith. "You say you have special advantages. Rumor has it you possess unique knowledge of Old Technology, lost in Armageddon. And equally unique knowledge of the enemy's tactics and motivations, and his skills."

"That is true." Standing just behind Lilith, she saw the other woman's shoulders tense. "And I will share that knowledge. I am prepared to come to the Vatican, and give my assistance to you. However...I would make a request."

"If your information and skills are as good as rumors claim, then I'm sure His Holiness will be glad to grant it." Devon bowed. "Will you come with us?"

"I will. If my assistant may come as well?"

"Naturally. Given the urgency of the situation, we would prefer to leave at dawn, so that we may reach the Vatican before tomorrow evening."

"Of course. I understand perfectly. You have a ship?"

Santiago nodded. "Our lightweight combat ship is docked at the nearest airfield."

Lilith nodded. "We will meet you there in my airship, as dawn breaks." She bowed her head. "If you will excuse me, I must make preparations for the journey, and I suspect both of you would like some rest."

Santiago nodded. "Dawn then." Both Arch-bishops turned, bowed to the queen, and ushered themselves out.

Lilith waited until the two priests were gone before she turned back to the throne. "It seems the time has come for me to bid you farewell, Majesty."

"Indeed." The queen sighed. "I wish you would reconsider. You are the best protection Albion has. Still...I understand well what a sense of duty may demand, so I will not ask. Your Lord Walsh will soon have our ships fitted with new weapons and shields, and with the technology to barter, Albion will thrive. It is a better fate than I hoped for, even two months ago. More than I dreamed, when your little red-haired messenger appeared in my audience chamber." Vivian flashed Esther a quick, amused smile, then returned her attention to Lilith. "You need not be concerned. I will keep our bargain, and give your refugees safe haven."

"And they shall keep theirs." Lilith bowed her head again.

"I know." The queen made a gesture of dismissal. "The two of you have a journey ahead of you, and only a few hours to prepare. Go well, Lady Lilith. Perhaps we'll meet again, if this war is ever ended." She turned, met Esther's gaze. "You as well, Lady Esther."

Esther managed a nod, a lump in her throat. "Yes, Majesty." Then the queen looked away, and she and Lilith were escorted from the chamber.

Packing took Esther less than an hour. She'd nothing save a few changes of clothing, and some equipment, and it all went easily into a small bag that Alexander provided. She gave Lilith some assistance, and spent the rest of the time saying her goodbyes. It surprised her, how many people she'd come to know. Alexander Walsh, the four lieutenants who served him as advisers and aides, and several of the others whom she'd worked with, setting up homes in the Underground. By the time she joined Lilith at the ship, her heart was aching.

Alexander met them there as well, his expression solemn. He gave Esther a nod, then went to Lilith. "My Lady." he bowed his head. "Thank you."

Lilith's return smile was laced with sadness. "Take care, Lord Walsh. I'm sure you'll do well, here. Take care of our people for me."

Alexander looked up, into her eyes. "I shall, lady." He took her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it, then turned and disappeared back into the Underground.

Lilith watched him go, then turned to look at the faint light rising behind her ship, through the opening to her landing area. "Come...it's time to go." Esther nodded, and the two of them stepped into the ship. Ten minutes later, they were rising into the sky over Londinium. Another ship, this one decorated with a cross to mark it as the Vatican's, rose into the air as well.

Esther heard the exchange of directions without really listening. Her eyes were on the city below her, so like and yet unlike the one she knew. Her heart was heavy with the knowledge of those she left behind, and what she was going to. She looked out, to the horizon, imagining she could see the ocean. Soon, within the next twenty four hours, she'd be in the Vatican. Soon, she and Lilith would truly enter the battlefield, as Abel's enemies. Esther swallowed back the lump of mingled fear and grief in her throat, remembering what she knew was about to happen and wondering, once again, if she should stop it.

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**AN (smcandy): **Now to answer some small quiz questions I left for you guys in the blue about in the last chapter update.

***** **FACT** The queen that has been introduced from part one to this part was in fact a small minor manga cannon character queen Vivian. She was the ruling Albion Queen at the time from the manga she was mentioned by Mary Spencer in chapter 30 of volume 13 of the English 's was just flash back silhouette shown of her, so went what she _might_ have looked like seeing there was a lot of red heads in the family if you consider whom in so far presently. Looking at Queen Brigitte II in her younger days she looked an awful lot like ester physically, her son Prince Gilbert we can see had dark hair in the manga so it's good to assume Esther got the red hair from him then her mother. We assume that's a trait in the family of seeing one or more red head generation show up in the royal line.

***** **FICTION **Alexander Walsh is an OC (Original Character) he's Virgil and Vanessa ancestor and co-founder of the Ghetto Underground. If fan whom have read chapter 30 of volume 13 of the English manga it tell a small bit of how that Albion ghetto was founded. We used that tidbit of info to out advantage and made another Oc that might have more depth explanation later on in **TBAS** or possible at the end of **TBWC**. It's not certain nor official yet but I think now some of you get the idea.

Now onto Lilith's Crusnick/Krusnick form; we went by some very vague and foggy idea of what we for her blood crystal weapons of choise she uses when then she goes into her C. form along with what the novel and cannon says about her powers. Here's what the fact and fiction from what we've used for those whom are nor that familiar with her form both versions

***** **FACT** Lilith Sahl was the prototype for Cain, Abel, and Seth thus makes the oldest of the RMP (Red Mars Project) babies by three years older than them. Created for the Mars Colonization Project by United Nations Scientists. She also had the lowest rank of the four of them. When Lilith went against her fellow siblings or RMP brethren at the time of the Armageddon war she along with most of some of her people whim shared the same idea and disgust of attacking and going against humanity went with her down to earth to help fight off the bad returners being Cain, Abel and Seth's groups.

These Methuselah are/were considered the good returners form what I have read about cannon spoilers from the 900-1000 year old war. Lilith sided with humanity and the Vatican to save humanity from the Methuselah, while the three Nightroad siblings joined the Methuselah. The anime series never shows Lilith's Crusnik form or her powers. The novels show her to a powerful combatant and strategist, protecting humanity from Cain, Seth, Abel, and the Methuselah during the post-Armageddon Human-Vampire War. Along with her Crusnik form the novel it says that it various on the degree of percentage she wants activated Lilith is shown to have six blue wings while in 80% activation, and four white wings during 40%. Most of us have seen the novel or thores picture of her at 80% activation with those blue wings you can find that picture online to view for those whom have yet to see Lilith in her other form. A rare treat indeed.

***** _**POSSIBLE**__**FICTION**_ From what we hear as rumors to which have _**yet**_ to be shown official ; According to her release, Lilith gains a different number of wings and changes color (because neither the author or the artist agreed on the number and the color). Her basic release consists in two white wings, her 40% one in four multicolored wings and, finally, 80% six blue ones. Her long nails and a bone curved sword (made of the same material of Abel's scythe, Cain's spear and Seth's tridents) as attacks and slim membrane around her hands as defense. Both channel UV and plasma to disintegrate matter. She can regenerate every wound almost at scratch, except the beheading. This not certain on how true it is for the cannon but with what little we had we went with this info canon or not to help us a little.

*** ****FICTION** Why Lilith emits a golden or yellow hue to when she attacks is the same as to when Cain & Abel both at 100% have been shown to have their own theme colors of blue lightening even when Abel was 40%-80% form and red blasts for Cain when he is always at 100%. We've also noticed this on their old RMP uniforms having each a different color piping or lining even in their present cloths after the way two out of the four of them still wear their trade theme colors. We will continue to use then for when their powers evolve later on in the sequel and maybe at the end of the story. Since the theme colors suit them well it make it easy to tell apart and distinguish to when and who's battle or aura is being shown and described in the story.


	50. Thirty four Pt 03: Long Lost Love

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Again another deep apply to many whom were wondering where the activity has been, this part took longer than we both thought in finishing up. After this from what **dragonwriter24cmf** says the remaining five chapters should be easier and less stressful to produce. I really want to finish up this story soon before the summer is over so I can see what guys want us to do next from the poll results ^^

My editor has really hard time with a few things she wanted to semi perfect or in other worlds perfect at **100%** capacity for this chapter. Along with some nasty little migraines that have been keeping her from getting this chapter coming to me sooner. I feel her pain.

**dragonwriter24cmf****(AN)****:** To all those who are about ready to sic a vampire on me for not updating faster...really, I am sorry. Should get smoother from here.

Uh...yeah...so...this took forever, and it's really long. Still, I hope it does justice to the battles, and the characters involved. Enjoy.

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**(*) **As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this **100%** everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. **I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter****.**

This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided love, **Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

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****** Just remember for everyone whom is new or just added me or the story to their alerts to add your vote on my currant poll on my profile page or on my **Deviantart** poll if you have an account there I'm under the same name as the one I used here you cannot missed it. That along with seeing what arts have been done for TBWC by me and others that have commissioned arts for the story ^^. Now onto part two enjoy everyone.

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Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter ****Thirty-Four****: Part three– ****Long Lost Love**

Esther spent most of the journey sleeping, at Lilith's suggestion. She spent the rest of it thinking, trying to remember what she could. She knew, from history lessons, that the Pope's name was Grigori, though she couldn't remember what number pope he was, nor how many popes had carried the name before or after him. A quick amount of figuring gave her the idea that he might be somewhere between the three hundred sixtieth and the three hundred seventy-fifth pope. Other than that...well, most popes were older than the one she'd served in her own time. She recalled that Alessandro's election to the office had been under special circumstances. But she really had no idea what to expect.

Hopefully, she'd remain Lilith's assistant, and they wouldn't ask her too many questions. However, if she was asked, she'd say she'd been raised in a church in one of the more Eastern areas, that the woman who had acted as her guardian had been killed, as had the priest who had helped her afterward, and that Lilith had rescued her from one of the other commanders. Hopefully, that would be enough.

Esther swallowed. Answering questions was the easy part. As for the rest...her mind wandered over all the history she'd read, all the legends from the time of the wars, trying to remember as much as she could. She knew there were a number of saints from that time period, but she couldn't remember all of them. Istvan...something about electricity. _That's right. The patron saint of Istvan supposedly manifested electricity with his hands. And in Carthage...Saint Elissa saved the city, and defeated the Methuselah in battle. And wasn't there someone in Barcelona, or something? And...there was the pope, and the Nia Sancta, prophetess and warrior, who helped His Holiness. _

Esther struggled to hold back a sigh of frustration. She knew there was more, but...it had all been so long ago. She knew nothing but myths and legends. And yet...she was about to live them.

"Esther?" Lilith's soft voice startled her from her thoughts.

"Yes?" She turned in her seat, looking at her companion.

"We'll be at the Vatican soon. Within the hour." Esther blinked. She'd been too lost in her thoughts. Then Lilith looked at her, the golden eyes solemn. "Are you all right?"

"Yes." Esther took a deep breath. "It's just...I'm trying to remember, but...I really don't have a lot of information."

"You're concerned. About changing things."

"Yes." Esther swallowed hard, trying to get her thoughts in order.

"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll do all right." Lilith gave her a quick, encouraging smile. "Just stay with me, and stick to what you know. I have faith that everything will turn out as it's meant to."

"Yes." Esther felt her voice drop. "You're right." She lifted her hand to the locket she wore, and the cross she wore as well._ I just have to have faith..._

They landed in the Vatican airfield at dusk. Santiago and Devon were waiting for them as Lilith and Esther exited their vessel. The younger man bowed. "Lady Lilith, His Holiness is waiting for you." He hesitated. "We apologize for rushing you this way, however..."

"It is an emergency. The Enemy of the World is a dangerous opponent." Lilith inclined her head. "As long as His Holiness is not offended by my current state, then I have no reason to protest."

Devon nodded. "His Holiness understands the long and difficult journey you have made." He held out a hand. "Please...this way."

Esther found herself looking around as the two men led them into the Vatican. She'd come this way a dozen times or more, in her own time, after several missions but...it looked so different. The great cross that in her time hung suspended above the church hadn't been erected. Some buildings she recognized, some she didn't. There were fewer statues than she recalled. Esther took notes as they made their way through the corridors, trying to commit the details to memory. She didn't want to mention something from her own time that wasn't in this one. At best, people would think she was hallucinating. At worst...someone would guess.

Finally, they stopped by a door that Esther thought she remembered. The door to the Vatican Council Chamber. She'd never been inside, though. As a sister, she hadn't had the rank. And she'd never visited here in an official capacity as the queen. Esther heaved a small sigh of relief. At least in this room, she'd have no memories to confuse her.

The doors opened, revealing three thrones at the far end of the room, all occupied. Esther recognized the silver and white raiment of the Pope, and the crimson of the senior cardinals, heads of the Vatican secular affairs. Two priests dressed in dark robes and half-armor stood beside two columns, which she thought might contain computers. Both were men, bare-headed and stern looking. Around the edges of the room sat several other men, and one or two women, all dressed similarly to their two escorts, though in much finer clothing. Esther made note of them, guessing they were other cardinals. She vaguely recalled that in her own time, the senior council of the pope was made up of only cardinals for the various regions. She wondered if there were people here representing the places that had already been destroyed. She shook the thought away, and turned her attention to the Pope.

He was older, but not elderly. In fact, he didn't look much older than the Professor's age, in his mid-forties perhaps. The robes made it difficult to tell his physical build, but his face was angular, and she suspected, given the width of the shoulders under the garments, that he was somewhat stocky. The hair was dark, streaked with gray, adding an air of authority to him. His eyes reminded her of somewhat of Vaclav's, dark and determined, though with an edge of steel that somehow seemed more like Brother Petros. A sharp, intelligent gaze. Her overall impression was one of a strong, solid leader, well-used to his authority, and wielding an intelligence to match his presence.

Arch-bishop Devon led them forward, then sank to one knee. Lilith and Esther followed suit. "You Holiness, may I present Lady Lilith Sahl."

"Rise." The voice was deep, somewhere lingering between bass and baritone. There was tension in that tone, but at least he sounded reasonable, and almost friendly. It was what Lady Caterina would have called a reserved, conversational tone. The three of them rose to their feet. The Pope regarded Lilith a moment, then turned his gaze to their two escorts. "You may go."

"Yes, Holiness." Devon bowed, then turned and left, Santiago in his wake.

The Pope waited until the doors shut behind them, then turned his gaze back to Lilith. "You know who I am."

Lilith inclined her head respectfully. "You are the current Pope, leader of the Vatican. Pope..."

"This is His Holiness, the 365th Pope, Grigori the First." The Cardinal on the left rose.

Lilith nodded. "As your Arch-bishop introduced, I am Lilith Sahl. And this is my assistant, Esther Blanchett."

"Yes. We've heard reports of you." The Cardinal on the left rose, his gaze forbidding. Esther swallowed. In her own time, that seat had been occupied by the leader of the Inquisition. "Rather interesting reports, in fact." He gestured to one of the computer towers. "There is no report of a Lilith Sahl in Vatican records. Perhaps you might tell us exactly where you come from."

"From the Eastern area. What was once the Indo-Eurasian Alliance." Lilith tensed, ever so slightly. "Almost two months ago, the Enemy of the World destroyed the place where I was born."

"I see. And how is it that you managed to escape, you and the refugees who appeared in Albion?" There was a sharpness in the man's tone, a dangerous edge that Esther felt she recognized from hearing Francesco question people. She tensed, resisting the urge to leap forward and challenge the man.

"I was not there." Lilith's voice was low, soft, utterly controlled, but Esther heard the tension in it and knew she'd sensed the same dangerous edge to the man's voice. "The Eastern area was once my home, however..."

She turned her attention to the Pope, then abruptly dropped gracefully into kneeling position again. "You have asked who I am, Holiness. I am Commander Lilith Sahl, formerly of the Red Mars Project, whose other members leaders are now known to you as the Enemies of the World."

"Then you admit that you are also an enemy."

"No." Lilith raised her head to meet the pope's gaze. "I left their company. I do not believe in the path they have chosen."

"Why?" Grigori leaned forward in his seat. "Why would you betray your own people for others?"

Esther saw the pain on Lilith's face. "This world is my home, and I love it, regardless of what they may think. I will not stand by and see it, nor the human race destroyed by a madman's whim." She closed her eyes briefly. "I knew him once, the one who is this world's enemy. He is now insane, beyond all reason. I will not permit such madness to destroy everything and everyone I hold dear. So...instead, I have come to protect humans. To help you."

"Then you are prepared to go to battle, even if it means facing those you called compatriots?" That question held a clear challenge.

"I am. As a matter of fact, Holiness, I intend to offer my services in battle especially against them." She rose to her feet, still holding Grigori's gaze. "The Enemy of the World, and the one they call the Black Angel, the Destroyer...I would ask your blessing to meet them in battle."

"So the rumors are true?" Grigori studied her. "They say that in Albion, the Destroyer was met by another, a dark savior who bore the sun against him."

Lilith smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "An exaggeration Holiness, however...I can combat them on their own terms, if that is what you wish to know."

"And you will give the Vatican the benefit of your knowledge in our combat? You will tell us their weaknesses?"

"I cannot tell you the weaknesses of the Enemy of the World, however...I will aid you, and teach you all I can."

"Very well." Grigori's words cut through the protest the other man was about to make. "The Vatican accepts your assistance. But know...betray us, and we will not hesitate to destroy you."

"Holiness, you...if word gets out that we've accepted help from one of _them_..." The other cardinal had risen to his feet, with a quick glare at Lilith and Esther. "We won't be able to maintain even the tenuous control we have over the situation. The secular governments that remain will most certainly withdraw their assistance. They may even turn on us as traitors."

"Precisely why I do not intend to let them know that we are receiving such help." The pope's voice was stern. It startled Esther. She was so used to Alessandro, the shy young boy pope. This man was a completely different sort of leader, fully in charge and, she suspected, as ruthless and educated in politics as the men who served him.

"Then what shall we do, Holiness?" That question came from one of the men sitting to the side.

"Holiness...I think it would be prudent to see a demonstration of the information and power our guest claims to have." That was from the one Esther thought was the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

"He's right. Until we know exactly what kind of support she's willing to give us..."

Esther tuned out the rest of the sentence. She'd heard a thousand like it from the Cardinal di Medici. Besides...she thought she knew the outcome of this argument. In her own time, Lilith was spoken of as the Nia Sancta, the Dark Holy Woman.

"Holiness..." Lilith's soft voice penetrated Esther's thoughts. The Cardinals stopped arguing. Lilith met their eyes, then spoke again. "Holiness...I cannot assist you unless I know what your plans are or, at the very least, what assistance you feel you need."

The smallest of smiles touched Grigori's mouth. "Naturally. In that case...Cardinal, please acquaint our guest with the situation."

After a moment, the man on the left nodded. "At present, there's nothing left beyond the desert in the east. As best as we can determine, everything has been destroyed. Beyond that, critical cities in several locations have been attacked. Berlin was completely annihilated. Amsterdam, Istvan, Barcelona...even as far as Venice, all these cities have taken heavy damage. Rome has not yet seen a direct attack, however, we are concerned. There have been no attacks from their main ship since the destruction of Constantinople, and we aren't sure what they're planning. At present, we've detected a fleet of perhaps a hundred fighting vessels. Our primary concern however, is their leaders. Primarily, the two they call the Contra Mundi...Enemy of the World. So far, we've registered two men, although, some reports indicate there is a third among them, a young girl."

"I see." Lilith seemed to consider. "The actual count of fighting vessels should be 155, including the ones that are damaged. Also perhaps 50 smaller, lightweight craft that can be used for personal missions. As for the main ship...the weapons systems were disabled before my departure. There will be no further attacks from the flagship. Concerning the Enemy of the World...there is a young girl leading a part of their forces, however, she is unlikely to reach the front line. Of the other two...you're most likely to see the one called the Destroyer. He has the greatest experience in combat and field attacks. However, his compatriot is far more dangerous."

"The other man has only been sighted once or twice, in Berlin and one other location."

"He is their leader. He will take the field only on a whim. However..." Lilith sighed. "From my experience, the dark one can be reasoned with. The other..." Esther saw the distant, pained expression in her eyes. "His madness is total. You cannot reason, nor declare truce. His goal is to destroy this world, burn it to ashes."

"Can he be stopped? Defeated?" The Inquisitorial commander looked thoughtful. "If he is their leader, and we could incapacitate him..."

Lilith shook her head. "I fear that is a feat most likely to be beyond even my ability. Your entire army would be child's play to that man. His power is immense. Besides...at this time, you would have to face the other two first. Do you truly wish to wager your fleet's chances against the one you call Destroyer?"

The man winced. "Our last encounter with him cost us six battleships."

Lilith nodded. "Albion currently possesses information on the technology the Returning use, and Her Majesty is willing to trade with you. With Albion's assistance, you can upgrade the weapons on your fleet, and that will give you more evenly matched armies. However, in the meantime, I would be willing to assist you in that area as well. There are some modifications I can help you make."

The cardinal clenched his jaw. "We need a way to regain our cities, and to negate their power in hand to hand combat!"

Lilith nodded. "I'll need to see the strategic situations for each city, in detail. However, as for the other matter..." She hesitated, and Esther saw the quick flash of pain and sorrow in her gaze. "Bring the battle to them in daylight, my lords. Silver and sunlight are your weapons. Either one will weaken them, save for the three leaders. I can also tell you what powers they possess. Many Methuselah possess different abilities. I have studied all of them."

Pope Grigori studied the two of them a moment, then nodded. "Your information shall be passed on. We shall see if it proves helpful. However..." A slow, grim smile touched his mouth. "I believe you may be very useful to us indeed, Lady Lilith Sahl." he regarded them a moment longer, then lifted his hand in dismissal. "You will go with one of our Inquisitors, and tell them all you know of these varying abilities the vampires possess, that you have such knowledge of. In the meantime, accommodations will be arranged for you."

"Thank you, Holiness." Lilith swept him a curtsey and a bow, Esther only a breath behind. They both turned to find one of the two priests from the computer consoles standing by the door, waiting. With a final bow, they were ushered from the Pope's presence.

Esther took a deep breath as they stepped into the hallway. Despite her conviction that everything would be all right, and her knowledge of the future, she'd still been half afraid that the Pope would order them arrested and interrogated. She took another breath, willing herself to relax.

The room they were ushered to was a small one, only a table and two chairs. Lilith settled into one chair, the priest into another. Esther went immediately to stand behind Lilith's chair, taking the position she'd seen AX members take with Lady Caterina.

The priest began to ask questions. Esther listened with half an ear, her mind wandering as Lilith gave her answers. She was relieved there were no chains, nor even fasteners on the walls. And the questions themselves were straightforward. There was some about Lilith's past, one or two about Esther, which the red-haired Crusnik answered, and more about Lilith's abilities and requirements. From there it moved to a detailed examination of her knowledge of the Methuselah, or vampires.

Esther let her attention wander. She'd seen a lot of different Methuselah capabilities. The most dangerous that she knew of were the fire casters, and possibly the acid users. But...she'd been trained, and she had no doubt Lilith would be a formidable protector. Instead, she racked her mind for any memories, milestones she could use to determine where they were in the time line.

_Father said..._ For some reason, it was easier to think of Abel and Father Nightroad as two separate people. Esther swallowed, feeling her throat tighten at the thought, then resolutely shoved it away. _Father said...Istvan was restored. And some of the other border towns. And Carthage. Didn't he say Carthage was the key? And, at some point...he and Seth will both..._ Her thoughts froze. She didn't want to think about what Seth and Abel were doing now. Nor what it would lead to. Determinedly, she focused her mind on the things she knew. Istvan would be repaired. Carthage would be rescued, and protected by the Ibilis. Somewhere around that point, Abel and Seth would begin to back down. And then Cain...she tightened her fists, helpless fear making her stomach knot. _I...even if I need to preserve my time, even if...even if it's the right thing to do...can I really..._ Her gaze slipped to the red-haired woman, still answering questions at the table. _Oh Lord, is it really right to sacrifice a person who helped me so much, just to preserve my own time. Even though I know it may endanger so many...how can this be the correct thing to do?_ She bowed her head in silent prayer. _Please Lord, guide me, that I may do what must be done, and give me the strength to do it._

The scraping of chairs jerked her out of her thoughts. Both Lilith and the Inquisitor were rising to their feet. The priest folded his notebook with a look of satisfaction. "I will convey this information to His Grace and His Holiness. In the meantime, the Vatican will provide you with guest quarters." He strode to the door and opened it, then gestured. "This way."

Esther followed apprehensively, but the room they were led to was one she recognized as novice quarters. Two beds, desks, and a small bathroom, with a shared chest of drawers. It was almost exactly what she remembered growing up with, although it was slightly bigger than the rooms she'd had. More like the rooms they'd given guests who sought sanctuary or religious retreat. She felt her shoulders relax from relief as the priest shut the door.

Lilith sighed as well, stretching. Her gaze flitted around the room, her fingers trailing across the top of the drawers and the desk. "It seems we are not prisoners, at least."

"No." Esther shook her head. "Where I was raised...these are actually like the rooms we gave to people seeking sanctuary, or advice. It could be much worse."

"Indeed." A sad smile touched Lilith's mouth. "I had half-expected a jail cell. However, I suppose that bringing information and aid against the enemy counts for something."

Esther saw the sadness in her eyes. "You seem...upset."

Lilith sighed again, turning away as if she were looking out a window, though there was none in the room. "When I was young, I often wished to see the Vatican. I did not think it would be like this."

"No." Esther swallowed, remembering her own first time in Rome. The presence of Abel and Tres and Noelle had helped, but...there was a part of her that had grieved, to have made the trip without Bishop Laura. With a start, she remembered how the bishop had spoken of bringing her to Rome at her coming of age, so she could become a full Sister, with the bishop as her sponsor. But Laura Vitez, hadn't lived that long. Instead, it had been Abel...Father Nightroad, who'd sponsored her. And instead of becoming a Sister of Saint Matthias in Istvan at the age of eighteen, she'd become a Sister of the AX at sixteen, under special dispensation, and the queen of Albion just after her seventeenth birthday. "No. It wasn't how I imagined my first time either."

Lilith sighed again, then turned to look at her, sorrow and pain in the golden eyes. "This...it isn't easy, is it? To come here...for this purpose." She looked away, her hands clenching into fists. "I cannot permit Abel to continue as he has done, and yet...even knowing what I do must be done...I feel as though I betray him."

"I think I understand. I feel the same way. But still...I think it might be worse later, if we didn't do this." Esther felt a lump in her throat. She found herself thinking, not just of Abel, but of Lilith. Of what was going to happen. She took a deep breath, trying to force it away. "Regardless, I think all we can do now is wait."

"That is true." Lilith paused for a moment, then released a long, slow sigh. "Very well. Then we will wait, and see what destiny the Lord has in hand for us."

**8888888888888**

The next hours, or days if Esther guessed correctly, went by extremely slowly, at least for her. One member of the Vatican brought in the bags they'd both packed, allowing them to change into less formal clothing. They were served simple meals, at what seemed like regular intervals, and otherwise left alone.

Esther felt as if she would go mad with waiting. She wanted to rush out and find Abel. She wanted to try to stop the battles. She'd thought trying to live with her thoughts while helping sort out the Underground was hard. The waiting in their room was worse. She would have given just about anything for a clock, or at least a window. She felt restless, more like a prisoner than a guest.

Lilith, for her part, managed to look serene and calm, but Esther knew the waiting was wearing on her too. Her shoulders underneath the sari were tense, her eyes frequently distant and haunted. Neither of them felt like speaking much. Instead, Esther wrote in a journal she'd picked up, or read the battered Bible she found by the desk. Lilith also wrote or read, or simply rested, lost in thought.

They were cleaning the fourth set of what Esther thought were dinner dishes when the Inquisition priest returned. "His Holiness wishes to see you. Please change and accompany me."

"Of course." Lilith nodded as he stepped back through the door, then turned to pull out her formal sari.

Changing took both of them less than half an hour. Esther found herself smoothing imaginary creases from her dress as they followed the priest through the halls. She knew they weren't being taken as prisoners. Otherwise, they wouldn't be seeing the pope, nor would they have been given time to change. But she couldn't help feeling nervous. She watched Lilith, striding forward with her usual serene expression, and wondered how the other woman managed to pull it off.

The priest escorted them back to the council room, then led them inside. Esther swallowed hard. The entire papal council was there, with the Pope and the two cardinals seated at the far end of the room.

Lilith stepped forward and curtseyed. "Holiness. You requested my presence?"

"I have." Grigori motioned them to come forward. "We've tested the information you presented us with, and it is very useful. In our last confrontation, we were able to stall the enemy, and even push him back."

Lilith inclined her head. "I am glad, Holiness, that I was able to be of service."

Grigori watched her a moment, then spoke again. "My Council believes, now that we can withstand the enemy to some degree, that we should begin taking back the cities they have laid waste to."

Lilith nodded. "If you would have my advice, then form a barrier, Holiness. Form a front line in which to face him."

"Holiness..." The head of the Inquisition was rising from his seat. "If her information is good enough to allow us to take back our cities, then our first move should be to restore the major capitals. We have lost Barcelona, Amsterdam and Berlin. Let us take them back, and then press outwards."

"No, Your Grace." Lilith shook her head. "Barcelona you may rebuild, if you are determined enough, but any army you send to Berlin will be reduced to ashes, and not even my knowledge will protect you. Berlin...the Contra Mundi once claimed it as his home, and he will permit no one to hold it, save he."

"Barcelona then. You believe it may be restored?" The other Cardinal rose.

"It is possible. However, without border protection, it may fall again."

"Still, Barcelona would give us a major city in the South. And for the North...Amsterdam is a good location to start."

"If I may suggest, Holiness..." Lilith inclined her head. "Istvan would be easiest to restore, and its resources can then be used to support the repairs and restructuring of the Amsterdam area." She moved forward. "Istvan houses a power station, connected to a satellite. Activated and focused, it will provide power for the entire city, and beyond if possible."

"Istvan is a border city, barely even within Vatican control in the first place! If we're going to move on the offensive, we _should _be striving to retake our major cities!" The Inquisitor was on his feet.

Esther felt her shoulders knot up at the dismissal of her home town as nothing but a border town. She'd always wondered how the Marquis had gotten such a strong foothold, and why the town seemed so...neglected. Now she understood how it had happened. She wanted to shout at them, to tell them not to dismiss it. But...she was only Lilith's assistant. She couldn't afford to attract too much notice. Besides...if her city wasn't a border city, if the Methuselah presence hadn't become so strong...Abel might not have come. And certainly, she'd have never discovered the questions that had led her to becoming a member of the AX, Abel's friend, or the Queen of Albion.

_Bishop Laura probably wouldn't have died. _Esther bit her lip, fighting back tears. If Istvan hadn't been deemed unimportant, except as a border town, then her guardian would have lived. But she never would have left, never would have joined the man she knew as Father Nightroad. Much as she wanted to scream at them for discounting her home, she knew this was a part of the past that couldn't be changed.

"Enough." Pope Grigori's voice cut through the discussion, startling her out of her thoughts. "All your assessments are valid." He paused, then turned his gaze to Lilith. "You say you can recover Istvan?"

"Yes Holiness." Lilith nodded decisively. "There is an electrical relay satellite connected to Istvan. I should be able to awaken it and bring it online. It would provide power for the entire city. And if a proper network is formed, possibly several other cities as well. There is a chance the whole northeastern border could be revived."

"Very well. I shall send you to Istvan. We have a minimal presence in the city, therefore, the Vatican will provide someone to escort and introduce you."

One of the cardinals sitting on the sidelines spoke. "Arch-bishop Devon is proficient in matters of technology, and currently has no assignment. He is also somewhat familiar with the area. I believe it is where he served during his training as a priest. He is a well-proven servant of God as well."

The pope nodded. "Noted. We shall send Arch-bishop Devon with our Dark Lady and her assistant." He turned to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. "See to it that preparations for the journey are made as soon as possible."

The man frowned in thought. "We can have a ship prepared by tomorrow evening. However, and escort will take longer to arrange."

Lilith shook her head. "Holiness, an escort will only draw attention, and inform the Contra Mundi of our plans."

"That is a valid point." The Inquisitor shifted, looking between Lilith and the pope. "Holiness, we don't even know if this mission has a chance of succeeding. I recommend we let the arch-bishop and these two handle the matter on their own, while we concentrate on maintaining our defense and retaking what ground we can."

Grigori nodded. "Your advice is noted." He paused, then turned to the others. "Tell Arch-bishop Devon he is to prepare for a journey immediately. He, Lady Lilith, and her assistant will leave tomorrow for Istvan." He turned, and gave Lilith a grave nod. "I pray for your success, Dark Lady."

"Thank you, Holiness." Lilith bowed her head, then cast her gaze around the room, bowed once more. "I await your summons." Then she turned and left the Council room, Esther following behind her.

One of the door guards to the council room escorted them back to their rooms. Esther barely noticed. Her mind was spinning with too many thoughts.

They were going to Istvan. She knew it wouldn't be her home, that none of the people she knew would be there, and yet...the thought of the familiar town, and all the memories it held...memories of Bishop Laura, beside memories of Abel, and a hundred other faces. The place where she'd grown up, where Dietrich had been her friend, where she'd first met the man she'd come to love...Esther felt her stomach clench at the thought of confronting Abel in Istvan. She wasn't sure she'd be able to handle it.

"Esther?" Lilith's startled question broke her train of thoughts. With a start, she realized that she was standing outside their room, and the red-haired Crusnik was holding the door for her.

"Sorry. I just...I was just thinking." Esther felt herself blushing as she stepped into the room and watched Lilith shut the door.

"You seemed...upset." The tone was gentle, hesitant, inviting her to speak if she wanted to.

"Well, it's just Istvan..." Esther swallowed. "I grew up there. At the church orphanage. That's where I was raised, and where I met the Father..." She trailed off. "I suppose I have a lot of memories there. And going back now..."

"Ah." Understanding colored Lilith's tone. "It will be difficult." She moved then, and laid a gentle hand on Esther's shoulder. "If you wish, I can tell His Holiness you wish to stay behind. I'm sure we can come up with something, a reason for you to remain here."

Esther shook her head. "No. I...it is a bit troublesome, but you might need my help. After all, neither you nor Arch-bishop Devon is familiar with the ground, right? You'll need someone who can guide you."

Lilith smiled. "That is true." Then, to Esther's surprise, she found herself enveloped in a warm, gentle embrace. "You're very brave, Esther. I'm glad to have you with me."

Esther blinked. "Oh, I..." For a moment, she couldn't think of anything to say. Then she sighed. "You're welcome. But really, I don't think I'm really that brave at all."

Lilith laughed again, so like the Abel Esther knew it made her heart ache. "Well, I think you underestimate yourself. However..." She released her. "I suppose we both need to pack, if we're to leave tomorrow. And we should rest."

The rest of the evening was quiet. Neither of them had all that much to pack or prepare. Esther packed a couple changes of clothing, checked her weapons, and went to bed. In spite of the edginess that consumed her thoughts, she fell asleep quickly.

She spent the next day waiting, trying not to pace with tension. As much as she dreaded returning to Istvan, the waiting made her feel tense, strained. She glanced at Lilith. The other woman looked composed, her posture relaxed, but there was a tension in her face that Esther recognized, and she wasn't reading the book that lay open on her lap.

Esther took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. _Really, it's no different than any mission with the AX. And Father...he wasn't always my partner. Honestly, I've had plenty of difficult missions before. And the last time I was in Istvan...everything that happened...I managed all right. It's really no different._ The reminder served to calm some of the butterflies in her stomach, though her nerves were still humming with tension. She took another glance at Lilith. _It's strange. She looks just as nervous as I feel._

She knew Lilith had to be struggling. After all, she was defying her own friends and family. Everyone she knew and cared for, or almost, was on the opposing side. Esther frowned as a thought occurred to her. "Ummm...can I ask you something?"

Lilith blinked, turned to look at her. "Of course."

Esther swallowed. "Last night...you told the council that we needed to form a border. But...if they have ships..."

"Ah. A border, or a line of defense, marks a clear boundary. It's both symbolic and an actual line of defense, far easier to maintain than several separate cities." Lilith sighed. "I know how Abel and Cain were trained. Form a line of defense, and they will attack it. If we can convince them to focus their attention there, then the Terrans will have a greater opportunity to rebuild their cities."

"I see. That makes sense." She dimly recalled Abel and Cain, discussing the border cities they should target, and in what order, when she'd arrived on the ARK. The memory of that discussion still made her stomach lurch, though she was no longer hysterical.

Lilith spoke softly. "I know there's a power relay in Istvan, and if we can get it running...I'll just have to locate it."

Esther shook her head. "Actually, I know where it is. The Marquis who runs that place...well, he's probably not the same person I knew, but...I know the computers are in his mansion. I...I was there once, and the person who lived there at the time took me to see them." She swallowed. That was a night she'd never forget.

"Ah. That makes it easier. Thank you, Esther." Lilith smiled.

She was looking for an appropriate response when someone knocked on the door, and Arch-bishop Devon entered a moment later. Unlike his visit to Albion, he was attired in the plain robes of a working priest. He bowed slightly to Lilith, then straightened. "Lady, our ship is ready to go, as soon as we're aboard."

Lilith rose. Esther jumped up and grabbed the suitcases, mindful of her position as Lilith's assistant and followed the other two out to the waiting ship. It was smaller than she remembered Vatican ships being, but then, she usually traveled in a battleship, or Lady Caterina's Iron Maiden. This ship was obviously made more for speed and stealth than combat.

The trip was a quick one. Esther stayed in the background, trying to remember what she could of Istvan's geography, the various ways to get to what, in her time, was Gyula's mansion. Trying to remember what the quickest ways through the streets were. She didn't remember who had been in charge of Saint Matthias church then, but...there was every chance there wouldn't even be a church there. She had to remind herself, once again, that none of the people she knew were going to be there. Possibly none of the buildings either, other than the mansion. And that Istvan had been attacked, and was probably going to look much like it had after the Star of Sorrow had fired on it, if not worse.

Lilith and Devon spent their time discussing their plans. Esther listened with half an ear, knowing she'd need to be acquainted with what they were doing if she got separated, or something happened. By the time they approached Istvan airspace, just over two days later, they'd decided to land just outside the city, then sneak in. From there, they could assess the damage, and discover if the main house where the computer resided had any resident. If not, they'd simply break in and activate it. If there was someone there, they'd approach the owner. Hopefully, they could persuade him or her to let them in peacefully.

It was a good plan, and relatively simple, but Esther's nerves were still wound tight as the ship landed. She strapped on her weapons, and waited in tense silence as the other two joined her. Devon exited last, then used a comm unit to send the ship off. Within twenty minutes, the ship was gone. Devon sighed. "We're on our own from here." He glanced at his notes. "There is supposed to be a small church in the town, but we haven't heard anything from the priests in charge since the attack. I believe we should make for that. If it's still standing, we can ask whoever is in charge. If not, we'll do individual recon."

Lilith nodded. "Esther?"

"Right." Esther turned, surveying the landscape. It was dim, the area shrouded in evening twilight, but she knew where she was. In her time, this hill contained a graveyard. She swallowed, seeing the spot where her mentor would eventually be buried, and the other, where an unmarked grave would be the final resting place of the man who'd first taught her to hate Methuselah...and to understand them, a little. She shook her head sharply to rid herself of the memories. "This way."

It took only a few minutes, even with their packs, to make their way into Istvan. Esther felt her heart aching as they slipped into town. Most of the buildings looked battered, some of them were rubble. There were a few people out, but not many, not as many as there should have been in a town this size. There were no lights, not much activity. She felt her heart breaking for her home. Then she pushed the feelings from her mind. No matter how distressing it was, she had a mission.

To her relief, the layout of the streets was similar to what it was in her time. Her eyes instinctively looked for the spires of St. Matthias, but they weren't there. She swallowed, then continued leading her group towards where the cathedral had once been, hoping that the site of the church had remained the same.

Finally, they rounded a corner, and Esther heaved a sigh of relief. The church was there. It was much smaller, but the cross, illuminated in stained glass above the door, made it clear what the place was.

Devon scanned the street quickly, then strode across and knocked on the door, Esther and Lilith behind him. All three of them were tense with nerves as they waited. Finally, just as Devon prepared to knock again, they heard the click of a lock being slipped back, and the door opened, to reveal an older, tired looking Sister. She had gray hair curling from under her cap, and lines of stress and grief etched in her features, but her eyes were kind. "Good evening. Have you come seeking sanctuary?"

"No. Information." Devon sketched a slight bow. "My name is Devon. My associates and I have arrived from the Vatican, to aid you." He handed his ID to the Sister.

She took it, and gasped a little at the title. "Arch-bishop." She ducked her head in a quick curtsey, then stepped aside, holding the door open for them. "Please, come in. Forgive my poor manners, I had no idea..."

"Quite all right Sister. All is forgiven." Devon smiled. "I understand if you were startled to see us. We made several attempts to contact you prior to our arrival, however...we had no indication they were received."

The Sister shook her head. "Power's down in most of the city. We're lighting things with candles and torches and fireplaces." She flushed. "But the Lord has been kind to us, we're not lacking anything. We've medical supplies and food for all who choose to shelter with us. Speaking of which...you'll be wanting some dinner, Arch-bishop, you and your assistants?"

"In a while." Devon smiled. "Aside from the lack of power, how is the situation?"

The Sister sighed. "There are a fair number of injured. We've tended everyone we can, and prayed for all that we cannot tend. But many...many are without housing, and the weather, without power and shelter...alas, our church cannot shelter them all. His Lordship, Lord Matthias, has done his best to help, but..."

"I quite understand. My colleagues and I have been sent to render assistance, after all. However..." Devon's tone sharpened just the slightest bit with interest. "You said...His Lordship? Matthias?"

"Yes, Your Grace. He lives in the big house across the river. It's damaged, but he crosses the river most days, to offer his help with tending the city. With the bridge out, very few have taken his offer, but he's offered shelter for all those the church cannot take."

"He sounds like a true servant of God." Devon smiled. "Do you know where in the city he might be? Or has he returned home?"

"I'm not sure." The Sister looked puzzled. "He usually returns home at dusk, though. Otherwise, he'd have come here."

"Thank you, Sister." Devon smiled again and patted her hand. "The bridge is out? Do you know if there are any boats available?"

The Sister frowned. "Lord Matthias has one. I believe there are a few others."

"Excellent." Devon bowed. "Sister, if I could have you watch our things for us, and prepare two rooms, for myself and these ladies? We shall return as soon as we may."

"Of course. But...if I may, Your Grace, where are you going? It will be night soon." She looked worried.

"I know, Sister. But my assistants and I must speak to Lord Matthias. It's important." He offered her a handclasp. "With the Lord's grace, with his help, we shall be able to provide aid for the citizens of Istvan soon." He patted her hand again in a reassuring manner, then straightened. "We'll return later, with news. Until then, walk with God, Sister, and keep us in your prayers."

She bowed another curtsey. "I will, Your Grace. May the Lord guide your steps."

"May he indeed." Devon nodded, then turned and strode back out the door, Esther and Lilith behind him.

Night had fallen while they were inside, but Esther wasn't worried. She'd been on the road to the mansion in the dark so many times she could walk it blindfold. After all, she'd grown up with Gyula in charge, and it was impossible to approach the Methuselah's home during the day. Even his Terran servants hadn't permitted it. She gestured. "This way."

Both of them nodded and fell in behind her. It was somewhat difficult, trying to maneuver around the streets with the destroyed buildings, but Esther managed. She had, after all, done that before as well. The thought reminded her of watching Abel in Carthage, when she'd first seen the destruction he was capable of. She swallowed back the thought, and focused on her task. Lilith, like Abel, had night vision, but they both had to watch Devon. More than once, she saw the other woman reach back to steady the man, as his foot found some piece of rubble they'd both avoided. Half an hour later, they found the river.

Esther frowned, biting her lip thoughtfully. It was fairly wide, and the current was tricky. She knew she couldn't swim it, and doubted Devon could, never mind the fact that the water was frigid at this time of year. But even in the dimness, she could see the bridge wasn't there, and she couldn't see any shadows that might have been boats, either.

"We need to cross the river." Devon shifted. "If we travel the bank, perhaps we'll find a boat the Sister mentioned."

"If I may, Arch-bishop, there is another way." Lilith shifted. "I believe I can carry both of you across the distance, with relative ease."

Esther heard Devon shift, startled. "You can..."

"You have asked about my...abilities." Lilith's voice was low, calm. "This is as good a reason for demonstration as any."

Devon hesitated, then spoke again. "Very well. If you can get us across the river..."

"Step close, and hold onto my shoulder, please." Esther did as she was told, her hand closing on the shoulder wrapped by Lilith's sari. It was a bit of a reach for her, but she managed. She heard the rustle of fabric, felt the linen of Devon's garments, and Lilith's arm looped carefully but firmly around her waist. Then Lilith spoke. "Nanomachine Crusnik 04."

A set of white wings, glowing softly, spread from her shoulders. Ester heard Devon's gasp, mingled shock and wonder. Then they were rising into the air. Esther swallowed hard. She'd never done this before. Then the white wings flared, beat, and they were over the water, headed for the opposite shore. Within a minute, Lilith was settling back to the ground, wings folding in and disappearing.

Devon was breathing hard. He spoke, his voice hoarse with shock. "My Lady...you are..."

"One of God's many children, just as you, Arch-bishop. Nothing more." Lilith's tone was firm, serious, but warm. There was silence a moment, as Devon got his breathing under control, then Lilith spoke again. "Esther? Can you lead us to the house?"

"Of course." Esther looked up, orienting herself in the dimness. They weren't on the road to the mansion, but she thought she knew where it was. It was too dark for her to be able to pick out the bulk of the house, but she had an idea of which way to go. "It should be this way. Please, follow me."

The way was rough, but fifteen minutes later, they stumbled onto the road. It was in worse condition than the one Esther remembered, but it was still easier, and there wasn't as much damage on this side of the river. She took a moment to breathe a sigh of relief, then led her companions up the path.

Twenty minutes later, the dark outline of the mansion came into view, punctuated by torchlight. Esther relinquished her place in the lead to Devon, following behind the other two as he strode to the building and knocked on the doors. Moments later, the door creaked, and a young man in what looked like a guard uniform opened it. "State your business."

Devon inclined his head politely and offered his ID. "I am Arch-bishop Devon. I've come from the Vatican to render aid to Istvan. I would like to speak to the master of this house, if it isn't too inconvenient."

The guard studied the ID, then gestured them inside. "I'll have someone take a message. If Lord Matthias is awake, you can see him. If not, we'll bed you in the guardhouse, and you can make your case tomorrow."

Devon nodded, relaxing and a young servant boy took the guards message and raced up the entry stairs. Esther fidgeted, trying not to chew her lip or twist her hands together. She hated waiting. Her eyes flicked to the stairway, and she swallowed hard. It was narrower, not as ornate or well illuminated, but it was still recognizable. Here, at the foot of these stairs, 900 years later, she'd come to collect the man who changed her life. Her eyes drifted up, halfway up the stairs. That was where she'd first really seen him. Walking down the stairs behind Gyula, his expression puzzled and just the slightest bit apprehensive. A small smile touched her lips, remembering how she'd thought of him as a simple, innocent priest, unlucky enough to get tied up Istvan's problems.

"Arch-bishop." The click of boot heels on the stone startled her from her thoughts. She looked up, to find a man striding down the stairs toward them. She blinked, forcing her thoughts back to the present as he descended the last few steps. "I'm honored by your presence." He sketched a quick bow, less disrespect than weariness in it. "I am Lord Matthias." He gestured. "Please...this way. I'll have the steward bring up some food and drink, and you can tell me what brings you to my humble abode."

Devon nodded, and followed him. Matthias led them up the stairs, through the halls, finally stopping at a door. "I beg your pardon. We'll have to use my office, as I fear my dining room and several others are at the moment being used as quarters for the Istvan refugees, those that the church could not find rooms for."

Devon nodded. "I understand." He followed the other man into the room, with its low desk and chairs. "This will be quite adequate."

Matthias nodded. "One moment." He turned to the door, issuing orders to the man who waited discreetly outside it. Esther watched him, studying him.

He was tall, though shorter than Lilith and Abel. Lean, though broad-shouldered. His skin was pale, but sun-touched, his clothing dark and conservative, though clearly well made. His hair was a wavy auburn, and his eyes, when he turned back to them, were a clear brown, tired but friendly. He wasn't all that young, but she thought he might be in his thirties. Esther frowned slightly. There was something familiar about his face, about the way he stood. He didn't look like Gyula, and he certainly wasn't a Methuselah. For a moment, she thought she saw it, but then he turned away, to face Devon. "The food will arrive shortly." He moved to take a seat behind the desk, and gestured the three of them to other chairs. "Now then, Arch-bishop. If you would care to explain your presence..."

"Indeed. My companions and I have been sent to render aid to Istvan."

Matthias smiled, but it didn't reach the tired eyes. "It is appreciated. But I fear that three people will do little good. We need a way to light the homes of the people and bring warmth. We need a way to rebuild more quickly. An army of Vatican servants I could have used, but three...still, I'm sure the people would find your presence comforting, and any assistance is welcome in this dark time. And if you've supplies to share..."

"We will minister, of course, however...you say you need power. My assistant believes she can provide you with that." Devon gestured to Lilith.

Matthias blinked. "You can provide power, my Lady?" He blinked again, his eyes studying her clothing. "You...you're from the Eastern lands, are you not? I'd heard they were destroyed, by fire from the sky."

"You are correct. But I was not there at that time. As for the matter of power..." Lilith hesitated, then spoke again. "Somewhere, on these premises, there is a computer. Linked to a satellite."

The lord's brown eyes widened. "There is, Lady. But that computer...it has been inaccessible for years." He sighed. "I have some small skill in computers. I attempted it, but...I cannot access it. The codes were a thing of my grandfathers, and I don't know them."

Lilith nodded. "If I can access them, will you use them to power Istvan?"

Matthias stared at her, and Esther saw the hope dawning in his eyes. "If...if the satellite could be brought online...yes, Istvan could be powered. I would do it. If the records my family left were correct...it would not be just Istvan...that satellite would cover nearly a two hundred mile radius. We'd have to build the transmitters, a way to transfer the electricity, but...yes. Yes, Lady. If you have a way to access the satellite, then I can power this city, and this entire area."

"Then I will assist you." Lilith gave him another nod. "You are tired, my lord, but tomorrow...tomorrow is a new day."

"It is. It is." Matthias looked dazed, but he nodded. "I..." A knock announced the arrival of dinner. He stood, opened the door and took the tray from the startled servant. "Please. Eat, and tell me what needs to be done. My servants will prepare rooms for you." He looked up at Lilith, and a warm smile blossomed across his features. "Thank you. God bless all of you, for bringing us hope at last."

Esther swallowed hard, feeling her breath stop. That smile...she'd seen it before. _Computer programmers. The satellite control computer, it was in a family of computer programmers. Gyula...he told me..._ She blinked, her eyes once again noticing the thick, wavy auburn hair, the clear brown eyes, the small, warm smile. It looked much different in a masculine tanned face, but the resemblance was there, however faint. _Gyula's wife, the one he called Maria._

More pieces clicked into place, and Esther felt her mind stutter to a halt. Matthias. Saint Matthias church. The Saint of Istvan, who brought forth power, and generated electricity with his hands. One of the first miracles of the Terran-Methuselah war. Legends in her own time, but here...she stared at the two men, conversing at the desk. Shock threatened to overwhelm her. She thought she might start hyperventilating, or pass out.

"Esther?" She blinked, brought out of her haze by the soft call of her name and the gentle hand on her shoulder. She looked up to find Lilith looking down at her, concern and compassion in her eyes.

She flushed. "I'm sorry. I'm just a little tired."

"Of course." Matthias shook his head. "After coming all the way from the Vatican. My apologies." He rose to his feet. "Come. My servants should have your rooms ready. Rest. As you say, Lady..." He inclined his head at Lilith. "Tomorrow is a new day." He led them to the door, and delivered them to the hands of the two servants waiting there. "I will see you in the morning."

Esther managed a quick nod. Her mind was still in a fog. She didn't even notice what corridors they were going down, until Lilith called her name again. She started. "I'm sorry."

Lilith shook her head. "It's nothing. But...these are our rooms." She pushed Esther gently into a darkened room, lit by a few candles. It wasn't a terribly big room, but there were comfortable beds made up. She had a feeling the second bed had been moved in rather hastily, but still...it looked comfortable. She moved over to it, sat down to remove her shoes. She was tired, but...her mind was spinning too much to feel sleepy.

"Esther?" Lilith's voice came again, a concerned question.

Esther swallowed. "I'm sorry. It's just...it's a bit...disorienting. Everything..." She trailed off, uncertain of how to articulate what she was feeling. "I...I grew up in Istvan, but..."

"Everything is different. And to you...this has already happened." Lilith's voice was quiet. "The lord of this house..."

"He looks like someone I...well, I can't say I knew her, but I knew her husband. And...the things he mentioned..." She really couldn't articulate it very well. She switched topics. "This place...this is where I first met the Father, actually."

"Ah." Lilith gave her a warm, reassuring smile. After a moment, the other woman moved over to her, and wrapped a gentle arm around her shoulders in a quick embrace. "It's all right. I understand. I know it's difficult, but do you think you'll be able to cope?"

"Yes." Esther nodded. She'd managed in Abel's past before, she could handle this. "I'll just get some rest. I'm sure everything will feel much easier in the morning."

"You're probably right." Lilith smiled again, then turned back to her own bed, leaving Esther to slip off her shoes and outer garments. "Rest well, Esther."

Esther nodded, already feeling drowsy as she watched Lilith extinguishing the candles. Within minutes, she was asleep.

The next few days were chaotic ones, and busy. Esther's knowledge of computers was too limited to be of any real help. She did help clean out the control chamber, make it easier to work in, but after that, there wasn't much she could do. And there were plenty of servants, or grateful refugees to tend to their needs, so she didn't need to wait on them, or act as a messenger, as she had in Albion. Fortunately, there was plenty to do in ministering on the other side of the river, and Esther was more than happy to help.

She took an hour the first morning to retrieve their luggage from the church, and inform the Sister that they were staying to aid Lord Matthias. After that, she busied herself with helping in the city. Distributing food, attending to the wounded, and just cleaning up. She didn't have the strength to move the larger piles of rubble, but she could cook simple meals, and clean and handle various other tasks. She could carry water to the repair and clean-up crews. It felt good, helping restore the city.

Lilith, Matthias and Devon spent the first two days down in the control room. When Esther saw Matthias the second night, he looked tired, but there was a fierce light in his eyes. Hope, and purpose. He spent several hours that night instructing his servants to gather together various materials, and what looked like lanterns. Esther had no idea what he was doing.

The following day, Matthias and Lilith returned to the city with her. Esther stayed with his team, watching in fascination as he traversed the city. After the third stop, she realized what it was. He was putting in lamp-posts. She hadn't recognized them because there were far fewer than in her time and, of course, the ones she knew didn't look anything like the hastily cobbled together spires he was erecting now. They were also closer to the ground than what she was used to.

Lilith was apparently guiding them through the process, and helping with the installation. It was...strange, almost amusing, to see the tall, slender figure in a sari, working on the posts, bending over this or that frame. Esther almost expected someone to comment on it, but Lilith simply radiated too much dignity, too much purpose and presence.

Finally, after over a week of non-stop effort, there were lamps spread through the city. Matthias himself placed the last bolt. Esther handed him a glass of water as he straightened, and he smiled at her. "Thank you." He looked at the light post. "God willing, my people will sleep safe tonight, with light and warmth."

Esther smiled. "I'm sure they will, sir." She looked at the sky. Dusk was already setting in, and within an hour, it would be sundown.

Matthias turned, spoke to one of the servants, and the younger man jogged away. He looked back at the lights. "When the sun sets, Arch-bishop Devon will enter the final command into the satellite programming. If this has worked..."

Esther nodded. Light for the entire city. "I'm sure it will work, sir." Together, she, Matthias and Lilith watched the sun set slowly over Istvan. Several of their workers were also waiting, watching their lord and the lamp with expressions that warred between hopeful and uncertain.

Finally, the sun dipped below the horizon, dusk settling into night. Matthias seemed to be holding his breath. Then, up the street toward the mansion, a glow flickered into being. Then another, and another. Matthias' hands clenched into fists, his frame rigid with waiting. Then...the lamp beside them flickered, hummed, and began to glow, a soft, golden radiance that brightened until it lit the entire area was awash in light.

Cheers erupted throughout the square they stood in. Between one breath and the next, people were crowding Matthias, murmuring thanks and other words Esther didn't quite catch. Others were by the light, staring at it with awe on their faces, or reaching out, as if to brush the glowing glass.

Esther moved out of the way of those trying to speak to their lord, and approached the lights. She'd seen them before, of course, but it was different in her time. She reached out, and blinked. It was warm. In addition to light, the glass emitted warmth, welcome in the cool of early night. She remembered Matthias words, that his people would sleep in light, and warmth, and understood why he had placed the lamps so close to the ground, instead of higher up. People could come sit around them for warmth, or use them to heat blankets, clothing...perhaps even food, though it wouldn't cook anything fully.

Finally, the crowds died down, and the three of them, along with the servants that had been helping, made their way back to the boat. Lilith looked pleased. Matthias looked both pleased and exhausted. He practically stumbled aboard the boat. Esther half-expected him to collapse into bed when they arrived at the manor, but instead, he went to his study, calling for his steward to bring food for the three of them, before flinging open the windows to study the city across the water. Esther stepped up behind him.

The city below was awash in warm, golden light. It wasn't all that bright, rather like watching a campfire from a great distance. But it still sent a warm glow through her mind, and her heart. She heard Matthias whisper. "Beautiful."

After a moment, the lord turned from the window. "Thank you, Lady, Arch-bishop. For what you have done for my people. With what you've shown me...I think I can bring light to several neighboring villages. I'll need the supplies, but it can be done."

"The Vatican will assist you." Devon spoke. "My orders are to remain in Istvan and aid in the restoration and stabilization of this area. And see what needs to be done to defend it."

Matthias stiffened. "You believe we are in danger, then?"

Lilith spoke softly. "The Enemy of the World...he will come. Now that you have restored your city, he will take it as defiance."

Matthias grimaced, lips compressing into a thin line. "When Istvan was destroyed...fire burned from the sky. We had no defense. I cannot ask my people to face it a second time."

Lilith shook her head. "That fire will not come again. That I will assure you. As for what else may come, I and the Arch-bishop will defend you to the best of our ability. And the Star, the satellite, may in an emergency be used as a weapon."

"Weapon?" He frowned, then his expression cleared. "Of course, a focused burst of electricity is indeed a powerful weapon. It would require modifications, but...can we defend Istvan?"

"I believe it is possible. I shall help you research it tomorrow."

Devon nodded. "And I shall request, with your permission, a battalion of the Inquisition. We can protect Istvan, and train those of your people who are willing to do the same."

"A City Guard. Yes." Matthias bowed his head. "Once again...I thank you both."

The City Guard. The Star as a weapon. Esther swallowed hard and bit her lip to avoid saying anything, knowing where it would lead in the future. She turned back to look at the city, glowing softly across the river. Her home. She remembered Gyula, speaking so fondly of his wife, of working in the town, wanting to bring the lights back to it. She wondered what the Marquis would have thought, of the radiance down below. Thought of how much Bishop Laura would have loved to see it. The thoughts brought sorrow, but also a measure of relaxation for her. She watched the lights for a moment longer, then turned and went to bed.

The next two days passed quietly enough. Matthias worked with Lilith and Devon on the city's defenses. There wasn't much she could do, so Esther contented herself with visiting the city, walking the streets. The repairs were being handled well, and all around, she could see people getting on with their lives, getting everything back in order. It was comforting, and gave her hope for her own time, if she ever managed to return to it.

She knew she couldn't think like that. Lilith was helping her. But thinking of home would only make her feel more uneasy and unhappy than she did. But it was hard. More than once, she found herself staring over the lights of the city, feeling tears in her eyes as she wondered what had happened in her own time, when she disappeared. Wondering how the Abel of her time would feel.

Esther turned away from the lights of the city, her gaze turning skyward. She'd never been much of a star-gazer, but the Abel she knew had been. She remembered finding him out in the gardens in Rome or Albion, or on just about any clear hilltop when they traveled. Looking up, she understood why. Even dimmed by the lights, they were beautiful, soothing. She let her gaze rest on the night sky, finding peace in the wide expanse and glittering lights. She stood there for over an hour, simply relaxing and letting the night soothe her, then went back inside the manor to read a book she'd borrowed from Matthias' library.

The next night, they were sitting down to dinner when one of the newly recruited guards came rushing in. "My Lord! There's something approaching. It's not...it's not registering as anything more than a faint blip on the computer, but..."

"Damn." Matthias rose from his seat. "Understood. I'll be right there." he set his napkin aside.

Lilith rose as well. "I will come with you."

Matthias blinked. "There is no need...I do not wish to be discourteous, after all the aid you have given thus far."

Lilith smiled. "I may be able to provide more information on what's coming."

Matthias nodded, and the two of them left the room, leaving Devon and Esther. After a moment, the Arch-bishop laid his own silverware down and rose as well. "I should get in contact with the Vatican." Seconds later, he too was gone.

Esther swallowed, then set her own utensils down, her appetite completely gone. She considered a moment, then decided to follow Lilith. She was, after all, supposed to be her assistant. She rose and hurried down to the control room.

She arrived to find the other two standing before a familiar display. It was the same screen she'd first seen when Gyula had targeted Rome after turning the Star of Sorrow into a weapon. She wasn't too familiar with the display, but she could see it focused on what looked like the general area of Istvan. Matthias reached out, touched a spot and began to trace a path. "It's headed here. But such a faint signal...you're sure it's the Enemy of the World?"

Lilith nodded. "The signature...that will be their Lieutenant Colonel. His ship, at the very least. It appears he's alone."

"A single attacker? And such a high-ranking one?" Esther didn't blame the lord for sounding skeptical. If she hadn't known what Abel was capable of, she would have too.

Lilith smiled sadly. "That one doesn't need back-up. You've heard the reports, of the Black Destroyer?"

Matthias stiffened. "That one..." His hands clenched on the control panel. "I don't have a force that can counter him. I don't even know if there is such a thing."

Lilith shook her head. "I will deal with him. Your concern is for the defense of this city. Is the programming we discussed online?"

Matthias nodded. "It is. But it's only good for where the lights are positioned, where the transformers are. If he strikes at an unprotected area..." He straightened. "How long do we have?"

"Perhaps a little more than an hour." Lilith studied the monitor. "No more."

"I'll need to send someone to warn the people, convince them to head for the safe zones." Matthias sighed.

"I can go." Esther stepped forward. The other two turned to face her. "I know the city fairly well." Her hands clenched into fists of determination. "If you'll provide me a way across the river...I'm sure I can warn people. Just tell me where they need to go."

Matthias looked uncertain, but Lilith smiled. "That's an excellent idea." The lord threw her a questioning look, and Lilith tilted her head slightly. "Esther guided Arch-bishop Devon and I to your abode when we arrived. And she has since spent much of her time in the city providing aid, and assisting us with the construction."

Matthias nodded. "Thank you." He frowned in consideration. "Tell them to move into the underground tunnels, and the train stations. The church as well, if possible. Those are the safest places. If they cannot move there...each light structure we've erected has a twenty-five yard safe radius. Tell them to gather round them, but on _no_ account to touch the actual light." He turned and rang a bell-pull hanging in the corner. "My servants will take you across and assist you."

Esther nodded and hurried out of the room. The butler met her on the stairs and led her along the familiar passageway to the boat. Several of the other household servants, and most of the house guard met them there. Within five minutes, they were steering across the river, with Esther hanging onto the rail for dear life as they plowed through the water at top speed. Within fifteen, she and the others were disembarking. She turned. "Everyone...you've all been assisting in the city?" There were nods all around. "Then each of you, chose the section of the city you know best. Those of you who are faster, please, take the further edges of the city. Please, try to make sure everyone remains as calm as possible. You all know where to lead people to?" There were more nods. Esther smiled. "Good, I will start at the church." She waited a moment to see if anyone objected but there were nods all around. "All right. Everyone...please, do your best, and may God be with all of us." With that benediction, she stayed just long enough to see the others melt into the dusk, before she raced to the church.

The next hour or so was chaotic. Esther alerted the church, the sisters on duty, then began the arduous process of going from street to street, waking people and calling them out. Most of them were confused, uncertain and unwilling at first, but all too often, she saw the terror in their eyes, the memory of previous dangers. It took everything she'd learned in the Vatican and all her instincts to keep them calm as she led them to the church and the underground entrances. She had to struggle to keep herself calm as well. The whole thing reminded her far too much of her first night as queen, after Virgil had recognized her. The ordeal of standing on the top of the Palace, calling out for people not to be afraid, to trust, to not give in to the tricks of the enemy. Still, she was relieved to have something to do, rather than wait for whatever was going to happen.

She's been working for what felt like several hours when she returned to the church to find Lilith waiting. The taller woman spoke comfortingly to the group Esther had escorted in, then passed them on to the Sisters and motioned for Esther to join her. "You are all right?"

"Yes." Esther smiled through her weariness. "They've all been incredibly reasonable and calm." She took a deep breath. "Forgive me, but I thought you were helping Lord Matthias."

Lilith nodded. "I was. However...we have done all we can. Devon has arranged for the Vatican to send reinforcements. The power grid and the weapons and defense systems are as ready as we can make them." She turned her gaze to the night sky, and her face looked sad in the dim light. "It is here I think Abel will come first, here or the manor. I chose to come out to meet him." She turned back to Esther. "If you wish, I can return you to the house. You will be safer there. Or you can remain here."

Esther shook her head. "Of course I'll stay here." Nine hundred years into the past or not...this was her home. The Istvan Church had been her first refuge, her only home as a child. Never mind that the building she knew hadn't been built yet...it was still the place she had received shelter.

Lilith smiled. "You truly are a courageous young woman, Esther." She tilted her head back up to the sky, and silence settled over them. Esther was just turning to go back inside, to see which streets still needed to be evacuated, when something in the sky caught her eye.

Blue light, like a star but wrong somehow. And it was moving. The vague smell and feel of ozone in the air caught up to Esther's senses. She stiffened in comprehension. _Abel..._

Lilith saw it too. She saw the other woman tense, her back straightening just that fraction more. "Esther, get everyone inside and underground."

Esther nodded and dashed into the church. The Sister who'd greeted her, Sister Grace, was talking softly to a bunch of children when Esther raced up. "We have to move, now. Everyone, we need to head for the underground tunnels." Heads turned to her, arms tightened on bundles. "We need to go now. The enemy is coming. Please, everyone follow me."

There were looks of disbelief, looks of exhaustion. But no one argued. The rest of the church staff appeared, giving hands and encouragement. Within minutes, everything was organized. Esther led the way out the back door. She knew, from long practice in her own time, where the entrance to the underground tunnels were. At least, she hoped she did. She couldn't remember how long they'd been there.

The doorway and the stairs leading downward were right where she expected them to be, recessed in the back so that they were easy to overlook. It took the help of two men to shove the door open, but they managed. Lights, candles and torches were hastily lit. "Everyone, please stay calm. Everything will be over soon." She smiled at the nearest people, drawing on her training and experience to soothe. "Stay calm, and have faith. I'm sure everything will be all right. Please, come this way." she indicated the stairs leading down. Hesitantly, one or two people stepped forward, into the blackness. Then others, until there was a steady line of people flowing past her. Men carrying goods. Women with similar burdens, or arms around children of varying ages. Children carrying small packs of their own, or toys. Esther kept a bright, encouraging smile on her face.

Lightning, impossibly blue and bright, flashed in the sky. Several people jumped, and Esther felt her stomach lurch in response. Abel had attacked. She wanted desperately to run to Lilith's side, to go see what had happened. She knew there were people who were probably still in danger, and she wanted to go to find them, save them if she could, but...she had a responsibility here.

"Go." Esther turned to find Sister Grace at her elbow. The nun smiled gently. "Go. God is calling you someplace else, child. We will tend to our flock, and lead them to safety." She gave Esther a small push. "Go, help those who need you."

Esther nodded, gave Sister Grace's hand a grateful squeeze, then turned and ran back into the church and out the front door. Lilith was gone. Esther stumbled over the door-frame, her eyes searching the sky frantically. Another flash of blue fire burned through the night, and golden flashed to meet it. Esther picked up her skirts and began to run for the two combatants.

She was in front of the old train station when another spear of blue lightning blasted out of the sky in front of her. Esther leaped backward into the shelter of the station as the glowing blade slammed into the light post Matthias had erected there. She threw up her hands to ward off the rain of glass and metal but...nothing happened. She heard a deep humming sound, and looked up.

The light was glowing, from the bulb to the base, absorbing the blast of energy. Esther blinked, dazed. She hadn't known it was possible to do that. She watched as the burst of energy disappeared into the light, then looked up, blinking away the after-images as she did so.

Blue and gold spun together in the sky, a dance of violence she was too far away to make out. Then the two colors clashed together, into one spinning globe of light. Esther bit her lip and clasped her hands together, wishing she could see what was happening, and praying. She wasn't sure what scared her more, Lilith being injured, or Abel.

The light ricocheted across the sky, back and forth, then suddenly streaked downward, like falling star. Esther watched the trajectory with her heart in her mouth, then ran for the archway to the train station, just as two glowing forms plummeted into the square before her, missing the light by barely a foot.

Within the gold and blue fire, two forms battled. Esther squinted against the burn of it. Within the outlines of power, both Abel and Lilith appeared to have gone to an eighty percent activation. Lilith bore the triple wingspan and her twin swords, and Abel possessed both black wings and scythe. But despite the fierce crackling of power around them, they didn't appear to be actually trying to blast each other. Instead, they were engaged in a fierce, violent hand to hand that was, in its way, far more frightening.

She'd seen Abel wield his scythe in battle, and knew he was deadly with it. The blade could cut through solid plate steel, and the barbed whip attached could do almost as much damage. She'd seen him do it. Charged with energy as it was, he could wipe out whole buildings.

She'd never seen Lilith use her blades before, but it was impressive. She put Mary to shame. She almost seemed to be dancing with Abel, both blades flicking effortlessly between forehand and backhand positions, countering and turning every strike he made. Her body flowed with the movements, turning, ducking, light on her toes as if her feet weren't even touching the ground. Like Abel's scythe, her swords both glowed with the power she was generating and channeling. Every clang of blade on blade, every clash, sent sparks flying. Some sputtered out on the cold stone, some struck the light tower and were absorbed.

Esther swallowed hard, her gazed locked on the beautiful, terrible scene before her. She couldn't even comprehend how the two of them weren't tearing each other apart, with the force of their attacks, or even just the sheer energy flowing between them.

Abel slashed out, scythe whipping in a diagonal slice that could have ripped Lilith in two, if it had connected. One sword caught the edge, deflecting it away as Lilith turned into the strike, her other sword whipping out, straight for Abel's shoulder. Or his throat. But Abel was faster than that. The handle of the scythe whipped up and around, acting as a block, while the speed and rotation brought the whip into play. It snapped around Lilith, and she ducked, changing her own aborted strike into a second block. She caught it, came out from underneath it in an evasive maneuver that Esther didn't even see, then whirled to face Abel, just in time to catch another strike from his scythe. This one she caught on crossed blades, locking them together.

Lightning hammered between them, gold and sapphire fire burning, dancing over them like a thunderstorm come to earth. Neither one of them moved. Esther could see the strain on both faces. Abel was the taller of the two by three or four inches, and he had to be the more experienced, but Lilith held him fast.

They stayed locked together for a long moment, then Lilith broke the engagement with a twist of her wrists and jumped back, wings spreading just enough for a light landing on her toes. Crimson eyes met deeper crimson. "_**Is it not enough, Abel? Must you continue this?**_"

He was silent, almost expressionless, but Esther saw the faint traces of pain upon his face. Lilith must have as well, because her voice was softer when she spoke. "_**I do not wish to harm you, Abel, but I will defend this city.**_"

"**Why? Lilith...**" The words emerged in a harsh breath, even the rough tone of the Crusnik tinged with a kind of confused anguish, somewhere between anger and grief.

"_**I swore an oath. I will not let you destroy this world. Nor yourself, Abel.**_" Lilith faced him squarely. "_**This city is protected now against you. The electrical grid will harness the power of your attacks and distribute them. The satellite that powers this place can be modified to fire a beam of focused energy at a non-receiving target as well. Against such power, even you and Cain cannot fare well. Perhaps not even triumph. Will you still attempt to destroy this place?**_"

Abel's hands clenched upon the shaft of the scythe. "**I don't...wish to...to hurt you**."

"_**Then leave this city. End this pointless war on the Terrans, Abel.**_" Lilith's expression, even distorted as it was by her power, looked sad. "_**Cain's madness, has it truly affected you so deeply? Is this what you want, Abel? More violence and death?**_" She stepped closer to him, her voice so soft that Esther only barely heard her. "_**Is this the future that you wanted?**_"

Abel's face twisted his expression harsh and impossibly wounded at the same time. "**Cain...he does what he must, to ensure we are safe. And I...**"

"_**And how is this to the benefit of our people? What have these Terrans done to you, Abel?**_" Lilith held his gaze. "_**I understood your anger in Albion. That place holds many terrible memories for you, I know. But what of these Terrans? They have done nothing but live their lives as best they can. They seek only safety, and warmth, shelter and food. Will you deny them that?**_"

Abel flinched. Esther saw him wavering. Then his shoulders stiffened. "**Cain...why didn't you...why? if you feel so strongly...**"

"_**He will not hear me. You know this.**_" Lilith's hands tightened on her swords. "_**Bring Cain my words, Abel, if you will. Or do not, if you believe in this slaughter, if you wish to continue to believe that you hate this world. But understand one thing.**_"

Abel was stone-stiff, his dark face tight with apprehension as Lilith spoke. "_**As long as you bring war to the Terrans, I will oppose you. I will fight you, with whatever I must.**_" The swords shifted, points coming up slightly from the rest position. "_**If you do not wish to fight me, then you must cease or you must kill me.**_"

Abel flinched again. "**What you ask of me...**"

"_**You must choose, Abel.**_" There was no gentleness in the tone now, only resolve. "_**Choose between madness and rationality. Choose between love and hate, forgiveness and vengeance.**_"

"**No. You're asking me...to choose between you and my brother.**" Abel's expression was impassive, but the crimson eyes burned with pain and rising anger. "**How can you ask this of me?**"

"_**Because I must. I have made my choice. You will make yours.**_" Lilith's eyes were stern, unyielding. "_**What will you do, Abel?**_"

Abel's hands clenched onto the handle of the scythe. "**I cannot...**" His shoulders locked. "**I will not betray him.**"

"_**Then fight. Defeat me if you can.**_" Lilith leaped forward, her swords coming up.

Abel almost visibly broke. "**No!**" It was almost a scream. He blocked Lilith's attack, his scythe whipping out to force her back. Lilith dodged, but it was enough for Abel to leap into the air, wings taking him up into the sky. Violent blue lightning flared around him, a sun-bright corona of fire. Esther flinched, throwing up her hand to shield her eyes. She couldn't look away. For a minute, Abel hung there, a brilliant blue star in a black sky, black wings surrounded by a blaze of power. Then the wings expanded still further, flexed, and Abel shot upwards again. Within seconds he was gone from sight.

Lilith remained where she was, swords held in guard position. She made no attempt to follow him. Finally, after what seemed like an hour, though it couldn't have been, she relaxed, swords disappearing and her form returning to its human aspect. "It's all right. You can come out now, Esther."

Esther moved gingerly into the square, noticing how warm the stones were, from the power of their combat. She came to Lilith's side, noting the other woman's gaze, trained on the sky, along the path Abel had taken. "Do you think he'll be back?"

Lilith shook her head. "Not tonight. Possibly not at all."

Esther swallowed, remembering the conversation she'd heard, the terrible emotions she'd seen on Abel's face. "I know...I know what he's doing is wrong, but...why did you do that to him?"

Lilith turned away, toward the light in the center of the square, her eyes full of sorrow. "Because I had to. To determine if Abel is truly consumed by madness, if he truly believes that what Cain is doing, that this destruction is right." She sighed, sorrow giving way to grief in her expression. "I am sorry, truly sorry, for what I must do to him. But as long as Abel can respond like that...then there is still hope for him. He didn't attack me again, and he left the battlefield. No matter what he says, Cain's madness does not hold him."

"That's true, but..." Esther swallowed, her hands clasping in front of her.

"I know." A faint, sad smile appeared on Lilith's face. "I only hope that one day, he will give me a chance to apologize. Until then..." A single tear tracked down her face, and she bowed her head. "I'm sorry Abel, for what I must do." They stood silent a moment, wrapped in shared sorrow, then Lilith raised her head. "I should return to Lord Matthias, and tell him the threat has been lifted for now. You should go tell the Church that they can begin sending people back to their homes. The city is safe, for now."

Esther nodded. "I'll meet you back at the manor." Then, before she could think any further, she turned and raced back into the darkness, toward the church.

She delivered the message to Sister Grace, and received her blessing to leave, then went to the river. The servants who had come with her were all waiting for her, and congratulated her on a job well done. Esther accepted the congratulations through a haze of numbness, and got on the boat. Nothing felt real. She could feel herself shaking, exhaustion rolling over her, but it all felt...distant somehow, pushed away by the turmoil in her heart.

She'd known it would be difficult. Watching Abel and Lilith fight. Standing on the sidelines, doing nothing when it was required. But somehow...she hadn't anticipated how nerve-wracking it would really be. Her heart ached, watching two people she knew loved each other tear each other apart. She remembered how jealous she'd felt of Lilith, but that feeling was gone, submerged under a wave of pity, and of grief, for what the other woman was going through. What Abel was going through. She'd known from his confession that this was the worst period in his life, but she hadn't guessed how bad it was. And she knew, from what she'd heard and seen, that it was only going to get worse from here. A terrible cycle of battles and choices, of anguish on both sides, that would end in death and madness. Esther bit her lip, swallowing hard.

_I'm not sure if I can do this. _It had been bad enough in her own time, with Abel on her side and the hope that it would get better. When she'd hoped for a brighter future. But he was the enemy here, and she already knew it was only going to end badly.

The boat docked, thumping against the shore. Esther quickly swiped the tears from her eyes. _It's silly of me to waver like this. I already promised I'd stand with Lilith. Besides...I can't give up. I promised Abel, to have faith. If I give up now, I'll never have a chance to go back home._ She shook the despairing thoughts away, shoving them into the back of her mind, and went upstairs into the main house.

Lilith met her at the door to their quarters. She looked faintly disturbed. "Esther. You're all right?"

"Yes." Esther took a deep breath, hoping there weren't too many signs of her recent emotional struggle on her face. She managed a faint smile. "I'm just a little tired, that's all." She saw the distant expression on Lilith's face, and faint signs of an internal struggle she understood only too well. "Is something wrong?"

Lilith shook her head, leaning absently against the nearest wall. "Not really. The re-enforcements from the Inquisition are here. Devon is reporting on our activities." Her eyes were sad. "This isn't the only city that's been attacked lately. I didn't hear everything, but I suspect we'll be leaving soon."

Esther swallowed hard. In some ways the thought of leaving her home, of engaging in the war again, was almost unbearable. And yet, it also filled her with a strange sense of relief. It was disconcerting to be here, where everything was so similar and yet so different. "I see. I suppose we should get our things packed, and rest while we can." Lilith nodded.

Packing was fairly simple, since neither of them had much to unpack. Esther dozed off shortly after. When she woke the next morning, Lilith was already dressed, contemplating the view of the city from their window. She turned when Esther sat up. "Good morning." Then her gaze went back to the river and the town. "Devon came by, after you fell asleep. We're leaving this afternoon, to report back to His Holiness. After that, I believe we've been assigned an escort to our next destination."

Esther nodded. "I understand." She pulled on a dress, then looked out across the water. "If you don't mind...please tell Lord Matthias I went to bid Sister Grace farewell, and I'll be sure to return shortly."

"Of course. We won't leave for another few hours, so take your time." Lilith smiled. Esther managed a small smile in return, then left.

She bade the Sister's at the Istvan Church goodbye, then spent an hour wandering, saying goodbye to her home once more. As she stepped back onto the ship to the manor, she looked back and smiled. Despite its hardships, she knew Istvan would be well cared for.

Their farewell's to Matthias occurred an hour after her return. To her surprise, Devon was also staying. She'd half expected him to be assigned as their permanent unofficial guard, but he said he'd received orders to remain and rebuild the northeastern front. Esther bade both men an affectionate farewell, then climbed aboard the Inquisition transport ship with Lilith. Her last view of the city was the glitter of the river, surrounded by gray stone and light.

**8888888888888**

The next few weeks passed in a haze for Esther. She and Lilith traveled from one city to another, offering aid and support. Sometimes they offered simple advice and explanations, and basic ministry. Other times, they were asked for more substantial aid, aiding the Vatican soldiers or Inquisitors in the area, or helping defend the region.

The two of them quickly fell into a routine. Lilith took the front position, in the spotlight. She offered ministry and encouragement, but she was also a visible defender. She taught soldiers how to fight more effectively against Methuselah. She helped reset and upgrade technology in different cities, or rebuild it entirely, such as the great dam and water-gate in Venice. In the second month, when Albion entered negotiations with the Vatican for their technology, she helped with installations and explanations, and suggested improvements or adjustments.

Esther, for her part, stayed quietly in the background, the perfect shadow of an assistant. She ran errands, took care of Lilith's basic needs, and her few requests. The rest of the time she spent in ministry to those around her, offering encouragement and smiles, and taking notes of those who needed things like food or fresh water, or other necessities and comforts. These notes she took to local churches or Vatican representatives in the area, to make sure the people were cared for.

After their third destination, she began hearing the rumors springing up about Lilith. The Dark Angel, the savior of humanity. The Holy Woman who could predict the flow of battle. The Prophetess of the Vatican. The holy Warrior. The Nia Sancta. The names were varied depending on the region, but there was a common element running throughout them. A woman with great power who defended humanity from the Enemy of the World. The church kept Lilith's identity as secret as possible. Most images and rumors referred to her Crusnik form, a lady with wings, surrounded in a corona and halo of golden light. The Church encouraged the rumors, and the nicknames. In fact, Pope Grigori even introduced the rumors of a holy woman, previously a hermit in the east, who had emerged by word of God to assist and show his favor to the Vatican.

She wished it could be a simple matter of rebuilding, putting things to rights. But all around them, war raged. Even if it hadn't been obvious at Istvan, it was apparent that Cain wasn't going to give up easily. Even more apparent that he took the rebuilding and defense efforts as a challenge. Every place they stopped to rebuild they faced opposition.

Slowly, the line of defense that Lilith had suggested began to form. It was a rather broken, uneven line, but by tracing their path on the maps, she could see it. A border in the east snaked its way south, swinging west as well. There were places inside that line of defense, such as capital cities like Barcelona, and of course Rome, that were fortified, but slowly, the Vatican drew its line in the sand. And just as Lilith predicted, Cain put his energy into breaking it.

Once it became clear that the Vatican was taking back territory, Cain began leaving troops in the areas he'd devastated. They began encountering skirmishers, shock troops, even battalions in cities. Vatican ships clashed with Methuselah. Soldiers on the ground fought each other, with swords and guns and ever more sophisticated armor. Inquisitorial soldiers began wearing, and designing, battle suits to defend them against the greater strength of their opponents, and making additions. Jet packs, to increase their speed. Heavy artillery, mounted to the arms or shoulders. Some scientists also explored chemical means of enhancing the soldiers, of temporarily pumping them up, or making them immune to pain. Lilith discouraged it, advice that was heeded, somewhat, when the addicting side effects of those drugs made themselves known. And when soldiers who didn't need to die on the field did, simply because they weren't aware enough of their own wounds to seek treatment.

It was a terrible, brutal, violent conflict. Practically the only times they got to rest were on the ships, returning to the Vatican, or outbound to the next location they were supposed to shore up. After the fourth skirmish, aiding Germanicus in setting up its capital in what was christened New Berlin, she felt as if she was drowning in blood. It made her almost nauseous. Not that she hadn't had similar times working for Caterina, but this was harder, more constant. In her own time, it had only been the threat of Rosenkreutz and the odd terrorist group, like the Fleur du Mal. Smaller numbers, which meant fewer attacks. This was an army great enough to make up an entire country.

She could see Lilith felt the strain as well. The older woman was a constant source of encouragement to those she helped, and a fearsome warrior on the field. But it was hard. She avoided hand-to-hand combat when she could, at least against the regular Methuselah. Esther knew, from conversations they had alone, that the other woman's feelings were conflicted. She firmly believed that the destruction of the humans was wrong, but she also felt she was betraying her people and her comrades, siding with the Vatican. Though she always managed to project an air of inexhaustible confidence on the battlefield, or when they worked with the Vatican and Inquisition, in private, Esther saw the lines of weariness in her face, the sadness in her eyes.

It reminded her far too much of the expression that had driven her to join Father Nightroad. Lilith was too dignified to ever adopt Abel's air of half-hearted and absentminded goofiness, but the impression of two different people in her eyes was the same. Esther remembered wondering how Father Nightroad could be like that, one minute a laughing comrade and the next a lonely, sad individual. Seeing Lilith undergo the same transformation, understanding it, she wished for nothing more than to see him laughing again with that carefree expression. Or to see Lilith smile with the same relaxed innocence she'd once had, on board the space station.

They encountered Abel in the field several more times. Once when he came as a counter offensive to their restoration of Venice, other times when the Vatican sent Lilith against him, using the Dark Holy Woman as the counter to the Dark Destroyer, the Nia Sancta against the Enemy of the World. All of the confrontations were heart-breaking. Abel and Lilith were both torn, and it was nothing short of agonizing to see them locked on the battlefield. To watch them as love and conviction clashed. All of the confrontations ended in an eventual deadlock, or Abel's retreat, but none of them were without cost.

Esther sighed, watching the lights of the Vatican fade behind her. They'd returned from their latest skirmish in Barcelona a week ago, and now they were being sent to Amsterdam. Devon and Matthias were holding the border around Istvan steady, and had succeeded in rejuvenating several towns nearby. With the Inquisition forces that had joined them, they'd managed to keep the area relatively safe. That being the case, the Pope had decided to send them to the Amsterdam area. A group of Methuselah had taken over the cities. Several of the citizens, and what Vatican representatives were in the area had banded together. The four cities were in a siege-like state, and Lilith was being sent to end the conflict.

Esther turned back to look at her notes. The situation in Amsterdam was unclear. Though there was definite hostility on both sides, but the Methuselah hadn't made any serious or concerted attacks. The Vatican and hastily organized militia were holding their own. For their part, the Methuselah appeared content with holding the town, not destroying it. Esther and Lilith both found that somewhat reassuring, but Pope Grigori wanted the situation resolved.

The trip was a three-day journey by ship. Esther used the time to rest. She saw very little of Lilith, since they weren't sharing rooms any more, but she knew the other woman well enough to know she was probably both relaxing, and restless, fretting about what they would encounter.

They arrived in Amsterdam in the middle of the afternoon, to be met by the bishop in charge of the town, a Bishop Laurence. He in turn was escorted by three other gentlemen, introduced as being ranking nobles of the towns. Among them was a man with pale blond hair, introduced as Karl Watteau. Esther swallowed. Fortunately, she hadn't known Hugue as well as she'd known the other AX members. Like Vivian and Alexander, there were only a few faint traces of his descendant in his face and stance.

The men escorted them to a church, mostly intact. The travelers were given a few minutes to settle their things and freshen up, then escorted to a dining hall, which had been converted into a meeting room.

Lord de Watteau and Bishop Laurence were waiting for them, along with a tray of tea and snacks. Both men bowed as Lilith entered. Lord de Watteau gestured. "My Lady, I have some refreshments for you and your assistant."

Lilith nodded gracefully. "Thank you." She moved forward to study the maps and charts that were scattered over the table. "What is the situation?"

Lord de Watteau nodded and pointed to the hastily drawn lines. "The vampire forces have complete control Antwerp, and forces in Amsterdam, Brussels and Bruges. So far, things have remained fairly stable."

Lilith frowned in thought. "I see. Have there been any attempts at reconnaissance, or making contact?"

Bishop Laurence sighed. "Some. However, we don't have sufficient forces for thorough scouting, and most of our volunteer militia are too nervous to engage in the kind of intelligence gathering we need." He shook his head again. "Of course, we've not spoken to them, nor attempted any sort of discussion."

Lilith tensed very slightly, but after a moment she nodded. "How serious have the attacks been?"

Watteau frowned. "Several of our people were hurt or killed when they first attacked. Since then, we've had several smaller battles." He looked tired. "We lost Antwerp completely last week."

Lilith nodded in understanding. "Very well." She traced her fingers over the map. "Esther and I will begin reconnaissance this evening. However, I do have one question to ask of you." She looked both men in the eyes. "The Methuselah who have come here have not yet made a concerted effort to destroy your home. Therefore, I would prefer to settle this with peaceful means, if possible, rather than bloodshed. If such a solution becomes available, may I have your support?"

Bishop Laurence frowned. "You ask us to negotiate with heretics, my Lady?" He shook his head. "Even for you, the Pope's prophetess...I will not..."

"I will." Karl spoke softly. Bishop Laurence looked at him in surprise. "I wish to lose no more of my people than I must. Those who fight here are not trained soldiers, nor warriors, nor even the dedicated vassals of God. They are only men, volunteers. My job as protector of this city, of these cities, is to ensure that as many of them return to their families as may." he inclined his head to Lilith. "End this, however you may."

One of the Inquisitors standing near the wall snorted in disgust. "Disgraceful! To willingly associate with such beasts..."

Lilith pinned him with a golden stare. "The Holy Book states that Our Lord himself associated even with thieves, murderers and sinners. And despite their nature, and the things they have done, the Methuselah are not animals. All of us are children of God. Unless, of course, you wish to imply that I am somehow unworthy of your company, who once called these people friend."

The Inquisitor flushed. "Of course not." He bowed stiffly. "My apologies, Holy One. We will, of course, follow your orders to the letter."

"Thank you." Lilith looked back at the maps. "Lord Watteau, is there a way into Antwerp, one that you can recommend as being relatively safe?"

He nodded. "Indeed. This bridge here." He pointed. "It's in neutral territory, more or less. It's part of the boundary between Antwerp and Brussels. Neither side has managed to completely take the bridge, nor have there been any serious efforts to do so. Not with the risks involved. It's open ground, with little to no protection."

Lilith nodded. "We'll start there. Esther and I will wait until nightfall, then cross into Brussels, and over the bridge into Antwerp." She studied the map. "We should return within a few days."

The Inquisition leader scowled. "You should not be risking yourself, Holy One."

Bishop Laurence nodded. "We can send others..."

"No." Lilith shook her head. "I will handle this." She turned. "Esther? Do you wish to accompany me, or will you stay here?"

Esther smiled. "Of course I'll go with you. I did make a promise after all."

Lilith smiled as well. "Thank you." She turned back to the watching men. "I'll need inconspicuous clothing for both of us."

Karl de Watteau nodded. "It will be provided." He glanced at the window. "There are yet a few hours till nightfall, Lady Saint. If you truly wish to do this, then I would recommend rest for both you and your assistant."

Lilith nodded. "It's a good suggestion." She gave Esther another smile. "Esther, why don't you accompany Lord de Watteau. I'll be along after I speak with Bishop Laurence."

Esther nodded, and followed the Amsterdam Lord through the hallway. The room he led her to was that of a senior novice, a Bishop's assistant. Esther collapsed onto the bed gratefully. She felt tired, and she knew she wanted to have all her facilities intact, in order to help Lilith with intelligence gathering. Within minutes, she was asleep.

One of Lord de Watteau's people woke her shortly after sunset. She and Lilith ate a quick meal, then donned the garb that the lord provided. It was simple clothing, a plain skirt to mid-calf, and shirt, covered by a long-sleeved jacket. Lilith's outfit was much the same, though hers also had a long cloak with a hood, to hide the skin tone and hair that marked her as an outsider. Or, more importantly, the features that were known as the Dark Saint's.

A group of Inquisitors and volunteers escorted them to the border of Amsterdam and Brussels. From there, the two women made their way through the streets of town, meandering slowly toward the bridge. There was just enough hurry in their step to make it seem as if they had a purpose being out so late. Esther was even carrying a basket, as would a woman running errands. It held her pistol and a pair of knives, for an emergency, but it served as a good cover, should they be stopped.

But they weren't. In fact, it was eerie, how silent the streets were. So soon after dark, there should have been at least a few people. Late-night roamers, going about their business. People returning home at the end of a long day. People out for a quick sip at the bar down the street. Or even the city's homeless, finding their places for the night. But there was no one. Esther repressed the urge to shiver.

Finally, as the first tendrils of fog started to form, the bridge came into sight. Both of them slowed their steps, keeping a watchful eye out. But there didn't seem to be any guards, Terran or Methuselah. No one at all, in fact, except a single, slender figure, leaning across the railing at the apex of the bridge.

Esther blinked, frowning. _It looks like a child. But surely, no parent would allow a child out of doors at night, especially not in a war zone. _Although, she'd snuck out of the church on several occasions, during her time as a rebel in Istvan. _Maybe...an orphan or homeless child? Or a youngster out on a dare? _Her frown deepened. Despite the mist that obscured her vision, and the darkness, there was something familiar about that form.

She and Lilith approached slowly. They didn't want to frighten the child, whoever she was, whatever she was doing there at that hour. They'd almost gotten close enough for Esther to call out a greeting, when the small figure turned, and smiled brightly. "Well. I was wondering when you'd turn up."

Esther gasped, recognizing the raven hair beneath the boyish cap, the bright green eyes. Beside her, Lilith drew in a sharp breath. "Seth."

Seth grinned. "I was waiting for you, you know. Ever since I saw the Vatican ship fly in this afternoon. I thought it might be you." She stretched, and the smile widened, though it was also tinged with sadness. "It's been a while, Sister Lilith."

Lilith nodded, releasing a small smile of her own. "So it has." She lowered her cloak hood, and looked the youngster over. "You're doing well?"

Seth shrugged. "More or less. You should know though, Brother Abel's been rather upset lately. And Brother Cain...well, probably best I don't tell you about him." She stretched again, her smile disappearing into the sadness in her green eyes. "I'm worried about Abel, really. You've certainly put him in a bit of a tight spot."

"I know." Lilith came to stand beside the younger Crusnik. "But it cannot be helped. Abel has chosen his path, as I have chosen mine." She shook her head slightly. "If you would though...tell him...I am sorry."

"I know." Seth sighed. "The Vatican, they sent you to wipe us out, didn't they?"

Lilith frowned. "They sent me here to end the conflict in this area." She turned to meet the younger girl's gaze. "And you? Did Cain send you to destroy this place?" her eyes held the emerald green ones. "Are you too, to become a Destroyer?"

Seth looked away. "I rather think that was Cain's purpose, but it hasn't quite turned out that way. That's actually part of the reason I was waiting for you." She shifted restlessly, then swung herself up to perch on the railing, moving with the sure grace of a Crusnik's reflexes and years of training. "Brother Cain did send us as a strike force, but...well, there's been a few changes of heart." She sighed.

Lilith nodded. "Please, explain."

Seth's green eyes were clouded with worry. "This war...it's really been taking its toll. A lot of our people are beginning to have second thoughts. Not really enough of them, and no one's really willing to defy Brother Cain, but...the slaughter is rather terrible." There were hints of tears in the dark eyes. "We've lost a lot of people. I think that bothers Brother Abel as much as fighting you."

She took a breath and visibly forced herself to relax. "This group I led here...well, we're supposed to be destroying the cities but the truth is...they were rather hoping to duplicate what you did in Albion. And I...I agreed to help them. That's why I volunteered to lead the force, instead of Brother Abel, or one of the newer lieutenants."

"You intend to settle?" Lilith's voice was calm, but there was an edge of steel to it. "You truly think attacking the city, putting it's lords on the defensive and conquering it will make for a peaceful solution."

Seth had the grace to look chagrined. "Honestly, we didn't really mean to attack them. That first night...I'm afraid things got a little out of hand. And since then...it's been one misunderstanding after another." She sighed, looking out over the river. "I thought about taking them to Berlin, but Cain would never allow it."

Lilith shook her head, her eyes softening. "No. he would not."

Seth sighed again. "I know, we've made some rather bad mistakes. But I was hoping they'd send you to us. I was hoping you could talk to them, and get us some sort of compromise. Otherwise..." She shook her head. "I fear, what's happening..." A single tear slipped down her cheek. "Brother Cain...he's not really the same person he used to be. Even Brother Abel knows it. But I can't think of a way to stop him, and Abel won't. So...this seems to be the best I can do for now." She bowed her head.

Lilith's expression softened further. She reached out and pulled Seth into a gentle hug. "It's all right, little one. I'll do my best." Seth let out a soft sob, and wrapped her arms around the other woman's frame. Lilith smiled kindly and tightened her grip. "I'm glad you are not consumed with Cain's madness. I did not want to confront you as well as Abel."

They stayed in that embrace for a long moment. Esther kept watch. Finally, Lilith released the younger girl. "If I'm to take your words back to the Terrans, I need to speak with the other leaders of your company, and take statements from them. Otherwise, the Terrans who lead this city will never believe you. Can you take me to them?"

Seth nodded, an impish smile tracing a faint line on her features. "Of course." She turned. "They're about a twenty minute walk away." She pointed into the city, then spun around. "I guess we should go then." Lilith nodded, and she and Esther followed the girl into the mist.

The following night, they crossed back over the bridge, Esther's basket now full of papers from the four major Captains of the Methuselah force, plus each of their two immediate subordinates. Each member of the force had submitted, in his own words an apology, a request for truce, if not peace, and a statement of intent.

After several hours of discussion, they'd agreed to a tentative plan. With the approval of Lord de Watteau, and the Bishop, they Methuselah would claim neutral territory, just within the city limits. Each captain would have his own city to tend to, and his own force, as far away from each other as possible. In return, the Church would consolidate a position, along with the Terran nobles, in the center, and the rest of the city. One noble Terran would serve as liaison. The Methuselah would curb their drinking and rely on the Aqua Vitae for survival, with the occasional voluntary donation in emergencies. And, most importantly from the Vatican standpoint, the church would be absolutely inviolate, not to be touched. No one carrying a collar or habit would be harmed, ever. Seth would report back to Cain that the commanders had subdued the city, but refrained from destruction on account of the Methuselah need for food sources. The church would, according to her report, be quasi-hostages, in exchange for the safety of the citizens, as would the Lord who became liaison.

It was a good plan, if they could get Bishop Laurence, Lord de Watteau, and the leader of the Inquisition forces to agree. Esther cradled the basket carefully in both arms, and tried not to think about it too hard. Still, as they approached the bridge from Brussels to Amsterdam, her heart was pounding, and she felt like she had rocks in her stomach. She'd known when they arrived in Albion, that everything would be all right. But though she knew the city had become ruled by the Count Four and their Terran counterparts, she couldn't remember when it had happened. Or how.

Karl de Watteau met them as they crossed over the last bridge into Amsterdam. His eyes were alight with worry and a sort of desperate hope. "Holy One."

"Lord de Watteau." Lilith inclined her head.

The lord returned her bow, then straightened. "My Lady...that you've returned so soon...you have information?"

Lilith nodded again. "I do indeed. As soon as we return, I shall call a meeting to present what Esther and I discovered. I would like to request the presence of the leaders of all four cities, as well as his Grace, Bishop Laurence, and the commander of the Inquisition forces."

He nodded. "I will see to it, while you refresh yourselves." With that, his guards closed around them.

It took them only a few minutes to return to the church. Esther showered and changed, her mind whirling with the possibilities, her stomach churning with nerves. She wanted everything to be settled peacefully. But she knew how hard it would be. But still...she was so tired of all the bloodshed. If there was a way to stop it, in the Four Cities at least...She clenched her fists. _We will convince them somehow. For Lilith's dream, and the Father's. And so this senseless violence can be ended._ She took a deep breath, to settle her nerves, then picked up the basket and headed for the meeting room. _For Seth._

The others were already gathered when she arrived, save for Lilith. The older woman appeared only seconds later. All of the gathered lords rose. Then Bishop Laurence stepped forward. "Holy Lady...you have information?"

"I do." Lilith moved forward, and gestured for Esther to lay the stacks of paper from her basket onto the table. "Last night, I spoke with the leaders of the Methuselah force. Including their highest ranking commander."

The leader of the Inquisition team stiffened. "You spoke to...better to have contacted us! We could have destroyed the vipers in their nest!"

"No." Lilith caught his gaze. "That I will not do."

His face tensed. "Then you...our sacred leader, second only to His Holiness, would betray the church?"

"That is not my intention. However...does not the sacred law hold it as a sin, to harm one's kin?"

Bishop Laurence nodded. "A mortal one."

Lilith met his eyes. "That was why I could not, and cannot condone an attack. She who leads them was once one I called sister, dear as blood. By the laws of God, and my own honor, Lord Bishop, I will raise no hand against her."

The two locked gazes for a moment, then the Bishop inclined his head in silent apology. "Understood. You say you have information?"

"I do. I obtained these papers from their commander, along with her four senior captains, and their two senior subordinates. I would invite you gentlemen to look at them." She gestured. "You will find that they contain a written apology for the injuries and fatalities you have sustained, a promise of reparation to the citizens of all four cities, and a request for truce and ceasefire."

Karl de Watteau picked up a sheaf of papers and passed it to the Bishop, then took another. Esther watched as both men scanned the pages. Then he set his down, and flipped through another. The Bishop followed his example. The lord's eyes widened. "Money for repairs...church immunity...this is..." His eyes rose to meet Lilith's. "This is...not what I expected, certainly."

"I am aware of that. However, will you consider their offer?"

One of the other lords picked up a sheaf of papers. His eyes widened. "The reparation money listed here would easily repair most of the damage to the cities."

"Even so..." the Bishop lowered the packet he was holding. "Can we be sure that they will keep their word?"

"Indeed." Lilith nodded. "They have sworn oath to me. And all have indicated their willingness to swear oath to you as well. On the very steps of the church at dawn, if you ask it."

Karl nodded. "It's written here, as part of the terms. However..." His eyes were troubled. "Even should they be true-sworn...their leaders..."

"Shall not trouble you." Lilith's tone was firm, confident. "Their commander is the youngest of the three central leaders. She has agreed to speak for this plan, under the terms indicated."

There was a snort from one of the others. "Youngest commander of three. And the other two are the Dark Destroyer, and the Enemy of the World. You expect us to pin our hopes on such a frail reed, Holy Lady?"

"I would. He whom you call the Dark Destroyer will at least stay his hand, I think, for her sake." Lilith met the man's eyes. "And think, my lords! If these are willing to defect, to turn away, then it is a sign their will is faltering. Why not give a good reason for others to cease as well?" She met the Inquisitor's gaze. "Despite everything, strength and technology will not win you this war. Even your faith in God may only take us so far." There were gasps, and Lilith tracked them with a look. "God demands much of his servants, as you know from the Holy Bible. This request, treated with the respect it is due, may very well provide a turning point. And did not the Lord say that church and man alike should forgive the truly repentant?"

Bishop Laurence looked thoughtful. Karl de Watteau did as well. The Chief of the Inquisition and several of the other nobles, however, were looking mutinous.

Esther swallowed and took a few steps back settling into a seat as the debate continued to rage around her. She felt exhausted, but at the same time, she was restless, worrying about the outcome of the argument. She settled for sitting in the chair, watching those around her, until sleep overtook her, and Lilith had one of the servants escort her to bed.

The debate raged for days. The Vatican had to be contacted with Lilith's information and proposal. Then various terms had to be argued out. Esther sat on the sidelines, taking notes and speaking up when she felt it was necessary. She was glad she'd had practice in such situations, back in her own time. Otherwise, she would have felt like pulling her hair out, or stomping her way out of the room in frustration.

Finally, though, they managed to secure the agreement of the rest of the nobles, the Inquisition and the Pope. Esther, under the direction of Lilith, Karl de Watteau, and Bishop Laurence, drew up documentation of their agreement, the alterations they wished to make to the Methuselah proposal, and so forth. Then, accompanied by the lord de Watteau and the Bishop, they made their way back to the bridge.

Seth was waiting when they arrived, this time flanked by two men whom Esther took to be her captains. She was also wearing a white uniform Esther recognized. A white tunic and jacket that fell to mid-thigh, over light leggings and boots that stopped an inch short of her knee. Both shoulders were emblazoned with the UNASF logo Esther remembered, the collar and hemline trimmed with her signature emerald green. The two men with her were dressed in similar uniforms, both with rank markings attached to theirs.

Seth smiled as they approached. "Well, it's about time. I was beginning to wonder if I needed to send a messenger."

Bishop Laurence stumbled to a stop, as did Lord de Watteau. "What..."

Seth smiled. "Ah, I see you weren't warned." She shrugged. "You know, for a Methuselah, physical age doesn't change all that much after the initial transformation into adulthood. But you really don't need to worry about it. I promise you, despite my appearance, I'm well able to hold my own. Even with my two brothers."

It was Lord de Watteau who found his voice first. "Then you...you are the leader of the Methuselah forces?" he swallowed. "Lady."

Seth laughed. "There's no need to go so far. Seth will do, for right now. It's not as if you're under my command or anything." She smiled brightly, then shrugged. "At any rate, I assume that you have a response to my request?"

"We do." Lord de Watteau stepped forward and presented the documents to her. "We've made some adjustments, according to the request of the Vatican and our own nobles, however, we believe it to be a fair enough compromise."

Seth took the papers and flipped through them quickly. "Well, I don't see any problems." She turned and handed them to the man standing behind her. "What do you think? You're the ones who have to live with it after all."

Both men spent several minutes reading carefully through it. At last, the older of the two nodded. "It is acceptable."

Seth grinned. "Well then, it looks as if we have an agreement." She turned back around. "I suppose that you will be our Terran liaison, my lord?"

Karl de Watteau nodded. "I will, my lady. As will the rest of my family, unless the other ruling lords vote otherwise."

"Well, then, that's good to know. In that case, I rather think we ought to meet tomorrow settle this, don't you?" She shifted on her feet. "So then, where shall we meet?"

"Neutral ground, in Bruges, my lady. There is an old house of law there." He gave her quick directions.

Seth nodded. "As you wish. My men and I will see you there tomorrow evening." Then, without any more words, the three Methuselah turned and vanished into the night. After a few moments, Lilith and the others followed suit, returning to the church to rest.

The meeting the next evening was short and to the point. In neutral territory, each Captain of the Methuselah signed his name to the declaration of truce, their signatures matched by those of Bishop Laurence, Lord de Watteau, and the two other most senior lords. Esther watched as the men completed the formal signing, then shook hands. There was still a lot of tension in the air, and the Inquisition representative looked ready to spit daggers, but no one was drawing any weapons. She took that as a good sign.

"Hey there." Esther jumped as Seth appeared at her elbow. Seth smiled. "Sorry to startle you. I was wondering if I might have a word with you and Lilith for a moment."

"Of course." Esther followed the young girl outside. Lilith was already waiting. She smiled gently and swept the smaller girl into a hug.

Seth returned the embrace, then broke away to lean against the wall. "I've spoken to brother Abel. He says he won't attack here, unless something happens to the Methuselah who are sheltering here." She sighed. "I don't really know what Cain has planned, but I think these people will be safe."

"That is good." Lilith nodded.

Seth sighed. "I suppose so. But you know..." she sighed, then her eyes met Lilith's. "You know, Cain's gotten pretty irritable about what you've been doing. And Abel...it's very difficult for him." There was pleading in her gaze. "Isn't it enough yet? Can't you just come back?"

Lilith shook her head, Seth's sadness mirrored in her own gaze. "No. I will not condone the slaughter of the humans. If Abel and Cain will not see this is wrong, then I must continue to oppose them."

Seth sighed. "I thought you might say that. Still..." Her eyes were distant, then they focused on Lilith. "Be careful, okay? I really don't want you to break Abel's heart, you know. And the way things are going, I'm really rather afraid for both of you."

Lilith stiffened. "Has something happened?"

Seth shook her head. "Not yet, I don't think. But Abel...he's been much more reluctant to go into battle, these past few weeks. But still...he and Cain...it's a very strong bond. I'm not sure what will happen to them, and I'm worried that Abel might do something foolish. Or that Cain might do something. You know, he's really rather angry at you." She looked up. "Please be careful. Otherwise..." She swallowed. "You know Brother Cain is dangerous, and I don't want anything to happen to you or Abel.

"I know." Lilith smiled gently, offering reassurance. Then she reached out and drew the younger Crusnik to her. "I am sorry, for putting you in such a difficult position."

Seth sighed, and managed a weak smile. "Well, I suppose it can't be helped. Although, you said earlier that you wanted to ask me for something?"

Lilith nodded. "Yes. There's a request I'd like to make of you, if you think you can spare the time." She handed Seth a small data reader.

Seth took it, turned it on, and considered the information. Her eyes widened. "You're really serious about this?" her gaze flicked to Esther, then back to her mentor.

"I am. Do you think it can be done?"

Seth considered a moment. "Well, since it already was once, of course it can. Although...I'll have to find the original notes and everything. But I think I can manage. Brother Abel might be willing to help me a bit." She nodded. "I'll see what I can do." She glanced up at the sky. "I'll probably have to leave tomorrow, so I'd best get ready. I'll let you know when I've finished. In the meantime..." Her green gaze went to Lilith, and to Esther. "Please, be very careful, both of you."

Esther nodded. "Of course we will." In her own time, she would have hugged the other girl, but this wasn't her time. Instead, she offered a light bow, a gesture of respect toward the girl who would one day be Empress of the Methuselah.

Seth and Lilith shared a last, lingering embrace, then the young girl stepped back, gave them a small, sad smile, and vanished into the night. Esther and Lilith remained, watching for a moment, then turned and went back inside.

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***** **FACT ****–**According to the spoilers Lilith went down and made contact with Gregory, the current Vatican pope at that time from Armageddon after leaving the Arc. Not long after she went against Cain, Seth and Abel to side with humanity against them. It was _never _stated what number pope Gregory was, what his full name was nor or how long he was in papacy power but we went with what research we did and used it best to our benefit for this chapter.

**[*]**- In reality when a new pope is elected he only runs for about 20-30 years he would mostly in his 60's, 70's or 80' unless he dies or decides he wants to retire from his position as pope. Those are the two alternatives for a pope when it is time to a new one is chosen by papacy vote to replace his predecessor.

***** **FACT ****–**** Saint Istvan** wasmentioned in the manga of Chapter 17 by Abel, on pages 38 and 39. '_Saint Istvan brought huge amounts of electricity for an eastern village'._

From what was said by Abel during that time many saints began to appear with 'miracles' that happened in different places during the Armageddon war. Abel tells Sister Kate about this onboard the Irion Maiden in chapter 17. Allot of fandom/fans say or claims that Saint Istvan was Lilith but this **not** really true. As quoted from chapter 17 _'__The Black Saint prophesied many things for the Pope then'. _

Lilith might have allied or was friends with various other saints from that time as she was with Queen of Carthage AKA saint Elisa but Lilith was not saint of Istvan country. She is mostly well known for her feats in siding with humans/ the Vatican against the Enemy of the World.


	51. Authors Notice 4

**Authors ****Notice #4**

Dear readers and fans of **TBWC**,

Again it's **smcandy** here Authoress of Trinity Blood War Continuum.

Once again I apologize to everyone for the lack activity for the past two months I was hoping for the updates by now to become more frequent since now the summer holidays for most of us is almost over. There is only one part left of chapter 34 and from there on what I have been told and assured by my editor **dragonwriter24cmf **the next few chapters expect for the final and I mean final _final _confrontation for RCO and Ax will be the _coup de grâce__._

I was supposed to get this weekend form when I was on my vacation my editor seem really full of energy that night for me to read a small snippet of it but it seems that the chapter is not ready yet but also I think work tonight for her has kept her form giving it to me soon.

Also my editor has been taking care of her mother whom recently is receiving good care from accident she is revering nicely; let us wish for the best for **dragonwriter24cmf****'s **mom.

Do not worry the next chapter is on its way, promise. Please continue to stay patient and alert in your accounts for that newest update to appear.

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Now for s replay addressed to the fallowing anonymous reviewer that is named **'****Guest****'**

_**Please **_do not rush us; you are not the first reviewer to have left such a comment like this to us in the past. Such comments by people like yourself do not help any, it's also very discouraging and disappointing to see.

If patience is not your best virtue then I suggest you look elsewhere to read something because both I and my editor **WILL NOT** rushed into uploading any new chapters. Delays like this for most that have read the story from year ago are common because many of the majority that read and review our story are fellow respected writers themselves.

We do not make these delays to antagonize or try to piss anyone off; they are not done on purpose.

The chapters come when they are ready and finished at **100%** by us. They need proof reading, spell checking and any other changes in case we do not like what we read and see. We try our best to make the story interesting for our faithful fans and readers to stay tuned into.

I found your comment not impressing to read, all you did was just prove that you are not mature in learning to wait. Has the quote – _'__good things come to those whom wait'_ sound familiar to you?

Since you might be someone that does not read the notices or authors notes often you need to learn and read everything I upload carefully. That includes notices and **AN's** (authors notes) from top to bottom. To be made aware that fan fiction writing for writers such as myself and my editor are something we do in our spare time. We have lives outside of fan fiction writing like many do here on this site like work and such other priorities that need our attention. If both us could we would be updating more quickly but life and time doesn't always allow this for the both of us to have.

All I ask is that if you cannot wait then I am sorry, maybe this story is not for you to read. If find other TB stories that are more updated then ours feel free to read them otherwise learn to sit back and be patient when it comes to reading my material. Until the updates are made available by me ASAP. If you have either me or this story on your alerts then you'll know when the next update or story will be.

Also kindly do not bother leaving such comments or flames if you cannot say anything positive at all or anything that is contrastive criticism for the story.

Other than that. I like to once again thank all whom have recent reviewed with liking this story so far please continue to wait while we try our best to update the next chapter ASAP.

Sincerely,

**Authoress ****smcandy**


	52. Thirty four Pt 04: Turning Point

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Hey the good news everyone; one- as you can and two it's gonan be a double updater and two partner yes chapter 34's last part was very long then we around six hundred some odd words I think. We decided to split the last part into two more parts so I'm sure this gonna make allot of your readers happy to read.

**(AN) ****dragonwriter24cmf**_**:**__ Sorry for the delay. I've noted that this has caused a bit of trouble. Unfortunately, one of my family members was in a rather severe auto accident, and I've been spending time helping out there. Also, stress triggers migraines, and as you all can probably imagine, I've been a bit...stressed, lately, with accidents and the possible onset of carpal tunnel syndrome. _

_That aside, these were tough to write, and I got so caught up in the flow of it that I didn't realize it needed to be two chapters, not one, until I finished the section. Otherwise, we would have updated about...two or three weeks ago. Sorry to everyone for making you wait needlessly. So...my apologies, though I know some of you are rather tired of hearing them. I won't say that I hope this makes up for the nuisance of waiting, but I will say I hope you find it enjoyable, and worth the read, possibly worth the wait. Though I give you fair warning...lots of angst and such in these chapters. Anyway, please read, and let me know what you think. And yes, this does mark the end of Esther's time travel arc, and when we get back, it will be the Abel we all know and love, and everyone else in the usual cast. With plenty of action to go around!_

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**(*)** As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning: **This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. **I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter****.**

This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided love, **Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

****** Just remember for everyone whom is new or just added me or the story to their alerts to add your vote on my currant poll on my profile page or on my **Deviantart** poll if you have an account there I'm under the same name as the one I used here you cannot missed it. That along with seeing what arts have been done for TBWC by me and others that have commissioned arts for the story ^^.

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Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter****Thirty-Four: Part ****Four -****Turning ****Point**

Esther and Lilith returned to the Vatican three weeks later. Esther felt tired, but encouraged. The peace between the Terrans and Methuselah of the Four Cities seemed to be working out. At Lilith's suggestion, Bishop Laurence and the nobles had accepted the four Methuselah captains into their own ranks as counts. Though not high ranking nobility, it did give them some camouflage. There was still a great deal of uneasy wariness on both sides, but things were slowly calming down.

Karl de Watteau had settled into his role as well as Alexander Walsh had settled into his. Esther found the parallel both interesting and heartening. Despite the difficulty they'd had, she felt in better spirits than she had since they'd joined the Vatican. By the time she and Lilith left, she felt cautiously hopeful that their truce would survive the war.

Archbishop Santiago was waiting for them, along with another member of the clergy, when the ship landed. Both men bowed low as they emerged, and the younger man moved forward to take Lilith's bags. Lilith relinquished them, then turned. "Archbishop?"

Santiago inclined his head. "His Holiness has requested a meeting with you, over some recent developments in the war front. Brother Andrew will help your assistant return your belongings to your rooms." He paused. "I apologize on behalf of the Vatican for rushing you, but the situation, if not urgent, is extremely disconcerting."

Lilith nodded. "I understand." She turned. "Esther, please go with Brother Andrew. I'll bring you up to date when I'm finished reporting to His Holiness."

Esther nodded. She watched the tall slender form disappear into the Vatican, then picked up her suitcase and followed her escort inside.

The unpacking and settling, not to mention going over notes and adding additional information she remembered, helped occupy her time. Still, she couldn't help glancing at the clock every few minutes, and she sighed in relief when the door finally opened to admit her companion.

Lilith strode in and settled into a chair with a sigh. Her eyes were tired. Esther waited, then stood and got a cup of water to hand to her. "Was it bad news?"

Lilith sighed again, her eyes focused somewhere in the distance. "Not yet. But it could be." She took a sip of water. "The Eastern front has stabilized tremendously over the past few months. Matthias and Devon are doing an excellent job of holding the northeastern border, and protecting the towns. However, our southeastern border is more vulnerable. There have been indications that Cain may make a serious attempt to break through in that region."

Southeastern. Esther though for a moment. She wasn't entirely sure of the geography for this time, but she remembered her own. Southeastern lay Macedonian territory, Moroccan territory, and...she felt something cold settle in her gut. Carthage. Carthage was in the southeastern area.

She took a breath and made herself relax. "Are you needed there?"

Lilith shook her head. "Not yet. But if Cain makes a serious effort, we may be sent at any time. His Holiness wished to inform me of the situation and ask for my advice. He also wished to warn me that we may be summoned to the battlefield at any time. The situation is both extremely volatile and extremely fragile." There was worry in the golden eyes. "If Cain breaks through, the Vatican would be directly in his line of fire, or very nearly. Added to that, the region has a wealth of natural resources."

Esther nodded. Even in her own time, there had been tension over Carthage. The Free City, home to everyone, perhaps the only completely neutral territory in existence. "I understand. I'll be sure to be prepared."

Lilith smiled. A faint, half-hearted smile, but genuine. "That's good." She drank the rest of the water, then rose from her seat. "We should rest, if we wish to be fully prepared for an emergency summons." Esther nodded. She could feel the strain of the trip catching up to her, now that her concerns had been addressed. She set aside the journal she was holding, and the two women retired to their rooms.

The next few days were filled with the tension of waiting. Esther read, relaxed, and tried not to think about the small, half-packed travel bag in one corner of her rooms. Instead, she occupied her time with reading, writing in her journal, or long walks. She and Lilith had been given freedom to roam the Vatican at will, and she'd found the gardens in this time to be just as pleasant as the ones she remembered.

Sometimes, Lilith would accompany her. The older woman was often occupied in meetings, but when she wasn't she often followed Esther out into the gardens, both of them enjoying the sights and smells of the plants. It felt almost surreal to Esther, as if the past and her own time had somehow come together. Some days, standing in the silence, she felt as if she half expected Abel, her Abel, and the rest of the AX to come strolling along one of the paths, smiling and laughing amongst themselves. The thought brought an ache to her heart.

Ten days after they'd returned, their lunch was interrupted by a novice, carrying a message. "His Holiness would like to see both of you, now please." It was a testament to the seriousness of the message that the youngster's face was flushed with running.

Lilith rose at once, Esther only a step behind her. The older woman smoothed her robes out, then smiled at the panting novice. "Thank you for telling me. Please, feel free to have a drink before you leave." She indicated the pitcher of water and the glasses.

The novice flushed. "Thank you, Holy One." He shuffled uncertainly, then held the door for them, bowing awkwardly. Lilith gave him another smile, then swept out the door. Esther followed.

They arrived at the Council Chamber to find not only the Pope, but the Head of the Inquisition, his lieutenant, half a dozen cardinals, and two of the more senior members of the Department of Foreign Affairs. All of them looked worried. Lilith's entrance froze the talk in the room, and brought relief to several faces.

Lilith strode forward until she was halfway to the Pope's throne, then curtseyed gracefully. "Holiness, you summoned me?"

"I have, Nia Sancta." He inclined his head in acknowledgment. "A situation has arisen." He flicked a finger at the Inquisition head, and one of the members of the foreign affairs department. "Explain it."

The older of the two men, dressed in the robes of a traveling priest, cleared his throat. "We've been keeping an eye on the southeastern border as you recommended, my lady. We didn't think there was much to worry about, but...we thought we might be detecting some strange readings, out in the desert. It's difficult to tell, with the sand, and the spillover from the destruction further east."

Lilith nodded. "I understand. Please continue."

The man shifted his weight nervously. "We finally sent someone out to check, a local contact we've established a good relationship with. When he came back...well, it's like this." He tapped a button on the free-standing computer system, and an image came up.

It was rough, shaky, and blurred by sand, but the three or four Methuselah ships sitting there were still visible. Huge ships. Transport ships. The video clicked, stabilized, this time with a night view, and Esther swallowed hard. Hundreds of Methuselah were gathered, and from the light armor they sported, they weren't there for simple relaxation. Or even reconnaissance.

The messenger continued. "We don't know how many troops there are, but it's a sizable force. Bigger than we've seen before. By your numbers, we've never faced more than one, maybe two battalions. There's at least five that we've recorded. We've seen no sign of a commanding officer, and they don't look prepared to attack, but this is a huge concern. From our analysis, they're most likely planning to take Carthage. With a force of this size, they may not only plan to take the city, but sweep west."

Lilith's eyes were dark with concern. "Of course. Is there any defense in place?"

"Of course there is." The Head Inquisitor spoke, his voice rough. "I've units all across the eastern border. Carthage is in the hands of one of my best. First Lieutenant Cheraiet." He scowled at the display, and the map on the table beside the computer. "I could send her backup within a day, hours even, if I re-stationed the desert troops. But if I do that, we'll leave a gaping hole in our defenses." He scowled at the map. "It would be best if we sent reinforcements from the Vatican."

"Of course." Lilith's fingers tapped the strategic map, tracing the line of troop deployments. "Any openings in the line of defense and the Enemy of the World will slip through them. And we cannot permit them to hold the fields of Tunis, especially not when we depend so highly on the oil produced there."

The Pope nodded. "That is precisely why I am requesting your presence at Carthage. That is where we believe the enemy will strike. You, and a full support battalion, will assist First Lieutenant Cheraiet in holding the city. Even if you must destroy it, the enemy cannot get their hands on that town."

Lilith nodded. "You are correct, Holiness." She bowed her head. "When do you wish me to depart?"

"You will leave with the troops tomorrow. The commander will provide you with all the information he can before your departure. Hopefully, you will arrive before the Methuselah forces are gathered to attack." He inclined his head, a gesture of dismissal.

"With God's Grace, Holiness." Lilith offered him another bow of respect, then turned and left the chamber.

Esther followed, feeling as if lead bricks had settled in her stomach. _Carthage.__That__was...according__to__Father...that__was__the__decisive__battle.__The__one__before..._ She felt a twinge of nausea race through her. Memories flashed through her mind. Ion. The Ibilis sandstorm. The tomb beneath the city. Abel, bleeding onto the street. Abel, out of control, then returning to himself, begging her to understand. His exhausted, haunted eyes.

She knew what came of this battle. After the incident, she'd read the legend of Saint Elissa of Carthage for herself. But she also remembered Abel's confession. If she'd heard him right, understood him properly...

_We'll __fight __here. __Abel __will __fight t__here, __against __us. __Somehow, __the __invading __Methuselah __will __be __stopped, __so __the __Ibilis __won't __be__activated. __And __then...after __this...isn't __this __just __before...before __Cain...before __he __kills..._

Esther's mind stuttered to a halt. Bad enough when it had been an abstract concept, like the deaths of thousands of other warriors. Or when she'd realized how much Lilith meant to Abel, and to Seth. But this...she felt sick. She wanted to scream. She wanted to run back and tell the Pope that Lilith couldn't be sent to Carthage, that the result would be the road that led to her death.

"Esther?" Lilith's soft question snapped her out of her thoughts. She realized they'd reached their rooms, and she was standing in the corridor, shaking slightly, a hand covering her mouth. Lilith was regarding her with gentle concern. "Esther, are you all right?"

Esther swallowed. She felt the urge to speak, to tell Lilith not to go, so overwhelming it nearly stifled her. But...if she spoke...

Without Lilith, Carthage might fall. Certainly, the Ibilis wouldn't be there as a deterrent. And how many would die, who hadn't in her version of history? In her time, Carthage was known as the Free City, the only city never ruled by a conquering power. Lilith's absence might change that. More than that, it could turn the whole tide of the war, if they were right about its strategic significance.

"Esther?" The concern in Lilith's eyes deepened.

Esther shook her head to force the thoughts away. "I'm sorry. It's just...I suppose I'm more tired than I thought. And the idea of facing so many opponents at once...well, I've never been in a battle that might get that big. It's a little daunting." She forced up a small, sheepish smile.

Lilith nodded. "You're right. It is a little daunting. But it will be all right." She smiled and held the door open for her. Esther followed the older woman inside, her gut churning with apprehension, and knowledge of what was to come.

**8888888888888**

The feeling didn't lessen any over the next day, as they packed and boarded the Inquisition ship. Nor over the next few days after, en route to their destination. The sight of all the soldiers, grim-faced and going over their weaponry, didn't really ease her heart any. No matter what she did, writing or meditating, reading or even practicing her fighting skills, her heart remained heavy.

Lilith sought her out the night before they landed in Carthage. Esther was sitting in one of the small command lounges when the door opened, and Lilith stepped inside. "Esther. I thought I might find you here."

Esther jerked her head up. She'd been going over what she remembered in her mind. "Ah. I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were looking for me."

Lilith shook her head, settling gracefully into a seat across from her. "It's all right. It's nothing serious. It's just that I noticed...you've been upset, these past few days, since we were assigned to Carthage." She paused a moment, then spoke, her voice soft and gentle. "I know you said it was the situation but...it seems like more than that. I was wondering...is there something you know?"

Esther swallowed hard. "Yes."

"Ah." Lilith exhaled, understanding in the golden eyes. She hesitated a moment. "Is there anything you feel you can tell me?"

Esther bit her lip. There were so many things she wanted to tell Lilith but she knew most of them would result in an alteration of her future. Finally, she exhaled softly. "It's not much but...I don't think...it might be that now, I think maybe Abel might understand, just a little. I...I think he'll come, and if he does...please don't forget that. And...don't let him forget it either." She swallowed. It seemed like a terribly inadequate thing to say, in the face of everything she knew, but it was as much as she could manage.

"I see. You think Abel is finally beginning to understand the truth about this world?" Lilith's eyes were thoughtful.

Esther swallowed again. "I'm not sure. But...it might be possible."

"I understand." Lilith rose, and paced gentle hands on her shoulders. "Thank you, Esther." She sighed, and enclosed Esther in a gentle embrace. "I'm sorry. I know this burden is hard for you to bear. I pray you won't be forced to carry it much longer."

Esther relaxed, warmed by the other woman's regard. "It's all right. I'm sure I'll manage somehow." She stood and stretched. "I think though, that I'd better get some rest. After all, we'll be in Carthage tomorrow, and I'm sure we'll be very busy."

Lilith nodded. "Of course. Get some rest." She stood aside. Esther left the room quickly, feeling the mingled relief at speaking, and guilt at how little she'd revealed.

They docked the next afternoon, behind the main cathedral. Esther stood quietly, two steps behind Lilith, watching in apprehension as their chosen escort formed an honor guard around them. Then the doors opened, and they were escorted down the ramp, into the city of Carthage.

They were met at the foot of the cathedral stairs by a woman, a line of guards behind her. Esther studied the lady carefully. She looked only thirty or so, Lilith's apparent age or slightly younger. Her hair was shoulder length, a sun-streaked gold, and styled in a no-nonsense cut, the front pulled back and out of her face, while the back flowed over her shoulders. She was slender, with deep clear eyes, of a shade that seemed to shift between hazel and green. She wore the dress uniform of a soldier of the Catholic church, with the modification of a long robe, to ward off the heat of the desert. Her face was sun-browned, roughened by wind and stern, but there was an open, forthright quality about her gaze that Esther instinctively liked. As they approached, she bowed. "Welcome to Carthage, Lady." She met Lilith's gaze. "You are the one they call the Nia Sancta?"

Lilith inclined her head in a nod of respect. "I am."

The young woman saluted. "I am First Lieutenant Elissa dar Cheraiet. It is my honor to serve with you in defense of the city, Holy One."

Esther felt as if she'd been punched in the stomach. She knew the legend of Saint Elissa, the one who had guarded Carthage in the Dark Times. The lady who had defended the city, then bravely sacrificed herself to stop the invaders. But this... _Father __spoke __of __her. __First __Lieutenant __Cheraiet. __Is __it __possible... she __and __Saint __Elissa __are __the __same __person? __But __then...this __person..._ her stomach clenched painfully, and she ground her teeth together to keep from saying something she shouldn't.

Some of her discomfort must have shown on her face, because the lieutenant frowned, then bowed again. "My apologies. Please, come inside." She gave Esther a professional, but friendly smile. "The desert heat does take some getting used to." Her gaze shifted to Lilith's garb. "You look as if you've come well prepared, my lady, but we'll be sure to provide some more comfortable attire for your assistant while your here."

Esther swallowed hard and forced up a smile. "Thank you. I appreciate the concern, but you needn't trouble yourself on my account."

The smile warmed a fraction. "It's no trouble at all. Actually, a bit of business will keep the local merchants happy. We've been restricting departures and such, what with the threat of an attack, and some of them aren't too pleased. Helping out the soldiers gives them something to do, and makes them feel less imposed upon, and less like they're losing money. It keeps the peace better than martial law."

"I see." Esther nodded. "Then I'd be quite happy to pick up a new wardrobe, and perhaps a few other things."

Elissa laughed. "Well said." She stepped aside, gesturing up the stairs. "Please, come. I'll have refreshments provided and explain the situation in the comfort of a cooler atmosphere." Her gaze slipped past the two of them to the soldiers on the ship. "In the meantime, my senior officers can get your extra troops settled in and provisioned."

"That sounds like an excellent idea." Lilith gave her another nod, then gestured to the leader of their guards to fall out. She waited until the orders were given to disembark, then turned and followed Lieutenant Cheraiet. into the building.

The room the lieutenant led them to was a moderately sized room, an office or a council chamber for the church officials who had resided there. The large table in the center of the room was covered in maps and reports. An aide was waiting with tea and food. Cheraiet. handed Lilith and Esther a cup and plate each, then took one for herself and gestured to the table. "This is what we know of the situation, from the information we've managed to gather from the natives who have come in, and from our own spies." She pointed to the red markers. "Each marker is about five hundred Methuselah. I'd estimate troop strength at a minimum of some three thousand. And I doubt it's that low. That's just the ones we know for certain we've seen. But they have at least five ships, and I suspect most of their soldiers are staying on board them, at least during daylight hours." Her face was grim. "Since we've observed them in daylight, we know at least some of them are UV protected, whether by the silver nitrate solution I've heard mentioned, or by UV gel. I suspect the gel, given that we know silver reduces their strength. But in conditions like this...it's possible they've sent two completely different forces, one for a daylight offensive, and one for night attacks. If they have, it could be bad. With the addition of your troops, we have matching numbers, but we don't have enough to handle a constant rotating assault like that."

Elissa paused to take a sip of her tea, then sighed. "At present, they've made no move away from their camp around their ships. Nor have we spotted any obvious leader." She frowned. "It's strange actually. For an assault of this magnitude, I would have expected at least one of their three commanders to oversee it."

Lilith nodded. "Abel Nightroad. The one they call the Destroyer. He's the most likely choice. But in normal cases, he would have showed himself by now." She frowned at the notes, and the map. "Either he is not here, or he has chosen to be invisible, for the moment. But that would be an unusual tactic for him to choose." She considered. "Have there been any lone scouts from their camp, or any unusual individuals?"

Elissa frowned, then began to leaf through her notes. "We've checked all traders and other personnel coming into or out of the city. There's no one recorded with the features described. And we've taken into account his other powers, and kept watch on the sky, with at least two ground-to-air weapons pointed upward, in case." She paused, looking at a report. "Ah. We did see a stranger surveying the bounds, a few days ago, out near the old wells outside the city. No one got a good look at the guy, though. Whoever it was, they were robed, like a local. We thought they might be trying to get water or shelter without coming into the city, to avoid the conflict."

"No. That would have been him." Lilith's face was troubled. "He knows how to scout, and he does his own work. He was trained for such things. Still...that he should take the time and trouble...he generally prefers a straightforward strategy."

Elissa frowned as well, and set aside her tea. "Is it possible it's not the Destroyer? That it's the others? The girl, or this mysterious Contra Mundi?"

"You wouldn't have seen the girl, not unless she wished to be seen. As for the Contra Mundi...no. If he had come, then the city would already be under attack, if not destroyed." Lilith shook her head. She considered the map. "These outlying wells...they were in settlements?"

Elissa nodded. "Each had a guard settlement at the least, and some were church bound."

Lilith nodded. "Way there a way to enter the city from there, without crossing the desert?"

Elissa frowned, then moved over to another stack of notes. She studied them for a moment, then cursed loudly. "Damn! It's right here. Underground waterways and passages, in case of siege or other problems." She turned to her aide, hovering in the background. "Tell the unit sub-commander. We need units sent to the following locations." She scribbled out a few names, then handed it off. "I want round the clock guards, and double it at night."

The aide saluted, then took off. Elissa sighed. "Damn. I didn't even see that. How did he know?" She looked up at Lilith. "How did you know?"

"I knew because I came to Carthage once or twice, as a child. He would have known...because he's very thorough about such things. He grew up Underground, and he's very knowledgeable about such places." Lilith traced the diagram Elissa had laid down. "He's unlikely to use the tunnels, except as a last resort, because it limits his fighting space and how many troops he can bring to bear. However, the fact that he's taking the time to scout, that he's been careful to avoid drawing attention to himself...he's serious this time." Lilith's eyes were dark. "I fear, lieutenant, that this will be a difficult battle."

Elissa nodded. "Even if our numbers are matched...they have greater strength and stamina on their side." She frowned. "How well can you counter the Destroyer's power?"

Lilith shook her head. "Thus far, it's been an even battle. However...he has more offensive strength than I do. My defensive abilities are equal, or slightly greater than his, but he has more combat experience. In pitched battle, it would depend on whether or not I can break his concentration. In the previous battles, I've been able to do so. But if he's truly intent on taking this city...I can't be sure."

"We do have some advantages, in that we're behind defenses. But it'll be a siege, and we...if what I think is accurate, about the doubled attack force, then we're badly outmatched. I have to plan for a worst case scenario." Elissa bit her lip. Then, very quietly... "I can think of a few strategies that might hold them. And I'm sure you have a great deal of knowledge of your own. But...in a situation like this...we can't afford to lose this city. It's bad if it gets destroyed, but under no circumstance can we allow it to be occupied, and become a military base. Therefore...is it possible to rig a final strike weapon?"

Esther's gut clenched. She felt as if ice water had been poured over her. _The __Ibilis._

Lilith's expression was grave. "A final weapon. You mean a final trap, if we are overrun."

Elissa nodded. "We have a rather large arsenal. But also...beneath the cathedral here is a control computer. We think it's the remnants of the old technology, similar to what Albion has revived. I'd like you to inspect it, and see what it's use is, and if we can utilize it in our defense."

"Of course." Lilith nodded. "Do you wish to do so today?"

Elissa shook her head. "No. There's been no sign of activity, so I think we're safe for tonight, at least." She straightened. "You and your assistant should get some rest. You've had a long journey to reach Carthage and, as you say, this battle is likely to be fierce. You'll need to conserve your energy. Tomorrow, we'll plan our combat strategy, and I'll take you down to see the computer." She gestured, and one of the aides came over. "Sergeant, please escort Our Lady and her aide to their rooms." She turned back to Lilith. "We change shifts around 6am, and breakfast is at 7am, if that's not too early."

"Of course not." Lilith shook her head. "I look forward to working with you, Lieutenant. I only pray this turns out well, and that your fears are unfounded."

"Indeed." The two women shared a final glance, then Lilith turned and followed the waiting soldier, Esther right behind her.

The rooms they were led to were modest, but comfortable, and the beds were far better than Esther remembered from her other trip, in her own time. But despite the comfort, she couldn't sleep. Her mind was spinning with everything she knew. The Ibilis. Saint Elissa. First Lieutenant dar Cheraiet. The upcoming battle.

Her mind went back to the first time she'd heard of the battle for Carthage. How she'd been sitting on a balcony, talking to Abel. He'd mentioned Elissa, by name. She knew he hadn't meant to, from the way he brushed it off and changed the subject. For the first time, she wondered if he'd actually known the lieutenant, or simply known of her, through Lilith. Esther sighed, then turned over and buried her head in the pillow. Eventually, exhaustion caught up with her, and she slept.

The next two days were busy ones. The Methuselah force, as near as they could tell, didn't move an inch. However, Elissa was far from complacent, or idle. She and Lilith, along with her staff, made a detailed inspection of the defenses, looking for every possible way to shore them up. For the underground tunnels, they posted guards, and rigged ways to collapse the tunnels if need be. Walls were fortified in weak points. Citizens were moved to safe zones deep in the city, with evacuation routes planned and practiced. When night fell, the two women sat long hours, discussing the weak and strong points of various soldiers, and how to adapt strategy for that.

Lilith also spent long hours working at the control computer. Esther didn't understand everything the other woman was doing, only that involved a high powered computer network, and a relay satellite that was in orbit above the city. Lilith described it as a weather control project, meant to stabilize the local ecosystem, and still maximize its potential for human life support. By reprogramming, Lilith could force it to have the opposite effect, a devastating storm that would wipe out everything in its path.

It was hard work, and seemed extremely complicated. Esther didn't understand much of it, but Elissa did, and showed grim approval. Watching the two women as they worked, Esther felt agitated. After all, she didn't need to understand all the technical terms to know what they were creating. She'd seen it, after all, a thousand years later. A giant sandstorm. The Ibilis, avenging angel of the desert. Even knowing it wouldn't be used, at least not for nine hundred years, made her feel no better.

By the end of the second day, even Esther could tell there wasn't much more strategizing they could do, nor much more preparation. Lilith was still inputting the final programming for the Ibilis, but for the rest, all they could do was wait. The thought made her edgy, restless.

Apparently, Elissa felt the same way. "Damn it." She sighed. "They haven't moved for almost a week. I don't know if they're trying to simply intimidate us or gather more information, or what. But if I thought I could do it and leave the city adequately defended...I'd launch an attack against them now."

Lilith shook her head. "Too dangerous. At best, you'd force their commander to show his hand, and his strength. At worst, they'd simply destroy you. Either way, to charge them head on, or even from the tunnels would likely be a massacre."

Elissa snarled, a sound of frustration. "I know. But waiting like this..." She picked up her drink and swallowed it. "It gets on my nerves."

Lilith nodded. "I understand. But you should enjoy the rest. Abel will come... tomorrow or the day after, I believe." She met the other woman's eyes. "He doesn't like to wait either."

Elissa nodded. "I'll keep watch." Then she finished her drink and left the room. Esther and Lilith shared a glance, finished their tea, and retired as well.

Esther woke to the feel of a hand on her shoulder. She blinked, then looked up into Lilith's eyes. The older woman looked somber. She waited until Esther sat up, then spoke softly. "Elissa sent a messenger from the walls, only a few minutes ago."

Esther swallowed hard, her muscles tensing involuntarily. "Something's happened?"

Lilith shook her head. "I don't know. With the size of this town, and our backs to the sea...I'd hear an attack if it occurred. It's been quiet. But obviously, the first lieutenant is worried about something. Do you wish to come with me?"

Esther nodded. "Of course." She flung back the covers, glad she'd left her clothing laid out over the nearby chair. "I'll be ready in a moment."

Ten minutes later, they were both striding out of the cathedral. Lilith turned left, toward the eastern rampart. Both door guards saluted them as they passed, and there was a car waiting for them. The driver jumped out as they approached, and held open the door. "Lady."

Lilith stepped in, Esther right behind her, and the car took off. If the speed of the driver was any indication, then it wasn't an emergency. Still, Esther couldn't help feeling apprehensive as they pulled up by the steps leading to the main city wall. Lilith, for her part, seemed calm as they made their way to the top, followed by the guard who had driven them.

Elissa was waiting at the top, a set of binoculars in her hand. Her expression was tight. As Lilith came up beside her, she pointed. "There. Tell me what you see, and what you make of it." She handed Lilith the binoculars.

Esther squinted, and a soldier tapped her arm and handed over another pair of them. She held them up, then blinked. _Of__course.__The__night__vision__goggles.__I've__heard__of__these,__but__I__hadn't__actually__used__them,__not__while__I__was__in__the__AX._ She adjusted them, then set them to her eyes and turned toward the desert.

A single figure stood, surrounded by sand, about a hundred yards from the gate. Esther felt her shoulders stiffen. Even allowing for the distance, and the side effects of the night vision, she knew who it was. Beside her, she heard Lilith speak very softly. "Abel."

Elissa's voice was calm and professional. "He's been there for at least half an hour. He hasn't moved, and there have been no signs of others. In another situation, I'd consider the possibility of him trying to claim a truce, but there's been no message. He hasn't even put up a white flag. I thought he might be trying to memorize our defenses and figure them out, but there's no way he'd be able to do that, standing still like that for so long." One hand clenched. "I can't tell what the bastard is planning."

"He's thinking." Lilith's voice was soft, but under it was a note that Esther couldn't quite define. She couldn't tell if it was hope or concern that colored Lilith's voice. "When Abel is concerned, or upset, or confused, he stands alone in the silence with his thoughts. It's the way he's always done things."

"Huh." Elissa frowned. "If he's alone...is there any chance we could mount an attack, and injure or take him hostage? That would head off the battle. It could even prevent a fight, if we could take him."

Lilith shook her head. "No. He'd see it coming. More than that...with his past, such a tactic would only arouse his true fury. As he is, Abel will fight with the best in mind, for himself and his troops. And the caution makes him less dangerous. But believe me, you do not wish to see him lose control."

Elissa frowned. Her next words were quiet. "That man...he's more than your opponent. You've known him a long time. And not in a state of conflict."

Lilith nodded, ever so slightly, and her words were equally soft. "Yes. Abel is very dear to me. To fight him breaks my heart. But we have both chosen our paths, he and I. And no matter how hard it is, I will not abandon my resolve. I will protect this world, even against him."

Elissa nodded. "I trust your word, Lady." They stood watching the solitary figure a few moments longer, then she spoke again. "What should we do? Leaving him there will only agitate my soldiers."

Lilith stared across the sand a moment, and Esther saw her eyes harden. "I will go speak to him." She turned away from the wall. "Esther, will you come, or stay with Lieutenant Cheraiet?"

"Of course I'm coming." She felt as if there were rocks in her stomach, but she wasn't going to back down.

Elissa looked worried. "Lady, you shouldn't go. It could be a trap. If they know you've arrived..."

Lilith shook her head. "You said there were no others visible, or on the radar. If it's only Abel...I can handle him long enough for a retreat, at least."

The lieutenant's mouth tightened into a thin line. "At least let me prepare an escort."

Lilith shook her head again. "No. You will only arouse his temper. All an escort will gain is the possible loss of your troops, and we cannot afford that, not now. However, Esther and I alone should be able to at least speak with him, and gauge his true intentions. We may even gather valuable intelligence." She looked up, golden eyes meeting hazel. "I apologize for not listening to your commands, lieutenant, but I would ask that you permit me to take this chance."

A corner of Elissa's mouth turned up in a grim smile. "Even if I command Carthage for the moment, Holy One, I know you outrank me by Vatican standards. Besides...when it comes down to it, we're more equals and comrades, you and I." She straightened and gave Lilith a salute. "God go with you, Lady Lilith. And you'd better know, my men and I will keep watch. If things go awry, I will not hesitate to shoot, rather than tell my superiors I stood and watched as the Nia Sancta was destroyed."

Lilith smiled as well. "Thank you for your concern, lieutenant. Esther and I will be very careful." Then she turned and descended the steps. Esther followed two steps behind, her mind churning.

She hadn't heard anything about a meeting before the battle. Certainly not a discussion of truce, or anything of that nature. It wasn't in any history she'd read or heard. Of course, in her time the whole incident was almost more legend than history. Abel had never mentioned it either. But she'd gotten the impression, from what little he had said, that this was a painful memory for him. She brushed the thoughts away, and followed Lilith out into the desert sand.

Abel obviously saw them coming, but he didn't move. He simply stood there, silent and still under the starlight, as they approached. In the darkness, his expression was nearly unreadable, but Esther recognized his stance. He was troubled.

Lilith stopped a yard away, close enough to speak, not close enough for Abel to touch her. "Abel."

"Lilith." His voice was soft, almost emotionless, but with an undercurrent of pain. His head tilted back, looking up at the starlight, the light of the double moons. "I saw the ship come in three days ago. I thought the Vatican might have sent you. I'd hoped not, but..."

"I know." Lilith's own voice was equally soft, her words more to acknowledge his emotion rather than his words. There was silence between them for a few moments, then Lilith spoke again. "Cain has sent you to take Carthage and Tunis?"

"Yes." Abel didn't move, didn't say anything beyond that one simple word.

Lilith stared at him a long moment, then spoke again. "And you intend to attack the city, simply for his order? After everything..."

"I must!" Abel's voice roughened sharply on the last word. Esther saw a shudder go through the lean frame.

"Why, Abel?" Lilith took a half step forward. "Does Cain's madness and hatred still possess you so much?"

Abel shuddered again. "It's not..." He flinched, biting his lip for a moment. "You cannot understand. It isn't just Cain's madness anymore." For the first time, his eyes met Lilith's. Esther winced, seeing the sharp pain and desperation in those eyes. "With the losses we've taken...Cain is not the only one who seeks vengeance. But more than that...We've been on the ARK all this time, all our people. On that ship, with no way to escape. It's not like the station, where we could return to the surface if we wished. Not like Mars, where we felt the ground beneath our feet, even if we were surrounded by walls. We're trapped. Eventually, even on the ARK, supplies will run low. And even before that..." Terrible anguish filled his eyes. "We can't remain in a place like that. Even Methuselah...even with the size of the ARK..." The words faltered to a stop.

"And so you would choose conquest, and build your homes over the fallen? You who once despaired over having your freedom ripped away?" Lilith's tone was neutral, but the words were sharp enough to draw blood, and Abel flinched again.

"There is no other way. Even if we chose to settle the uninhabitable area, to revive it as we did Mars, the humans will attack us the minute they perceive a weakness. You know it. There would still be conflict."

"It doesn't have to be that way." Lilith's voice sharpened. "You've seen for yourself. In Albion, they work side by side. And surely Seth brought you news of the events in Amsterdam!"

Abel shook his head. "Even so...some of our people would not accept such conditions. You know it's true. And those who have lost loved ones in the conflict..." He shook his head again.

"You could still choose to inhabit the darkened areas. Surely, if you cannot co-exist peacefully, they could accept being left alone. Did you not once wish for that?" Lilith's body was taunt, her voice strained. "Abel..."

"Even if we could..." Abel's voice and posture was the mirror of hers. "Even if we could, for the majority of Methuselah, I can't."

Lilith's hand clenched. "Why, Abel? Why, even knowing what you do, must you choose this conflict?"

Abel's eyes were dark and haunted. "Even if the Terrans could accept the majority of us...the majority of Methuselah...Cain and Seth and I. We are the Contra Mundi." His eyes met Lilith's once again, dark and burning with both pain and anger. "I know what the Vatican calls me. We're the stuff of nightmares to them!" His shoulders stiffened. "Even if we could somehow negotiate a truce for most of our people, Cain and Seth and I...we're monsters to them." He looked away. "Even if I could turn Cain from this choice, even if I believed I had reason to try...it has gone too far. Whatever we did, the three of us will always be demons in the eyes of the Terrans. You know what they would do to us."

Abel's hands were clenched in fists, his body rigid. Even in the dim light of the moons, the lines of his face were drawn tight.

Lilith exhaled softly. "Abel...you don't know...it might not..." But there was no conviction in her voice. Esther swallowed. She knew why Lilith denied it, but she also knew what they were both thinking. Abel was most likely right. Even if they offered truce or surrender, even if the Vatican was willing to leave the majority of the Methuselah in peace, the three siblings would, most likely, be imprisoned or destroyed.

"I can't take the chance. For my own sake..." Abel's words stopped. "Cain and Seth...I will not see them suffer at Terran hands." His eyes hardened. "This is the only way left to us." He turned away, turning back towards where his troops were camped.

"Abel." The slender figure stopped at Lilith's words. Lilith regarded him silently a moment, then spoke. "You've been scouting the city of Carthage, all this time." Abel remained still. "You...you truly intend to fight us with your full strength?"

There was silence for a long moment, and Abel didn't turn around. Then he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper, but firm. "Yes."

"Then why...if you intend such a thing...why are you here, tonight?" There was tension in Lilith's voice.

Abel stiffened again. Then he spoke, his words low and hesitant. "I...if it were possible...I would have liked...not to fight you again. I...I can't..." His tone roughened and broke. "I can't even hate...what you've done. But I...cannot go back, either. So I must..."

His words broke again, a tremor passing through his body. Then he turned partially, and tilted his head up to look once more at the stars. "I...just this once, before we have to fight...I hoped I could...speak to you, just once more, without enmity. Tomorrow...we'll fight as enemies, but just now...I wished..." He shook his head, his face sorrowful in the starlight. "I'm...I'm sorry."

Lilith's own expression was sad as well. "I know." She bowed her head. "I am sorry too, Abel, but my path is as set as yours." She moved forward, then touched his face gently with one hand. Abel flinched, and his eyes closed, but he didn't draw away from the contact. "I truly think that you are wrong, that there is still hope for you, and for this world. Please, don't forget that." Abel shuddered under her words, but he didn't deny them. Lilith held him a moment longer, then leaned up and forward to plant a gentle kiss upon his cheek. "I'm sorry, Abel."

Abel exhaled explosively. "I know." Blue eyes met gold for a moment, love and pain and resolve passing between the two. Then he turned and walked away into the night.

Lilith stared after him for a long moment, then turned away. "Come." Esther nodded and followed her back toward the city, her heart aching.

Elissa met them at the gate, a full troop behind her. "Lady? Are you unharmed?"

Lilith nodded. "I am." She paused and met the Lieutenant's eyes. "I must speak with you privately. I have information."

Elissa nodded and led them to a waiting vehicle. Within ten minutes, they were back at the cathedral that served as the main base. Lilith waited until the door shut, then spoke. "They will attack tomorrow. From their position, they may not attack with the dawn, and the sun in their eyes, but I would not count on that factor. Abel knows as well as we do what the sensible course is."

Elissa nodded. "We expected the blow to fall soon." She sighed. "Is there anything further you can tell me?"

Lilith hesitated a moment, then nodded. "This will be a violent battle, Lieutenant. Every war report you have had of the Dark Destroyer in battle...you should take them all into account, and then some. He intends to come at us with all the strength of his army, and all of his own power." She considered. "Your only advantage, slim as it is, is that he will try to take the city relatively intact."

Elissa exhaled sharply. "Well, that means the citizens will be slightly better protected. Unfortunately, my soldiers will still be at risk."

"That is true." Lilith was still considering. "Given what I know...I would strongly recommend you leave the airships we have grounded unless you see absolutely no other alternative. If Abel fights on his own, he'll destroy them in the sky."

"Would you be able to protect them?" Elissa frowned.

"Not adequately. I can protect one, perhaps two. But if he fights at his full strength...as I mentioned during our briefings, Abel's power is electrical in nature. I don't know his exact radius of control, but even a close range blast of the lightning he commands would short the systems on the ship. And the concussive effects would be debilitating as well."

"Understood. We'll leave the ships grounded unless we have no other choice." Elissa ran a hand through her hair. "Damn." She studied the map, then looked back at Lilith. "I can't do anything more to prepare for this. If it's going to be as bad as you say...you've almost finished the weapon below the city, right?"

Lilith nodded. "One more day, perhaps, before it is ready."

Elissa sighed. "I'll do my best to give you that day, but you'd better hurry."

Lilith inclined her head once more. "I understand. I've had a few hours of rest. If someone can be spared to escort Esther, then I'll return to work right away."

Elissa nodded. "I'll have a sergeant assigned to guide her."

Esther swallowed. "Thank you, but it really isn't necessary. I can find my own way around."

Elissa actually smiled slightly. "I'm sure you can. But as of this moment, we're in combat readiness. You and the Nia Sancta are persons of primary importance, under my care. And while I can't be certain this is the case, given the time and energy the enemy has spent in scouting us, there may be traitors in the city. Also, if the conflict becomes as violent as we fear, there may be citizens who decide that kidnapping one of you as a bargaining chip to escape is a viable alternative. I'm confident none of my men will choose that route, however, many people within the walls are simple traders and desert dwellers. As commander, I must take every proper precaution to ensure your safety. I realize it is an inconvenience, but please, do not attempt to avoid or ignore your escort."

Esther nodded. "Of course not." She understood the rules.

Lilith spoke up again. "You should return to your rooms to rest for a little longer Esther. There probably won't be an attack for a few hours more. But when it begins, we'll need to be alert and ready. I'll send someone to you if the situation changes, all right?" She offered Esther a small smile.

Esther returned it, then bowed to both women. Elissa gestured, and a man stepped forward to salute her, then held the door open for her. She felt too unsettled to calm as she followed her escort down the corridors, but as soon as her body hit the bed, a feeling of lassitude settled over her. She was asleep in moments.

Esther woke to the sunlight of early morning shining into her room. She lay for a moment, clearing her head of the cobwebs, then rose and dressed, her mind going over the events of the past evening, and what they meant.

They'd almost certainly be in battle by nightfall, if not before. The thought made the muscles of her back tense, and a cold feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. She felt suddenly restless, desperate to know what was going on. She threw on the desert cloak Elissa had sent someone to purchase for her, then opened the door, to find a guard standing in the hall. It wasn't her escort of the night before, but from the way the young man came to attention and saluted her, he was clearly waiting for her. "Lady Esther?"

"Yes?" She checked one final time to make sure her weapons were secured in their proper places.

The young man bowed, very briefly. "If you're ready, I have orders to escort you to breakfast in the main hall, then First Lieutenant Cheraiet wishes to see you."

"Thank you." Esther swallowed. She didn't really feel like eating, but she knew if she didn't eat, she'd only feel sick and shaky later. And she knew from experience that a good hot meal would help settle her roiling emotions a little. Her gaze slipped to the door just down the hall from hers. "If it's not too much trouble, do you know if the Nia Sancta is in her rooms? I'd like to speak with her."

The soldier shook his head. "I don't know, Lady. I only came on watch an hour ago. However, the lieutenant will know." Esther nodded, then turned and headed toward the main dining hall, her escort right behind her.

Breakfast was a simple meal, dried meat, a sort of porridge, and goats milk and water. Esther ate as quickly as she could without forgetting her manners. It only took a few minutes to finish, then wash up. Within half an hour, she found herself knocking on the doors to the strategic council room.

Elissa was there, with two of her second lieutenants. She looked up when Esther entered, then smiled. "Lady Esther." She glanced at the clock hanging on one side of the wall. "Just past eight. Excellent. The Nia Sancta recommended I let you rest as much as you were able, but I have to admit I'm pleased that you rose relatively early."

Esther blushed. "Actually...I'm quite used to rising much earlier. I appreciate Lady Lilith's concern, but...well, where I was raised, we were frequently up at four and five in the morning, to tend to chores."

Elissa smiled again, a brief chuckle exiting her mouth. "Well, I shouldn't worry about it. Besides..." Her eyes turned to the map, and her expression turned grim. "Just as well you got plenty of rest now. I've a feeling we won't get much in the coming days."

Esther swallowed. "I hadn't had time to find out about the situation this morning."

Elissa shook her head. "Nothing's happened yet. The Nia Sancta is down below the city, working on the defenses I asked of her. I've one of my men and a radio unit down there, if something happens. For the rest, we've seen no sign of the enemy. I'd considered sending long range scouts to try and spy on the camp, but the last ones I sent out reported there was a lot of activity. And if they really are moving, then they'll be twice as cautious, and I can't afford to risk my men carelessly. All my best lookouts are on the walls. We'll have to hope that's enough."

Esther nodded. Elissa turned back to look at her. "I know your primary duty is to assist the Nia Sancta. However...I'd prefer not to spend extra troops where I don't need to. Therefore, I'd appreciate it if you remained with me, until something happens. Once the fighting starts, she'll be joining my team, so you'll be with her then. Is that acceptable?"

Esther nodded. "Of course it is." She swallowed. "I'm not sure how much use I'll be during a battle, but I can shoot and fight, and I do have some skill in treating wounds."

Elissa smiled. "You do your best. I have a feeling we'll need all the help we can get. But remember...your first duty is to protect your lady, and yourself. No matter what. Those are your orders, however this conflict goes. Understood, Lady Esther?"

Esther drew herself up to her full height, even short as she was. "I understand you completely, First Lieutenant."

Elissa nodded. "Excellent." She turned back to the map. "Now then...I understand you've combat experience with the Lady, but you aren't military-trained." She gestured. "I'd like to know if you see anything from a civilian's point of view, or from your past experience." Esther blinked, and Elissa gave her another small smile. "We don't always have the luxury of getting extra viewpoints in battle, but I'd be a fool to waste the opportunity. Not to mention, we'll have to deal with the locals who are trapped here, and it's not uncommon to have problems in such a situation, particularly when they get frightened. Talking with you will help prepare me for them, and if all else fails and you can be spared, I'll use you to explain things."

Esther nodded. "I understand. I had a similar assignment during our first mission in Istvan." She also remembered Virgil, pulling her to her feet. _'You __are __the __rightful __heir __to __the __Albion __throne. __Come __Sister __Esther... no, __Your __Royal __Highness __Crown __Princess __Esther __Blanchett.__We __need __you.'_

"Excellent." Elissa gestured to the map. "Feel free to ask me any questions you like."

They were engaged in detailed discussion of the defenses an hour later when a soldier came racing in. "First Lieutenant! We've spotted movement by the south wall."

A grim smile creased Elissa's face. "The south wall. Cunning bastard. With the sun over the ocean in the east, I'd hoped it would delay an attack until afternoon or evening, even with the UV protection. But south...it's the next best location to attack from." She looked up at the soldier manning the communications board. "Tell all units to stand by. Call down and inform the Holy Lady that the enemy is attacking, and request that she join me at the south wall." The man nodded and immediately turned to his console, setting his earpiece to his ear as he flipped switches.

A soldier came forward with a set of light-weight plate armor, and deftly fastened Elissa into it, securing the breastplate, shoulder guards and forearm guards with practiced moves. Esther spotted Elissa's blade and guns lying nearby, and picked them up. She waited until the aide was done, then held them out to the lieutenant. Elissa smiled. "Thank you." She cast a measuring eye over Esther's frame. "I'm afraid there's no armor here that could fit you, but if you wish, we can at least rig up something a little more solid. Good leather, or at least a breastplate."

Esther shook her head. "Thank you, but it isn't necessary. After all, I'm not likely to do much fighting. And anyway, I'm not used to wearing the armor. I'm afraid it would just slow me down, or make me careless."

"Fair enough." Another grin appeared briefly on Elissa's face. "Sounds about like what The Lady said." Her gaze turned to the door. "We'd best get to the wall, fast as possible." Esther nodded and followed her outside, to where a car was waiting for both of them.

Lilith met them at the wall, already wearing the simpler sari that she most often wore to battle. She was standing at the base of the wall, listening, and when she turned to them, her eyes were grave. Elissa strode up to her. "Have you been up to the lookout post?"

Lilith shook her head. "I only arrived a moment ago."

Elissa nodded, then took the stairs to the rampart two at a time, her stride just short of running. Lilith was right behind them. Esther followed more slowly, her stomach churning with anticipation. She'd been in several battles already, but usually the majority of the fight was in the air, or they arrived after the initial attack. She wasn't sure she actually wanted to see the attack, but she forced her feet to follow Lilith. Finally, she arrived at the wall. She took a deep breath, to relax, then looked out over the rampart.

Out on the sand a huge group of people were striding toward them. The heat haze and sun glinting off of the figures made it difficult to tell how many there were, or their speed. She thought they might be armored, but she couldn't really tell.

Elissa growled. "Looks like at least two battalions. But he's an arrogant bastard, just marching up like that." Her hand flicked out in a signal to the soldiers waiting there. "As soon as they're in range, we'll give them a good shot."

Lilith frowned. "Before you do, may I borrow your binoculars?" Elissa nodded and handed over a pair. Lilith lifted them to her face, and her mouth tensed in a grim line. "Lieutenant, you cannot fire on them."

Elissa blinked. "What?"

Lilith lowered the lenses from her eyes. "I thought it too early for there to be so much haze, especially in the south. And that pace...he's using the Aegis shield. The entire front line is commanding it. Anything you bombard them with will be useless, and may well be reflected back at you and your men."

Elissa cursed. "What do we do then?"

"You'll have to wait for them to arrive at the walls. At this range, it's nearly impossible to destroy the balls that produce the field. The only other option is to wait for the attack. They'll have to drop the shields then."

Elissa cursed again, but gave another signal. Then she tapped her earpiece. "Enemy on the approach. I want everyone on standby. They're shielded, so no one is to make the first move, but be prepared to attack the instant there's an opening."

Esther heard the crackle of the affirmative response. All along the wall, soldiers settled into watchful readiness. Elissa drew her own weapons, setting them alongside her at the wall, where they'd be within easy reach. Lilith looked fairly relaxed, but Esther saw the tension in her frame. She swallowed hard, then loosened her own knife in it's scabbard, and drew the guns she'd been issued, checking automatically to see that her ammunition pouch was open and ready for quick access.

She thought actual combat was awful, but waiting as the army crawled ever closer made her gut tense and her nerves knot. She almost wanted to shoot something, just to move. Even knowing the shot wouldn't do any good didn't help. All down the line, she could see soldiers shifting in place, hands moving restlessly on their weaponry, and she knew she wasn't the only one being affected.

Elissa's hand twitched on her own weapons. "Damn. He's taking his time." A grim smile touched the corner of her mouth. "He really is a smart one."

Lilith nodded. "Protected from the sun, they have no fear of the time. And Abel...the Destroyer...patience is not his usual nature, but that does not mean it is impossible for him."

Another grim smile twitched Elissa's mouth. "I'd prefer if he'd chosen a better time to develop it."

There really wasn't much humor to the statement, but Esther found herself smiling nonetheless, and relaxing just a fraction. Beside her, Lilith did the same.

The attacking army made a steady advance until they were about fifty yards out, close enough for even Esther to see the small devices producing the Aegis shield flitting over the heads of the front line. Then they stopped, coming to a standstill. Elissa frowned. "What the hell?"

A single figure strode out from the front lines, stepping into cleared space between the walls and the advancing army. Esther heard Lilith inhale sharply beside her, and knew the other woman recognized the silver hair and white jacket with its blue trim just as she did.

Abel stood still a moment, the sand and wind playing about his frame. Then his body tensed, one hand extending from his shoulder. Esther felt the crackle of static across her clothing, hand and hair as the air began to take on a charge. Comprehension hit her with the force of a bullet. She was so used to Abel removing his glasses and his hair tie when he changed, but he had neither in this time.

The air around them snapped. The figure out on the sand threw back his head. He was too far away for his words to be distinguished, but Esther saw his skin darken as the transformation overtook him, changing pale skin to dusky, blue eyes to red.

She watched in shock as the black wings and scythe exploded from his body. She'd never seen him transform in the sunlight before. In the harsh light of day, surrounded by golden sand, his appearance was even more striking, and terrifying, than it had ever been to her before. He stood, enfolded in in his wings, like darkness incarnate, a storm come to earth. She watched as the black wings extended, then rose above his shoulders.

Lightning flickered over his form, and she felt her heart leap into her throat as she realized what he was about to do. She spun around.

Lilith, fortunately, saw the danger as soon as she did. "Lieutenant, get your men off the wall now. Leave the spears standing upright, and the guns if you must, but get your men off the wall! He's going to strike!"

Elissa didn't hesitate. "Everyone, below the battlements! Now! Spears and swords, where they stand!" The soldiers leaped to obey. There wasn't anything disorganized about the retreat, but they certainly moved quickly.

Lightning gathered the air crackling about them with static. Elissa watched the last of the soldiers run down the stairs, just as lightning exploded from the figure standing in the desert, racing toward the walls. The lieutenant didn't hesitate. In one smooth motion, she grabbed Esther and Lilith's arms and shoved them in front of her, then all but jumped down the stairs, carrying them with her. She wasn't a moment too soon. They were barely halfway down when the electricity slammed into the parapet, scorching the stone and turning the spears still there to slag.

Everyone ducked instinctively, covering their ears against the boom of thunder and the explosion of overheated stone. Elissa cursed. "Damn. That man...is he trying to destroy the wall?"

Lilith shook her head. "They need the city intact, for it to be any use as an invasion base, or a settlement to bring supplies for their ships."

"Then what..." Elissa stopped, then cursed again. "Of course. Drive us from the walls, so there's no defense, and crack the stone so they can get ladders and grapple ropes set. By the time we get back up there...bloody monster." She tapped her earpiece, then ripped it free and threw it in disgust. "And the communications units are all out, overloaded by the charge." She bit her lip, then turned to her second in command. "Pass word down the line. Prepare for hand-to-hand combat, repel invaders. All weapons at the ready. We move as soon as the lightning breaks. Even if the heat melts your boots, you move."

The man nodded and shouted over his shoulder. Two others, both wearing the light armor common to runners, broke free and ran the lengths of the wall. Elissa watched them go, then turned back. "I hate to ask it of you, Holy One, but if you can break the lightning strike before they get to our walls, we'll need it. Even a second or two will do."

Lilith nodded and rose to her feet. Golden light, counter to Abel's, began to glow around her as her triple wings unfolded. She stepped away from the walls, hands brandishing the twin swords that she'd called to her. Atmospheric pressure built around her, making Esther's ears pop. Then she swung her hands up and out in an arc. Power slashed from her, crashing into the lightning with a resonant boom that made the walls shake.

Elissa was up and moving even before the noise faded. "Positions! Now!" She was halfway up the stairs before Esther even got to her feet, leading the way. "For His Holiness, and humanity!"

The men took up the cry, roaring their defiance as they surged to their feet and up the stone steps. Esther followed, ears ringing and her gun held tight in her hands.

Even as quick as they moved, there were already ladders at the wall, with Methuselah securing them so they couldn't be knocked over easily. Esther made the top of the wall just as Elissa executed a quick strike that wiped out two Methuselah, then slammed her shoulder into the heavy ladder, jostling it free. Two of her soldiers rammed the other side, and the ladder creaked, swayed, and fell back. Esther swallowed hard as she heard the screams of surprise and pain from below.

These weren't Auto-Jagers, for whom a second death was a welcome release, or at least, no worse than turning off a machine. They weren't really terrorists either, like the hardliners who'd caused Seth so much trouble. They reminded her more of Shera, or of Ion, or even Brother Petros. Warriors doing their lord's bidding. Pawns in a battle.

"Watch out!" Elissa's words snapped her out of her daze, just as a Methuselah lunged for her. Her body reacted automatically, pulling her gun up and firing two point-blank shots into her attacker. The Methuselah went down with a choked cry, convulsing in the combination of mortal wound and silver. Esther dodged back as the blood splattered over her.

_That__was__stupid._ She bit her lip in consternation. This was far from her first hand to hand combat, serving at Lilith's side. _It __doesn't __matter __what __role __they __play, __or __who __they __are __really. __If __they're __here __to __cause __me __harm, __or __harm __my __allies __and __friends, __then __I __can't __just __sit __back __and __do __nothing. __I __learned __that __from __Lady __Caterina. __Even __Father __Nightroad... __even __if __it's __a __dear __friend, __I __must __fight.__So __why __did __I...?_

Her gaze shifted to a black, lightning cloaked form, and to the stone walls. Of course. These were Abel's men, and Carthage...she'd learned to set aside blind hate here, made her first true Methuselah friend here, seen Radu and Ion's conflicting loyalties between love and duty. She hadn't thought about it, not really, but she remembered it.

Esther ducked another attack, then drew her gun up and fired again. _No __matter __what, __I __swore __I __would __return __to __them. __To __Ion, __and __Virgil, __and __Lady __Caterina. __To __all __my __friends __and __family. __And __to...to __him. __Father __Nightroad. __Abel. __No __matter __what __I __feel, __or __what __I __remember, __I __can't __let __it __affect __me.__I __**will **__survive __and __go __home __to __them!_ She took a deep breath, feeling her hands steady, then plunged back into the battle.

She had no idea, afterward, how long the battle lasted. Everything quickly became a haze of noise, gunfire, blades and blood. After the first few minutes, it was all she could do to keep firing, to reload and shoot, find a target, shoot again. Eventually, her bullets ran out, and she joined the soldiers wielding blades. She wasn't strong enough for head to head confrontations, but she could, and did, provide back-up. She used her relatively small frame to catch enemy soldiers off guard while they were engaged with Vatican soldiers, to deliver glancing blows to distract, or fatal ones when the opportunity presented itself. She used the angles, all the tricks she'd learned from Mary and Seth, Vanessa and Abel himself, using agility and speed as her weapons, rather than strength.

At one point, she found herself fighting practically back-to-back with Elissa. The lieutenant had discarded conventional weapons for a long spear, nearly her own height, that she used like a quarterstaff. The two of them worked together, throwing down another ladder, the fourth or fifth Esther thought she'd seen. Then the tide of battle separated them once more.

She was ducking, engaged in a two-on-one against a Methuselah with a longer blade when fire exploded in the sky. Everyone, Terran and Methuselah alike, ducked as blue and gold lightning erupted above them. Esther found herself huddling against the walls, shielding her eyes at the burst of light. She bit her lip, then glanced up.

Two figures, dark and light, shimmered above the wall, disappearing and reappearing in a haze of brightly colored fire, and the glare of the sun. Then, without warning, the dark figure broke free and plunged down, aiming straight for the walls. Soldiers scattered to both sides, and Esther saw several Methuselah form a crude wall, creating a cleared space atop the wall as their leader came in for a landing, right in front of one of the few remaining ladders.

She was too far away to hear what Abel said, but a shout went up among the Methuselah ranks. The ones nearest to Abel promptly turned and made for the ladders. Then, all across the wall, the Methuselah broke off, turning for the ladders, going back over the wall in a clear retreat. Some of the Vatican soldiers attempted to pursue, only to be met by blue lightning, and the slash of a red-black whip. Seconds later, Lilith's voice rang out over the noise of battle and retreat. "Hold!"

The Vatican soldiers paused, just as the last of the Methuselah reached the ladders. Esther watched as Abel's wings flared, then ducked as blue lightning slashed across the parapet, forming a barrier between the ladders and the Vatican personnel. Then Abel launched himself into the sky. As the last of the Methuselah warriors reached the ground, Esther saw orbs shoot into the air all along the lines, signaling the reactivation of the Aegis shield. Seconds later, blue lightning exploded once more from Abel's form, destroying the ladders, turning them into piles of debris. Esther ducked, protecting her face against the dust and flying shards of wall and ladder. When she looked up, Abel was gone.

Silence descended on the wall, broken seconds later by a single word. "Damn."

Esther turned, to see Elissa rising from a crouch a few feet away. The First Lieutenant was covered in dust and blood, some of it her own. She had a slash on one side of her face, and red trickled from under one sleeve of her armor, but she still appeared relatively unharmed.

Seconds later, Lilith came to alight on the wall beside her. Her wings flared, then folded down and vanished, as Lilith reigned in her power. Once human, the older woman stepped forward. "Lieutenant, are you all right?"

Elissa finished straightening, then waved the question away. "I'm well enough, Holy One." She glanced around, and her eyes met Esther's. "Lady Esther, are you all right?"

Esther nodded. "I'm fine." She could feel sweat and dried blood sticking her clothing to her, and a few aches and minor cuts, but nothing serious. Her hands were sore from all the shooting she'd done, and her ears ached from the noise and the lightning, but she knew from experience that those would pass, like the muscle aches from the combat. "I didn't receive any serious injuries."

Elissa nodded, then surveyed the wall, her gaze traveling over her men. Several of them were already moving, and four of her subordinates had already arrived, waiting for orders. Elissa gave each of them a quick once-over, as if checking to see they were still fit for duty, then turned back to the wall and began issuing orders. "Clear the wounded and dead off the wall. Tell the unit leaders, everyone is to take roll on their unit. List the missing, and report back to me. I'll send the lists to the medical teams, and let them sort the wounded and the dead." She looked at the number of moving and unmoving soldiers, and her lips compressed. "Pass word. Anyone who can move has to carry their own weight for now. We'll start the convoys, and get a runner to alert the medical teams and the hospital. Tell them to send assistance."

Three of the men nodded and dashed off, two going across the wall, one racing down the stairs and into the heart of the city. Elissa gestured to a fourth. "Take word to the barracks, I want a fresh unit here, on the double, to take over the wall. Then run messages to the others. I want a full report, and warn them to be on the alert."

The runner dashed off. Elissa sighed, and some of the tension left her shoulders. Then she glanced back along the wall. "We need to move our wounded to better ground as soon as possible." Lilith stepped forward and Elissa glanced up. She looked surprised, as if she'd briefly forgotten the other woman was there. "Holy One, I'll see to things here." She straightened again. "If you and your assistant like, there's a temporary command post at the base of the wall. Feel free to sit and refresh yourselves, until I can arrange some transportation."

Lilith shook her head. "No, Lieutenant. We will help you."

Esther nodded. Then a thought occurred to her. "Your command post...isn't there water and food stored there?" Elissa nodded. Esther smiled. "In that case, why don't I bring some up and begin distributing it to the men? It might not be much, but it's bound to make them feel better."

Relief lit Elissa's eyes. "That's true. It would help. There's also medical supplies, to treat minor wounds."

Lilith nodded. "Esther and I will go and gather supplies." Elissa looked as if she was going to protest, but Lilith held up a hand. "See to your men, lieutenant."

Elissa nodded, sudden relaxation and relief showing in her expression. "Thank you, Holy One." Then her gaze moved to Esther. She straightened, then offered a small bow. "Thank you both." Esther returned the gesture, then hurried down the stairs to begin collecting equipment. There was a lot of work to be done.

**888888888888888**

The next few hours were as exhausting as the battle, if not more so. Esther worked with Lilith, attending to the wounded who hadn't yet been moved to the medical area. She passed out water and food, then bandaged injuries and helped those who needed it down to wait for the convoy transporting those who were unable to leave. The food and drink they had was only stale water and dried rations, jerky and the like, but even that the soldiers accepted gratefully.

The medical teams and the new squadron arrived fairly early on. Elissa set half the soldiers to watching for a renewed attack. The rest helped with clean-up, and provided assistance in moving people. They also brought more substantial food, sandwiches and fresher water, and some fruit and vegetables. Some of them also worked on repairing the communications panel Abel's lightning had shorted out. It took them over an hour, but they finally re-established communications.

Elissa immediately took over the task of getting a status report. Afterward, She, Lilith, Esther, and her Sergeants gathered back at the cathedral command post for a conference.

Elissa had managed to get cleaned up, and her cuts were bandaged, but her expression was grim. "There was a skirmish at the north wall, the same time the south was attacked. It wasn't as fierce, but they got at least three ladders up before they were stopped and retreated." Air hissed through her teeth in frustration. "The numbers of dead versus wounded are still being sorted out in the Medic area, but all told, we've registered about a 30 percent loss, out of the active troops on both walls." One fist clenched. "There's no telling how many of them we wounded, but based on the numbers of the dead we've seen...perhaps 10 percent of theirs are out of action. 10 percent of the troops we're certain of."

There were murmurs all around the group, and Esther winced. True, they hadn't lost 30 percent of the total Carthage troops, but then...if Lilith and Elissa's assumptions were correct, Abel hadn't really lost 10 percent of his troops either. It was a 3-to-1 loss rate.

Elissa let the murmurs run a moment, then smacked the table to get their attention once more. "It can't be helped. We'll have to manage as we can." her gaze slipped to Lilith, and she bowed deferentially. "I would hear your thoughts on this, Holy One."

Lilith nodded, her expression grave. "These are serious attacks, however, he's also testing us. They're looking for weaknesses they can exploit. However, even so...these attacks weren't made lightly. They're taking the battle very seriously." She glanced at the strategy map one of the aides had hung on the wall. "It's my guess there will be an attack on the west wall. Later, when the sun is in our eyes."

Elissa nodded. "We'll have extra units ready for defense. Although...any leader worth their position would expect this. Are you sure he'll make such an obvious move?"

Lilith nodded. "He's always been a rather straightforward opponent. This is the only wall he hasn't yet attacked and measured the strength of. He has a great deal of power on his side, and therefore, not much need for subtlety."

Elissa made another noise of frustration. "Is there any way for us to counter?"

Lilith nodded. "One." There was a noise of surprise from one of the aides. "Based on today's attack, and how it transpired, their troops are certainly using UV gel. In that case, we can use the ocean against them."

There were more murmurs of surprise, and one of the sub-commanders spoke up. "Use the ocean against them?"

Lilith nodded. "The UV gel is water soluble. In the desert, there is little fresh water, but the salt water will do well enough." She met Elissa's eyes. "I believe that is why they chose to retreat when they did. Methuselah do not perspire easily, but they do perspire. In such a fierce battle...they were becoming vulnerable."

Elissa's eyes widened, fierce hope replacing the tiredness that showed there. "If we can dissolve their UV gel and guard the underground tunnels, we can prevent daylight attacks, by anyone save the Destroyer himself." She considered. "They'll guess our plans if we move too openly, but there are houses with subterranean passages to the sea. We can send a unit, and perhaps some civilian volunteers to bring up gallons of the sea water. Her eyes drifted over her men, and then she indicated one. "See to it." The aide saluted smartly, then left.

Lilith spoke. "They may switch to using silver nitrate solution. However, even that will weaken them. And if they use stronger armor, then it will slow them down."

Elissa nodded. "Either path still gives us slightly better odds. Any advantage we can gain is needed." She sighed, looking back at the strategy board. "Aside from keeping watch, and our water gathering detail, there's little we can do save wait and patch our wounds." She looked at her subordinates. "Any man not on duty should be sure to get a full meal, and make sure they're all adequately hydrated. I want the men on the walls to remain fully alert, and call me at the first breath of trouble." She glanced around once more. "I'll be in the Infirmary area. Runners should report there, or to this Command Center."

The men nodded and dispersed. Elissa took a deep breath, letting her shoulders relax. Esther thought she looked tired, she remembered how she'd seen a similar expression on Caterina's face, and on her own, once or twice. She wished there was something she could say, but she couldn't think of anything, at least, not anything that wouldn't raise more questions than she could answer. Then the lieutenant turned to them. "I need to go over to the Infirmary and collect the reports, to find just how much damage we've taken. Holy One, you and your assistant..."

"I will accompany you." Lilith smiled. "I was trained as a healer, when I was younger. I believe I can be of assistance."

Esther nodded. "I haven't had any training, but I'm sure I could at least wind bandages, and help clean up or deliver medicine."

Elissa smiled. "Thank you both. I'm sure our men will appreciate it, knowing the Nia Sancta is caring so well for them. At the very least...it'll boost our morale, and we need it." She sighed again, then met Lilith's eyes. "However, should you feel the least bit tired, both of you should take time to rest. This is only the beginning of the battles we'll face. And if you're correct, we should all save some energy for this evening, and probably for the night as well." She turned to gaze out the window. "If they're strong and brave enough to attack during the day, then I doubt they'll let their advantage in the night go to waste."

Lilith nodded. "I fear you are correct. However...for now, we shall do what we can." She gestured. "If you'll lead the way to the Infirmary, I shall help you tend to our wounded." Elissa nodded, and the three of them made their way to the Infirmary.

Esther spent the next two or three hours placing bandages, cleaning out wounds with antiseptic, offering comfort and aid wherever the doctors directed. Lilith worked in the emergency and intensive care section, with the more serious wounds. Elissa supervised, but Esther saw her going down the rows of resting soldiers, offering handshakes and encouragement.

After three hours, Esther was beginning to feel faint. She would have kept going, but Elissa noticed. She looked up to find the lieutenant at her elbow, smiling grimly. "You're exhausted, my lady. There's an empty office with a cot in it. Take some rest. I'll tell the Nia Sancta where you've gone."

Esther swallowed. "I'm not the only one who needs rest."

Elissa shook her head. "I've been ordered to take my own rest, as soon as they finish typing up my reports." She laid a hand on Esther's shoulder, and squeezed with rough affection. "We're the last three from the fights this morning that are still standing, so you needn't be embarrassed. I've left notice that they're to notify me here first if anything happens. So just rest. We'll get plenty of warning if battle comes to us again. And I've already been informed that the water collection is going well." She squeezed Esther's shoulder again, then released her with a light push on the back. "Go rest, Lady Esther. It's an order."

Esther nodded. "All right." She made her way to the room Elissa had indicated, and stepped inside, then collapsed gratefully on the cot. She didn't even have time to think of kicking off her shoes before she was fast asleep.

She awakened to the feeling of a hand on her shoulder, and opened her eyes to find Elissa standing over her. Alarm washed through her at the grim expression on the lieutenant's face. She sat up immediately. "What's happened?"

"The west wall's being attacked. I've already informed the Nia Sancta. She said to inform you, and give you the choice of remaining here, or going to the wall."

Esther was already rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "I'm coming."

Elissa nodded. "Hurry." Then she turned and disappeared through the doorway.

Esther splashed water on her face, checked her weapons, then dashed out after the lieutenant. Lilith was already waiting as she raced through the doors, she and Elissa, settled in a car. Esther jumped in, then held on tight as Elissa gunned the engine.

Within less than ten minutes, they were at the wall. One of the aides standing at the base was opening the door before Elissa even shut off the car. The lieutenant flung herself out. "Report."

"They moved fast. With the sun behind them, and the armor they're wearing... we didn't see them until they got too close."

"Right. Have you deployed the water teams?"

The aide shook his head. "Not yet. The enemy forces are at the base of the wall."

Elissa nodded. "All right. Tell all soldiers to grab their buckets and stand ready. When I give the signal, soak them."

The aide turned and raced up the stairs. Elissa, Esther and Lilith followed behind. Esther winced as the late afternoon sun caught her square in the eyes. She flung up a hand to protect her vision, then moved forward and glanced cautiously over the wall. Then she jerked backward as a grappling hook came sailing over it, latching onto the stone.

Similar hooks flew up all over the wall. Each one had been bound, not to rope, but a sturdy metallic cable, the kind Esther had seen used to secure landing ships, here and in her own time. It was almost impossible to cut through it. She heard one soldier curse as he tried, and only succeeded in dulling the edge of his blade.

Elissa motioned, and soldiers came forward with buckets of water. She waited until they were within a foot of the parapet, then held up her hand in a 'cease' gesture and shook her head. "Wait until they start climbing. I want as many as possible on the ropes before we counter-attack."

Esther swallowed hard. The walls were at least 30 feet up, she thought they might be higher than that, even. She knew that most Methuselah could easily handle such a fall, but if it were combined with the sun's burning...she met Lilith's eyes for a brief moment, and saw the same understanding there, of how terrible it could be. But even so...

This was a battle. These were enemies. However she felt, these people were trying to conquer and kill them. Esther took a deep breath and forced herself to focus, gripping the gun Elissa had given her new ammunition for. She couldn't let her sympathies get the better of her. She focused on her memories of fighting Rosenkreutz in the garden of the Palace, of Death Hunters in Byzantium, and felt her hands and nerves steady.

A few feet away, grapnels clinked as Methuselah began climbing, putting tension on the lines. Elissa tensed, coming up in a half crouch. Esther could see the adrenalin, calculation and anticipation in her eyes. Putting a hand to the wall, Esther could feel the faint vibrations of feet in stone, hear the near-silent breathing of the climbers, and the soft noises of friction in cloth and ropes and armor as they climbed. She dared a quick peek over the wall, then ducked as someone on a secondary guard line fired at her.

The quick peek had been enough to see that the first Methuselah were already halfway up, and several ropes supported a second or even a third climber. Esther swallowed and looked at Elissa. The blond lieutenant shook her head. "Wait...wait a little..."

Esther swallowed, listening to the climbers. Her heart was pounding in her chest. The strain of waiting was driving her nearly mad.

The grapnels clinked as the first Methuselah came within arm's length of the wall top. Elissa moved suddenly, her hand and staff flashing down in a signal as her shout reverberated the length of the wall. "Now!"

Almost as one, the soldiers erupted from their positions and dumped their buckets over the side. Esther felt her stomach twist as blood-curdling screams rose from the other side, all along the parapet. Most of the attacking force had worn lighter armor, to aid in climbing and maneuverability, and it made the counter-attack all the more devastating. The Methuselah closest to Esther howled as sunlight burned suddenly across his exposed face and arms, then toppled backward, writhing as he fell.

Elissa signaled again, and a second wave of soldiers dumped water over the side, drenching those who'd still been on the ground, or lower on the ropes. More screams echoed from the base of the wall, and Esther could smell the searing flesh.

Then something black, like storm-clouds and midnight, flashed across the wall, racing the length of the Methuselah line. Several soldiers gasped and jerked back in shock as the darkness blew past them. Esther caught a brief flash of black and white and crimson, and the faintest edge of blue. It was barely a glimpse, but she didn't need more to know who it was. Abel.

In his wake, Methuselah fell to their knees, toppling to the ground. The screams of pain stopped, leaving both armies frozen in shock. For a long moment, there was silence, broken only by the rough breathing of the Vatican soldiers, and the muted groaning of the Methuselah nursing injuries.

Then, from the desert, lightning flashed, bright enough to rival the setting sun, followed by a thunderclap so intense it shook the walls of the city, and left Esther's ears ringing. Several soldiers fell to their knees.

"Merciful God..." Esther looked up from where she'd crouched to see Elissa, staring out at the desert with her face gone absolutely white. Hesitantly, she stood and followed the other woman's gaze.

Abel hung suspended in mid-air, surrounded by a corona of pulsating blue power. He was several yards from the wall, but even at that distance, Esther could see that the top half of his uniform had disintegrated. His wings were spread to full extension, his scythe in his hands. As Esther stared, the power pulsed, and a scream echoed over the desert, a long, terrible cry of mingled pain, fury, and raw power.

Esther felt her blood freeze. She knew that sound, knew that scream. Abel had screamed that way when he'd confronted Radu. When the Crusnik had overwhelmed his conscious mind, driven him nearly mad with power.

"What in hell is he doing?" Elissa's voice was tense. She'd taken a pair of binoculars and slipped a pair of light protection lenses over them. Her face was pale, and her voice held only a shadow of it's previous commanding tone. "There's...something...it looks like he's _absorbing_ something...but what in the Holy Father's name...?" Esther felt another chill sweep through her. She looked over the wall.

Under the glare of the sun, a red-black pool...almost a river, had formed, snaking across the desert toward the figure outlined in blue fire. Esther quickly took a pair of glasses from a nearby soldier. Against the glare of the sun, a dark column flowed upward around Abel. Esther clapped a hand to her mouth. She didn't have to see it to know the liquid was being absorbed into Abel's wings, his body. She didn't have to touch it, or see any closer, to know what it was. _It's__blood.__He's...he's__absorbing__all__their__blood.__Like__he__did__that__one__time,__with__Ion._ She could feel her hand starting to shake. She'd heard of his powers, and the Professor had explained it, but she'd never seen him do anything like this.

"Abel, what are you thinking?" Lilith's quiet voice snapped her out of her impending panic. The older woman had moved to the wall, her eyes dark and her expression tense with anxiety. She followed Esther's gaze, and held out her hand for the glasses. She looked for a moment, then dropped them, her eyes widening with trepidation and a flash of fear. "Abel...you couldn't think to..."

"Holy One." Elissa came to stand beside them, concern written over her face, though she still managed to keep a somewhat calm demeanor and tone. "What is this? In all the reports I've read...I've seen no mention of anything like this. That liquid...can you tell me what the Destroyer is doing?"

Lilith's voice was steady, but Esther could hear the faint note of alarm in it. "He's absorbing their blood. The blood of the wounded Methuselah. It grants him greater power...and other things. It is how a being such as him obtains greater strength." Lilith's hands clenched where they rested on the stone wall. "But at this rate...in conditions like this..."

Abel screamed again, a howl of pure, violent madness. Lilith paled. "He's lost control of his powers." She stepped back, her gaze sweeping the wall as she pushed Elissa away from her. "Give me room, Lieutenant, and get your soldiers off the wall and into shelter quickly!"

Elissa hesitated. "Holy One..."

"Go!" Lilith's voice snapped with commanding authority. The air around her began to charge, her eyes changing from gold to blood red. Power gathered around her, wings and sword flaring into existence. "You must get out of the way!" Crimson eyes found Esther's for a moment. "Esther, help her."

Esther nodded and took two steps sideways, seizing Elissa's hand as Lilith launched herself off the wall. "Please, come with me. We need to get the soldiers to safety."

Elissa didn't move. "To abandon my position..."

Esther nodded. "I understand. But if you stay here, you will only die, and your men with you. Please...come with me." There was another thunderclap of power, and she looked out over the desert to see gold and blue, framed in crimson. She knew why Elissa didn't want to leave her post, she'd felt the same way so often. But still... "You must have faith in the Nia Sancta, and her ability to handle this."

Elissa stared at her a moment, then motioned an aide over. "Sound the retreat. Tell the soldiers to descend to the base of the wall and await further orders. Make sure you post lookouts on some of the buildings across the way, in case of a disaster." The aide saluted and began delivering orders. Elissa turned back to Esther. "I hear your words. However, I will remain to guard the Nia Sancta's back. That is my sacred duty, as an officer of the Church, and commander of this city."

Esther nodded. She really couldn't find any argument against that, and she didn't really want to, anyway. As the soldiers filed past them in an orderly descent, the two women turned to watch the sky.

The red light of the sun was fading, but silhouetted against it were orbs of gold and blue fire, faintly surrounded by a red-black haze. Even with the binoculars, Esther couldn't tell if the haze was the after-image of Abel's scythe, or the blood he'd drawn to him in his feeding. But it was the least of her concerns. Even with both of them several yards out, she could feel the energy radiating from the battle, and saw patches of sand melted to glass by the fierce heat of the combat.

Movement caught her eyes. Below, the Methuselah who were least hurt had thrown up an Aegis shield. Those Methuselah who hadn't gotten soaked or injured falling were wrapping make-shift covers over their companions, while others organized a retreat. Moments later, they began moving, their path angled away from both the walls of Carthage and the fighting pair. Esther and Elissa shared a glance. In other circumstances, particularly as outnumbered as they were, it would have been a good opportunity to reduce the enemy numbers further. But even setting aside honor for strategy, they couldn't penetrate the Aegis shield, and there were more pressing matters to worry about. Her gaze turned once more to the figures in the sky.

The pulsing light was darting about the sky, careening all over the place as the two fought. It was too distant for Esther to make out what was happening, even if the corona of power surrounding both of them hadn't been too bright. But what little she did see made her heart sink.

The movements of the light kept going back and forth, but always the blue sphere, Abel's energy, was moving forward. It was as if Lilith were on the defensive, dodging, but not attacking. And the fire about Abel was far brighter. She couldn't tell if it was because Lilith was restraining her powers, or because this time, having taken blood from his soldiers, Abel was the stronger.

There was another thunderclap of power. A deep sapphire bolt of energy struck the gold, sending it hurtling backward, towards the wall. Elissa caught Esther's hand. "Move!"

Both women dodged aside. Seconds later, Lilith slammed into the wall with a crunch of broken stone and worse. Esther saw her cough blood. Even knowing that the Crusnik would heal any internal injuries almost immediately, the sight made her gasp.

With another inhuman scream, Abel attacked. Lilith managed to push off, then get enough lift to vault over the wall. The stone between them checked his advance, forcing him to redirect his strike. Then they were both on the parapet, swords and scythe locked in a deadly conflict as power sparked around them. Esther swallowed hard. Even squinting against the glare, she could see that Lilith was on the defensive, and that the impact with the wall wasn't the first serious blow she'd taken. She was fighting well, and almost holding her own, but she wasn't a match for the madness that possessed Abel.

"Shit!" With a sudden curse, Elissa broke from her stance. "Damn monster!" She reached out, seized a spear that had been left on the wall, then threw it full force at Abel.

He'd started to turn at the sound of their voices, and Esther knew he saw the weapon coming. But still, it caught him hard in the chest, slamming deep into his body. Abel staggered, the red eyes widening at the impact. One hand released the scythe to grasp the spear shaft. He seemed...almost startled. He straightened, slowly, then pulled the spear from his body. Blood pooled, then was reabsorbed, leaving him completely whole once more. Crimson eyes turned to face the two women.

Esther's heart was pounding in her chest. She'd almost forgotten, how terrified she'd been to see Abel when he lost control. But this..._That __is... that __is __not... that __is __not __the __Father._ The words repeated in her mind, threatening to send her into a panic.

Elissa backed up a step, pushing Esther with her, and snatched another spear from the wall. "You bloody...monster..." She sounded strong, but Esther sensed the same fear she battled in the undercurrents of the lieutenant's voice.

Abel turned fully to face them. **"****You...you ****are...****" **He took a step toward them, fangs and wings glittering as blood-red as his eyes in the last rays of the sunlight.

"_**They **__**are **__**human.**__**"**_ Esther didn't see how, but Lilith was suddenly between them and the advancing Crusnik, her own eyes glowing. The wounds and blood from the impact had healed on her as well.

Abel jerked back, his scythe coming up in a defensive stance. Aggression flared in the red eyes, madness and predatory instinct recognizing another predator. Lilith's swords came up into guard position, just blocking a swipe from the whip end of the weapon.

With a snarl, Elissa leaped forward, knocking the weapon away. "Damn monster!"

Abel blocked the blow of the staff, then snapped his arm around, claws outstretched. But Lilith caught him, not with a weapon, but with her own hand. _**"**__**Enough!**__**Abel!**__**"**_ Her tone was one Esther recognized, from the station. Love and anger mixed, and a healthy dose of command. It was the tone Lilith had used to stop fights between the two brothers.

Abel blinked, startled. For the first time, a measure of sanity came back to his eyes. **"****You...I...Lilith?****" ** His body relaxed, just the slightest bit, and Esther found she could breathe again. Abel blinked again, genuinely confused. **"****What...what ****am ****I...****"** His gaze went to Lilith again, and his eyes widened at the bloodstains and rents in her clothing. **"****I ****didn't... Lilith... did ****I...?****"**

Elissa shoved herself between them, spear at the ready. "Don't play ignorant, Destroyer." Her eyes blazed with anger, and contempt. "A monster who feeds on his own soldiers...don't act as if you don't know what you did, hunting your own men and attacking the Nia Sancta." She struck his hand away from where Lilith held it. "I will not let you touch her again. Filth like you isn't even worth the honor of combat with the Lady."

Abel actually staggered, as if she'd done far more than knock his hand away. Crimson eyes sought Lilith's, a kind of desperation in them. **"****I... the ****soldiers... Lilith... I ****didn't... did ****I...this...****" **His eyes drifted over her frame once more, and Esther saw something akin to horror in them. **"****I...did ****this?****"**

"You didn't kill them Abel. But you could have. Your own people. Or do you still hold the world in that much contempt?" Lilith's voice was level, even, stern as stone.

"**No.****I...I****didn't...****"** Abel backed away, his eyes dark with a mix of emotions. Anger, shock, pain, horror. His gaze fixed on Lilith for a long moment, then he turned and leaped off the wall, soaring back over the desert.

Lilith watched him go, then sighed and released her own transformation. Elissa was at her side in an instant. "Holy One? Should I call a doctor? That impact..."

"No. I am...I am all right." Lilith smiled reassuringly. "I heal quickly from such things, lieutenant. There's no need to worry."

Elissa sighed. "If you are certain. But that monster..."

"Not a monster." Lilith looked over the desert. Abel had already disappeared into the twilight. "That is...perhaps the most human Abel has been in a long time."

Elissa made a noise of disgust. "He drank the blood of his own men."

"So he did." Lilith was still gazing over the sand. "But...how many would have died, had he not?"

Esther and Elissa blinked. Esther spoke softly. "I'm sorry. I don't...I don't understand."

A small smile curved Lilith's lips. "Sunlight activates the Bascillus to unheard of levels. They go berserk and destroy the host from within. To drink their blood was to weaken them, but Abel also absorbed all the extra power that would have burned them to death in their own skin. A small act of mercy, and a double-edged one, but it was a deliberate act of care. Had it not been for their numbers, had Abel himself been stronger, he might have managed. And in the end, the madness burned out of him in combat."

Elissa snorted. "More likely, you weakened him, and he realized he didn't have a chance, three on one." Her hand tightened on her staff. "I know now, the Destroyer can be wounded..." She sighed, and Esther saw a flicker of fear in her eyes. "But the way he healed...he really is a monster."

"True. But...there is humanity in him still."

Elissa shook her head. "I doubt it. He might have been startled, or concerned about losing too many of his troops, but I do not think he cares for more than that. All I saw in his eyes was hunger and destruction."

The small smile widened. "Hmmm...interesting. Are you willing to wager on that?" Lilith looked at the lieutenant. "You asked me to create a doomsday weapon, if the city is overtaken."

"I did." Elissa nodded. "I fear we'll need it."

Lilith tapped a finger to her lips thoughtfully. "A wager then, on the Destroyer's humanity. I will modify the Doomsday weapon. The Ibilis, my sandstorm. If Abel is human enough to spare the inhabitants, even if he defeats us, then the weapon can be stopped. If he destroys every living thing here, he will in turn be destroyed."

Elissa hesitated. "What you ask..." Then a grim smile curved her mouth. "Well, it doesn't matter anyway. By the time it becomes a question, we'll be dead." She met Lilith's eyes. "I'll take your wager, Holy One. After all..." She turned to face the city, bathed in twilight. "My first duty is to protect this city and it's people. I won't surrender quietly to the invaders, but I'd rather not condemn them to die if there's any chance."

Lilith nodded. Elissa looked over the sand. "It'll take time to for them to regroup and cleanse their wounds. There will likely be a night attack, but I doubt it'll be for several hours. There's time for you to rest, Nia Sancta. You and Lady Esther should take advantage of that."

Lilith shook her head. "I think I will return to the Ibilis. It will only take a few hours to program what I need. And that will mean it is finished and ready for use."

Elissa nodded. "And you, Lady Esther?"

Esther swallowed. "Well, if it isn't too much trouble, I think I'd like to go with Lady Lilith. If you don't think I'll be in the way." She looked up at her protector.

Lilith smiled. "No. You won't be." She glanced at the sky. "But we should probably get busy." She inclined her head. "Lieutenant, you will call me if my presence is needed?"

"I will." Elissa turned. "I need to see to my men now. I'll speak with you later, Holy One."

Lilith gave the other a slight nod, then descended the stairs. Esther followed her.

It took them about half an hour to reach the cathedral. They stopped to wash up and change clothes, then Esther followed as Lilith led her down into the lower city tunnels and catacombs. She felt exhausted but, more than that, she was curious. She knew, during the Ibilis incident of her own time, that Abel had encountered something. Something that had been directing his actions when she'd joined him. After all, he'd told her exactly what to do, but also that she was the only one who could do it. She wanted to know if the wager she'd just heard had anything to do with it.

Lilith made her way to the computer and spent the next several minutes typing in a series of commands. At one point, she stopped, stepping backwards into a circle of light that Esther recognized as a 3-D image scanner. Then she typed a few more commands. After twenty minutes of typing, she stepped back and activated the holographic scanner once more. She stood a long moment, then spoke. "Hello Abel."

There was a pause, while the computer flashed rapidly through a series of codes. Lilith waited, until the prompt screen came up. Then she spoke again, her eyes sad and thoughtful. "It's a pity, isn't it? If you're viewing this file, then they've surrendered Tunis. I wonder...was Elissa able to evacuate safely?"

A sad smile crossed her lips, then she sighed. "Ibilis. Our demon of the desert. I did not create it by choice. After all, Elissa and I rebuilt this town with our own hands. But...if it's to become yours...better to destroy it with our own hands."

She sighed again, sadness overwhelming her gaze for a moment. Then a spark of life entered her eyes. "Ah, but Elissa and I made a bet, Abel, that perhaps you...still retained a human soul. And so...if you are the one to take the city, to capture Tunis...I would leave the halt code for you, on one condition."

A sad smile crossed her face, and she held up one finger. "You might have...must have rescued at least one of this town's inhabitants. A Terran. If you've already annihilated them all...Elissa wins the bet. You and the Methuselah who attacked this town shall drown in a sea of sand. But save one...just one person...A Terran..."

She smiled again. "If you spared even one Terran, one of the people you hate, then I win the bet." She held up her hand, palm outward. "Bring that fortunate Terran here, to do a palm print authentication. Then you shall have the halt command for Ibilis."

She shook her head. "By yourself, you are useless. Crusnik or Methuselah...you will never be able to activate the halt code. Only the Terran, the people you hate, can save you."

Infinite sadness and love entered her eyes, a warm tenderness that made Esther's heart ache. "Abel...I know...you love this world." She spread her arms, as if trying to encompass everything within sight, or as if to embrace someone in front of her. "You've made this world your enemy, but that is simply the proof of your love. You love...and you believe...you were so hurt...when you thought you'd been betrayed, so you made the world your enemy."

Esther felt tears sliding down her face at the words, and the emotion in them. Up on the dais, Lilith raised her eyes in a sad, sweet smile, full of gentle warmth. "Even so, Abel...I know your soul, and you still love this planet. This world...is not your enemy. And...you can start over, any time. Never, ever forget that." She held the recording a few more moments, a soft, gentle smile of farewell on her face, then gestured to cut it off.

The holographic light cut off. Lilith stepped forward and typed in a few more commands. Esther watched, tears sliding down her face, both for the woman before her, recording such gentle words, and for the man she knew had received them, nine hundred years later. She swallowed back more tears and the lump in her throat as Lilith turned away from the console. "It's done." The red-haired Crusnik came down the steps, then stopped beside her. "Esther, are you all right?"

Esther nodded. "Yes. I'm fine. I was just...thinking about the Father, that's all."

Lilith nodded. "I understand." She glanced back at the dais. "We should get some rest."

The aches of battle, exhaustion, and emotional shock were making themselves known. Esther simply nodded silently, and followed Lilith from the chamber.

**88888888888888**

Esther got some sleep in her rooms. She was woken about midnight, to the news that there was another attack coming, and that Lilith and Elissa had asked for her to stay in the communications center and assist with passing on information. The attack appeared to be on all three land-side walls, and since Elissa and Lilith couldn't possible cover all of them, it was vital that they be kept up to date. Esther did as she was asked, and spent the next several hours running messages, preparing supplies and helping load them, and doing her best to support them. Like everyone else, she heaved a sigh when dawn finally signaled the end of the fighting, for a little while.

The next two days were much the same. Every so often, Abel would attack. He never went the same way twice, never used the same tactics. The only consistent factor was that his troops employed the Aegis shield in every assault, making long-range weaponry nearly useless. And he had, apparently, had troops on a silver nitrate solution. It wasn't as effective as Lord Walsh's, but it worked well enough for them to mount daylight attacks. And despite the Methuselah's reduced strength and speed, their numbers and equipment made up for it. And two or three times, Abel made attacks using the tunnels, and once from the sea, the second night. Esther helped where she could. Sometimes she accompanied Lilith. Sometimes she stayed at the communications center, and sometimes, particularly as the battles wore on, she served in the infirmary wing, helping bandage wounds and tend to the soldiers, or passing out food and water rations to the men.

Elissa did attempt to use the combat ships. Unfortunately, between the Aegis shield and Abel's own counter-attack, the results were just as dismal as Lilith had feared they would be.

It was a terrible, grueling ordeal. Esther felt her nerves were being scrapped raw, and she was exhausted from the strain of always being on guard. She could see, in the faces of the soldiers, that they were facing the same plight.

There was limited food inside the walls, and even thought they still had plenty, Elissa had started rationing the first day of the siege, to ensure their supplies lasted as long as possible. None of them were getting enough sleep, being constantly on guard. Esther managed brief naps every so often, but they were fitful, restless, a part of her still listening for the next call to arms. Some soldiers, right after a battle, were so exhausted they simply collapsed, but the rest of them, she knew, slept the same way. Elissa slept even more fitfully than she did, and she wasn't sure Lilith even slept at all.

Even more disheartening than the strain was the number of wounded. Every attack brought more men to the infirmary. Some wounds were easy to treat, but far too many were in severe or critical condition. Esther and Lilith did what they could, as did the medical officers, but there were so many. They didn't even really have enough equipment to deal with all the patients by the end of the second day of fighting. The formal priests from the cathedral were an almost constant presence. They offered comfort, but far too often, Esther heard their voices rise in the prayers for the dead. The sound broke her heart, and when she slept, she dreamed far too often of the funerals she had attended. Bishop Laura's. Abel Nightroad's. And sometimes, she dreamed of Lilith's death, and of standing beside a silver-haired figure who choked the prayers past the tears in his voice. She woke from those dreams unwilling to return to sleep.

Despite the conflict, she couldn't help worrying about Abel. She knew from Lilith that he was still leading the troops, and she suspected he was getting as little rest as she and Lilith were, if not less. More than once, she'd seen the electric blue fire, the lightning from the ground that indicated Abel was actively fighting in his Crusnik, form, and almost always, it was joined by Lilith's gold. The second attempt through the tunnels had actually resulted in a partial collapse, when the two of them clashed. However, for most of the combats, he seemed content to remain in his human form. She wondered if he was saving his strength, or being cautious of his soldiers.

Sunset of the third day found her joining Elissa and Lilith in the strategy room. The First Lieutenant looked haggard, pale. Her uniform was wrinkled, stained with dust and worse, and Esther suspected it was the cleanest uniform she had. Her expression was haggard, and her eyes haunted. Esther knew she didn't look much better. At the very least, the clothing she was wearing she'd changed into over 24 hours ago, and slept in at least once. Lilith looked better than both of them, but she was still slightly disheveled, and her face was drawn with exhaustion and grief.

Elissa sighed, the sound too loud in the mostly empty room. They'd sustained enough casualties over the past days that her aides and second-in-command were already with their root units, filling in gaps where other commanding officers had fallen. Esther knew there were other units where hasty promotions had been made, so the men wouldn't be left without a leader.

Elissa's eyes flickered over the map, and her mouth tightened. "Nearly sixty percent casualties, in just three days. And their force was at least twice what we estimated." She cursed. "How...how the hell...I'd hoped that at least they'd begin collapsing from lack of food out there." She sighed. "The reports all say that they need blood. We've kept the civilians safe, and the soldiers as best we can...so..."

Lilith sighed. "Those on the battlefield have plenty of opportunity. Beyond that...it is possible to create an artificial supply that will work well enough. I thought I'd taken that information with me, but it possible that someone remembered how to create it. If so..."

"Damn!" Elissa slammed a hand into the table. "At this rate...we'll barely hold them one more day." She snarled again, frustration and anger in her eyes. "If we could at least defeat their leaders...but it's hard to even tell who the commanders are, apart from the Destroyer, and nothing we do to _him_has any affect." She snarled again. "If there were only some way to eliminate that monster from the field..."

Lilith shook her head. "I've done my best, Lieutenant, but he is not an easy foe, and I fear I don't have the training he does. Indeed, the only person I ever knew who could match him...will not raise a hand against him."

Elissa blinked. "Who? Perhaps...if we made it clear..."

Lilith shook her head again. "His brother. The Contra Mundi, Enemy of the World...the one for whom he fights."

"God in Heaven...two such monsters...in the same command..." Elissa sagged at the table. "Even if we win this one..." She trailed off.

There was silence between them, broken by the shuffle of frantic steps. Seconds later, a communication officer raced into the room. "First Lieutenant! There's an attack on the south wall! They're using a steel ram this time!"

"Shit!" Elissa grabbed the staff she'd begun carrying after the first day. "Holy One..."

Lilith nodded. "I will keep watch from the sky."

Elissa was buckling on her officer's blade, and the light armor she'd been wearing, since it was easier to get into, and faster. "Lady Esther..."

"I'll stand by in communications and tell the Infirmary to prepare." Elissa nodded, then raced out the door, following the officer. Esther and Lilith were only a step behind.

The fight was brutal, lasted several hours, and took a heavy toll. They'd had to stop the ram from breaching the wall, but the soldiers forced to do so were easy targets for Methuselah weapons. Elissa finally sent a small battalion out a side gate to attack from the rear. They were successful in their mission, but three-quarters of the battalion died in the assault, and several more were transported to the infirmary with severe wounds. Two of them were critical from shrapnel where they'd blown the ram to smithereens, and been unable to avoid the blast in the midst of battle. Esther helped attend their wounds as well as she could, but she could feel her heart sinking.

Elissa and Lilith arrived an hour after the wounded soldiers. The lieutenant was limping, her face cut and at least three gashes in her armor. She gazed around the hospital room, her face grim. "Three battalions worth, or nearly, that we lost, and three more who will be wounded for days. Damn it."

"Lieutenant..." The call was weak, barely audible, but they all heard it. Elissa turned. The speaker was one of the severely injured from the battalion. He'd taken a bad cut from a Methuselah sword, shoulder to hip, while defending his comrades. The Methuselah in question had probably gotten inside his range, then struck him. It was hard to say. Esther felt tears sting her eyes. His comrades had brought him back, and the doctors had done their best for him, but the wounds and blood loss were severe, and his chances weren't high.

Elissa immediately moved to the bed. "Rest solider." She put a comforting hand on his unwounded shoulder.

"Lieutenant...did we succeed? The ram...I didn't see it..."

"You did well, soldier. You protected your comrades, and the enemy's weapon is in pieces. You did well." Elissa squeezed his shoulder, comfort and command in one. "Expect a commendation in your file, soldier. In fact, I'll take your name to the Pope himself."

The soldier managed a weak smile. "Thank you, Lieutenant. God...bless..." His voice trailed off, and he sank back, in a faint, his breathing shallow.

Elissa nodded, and made a quick sign of the cross over the man. "God bless, soldier." The three of them watched silently, as the man faded away. Two minutes later he exhaled, and his chest didn't rise again. Elissa bent and pulled the sheet gently over his face. "You fought well. God willing, I pray you find peace, and a safe journey." Then she turned away and gestured a doctor over. The doctor nodded, and Elissa left without another word.

Esther and Lilith remained behind, tending to the wounded. It took several hours, and it was heartbreaking work, but Esther couldn't leave them. After that, she took rations to the men coming off duty, and going on. Finally, everyone was cared for, and she returned to her rooms, to collapse in exhaustion.

She woke with Lilith shaking her shoulder. She blinked, surprised at being disturbed, then saw the expression on the older woman's face. "What's wrong?"

"The First Lieutenant. Elissa. I was informed by her men a few minutes ago that she hasn't been seen for some time. She's not in the conference room. She's not in her quarters, and the report is that she came out to the wall, some hours ago, but no one has seen her since. Nor has she returned to visit the wounded. A nurse took her the reports of the wounded and dead, but she wasn't in her office."

Esther felt her heart plummet. Abruptly, she remembered the end of her history lessons, regarding Carthage, and the end of the story Abel had told her, regarding the Ibilis. _After __three __days __and __nights __of __defending __the __city __against __vampire __attacks, __the __Queen __sacrificed __herself __to __defeat __them._ "Oh no."

She scrambled out of bed. "We have to find her."

They emerged in the main hallway, and nearly ran over a frantic soldier. The man stopped, stumbled, then drew himself up into attention stance. "Holy One! I was seeking you!" He swallowed hard. "The enemy commander...the one they call the Destroyer...he's out by the west wall. Looks like he's in full battle mode."

Lilith bit her lip. "Abel..." Then she nodded. "I will come with you." The soldier nodded and spun back around, moving at a run. Lilith and Esther followed him, racing through the narrow streets to the wall. Out on the sands, a figure stood, outlined within the light of dawn, and black wings. Lilith looked, then turned to the most senior officer on the wall. "Guard the wall, and send runners to search the city, for First Lieutenant Cheriaet. I will go to meet him." She stepped up to the wall, her own wings unfurling.

Esther caught her hand. "Wait. I'll come with you."

Lilith hesitated a moment, then nodded and pulled her up. Esther held on tight as they leaped from the wall, trying not to squeeze as she felt them both falling, felt Lilith's wings trap the air. As their descent leveled out, she cracked her eyes open and realized Lilith had planned a flight path to land directly in front of Abel. Seconds later, they settled to the ground.

Abel didn't move as they approached. He simply remained, his wings folded about him. It was odd: Esther had rarely ever seen him take such a protective stance. Crimson eyes tracked them as they landed. After a moment, Lilith released her transformation and stepped forward. "What have you come for?"

Abel's eyes flickered, inexplicable emotion in them. Then he took a deep breath. **"****I...I ****am...sorry.****"** Then his own transformation melted away, and Esther gasped, tears stinging her eyes.

Abel's arms cradled Elissa's still body. She was smeared with blood, the staff in her hand broken and cracked. Esther felt tears streaking her cheeks. There was no way, with those wounds, that Elissa could still be alive. Beside her, Lilith went rigid. "Abel..."

"She attacked me. I don't know how she even got into camp. She must have taken one of the uniforms...we found a dead perimeter guard missing a jacket. But in the dawn...it's difficult. She came right for me." For the first time, Esther saw the slashes in Abel's own uniform, the dried blood that stained the edges. "So fast...and I wasn't expecting it." A bitter smile crossed his face. "If I weren't what I am...the...monster...that I am...she would have succeeded. I didn't intend...but I was so startled...I just...the Crusnik...once first blood was drawn...I simply..."

"Give her to me." Lilith held out her arms.

Abel stepped forward, and laid the lieutenant's body gently in Lilith's grasp. His face was drawn, hollow, and tired in the early morning light. "She didn't even...I didn't get time to ask her name even. It was over so fast..."

"Her name is First Lieutenant Elissa dar Cheraiet. Commander of the city of Carthage, in service to His Holiness, and the Vatican."

Abel nodded. "First Lieutenant Elissa dar Cheraiet." He gazed at her. "I remember, when I went mad, two days ago. She threw a spear at me." His hand touched the place where he had been wounded. His gaze came up, blue eyes meeting golden. "She was protecting you. Saving you...from me."

Lilith nodded. "She did." her eyes held his. "Will you attack this city, knowing it's commander is dead?"

"No." Abel shook his head. "She is right...I am a monster. But...no." He shook his head. "If we'd succeeded with the ram last night...I would have. But after that..." He shook his head. "I..."

His head tilted back to look at the vanishing stars and the red and gold of sunrise. His voice was barely a whisper when he spoke. "I don't wish to fight you. But, even if I can put my feelings for you aside...we've sustained heavy losses. The men under my command...they're demoralized, weary, and we're running low on blood supply, even with the heat of battle. It's been three days, and we haven't even breached the walls. And after this...a Terran who was bold enough to attack me, and even succeeded in landing a blow..." The bitter, weary smile returned. "You could say, she truly did defeat me after all."

Lilith gazed at him a moment. "What will you tell Cain?"

"The truth. And also..." He hesitated. "Her last breath, Lieutenant Cheraeit told me there was a doomsday weapon hidden under the city."

Lilith nodded. "A sandstorm. Only a handful of people have the activation code."

Abel nodded. "I will tell him of that. We can't fight a sandstorm."

Lilith relaxed. "You should go. I must take the lieutenant to her people. They will wish to see her buried with the honor she deserves."

Abel exhaled. "Yes. I would...I would wish that too." He gazed at Elissa's form. "I...I couldn't like her. We were enemies. But I...I did respect her. She was...a good warrior. And..." Bitterness and something like kindness seemed to mix in his face for a moment. "She was a good friend to you. I am glad...she was there to protect you." His gaze lifted to the walls. They were too far away for the soldiers to make them out, or for him to see them. He sighed. "I cannot...properly apologize to her. But I...tell them...tell them, her men, that she won the fight. You can tell them she defeated me if you like. And..." His voice went hoarse. "When you bury her...bury her underground. Far underground." His eyes met Lilith's once more. "If you don't...Cain may...Cain may attempt to destroy her grave, or her monument, to demoralize you. To hurt you. Bury her and seal the path. She deserves that much respect of me, at least."

Lilith nodded. "I will bury her with with the Ibilis, near the weapon she asked of me, under the city."

Abel held her gaze for a long moment, then nodded grimly. He stopped once more to look at Elissa's face, and Esther saw his hand move in a salute. Then he turned and walked away, disappearing into the dunes. Lilith watched him go, then turned back to the city and strode toward it, carrying Elissa gently in her arms. Esther followed behind, like an honor guard.

Elissa's second-in-command was waiting at the gates, two armed battalions behind him. "Holy One, we couldn't find the First Lieutenant..." His voice trailed off, face going white. "God in Heaven, have mercy."

Esther thought for a moment he'd collapse, but then he snapped straight. "Attention!" The order was loud enough to reverberate off the walls. He turned back around. "Form Up! Honor Guard Positions!"

The two battalions moved as one, separating to leave a clear aisle from the door. The soldiers were all standing at attention, but Esther could see hands making the sign of the cross, and heard the whispers and prayers going through the ranks. The the second-in-command moved forward, stepping slowly and solemnly through the gates. Lilith followed behind, moving gracefully. Just before the doors, Esther saw two white wings unfold from her back. Lilith's forty percent activation. It looked eerie, but she knew why Lilith had done it. The soldiers would see it as a sign of regard, of God's favor for their lieutenant. She heard the murmurs, saw the faces of the men as she walked behind as their honor guard.

At the end of the line, the Second signaled to the men standing there. "Form up. We will bring the First Lieutenant to the cathedral, with honor. And you..." He pointed to the runners. "Go tell the other commanders what has happened." Both men saluted and took off running.

Silently, the troops formed up behind them. The men were silent, grim-faced. By the time they'd gone halfway, soldiers who were off duty and civilians were coming out, lining the road. Many were weeping. There were no flowers to throw, but soldiers bowed their heads and laid down their arms, even kneeling in some cases. The non-combatants laid out cloaks, poured small amounts of water to lay the dust, and also bowed their heads. The precession to the cathedral took over half an hour, at the pace they made.

The clergy who remained in the city met them at the base of the steps, all dressed in formal attire. The head Bishop stepped forward as the new city commander and Lilith came up the steps. "Come. We have arranged a place before the altar for her. We will tend to her."

Lilith bowed her head slightly and followed. In the main sanctuary area, the priest had set up an enormous table, something Esther thought might be a communion table, draped with dark cloth. The soldiers fell back respectfully, and Lilith strode forward and laid Elissa's body gently on the surface, folding her hands over her chest. She paused a moment, tenderly stroking the younger woman's face, a sad smile on her lips. "Goodbye, my friend." Then the light of her transformation faded, the wings disappeared, and she stepped back, looking at the Bishop as she did so. "Tend her well, Your Grace."

He bowed. "I shall, Holy One."

Lilith nodded, then turned back to the waiting soldiers, to the man who had been Elissa's second-in-command.

The man saluted her. "Thank you, Holy One." He glanced at the still figure, offered one last salute, then turned away with a heavy sigh. "I would rather not ask this, not here and now, but...we should probably be prepared for an attack."

"No." Lilith shook her head. "She won, lieutenant. First Lieutenant Elissa dar Hitcher won."

The man's eyes widened. "She..won? But the Destroyer..."

"She struck him. She wounded him, and in doing so demoralized his troops past the hope of battle, and forced him to use his strength in recovery. She proved the strength of a human spirit, with her last breath. He swore it to me, they will not attack again. They cannot."

He nodded. His gaze fixed on the silent figure on the dais, and the priests around her, gently beginning the preparations for burial. "She deserves a medal. She deserves...far more than that."

Lilith turned and met his eyes, then bowed her head. "I will see to it, Commander. I will take her name to the Pope myself, and a full accounting of her actions. I shall nominate her for sainthood myself."

Esther stepped forward. "I'll second the nomination."

Relief and pride lit his eyes. "Then there's not anything more a soldier of God could ask." He bowed. "Thank you, Holy One."

She nodded, and smiled warmly, tenderly at him. "Let your men rest. See to the wounded, and tend to your people. Let them prepare, and mourn for her, as they will."

He took a deep breath, tension easing from his shoulders. "Have you any other advice for me, Holy One?"

Lilith took a breath. "Only one suggestion. You know of the Ibilis?" He nodded. "I had thought to bury her there. If the Enemy of the World makes another attempt someday, or should enemies of the church come, I would bury her in a place where they cannot touch her, cannot defile her tomb."

Grim resolution hardened his features. "I'll begin preparations at once." He glanced back at the dais. "We can't fit all the soldier down there. I'll have the sergeants tell the troops to make their farewell's here. We'll get the Bishop to have a ceremony, then myself and the other officers will take her to her rest." he glanced back at Lilith. "Holy One..."

"I will attend, Lady Esther and I both." She smiled. "It's a wise idea. I will help you."

He nodded, saluted the dais one more time, then turned and left. Lilith went behind him. Esther stayed a moment, gazing at the still, serene figure. _You __fought __well. __I __pray __you __find __peace, __and __a __safe __journey, __First __Lieutenant._

**8888888888**

They buried Elissa two days later. The priests had washed and cleaned her body, and dressed her in a flowing gown, donated by the citizens of the city. It looked a little odd, seeing her in jewels, and with her rank and medals attached to the garment, but somehow, it wasn't inappropriate. And since even her dress uniform had been stained in battle, it was far better than anything else.

The soldiers started coming to pay their respects at dawn. There was a steady stream of them, all dressed in formal uniforms or armor. Several were wounded, and Esther saw more of them supporting still wounded soldiers, as men who weren't cleared to leave the Infirmary were helped up the steps by their comrades, to pay their last respects as well. Some simply prayed. Some left tokens, trinkets, medals or notes. Despite their hardened demeanors, some of them were even crying.

At noon, the officers appeared, Lilith with them. Lilith was dressed in her best sari, primarily white with gold and brown tracing, wearing her gold collar and her cross shining brightly on the front. The officers wore their armor, repaired as best as it could be, and polished to mirror brightness. The men surrounded the coffin, and offered a salute then, as one, gently lifted it and bore it away, toward the passage to the underground console. Lilith led the procession, Esther took up a position at the back, walking beside the Bishop, who would say the final prayers to lay Elissa's soul to rest.

The journey took nearly half an hour, traveling in a rambling, ever descending path until they reached the tomb. Several of the soldiers had been hard at work, carving into the computer dais to form a chamber for her to lie in. It was back-breaking work, but there had been no shortage of volunteers. In fact, there had almost been fights over who would have the honor, until the commanding officers made the decree that everyone would get to work at least one four hour shift on the tomb. The result had been a spacious chamber, with a raised stone block to lay the casket on. Even the walls had been smoothed, giving it a sense of care.

The men entered, moving to each side of the raised stone. Then they faced each other and, again in unison, lowered the body to the stone. Four men moved carefully to remove the coffin lid, which they'd placed on before they began to move her. Lilith came forward, and gently laid a white mantle over Elissa's face. Esther came forward and laid a small rosary, the one she'd found in Elissa's quarters, over the folded hands. Then the soldiers replaced the lid and stood at attention by the walls, and the Bishop began to recite the prayers for the departed.

Esther hardly listened. All she could think of was Elissa's dying, the memory of that still, serene face, covered in blood. Abel, holding the body of his enemy in his arms. Lilith, holding the body of her friend. Tears streaked down her cheeks, tears of grief for all of them. And tears of remorse. _I'm __sorry. __I __knew __what __was __going __to __happen. __I __should __have...I __should __have __stopped __you.__There __should __have __been __another __way. __I __couldn't...I __couldn't __do __anything. __I __am...so __sorry._

Finally, the service was over. The Bishop intoned one final blessing, and left. The men offered one final salute, then marched out of the tomb. Esther and Lilith followed, and the officers turned and, worked together to shove the stone door of the tomb closed. Elissa's second in command an Esther applied a coat of sealant to the door, to close it forever, then stepped back. There was silence for a moment, then he turned to Lilith. "Holy One..."

"I will remain, a little longer. Please, escort His Grace back, and Esther if she wishes."

Esther shook her head. "No. I think I'll remain as well." After a moment, he nodded, and the men vanished back up the passageway, leaving the two women alone in the light of the lamps.

There was another long silence, as the wound of their boots faded away, then Lilith looked up. "Abel."

Esther started as a figure melted from the shadows. She hadn't seen him, because he'd removed his white uniform jacket, and was wearing only the black undershirt and pants. His face was pale, drawn in the light. He moved forward to stand beside Lilith. "I...I sent the troops off, yesterday. My ship is in a cave down the coast. But I...once you told me...I came...I've been wandering down here since mid-afternoon, yesterday, I think."

Lilith smiled, a sad smile, but warm. "It was good of you."

Abel shook his head. "I just...wished to pay my respects, I suppose. She was...very strong." He reached out, brushed one hand against the stone. "Cain won't accept this easily. I thought...you intend to seal the tunnels?"

Lilith nodded. "I will. I've already received the permission of the city's new commander, to seal all of them that lead here."

Abel echoed the nod. "I would...it isn't much, but may I help you?"

The smile widened, just a fraction, and Esther saw a small measure of pride in it. "Of course." She held his gaze a moment, then turned. "Esther, please go tell the commander that I've decided to go ahead and seal the tunnels now. I'll be up to report to him in a while."

Esther swallowed. There was a part of her that didn't want to leave them there, whether from a lingering spark of jealousy, or for fear that Abel might do something. But...she looked at the two of them, standing in the darkness together. _They... they __look __right __together, __right __now. __And __if __this... if __this __is __what __they __need..._ She nodded. "All right." Then she turned and left, before she could talk herself out of it.

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*** (****Quote)** - _"She was the Queen of Cartago during the Dark Ages.. __And fought for three days and three nights with the vampire invaders of the city. Finally she sacrificed her life to wipe out the vampires and rescued Cartago. But….There are more to that story"._

*** FACT** – Saint Elissa **AKA** lieutenant **Elissa dar Cheriat**. In legend, they called her Queen of Carthage, and buried her in the Queens Tomb. She was mentioned in manga volume 5, chapter 17 on pages 39 and 40. And as many of us know from the manga Saint Elissa was the one to have made a bet with Lilith on stopping the Ibelis seeing weather or not Abel still had any human conscience left in him to do so in saving humans within the area. This was mentioned in manga **Volume 5** chapter **19,** pages **28** through** 33**.

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**[+]** In both mine and my editors POV from what we gather so little about her in the cannon, Saint Elisa was Member of the Vatican forces, one assumes, probably and obviously Lilith's friend. Her name suggests she was probably French, or thereabouts. Elisa knew Abel, and they at least talked to one another, once or twice, considering she called him a monster. Get the feeling he admired her, however begrudgingly. Lieutenant means she wasn't a Sister or Inquisitor or anything like that, but more a civilian ally.

Maybe from the army of the Franc Kingdom. We never do hear how they figured into the battle, but they were most likely on the Vatican side. Not high up, I guess, but she must have been an extremely good soldier, had powerful family connections, or Abel and his army killed off the entire command down to her rather quickly. With a running three-day battle, that's not unreasonable. Then again, considering she took over the entire city, she obviously had natural leadership skills. She may have simply been a very young recruit who hadn't had time to go up the ladder. Although calling Abel a monster, being stubborn enough to oppose him, and pulling a kamikaze to finally halt him...they do rather sound like the kinds of things a younger officer would pull, or a fanatic. But she wouldn't have been a fanatic if she agreed to face Lilith's bet. So my guess would be young, gifted, and naturally strong.


	53. Thirty four Pt 05: For the Future

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Yep it's the final part of chapter 34 in this Esther goes home back in her time where the rest of the story will take place in the present of the remaining five chapters _indefinitely_. Thsi means only five chapters left to go now.

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(*) As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. **I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter****.**

This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided love, **Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. **Trinity Blood **is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

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Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter****Thirty-Four: Four:****For****the****Future**

Lilith returned to the city three hours later. They'd all felt some rumbling beneath the ground, but Esther's warning and the officer's reassurances set the minds of the soldiers and remaining townsfolk at ease. When she emerged, she reported that all the tunnels had been sealed, and the tomb was safe. The Bishop thanked her, and assured the remaining soldiers that he would petition a fitting commemoration for her, starting with the renaming of the cathedral. Elissa's Cathedral.

Slowly, the town returned to normal. Two days after the final battle, the citizen approached the new commander with a proposition, naming Elissa as the honorary ruler of the city, and declaring themselves to be the 'Free City' in honor of her memory. The commander was uncertain, but Lilith promised to relay their request to the Vatican.

Esther smiled. She'd wondered how First Lieutenant dar Cheraiet had become Queen of Carthage. But that was as it should be. And it gave her a small measure of peace, knowing that things were going the way they should. Her heart still ached, for the deaths of so many, and how she hadn't been able to prevent it, but it was at least a small measure of calm.

Three days after that, a fresh command of troops arrived from the Vatican, with orders to take care of the wounded, confirm the new commander of the city, and escort critical soldiers and Esther and Lilith back to Rome. They were also supported by a squad of Inquisition soldiers. They were highly efficient, and Esther and Lilith both sensed an air of urgency about them. Within half a day, the confirmation had been formally made and announced, including a promotion to Commander. The wounded were loaded onto the ships, taking the place of the soldiers who disembarked. Supplies were unloaded and distributed. Esther and Lilith barely had time to say their farewells and handle last minute details before they were escorted onto the ship, and the transport vessel took off.

On board, the captain and crew were nothing but courteous, but Esther could sense the same urgency in them that had been present among the soldiers, and the Inquisition. Half of the Inquisitors had gone with the troops, to help stabilize things. Half of them remained on the ship, serving as an honor guard to Esther and Lilith. It was an unusual action, especially since the ship had it's own guards, and the oddity of it made Esther uneasy.

They disembarked less than a week later, at twilight. An hour before their arrival, they received word that the Pope was holding Council, and requested their presence as soon as they landed. Esther was grateful to have enough warning to shower and change, but it only deepened her concerns. Usually, the Council, even if it was already in session, would wait until after they'd landed and cleaned up to summon them. As much as she tried not to think about it, she couldn't help fearing it was some kind of censure for the events of Carthage. Or worse, related to the events she knew were coming. Worst of all, was the awareness that, either way, she really couldn't say anything to Lilith about it. She'd gotten almost used to talking to the other woman, when the memories or feelings became too much. But this...it was entirely different. She couldn't find the words to explain what bothered her without telling Lilith the truth. The truth that soon, according to Esther's history, she was going to die.

The ship docked and released them into the quiet evening. Esther was used to seeing an escort waiting for them when they arrived. However, her unease deepened to alarm when she realized that the man waiting for them wasn't the usual Bishop, or even Arch-bishop. The man who waited at the end of the platform was dressed in the scarlet robes of a Cardinal. More than that, Esther recognized him as a member of the Cardinal's Council.

The Cardinal bowed as they exited. "His Holiness is waiting for you, Nia Sancta. If you'll accompany me, I'll have someone take your things to your quarters."

Lilith gave him a regal nod in return. "Of course. I am always willing to answer the summons of His Holiness."

The Cardinal acknowledged her words, then turned and led them into the main building. Esther followed, staying in pace a step behind and beside Lilith. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath as they neared the Council chamber, trying to still her uneasiness.

The full Council, including the Minister of Holy Affairs and the Minster of Internal Affairs, Head of the Inquisition Department, were arrayed within the room. All of them rose, save for the Pope, and bowed to Lilith. She returned the salutation with a slight curtsy, and they subsided into their seats once more. The Pope gestured for her to come forward. "Lady Nia Sancta." There was a smile on his face. "I've heard excellent reports of your battle in Carthage."

Lilith nodded gravely. "I regret, however, the death of First Lieutenant Elissa dar Cheraiet." She bowed her head to the Chief of the Inquisition. "She was a truly remarkable warrior, and in the end, she defeated the Destroyer by her own strength and faith. I am sorry, to have been unable to save her."

The man nodded brusquely. "She was a true and faithful knight of God. We will remember her with utmost honor and respect."

The Pope smiled again. "That is true. We will honor First Lieutenant Cheraiet" His gaze came to rest on Lilith. "I have already decided to honor the townspeople's wish, to crown her the Queen of the Free City of Carthage. The church shall, of course, retain it's holdings. However, I've given orders for the main cathedral to be renovated, and renamed the Queen's Cathedral. The council has also heard your nomination of sainthood for our brave soldier, and agreed to grant it. Tomorrow, we will hold the official ceremony to announce and record the name of Saint Elissa, Warrior Queen of Carthage."

Lilith swept him a curtsy, bowing her head respectfully. "Thank you. That is truly a noble honor, well deserved for a noble warrior." She rose. "I thank you for informing me of all this Holiness. However, I was under the impression you had urgent business to speak to me about?"

The smile fell away from Pope Grigori's face. "We do. A message arrived, the day we sent the ship for you. A message from the Contra Mundi, addressed to the Nia Sancta, and members of the Vatican ruling council." He gestured to a guard, standing near a computer console. "Play it."

The guard nodded, and twisted a switch, bringing up a holographic projection. Esther felt her mood plummet, a chill of raw fear sweeping over her as Cain's image appeared on the screen. "**Hello, ****Lilith.**"

Esther heard a murmur sweep through the room, and it made her concerned. After all, they'd all seen the recording of the message before.

On the screen, Cain smiled. It was almost hard to believe, the madness and destructiveness that existed behind that smile. "**Ah, ****well, ****I ****suppose ****I ****ought ****to ****call ****you ****the ****Nia ****Sancta, ****now ****right? ****Abel ****did ****say ****that's ****the ****name ****the ****Vatican ****has ****given ****you.**"

He cocked his head, and the view pulled back, to reveal him settled in his command chair, the white wings spread around him. Esther winced. She knew now why the Council members were so uneasy. He looked like an angel, sitting there. An angel on a throne of judgment. If there was an image that could shake the Vatican more, she couldn't think of it.

After a moment, the recording continued. "**You've ****been ****rather ****busy ****these ****past ****few ****months, ****haven't ****you?****You've ****really ****made ****a ****rather ****large ****dent ****in ****my ****plans. ****I'm ****rather ****annoyed ****with ****you, ****for****getting ****between ****me ****and ****what ****I****want. ****Not ****to ****mention, ****inciting ****those ****rebellions.**" He shrugged. "**And ****now ****you've ****gone ****and ****upset ****Abel.**" He sighed. "**Abel ****actually ****withdrew ****from ****a ****battlefield, ****you ****know. ****The ****mighty ****Crusnik ****02, ****fell ****by ****a ****Terran. ****And ****you, ****of ****course.**" He smirked. "**Ah, ****but ****you ****know, ****you ****really ****did ****up set ****him ****this ****time. ****He's ****not ****even ****listening ****to ****me. ****And ****03 ****isn't ****particularly ****helpful ****either. ****So ****then... you ****always ****were ****rather ****good ****at ****patching ****up ****fights ****between ****dear ****brother ****Abel ****and ****me.**"

Lilith stiffened. "Cain..."

As if he'd heard her, the smile on his face widened, and he held up a hand. "**I ****know ****what ****you're ****thinking. ****But****really, ****if ****Abel's ****this ****reluctant, ****and ****Seth's ****also ****unwilling,****there's ****not ****much ****point ****in ****patching ****things ****up ****just ****between ****he ****and ****I. ****And ****I ****know ****your ****views ****on ****the ****matter. ****So ****then... how ****about ****a ****truce ****between ****us,****for ****a ****day ****at ****least. ****We ****can ****talk ****about ****things, ****maybe ****even ****end ****this ****little ****battle ****of ****wills ****between ****us. ****Then ****Abel ****will ****be ****happy ****again, ****and ****we ****can ****take ****care ****of ****any ****remaining ****negative ****elements, ****and ****handle ****everything ****the ****way ****it ****needs ****to ****be ****taken ****care ****of.**"

There was a long pause, then he spoke again. "**I ****had ****hoped ****to ****contact ****you, ****but ****of ****course, ****you're ****in ****Carthage. ****So, ****I'll ****leave ****this ****message ****with ****the ****Vatican. ****You ****know ****how ****to ****reach ****me, ****my ****dear.****I ****do ****hope ****you'll ****reply ****promptly, ****for ****Abel's ****sake.**" His smile widened, and suddenly Esther saw the teenager he'd been before. "**You ****can ****even ****bring****t hat ****little ****assistant ****who's ****been ****with ****you, ****who ****started ****this ****whole ****thing. ****Esther, ****isn't ****it?**" He stood, wings flaring about him in a casual display of grace and power. Esther shivered, as the brief flash of Cain vanished into the Contra Mundi. "**Well ****then, ****I'll ****look ****forward ****to ****hearing ****from ****you, ****my ****dear ****Nia ****Sancta. ****Lilith.**" Then the wings folded, and the image went blank.

The soldier turned off the projector. "That is the entirety of the message, Lady."

Lilith stood a long moment, then turned and bowed her head to the Pope. "Holiness...what do you wish to do?"

"This message. Was that truly the Contra Mundi?"

Lilith nodded. "He is. That is Cain, eldest of the three, the one who is the Enemy of the World."

The Minister of Foreign Affairs spoke up. "Is it possible the message was serious? He truly intends a truce, for at least 24 hours?"

Lilith paused, her eyes dark and thoughtful. "I think it likely. Cain does nothing without purpose. And his use of his brother's name...there is a possibility that he is entirely serious."

"Then we should seize this opportunity!" The Head of the Inquisitorial Department rose to his feet. "Holiness, if the Nia Sancta arranges a meeting, we can bring the full might of the Vatican down upon him. Destroy the leader, and they will falter. And if we are fortunate, we may very well take the Destroyer and the girl with him! This is a perfect opportunity to win this war!"

Lilith's eyes snapped with temper. "That, Excellency, is precisely how the Contra Mundi works, how he thinks. Do you really wish to follow in his footsteps? Perhaps they follow him blindly, but even the Destroyer and the girl Seth have more honor."

"Even so, to pass up this chance..." The man's face was nearly purple with temper and energy.

"No." Lilith shook her head. "It is no chance." She turned to face the Pope. "He may be serious, but even now, there is every possibility that he is insane. Simply a promise of truce for a day and discussion does not swear you safety. After all, as your Inquisitor reminds us, there is more than one path to 'peace'."

"That is why we should take precautions, be prepared to use our full strength." Esther saw several heads nodding in agreement, and her heart sank.

Lilith waited until quiet settled over the chamber, then spoke to the Inquisitor. "Tell me, Excellency, what will you do, when they take the appearance of your armies as provocation? When the incident that began this war repeats itself? For that is what will happen. And you will find your fleet facing the strength of all three of those that are now called the Night Lords. The Contra Mundi, the Destroyer, and the child. Not simply their power, but their wrath. What then will you do, my lord Inquisitor?" Her voice was quiet, calm, but challenging.

Esther heard murmurs of unease circulating the room. Lilith let them for a moment, then continued. "The Contra Mundi is insane, but he is no fool. And there is every possibility that he will think as you do, Inquisitor. What will you do if you attempt to betray him by sending your fleet, and discover that he has had the same thought?"

The Minister of Foreign Affairs frowned. "The three commanders, these...Night Lords. There's a possibility of victory, if we pit our entire army against the three of them. But if we must face the vampire fleet as well..." He shook his head. "It is not my department, but I do not think much of those odds, Holiness."

The Chief of the Inquisition stood for a moment, then turned and barked an order to one of his subordinates. "Calculate how many enemy ships remain, based on the numbers the Nia Sancta gave us."

The priest typed a moment. "Based on reports, there are an estimated 26 personal fighter vessels still operational, though several of the damaged ones were rescued and may have been repaired. If we consider all those that might have been repaired, the number goes up to...42. As for official combat vessels, including transports for soldiers...the exact number is unknown, but believed to be over a hundred. Possibly up to 120." He tapped a few more keys. "There is no way to estimate the number of combatants that remain within their forces."

The Chief Inquisitor went from red to pale. "Impossible. Surely the Vatican has made a better accounting than that." He stiffened. "How many of our ships remain, particularly those with the Albion technology modifications?"

"Multiple lightweight craft, and at least two fleets worth of heavy duty combat ships, all with Albion modifications."

"Even numbers of ships." One of the older Cardinals spoke from the sidelines, his voice slow and thoughtful. "If it were just ships we faced, or even normal human troops, I would say your plan has merit, Inquisitor. However..."

"It is not." Pope Grigori spoke heavily. "And we have all learned better than to discount the destructive strength of even one Night Lord, much less all three. Therefore, we must seek an alternative response to this message."

Lilith bowed. "Holiness, I believe we...or perhaps I should say I, should accept his offer." She raised her head to look the Pope in the eyes. "Allow me to meet him. We lose nothing from agreeing to the meeting. The worst scenario is that it is a trap, and I may take some injury. But I have sufficient powers to defend myself, and I do not think that the Destroyer, nor the girl will interfere, except to part us. And surely, one aggressive Night Lord is better than three."

"And if it is a trap?" Grigori frowned.

"Then better to sacrifice one individual, as opposed to a fleet, or even an honor guard. If the Contra Mundi's plan is indeed betrayal, then it would be wise to have the Vatican fleet here, to protect Rome."

There were mutters all around the room. One of the other men stood up. "Holiness, if the Nia Sancta is correct about our chances in open combat, then I say we refuse this meeting. If we are not going to take the opportunity for a strategic attack, then I say we also avoid the danger of a trap. Let us send them a refusal, or keep our silence and let them wait and wonder as to our reply. In fact, if we hold our silence, we may gain several days to plan and maneuver our forces to our advantage."

Grigori nodded. "A wise point."

Lilith considered. "The suggestion has merit. However, I am not sure that the Contra Mundi will let us remain silent. He may, should we ignore him, choose to visit us in person. He did such things when he was younger."

There was a collective shudder around the room. Esther didn't blame them. She took a deep breath, fighting back memories of Cain's 'visit' to Buckingham Palace.

Grigori nodded. "And a refusal?"

"May result in nothing. Or it may result in an attack." She shook her head. "I do not know, Holiness. However..." Her eyes scanned the room, held the Chief Inquisitor's for a brief moment, then came back to the Pope. "We _do_ know that there have been two concrete incidents of rebellion by the Methuselah, those who settled in Albion and Amsterdam. Furthermore, in my last confrontations with them, both the Destroyer and the younger commander expressed a clear reluctance to fight. Their resolve is weakening, Holiness."

She swept the room with that solemn golden glare again, then faced the dais with her back straight, tall and regal. "Holiness, I ask you to permit me to speak with them. If we can demonstrate a clear indication of peaceful intentions, there is a possibility that we may convince one or more of the Night Lords to withdraw. It will certainly cause more dissent, and may even encourage another faction to break away. At this point, would it not be wise to seek every possible advantage we may?"

Esther bit her lip to stop from crying out as the discussion circulated the room. She really had no voice here, but still, she wanted to run forward and shout a denial. She wanted to confront Lilith and tell her she couldn't accept Cain's invitation. But she couldn't.

Lilith was right. Strategically, agreeing to the meeting was the best solution. She was right that Abel and Seth's resolve to fight was weakening. She was right, that there was a chance to end the fighting, or at least reduce the enemy forces. But...

Esther swallowed, feeling her eyes blur with tears at the knowledge of the truth. This meeting would end the combat, the Terran-Methuselah war. But the cost...Lilith's life, Cain's destruction, Abel's madness and grief, Seth's isolation...

Her life, her entire future, hinged on this meeting. If it didn't happen, her world might be completely changed. And yet...her eyes focused on the woman standing before her, arguing quietly with the Vatican Council. Lilith would die. The girl who'd been her friend on the station, the woman who'd guarded her, guided her, been a shield, confidante and friend, would be destroyed. She felt torn, caught between what had to be for her own time's sake, and the price she knew would be paid. She thought she'd understood it, been prepared for it, but the truth was...there wasn't any way to be prepared for this decision.

"Very well." The Pope's deep voice shook Esther out of her thoughts. The discussion had quieted. He waited until the Cardinals had settled, then offered Lilith a grave nod. "You have our permission to contact the vampires, and arrange a meeting between yourself and the Contra Mundi. However...we will not permit them here."

Lilith returned the nod with one of respect. "I shall not ask, Holiness." She glanced around the Council chamber. "Is there a secure communications console I may use?"

The Minister of Foreign Affairs spoke. "The one in my office is often used for secure communications, Nia Sancta. Please, feel free to make use of it."

Lilith inclined her head. "Thank you, Excellency. Holiness, is there any further business you need to discuss with me?"

Grigori shook his head. "None. When will you arrange your contact with the Contra Mundi?"

Lilith considered, her gaze turning to the clock on the wall. "If it is agreeable to the Council, then I will contact them tomorrow evening." She sighed. "We should not delay more than necessary, however, I would prefer to be rested before making such a confrontation."

"Understood. You have our permission." Grigori held up a hand in benediction. "God's blessing upon you, Nia Sancta."

"Thank you Holiness. You as well." Lilith swept the assembled council a respectful curtsy, then left, Esther following numbly in her wake.

They walked to their rooms in silence, escorted by one of the novices currently residing in the Vatican. Lilith seemed tired, and contemplative. Esther felt frozen, her mind caught between the future and the present, unable to decide what to do. Her head knew that she had to let things happen as they were meant to, but her heart was screaming that it was wrong.

Lilith waited until the doors of their shared suite shut the door, then released a deep sigh. "So then. Cain has made his move."

Esther swallowed. Much as she knew what needed to happen, she couldn't stand by and remain silent. She just couldn't. "Do you...do you really intend to try and meet with him?"

Lilith frowned. "It's a risk, but one I think we must take. If I can convince him to set reasonable terms, then yes, I will meet with him."

Esther bit her lip. "You know this could be a trap. He could just try to eliminate you. If he's angry about your influence over the others, if he sees you as a rival, surely he'll try to harm you."

Lilith exhaled again, weariness in her eyes. "I know. Even so, it's a chance to end this conflict. Even if Cain cannot be brought to reason, Abel and Seth might be. And it's possible...without his troops, Cain's abilities to cause destruction would be diminished. We might even force him to back down." A sad smile touched her face. "I doubt we will manage that, but...anything we can do."

Esther swallowed hard, a lump in her throat. "Even if that's true...you shouldn't do such reckless things, like trying to persuade them by yourself."

Lilith's smiled widened just a fraction, with a touch of fondness. "Don't worry, Esther. I can take care of myself." She laid one warm, gentle hand on Esther's shoulder. "You needn't worry so much. Try to get some rest, and we'll see what tomorrow brings us." She stretched lazily, unwrapping the top layer of the sari. "I confess, even I could use some sleep, after the past few weeks."

Esther nodded. She wanted so much to say something, but she couldn't seem to get the words out. Finally, she retired to her rooms. Despite her exhaustion, sleep was a long time in coming.

She slept late the next day, and spent most of the day restless, unable to settle. Her thoughts were as restless as the rest of her. She found herself hoping that Cain wouldn't agree to a meeting after all, or that there would be something to prove it wasn't this meeting that was the fated one. She went over everything Abel had ever told her, everything she thought Seth might have mentioned, over the details of that fatal fight. She knew it would be between Cain and Lilith, and she thought it might be on the ARK.

Evening came all too soon. As the clock chimed five, Lilith laid aside the book she'd been reading. "It's time." She rose, gave Esther a quick glance. "Will you come?"

Esther set aside her own work quickly. "Yes, of course." Her mind was still spinning, hoping to find a way to prevent the fatal outcome. She knew it was foolish, knew it risked her entire future, but...she couldn't simply sit by and watch Lilith die.

Lilith led her to the office that Caterina occupied in her own time. The Minister of Foreign Affairs met them, opened the doors for them, then quietly took his leave. Lilith settled at the console, powered it up, and typed in a connection.

It seemed to take forever, and Esther found herself hoping they would be unable to connect to the ARK. Then the screen cleared, and a youthful looking face appeared. "Hello, Lilith. We've been expecting you."

Lilith smiled. "Hello Seth."

Seth returned the smile with a weak one of her own. "You know, Brother Abel really was upset when he came home this time. Even I was surprised. And he told Cain he didn't wish to fly combat any more. They had a bit of a fight about it, even. Well, as much as Cain and Abel ever fight, these days. But it was almost like old times." There was a hint of wistful sadness in her green eyes.

Lilith sighed. "I am sorry that I hurt Abel, Seth. Believe me, I did not do it by choice."

Seth nodded. "I know." Her green eyes unfocused a moment. "Abel won't talk much about what happened out there, but he did say that...well, it was rather strange. I found him standing at the view-port again, and when I asked what was wrong, he asked how he could hate someone who protected what he loved, and fought as hard as he did. It wasn't...quite like Abel at all."

Lilith shook her head. "No. But...you remember when you came to me in Amsterdam, and why. Perhaps Abel understands that too."

"Maybe." Seth shook her head abruptly, as if clearing away unwanted thoughts. "Well, anyway, you're calling because Cain sent for you, aren't you?" Lilith nodded. "So then, what should I tell him?"

Lilith smiled. "Tell him that we agree to the meeting. However, we've decided it's in the best interest of the Vatican to hold it on neutral ground."

Seth frowned in thought. "I think Cain would rather like you to come to the ARK, if it isn't too much trouble. He doesn't like traveling much these days. And Abel...I'm not sure Abel wants to go to Earth either, right at the moment. And really, I'd rather like you to come to the Ark as well. I've nearly finished that project you asked me for."

"You have?" Lilith's gaze sharpened. "How long?"

"Not more than a day or two, I don't think." Seth blinked, and Esther could almost see the calculations she was going over in her head. "Of course, it's hard to be sure, since we're not certain how much power it needs, but I've gotten Abel's permission to route it through the ARK's main power supply, so it shouldn't be too much trouble."

Lilith considered. "Finishing that project...yes, that would be worth coming to the ARK for. And if Cain wants to meet me there, then I suppose it can't be helped. At the very least, it will prevent any more battle zones, should things go ill between us." Then she sighed. "However, I'm not sure the council here will agree."

Seth nodded. "That is true." She tapped a finger to her lips, rocking slightly in thought. Then her expression brightened. "Tell you what. Why don't you ask if you can meet a ship in a neutral area, like France? Then, tell them if initial negotiations go well, you'll visit the ARK to finalize things." Seth grinned, like the teenager she would forever be. "I'll meet you in the ship, so then..."

Lilith chuckled. "You're getting rather devious, youngster. Still, it's a good plan. I'll relay it to the Vatican Council." Her fingers shifted toward the 'end transmission' button. "I'll have to call you again, to arrange everything."

Seth nodded. "I look forward to hearing from you. Just let me know when and where. Oh, and if we're going to finish _that_," she smirked. "Then you'd better make sure Esther's coming as well."

Lilith nodded. "I'll speak to you soon." She gave Seth a soft, gentle smile, then cut the transmission.

Esther swallowed hard. "The project you and Seth were discussing...is it what you spoke to her about in Amsterdam?"

"Yes." Lilith stood. "She's been working to rebuild the quantum-temporal dislocation device for you. So that we can send you home, to your own time."

Esther felt as if she'd been slammed in the stomach. Conflicting thoughts and emotions raced through her. She'd been so long in the past, she'd more or less forgotten about going home, except for odd flashes of thought. The fact that it might actually be possible, especially that it might be now, when everything else was happening, made her dizzy.

Lilith caught her as she staggered. "Esther? Are you all right?"

Esther took a deep breath, and the dizziness receded. "Yes, of course. I'm sorry, I was just a little surprised. After all these months, I think I'd almost gotten used to being here."

Lilith smiled. "I know. I feel almost the same way. After all these months working with the Terrans, I'm a bit apprehensive of returning to the ARK. But..." She laid a hand on Esther's shoulder, and the tips of her fingers just touched the necklace hidden under Esther's dress. "You have someone special waiting for you, don't you?"

Esther swallowed back a sudden lump in her throat as homesickness washed over her. She hadn't felt it for months, but the thought of going back, of seeing everyone...tears stung her eyes as images flashed in her mind. Father Wordsworth, Father Tres. Ion. Virgil and Vanessa. Mary. And...Father Abel Nightroad. Her hand curled over the ring and locket, underneath the fabric. "Yes."

Lilith's hand tightened, ever so slightly. "Then you'll accompany me?"

Esther nodded. "Of course." The longing to return to her own place was almost a physical ache. But she also remembered, neither Seth nor Abel had mentioned another person being with Lilith, in the meeting with Cain. She took a deep breath. Perhaps, with her presence, it wouldn't be a fatal meeting. Or, at least, this wouldn't be _the_ fatal meeting. She felt slightly ashamed, looking for such an easy way out, and she didn't really believe it, but...she shook her head, and followed Lilith out of the office.

**8888888888**

The arrangements took three more days to make. The Council had to be apprised of Lilith's plans, and a suitable place found for the meeting. After discussion, they agreed on Paris, in the Franc Kingdom, as the best location. Seth accepted the choice of location on Cain's behalf with barely a thought, and promised to send a ship for them, as soon as the time was agreed on.

The Council wanted to present a list of demands, for the ending of hostilities, but Lilith refused. It was a rather intense argument, but finally, she convinced them that trying to make demands would only anger the opposing leaders, and compromised by promising she would bring them up as requests, if the opportunity presented itself.

Esther listened to all the preparations, feeling as if she was surrounded in a sort of haze. She hoped that her presence would mean that this meeting wasn't the one where Lilith died, but...Abel had only ever mentioned one meeting where Cain had summoned Lilith to discuss peace. Seth hadn't mentioned anything either. All of her instincts, honed as a member of the AX, were screaming at her to stop the meeting, for Lilith's sake. For the Vatican's sake. But...knowing what would come of it...she hadn't been so unsure what to do since her own time, when she'd first heard about Abel's past.

The night before their departure for France, she couldn't sleep. She was too restless, too caught between the her future and Lilith's. Her heart felt heavy, and she could barely eat, she was so nervous and wound up. She and Lilith both retired early, and she found herself in her own rooms, pacing, staring through the windows to the second moon. The Vampires Moon. The ARK.

A knock sounded on her door, and Lilith pushed it open a moment later. "Esther? Are you well?" She moved into the room, wrapped in a simple dressing gown, though her hair was still pulled back. Her golden eyes were full of concern. "I noticed, you didn't eat much, and I've heard you moving around in here for hours. It's well past midnight."

Esther bit her lip, hard. She wanted so much to return to her time, to the people she knew. The people who had been her friends and her support. To the Abel of her time. But...she looked up at Lilith, standing in the doorway, watching her with that almost maternal expression on her face. "I... it's just...I don't think you should go, to meet Cain."

Lilith sighed. "I understand if you're worried." A small smile touched her mouth. "In truth, I'm concerned as well."

"It isn't simply concern." Esther locked her fingers together to prevent her hands from shaking. She knew she was risking everything in her own time, but she couldn't stay silent. "If you go...Cain could...no, he will kill you. Please, you have to stop. Cancel the meeting."

Lilith frowned. "Esther, this is the best hope we have. Besides...it's our best opportunity to get you home." She laid a hand on Esther's shoulder. "It's all right. I promise, I'll be very careful."

Esther shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. "You don't understand! Cain is...Cain is...he'll kill you. Because of Abel...he'll..."

"Cain is mad, I will admit. And I do not trust his intentions. However, there is no..." Lilith paused. Then she exhaled. "Ah. This isn't just fear on your part, is it? This is...something you know. As you knew in Carthage."

Esther swallowed hard, but her throat seemed locked tight.

Lilith stood silent a moment, then sighed again. "I see. Well, I had wondered, when it would come."

Esther's head snapped up, shock burning away the tears. "You...I don't understand. I...you know?" She stared at the other woman. "But I...I didn't tell you..."

Lilith shook her head, a sad smile on her face. "You didn't have to. I guessed. I've guessed for some time, really." She turned to look out the same window Esther had looked out of. "When you first came to the station, when we were children, you were surprised to see me. You mentioned seeing me underground, but...I'd never met you. And..." Her hand brushed the windowsill. "Cain, Abel, Seth...you did not recognize me the way you did them. And your interaction...you were wary, almost frightened of Cain. But you saw and accepted Abel's true spirit under all his hostility and you were kind, friendly, with Seth. It wasn't the same between the two of us. When I thought about it, after you left, I realized that you didn't show any signs of knowing me. I wondered then. And when you reappeared, and I saw that locket and ring again..."

Her voice trailed into silence for a moment. Then she half-turned, and the moonlight illuminated a the sad, sweet expression on her face. "Abel's greatest curse, and his greatest gift, is his loyalty and ability to love. He isn't the type to have a fickle heart. Even now, with everything that has happened between us, he still looks at me with those eyes. But...he wouldn't have given you something like that unless he truly meant it. Which meant, in your time, something must have separated us. And with Abel...it would take death, would it not? Perhaps not even that would do it."

Esther swallowed hard. "No." She shook her head. "If you know...you can't really consider going through with this?"

Lilith stood, slender and tall in moonlight. "In your time...I am not there."

Esther shook her head. "No." She didn't mention the crystal sarcophagus under the Vatican.

Lilith paused, spoke again. "Abel...you love him, and he cares for you."

"Yes." Her voice was quavering, and Esther struggled to steady it.

"Abel is at peace with the Terrans? And Seth? Our people?"

Esther nodded. "Yes. Father...he has a great number of people who care for him. And Seth...she also has a great many friends, people who would fight to protect her." She shoved away the mental image of the last time she'd seen the Empress, broken and bloody on the ground. "I won't say there's perfect peace, but there are Terrans who work with Methuselah, and willingly, and Methuselah who find joy in working with Terrans." She remembered Ion's smile, and Astha teasing Abel in the gardens. Virgil's warm quiet presence.

"This meeting, this event in time...will it help create that future? Your future?"

Esther swallowed hard. "Yes. But...if it costs your life..."

"Then it will be all right." Lilith turned fully to face her, then came forward to envelope her in a warm, gentle embrace. "It's all right Esther. Thank you for worrying, for trying to protect me. It means a great deal. But...what I wish for is your future, with Abel and Seth smiling, and laughing, and loved. Where there is peace between Terran and Methuselah. Even if it is an uneasy peace." She tightened her grip. "I will not say, do not mourn. But don't feel guilty." A hint of her smile entered her voice. "Now that you've warned me...I cannot promise not to fulfill your future, but I will promise this. I will not make myself easy for Cain to destroy. I will fight. If I perish, so be it. But I promise...I will not let him simply kill me, all right?"

Esther felt a lump still in her throat, but she managed a tenuous nod. Lilith released her. Esther moved to take her place back at the window. "I...well, I know that keeping the future safe is important, but please...you mustn't be reckless. If you die...Father...Abel and Seth...they will suffer."

Lilith joined her. "I know. That's why, even if this is destiny, I will fight it, to my last breath."

Esther nodded. "I'll go with you." She knew she couldn't do anything to stop Cain, but...

"Of course. Seth should be ready to send you home. After the meeting, however it ends." They stood by the window, basking in the moonlight, for a few minutes longer, as the tension slowly drained out of Esther's body. Then Lilith placed a gentle hand on her shoulder once more, and turned her toward the bed. "Rest."

Esther didn't bother to resist. She simply staggered forward, and dropped into the clean white sheets. She was asleep before Lilith even closed the door behind her.

They boarded a ship the next evening for the Franc kingdom. Esther spent most of the trip trying not to pace. Lilith remained as serene as always, dressed in simple sari, a black undershirt and white wrap, with golden earrings, bracelets, and a necklace. Neither of them felt much like talking. Despite Lilith's reassurances, Esther's stomach felt tied up in knots. She wasn't sure whether it was anticipation that she might be going home to her own time, or dread, for what she feared awaited them.

Evening had fallen by the time they reached Paris. Esther stood at the window, watching the city pass by. Even with all the lights of the city, she could see the Methuselah ship, standing out like a beacon. From the size, it was one of the smaller, lightweight transports. The sight of it made Esther tense up, and she took a deep breath, reminding herself that this ship wasn't being flown by an enemy. She closed her eyes, remembering Seth's ships in the Empire. They all looked rather like this one, and the memory helped settle her nerves.

By agreement, both ships came to a halt in the vicinity of a landmark that had been known as the Eiffel Tower. The Vatican ship came to rest at the southwestern side, and the Methuselah ship landed by the northeastern corner.

Esther and Lilith disembarked, and Esther had to fight to keep from looking back. She knew there were a dozen members of the Inquisitorial department waiting at the hatch, for a signal if things went wrong. It was part of the arrangements, that neither party would bring guards, but could have troops waiting. Esther tucked her hands in front of her, fighting the urge to turn and signal them, to ask them to take Lilith away.

Seth met them midway across the plaza, her eyes shining. "Well, I'm glad you came." She was rocking on her heels, in that excited, enthusiastic way she had, and the sight of it settled Esther's stomach and cooled her fears. Seth's moods were always so infectious, she couldn't keep from smiling, just a little.

Seth grinned at her and waved. "Hey there, Esther. So, did Lilith tell you?" She smirked. "I've been working pretty hard, and we think it's possible to send you home."

Esther nodded. "I know. Thank you. Thank you very much."

Seth grinned. "It isn't really that much. After all, Brother Abel doesn't really like me to fight, so I've had plenty of time on my hands." She shifted. "I did try to get Brother Abel or Cain to come down with me, since they asked to meet you. But Cain said he'll wait for you on the ARK, and I think he might have given Abel an assignment or something. Well, at least, Abel said he had something he needed to do. But he did promise to come and meet you while you're there." She glanced back at Lilith, her green eyes imploring. "You are still planning to come, right?"

Lilith nodded. "Of course." She touched the earpiece she'd been given by the Vatican. "Captain. It appears the situation is satisfactory. Please inform His Holiness and the Cardinals that I will be proceeding with the next stage of negotiations."

There was a crackle of static, and of voices speaking. Lilith listened, then tapped it again. "Please remain here. I will attempt to contact you, or return to Rome when it is possible."

Another crackle, and then Lilith lowered her hand. "The ship will wait here for forty-eight hours. After that, they will mount a search-and-rescue."

Seth grinned. "They really are cautious with you, aren't they? Well, I'll just have to get you back here within forty-eight hours then. So we'd better hurry." She gave the Vatican ship a quick wave, then turned and strode back into the waiting Methuselah vessel, Esther and Lilith right behind her.

The trip to the ARK was far shorter than the journey Esther had made with the Order of Rosenkreutz. Within six hours, the ARK was in their sights. Esther bit her lip as they landed, trying hard not to think of the last time she'd seen the familiar crater. Involuntarily, she found her eyes going to the spot where, nine hundred years later, Seth would fall. Then she clenched her fists, and brought her gaze back to where the younger Crusnik was leading them into the ship. In this time, the doors opened easily, and the lights glowed in a welcoming fashion.

Seth led them through the maze of corridors to an observation deck, overlooking the glowing sphere that was Earth. She gestured them inside. "Cain said for you to wait here for them." She shared a conspiratorial look with Esther. "It's Abel's favorite place, you know. Rooms like this. I think Cain's rather fond of them as well." She rocked on her heels. "I'm afraid I have to leave you here. There are some things I need to take care of, especially if we're going to give Esther her best chance. But I'll be back for the meeting, okay? It should be in a little while."

Lilith smiled. "Of course. There's no problem. We'll be waiting here." She grasped Seth's shoulder briefly in a gesture of affection, and watched as the girl raced from the room, a fond smile on her face.

There was silence between them for a few moments, then Lilith spoke softly. "This observation deck also has a side chamber." She indicated a door on the left hand wall. "Esther, you should wait there."

Esther swallowed hard. "But I..."

Lilith shook her head. "This meeting with Cain...you were afraid of it. Because of something you knew. I think it's best if you stay somewhere marginally safer. Besides, we do know that Cain blames my defection, and some of Abel's mood, on you. Even if he's planning to be reasonable, it's best not to remind him of that. Otherwise, it may trigger his insanity, even if this whole meeting isn't some plan of his."

She wanted to refuse, but put that way...she remembered how some things could turn out to be self-fulfilling. She remembered, how her own fear for Abel had driven her to seek him, even though he'd told her not to, and resulted in his death. She didn't want her presence to be the trigger that caused the same for Lilith. "All right."

The side chamber was much smaller, though still comfortable, but Esther couldn't sit still. She fidgeted, checked and re-checked her weapons, and paced, trying to think of ways they might avoid the inevitable confrontation. She even considered going to look for Seth. But she didn't know her way around the ARK, and she had no idea where Seth would be. Likewise, she couldn't seek out Abel, and other than a face-to-face meeting, she had no way to warn them. And even if she had...she was an outsider, and Cain was their brother. No matter what doubts they had about him, there was no reason for either sibling to take her word over his.

In the other room, the door hissed open, and Esther's entire body tensed. She froze, then forced herself to take a deep breath, and slipped over to ease the door to her hiding place open, just enough to see.

Lilith stood by the windows. Cain stood by the doors, clad in his simple, casual uniform. Black leggings, boots, and a floor length white jacket, trimmed in red. There was a smile on his face, and Esther felt a chill go through her. It was the same smile he'd worn in Londinium, when he'd blown Abel's heart out of his chest. Empty, uncaring, a smile of heedless madness. "Hello Lilith. 04."

"Cain." Lilith's voice was soft, neutral, but the passing months had taught Esther to recognize the tension in that slender frame. "You look well."

"Hmmm...I suppose. Though, really, I thought this whole war would have been over and done with by now. It's really making everyone rather restless. Even me." The smile widened, just a fraction, his head tilting in the slight cant that made Esther's heart sink. "But you...you've been doing very well, haven't you, 04?"

Esther's stomach clenched tighter. 04. The Crusnik identification. Not Cain's. She'd hoped that he might be wavering a little. Both versions of Cain could wear that odd, empty smile. But...the reference to Lilith by her Crusnik name...Esther bit her lip to stop herself from crying out.

"I've done what I had to do Cain." Lilith met his eyes. "I warned you, I would not support such senseless violence and bloodshed. I warned you I would not permit you to destroy this world."

Cain smiled again, a brief flare of genuine amusement in his eyes. "Ah well, it isn't like I really minded, you know." His gaze slipped from Lilith to the Earth, glowing beneath them. "After all...it did provide a bit of an outlet for everyone's aggression. And Abel...well, he really does thrive on confrontation, you know." He shrugged. "But now...well, you've gone and upset 02. And I can't really have that. After all...this is all for Abel."

Lilith paled slightly at the words. "All...for Abel? Cain, you cannot mean...the words Abel spoke that day?" She shook her head. "Abel was angry, and he was a child then. You know that."

"Hmm...that may be true, but I did promise to give Abel the future he wished for. And since he wished for it..." Cain's smile widened, madness gentled by affection, and somehow all the more terrifying.

"If you do this for his wishes, then should you not respect his wishes now, and cease fighting?" Lilith's voice was soft, but Esther saw the tension in her, and knew Lilith saw the same madness that she did, and didn't trust it.

"Of course, my dear. That's why I called you." Cain shook his head. "After all, if you return to the ARK, Abel won't have to be so upset anymore. He'll get the world he dreamed of, and he won't have to fight you. And I'll regain the services of my chief medical officer. Honestly, the trainees you left behind really aren't up to standards." He flexed one hand, looking at it idly.

"Did you harm them?" Lilith's voice sharpened.

"Hmm...well, not much. After all, Seth took over from them, and she's quite competent, isn't she?"

The words hung in the air between them for a few moments, in the gathering tension. Then Lilith spoke again, her voice soft. "And if I return? Will you still wage war upon the humans, the Terrans?"

Cain smiled. "Of course. After all, they only upset 02. That Terran in Carthage...Abel was rather shaken up. He's refused to go into combat since then. I even offered to let him have another try at Albion, but he said he couldn't. Something about a promise to you. But of course, if you return, you'd be able to release him from that, wouldn't you, my dear?" Something cold and cruel sharpened the tone. "Then the last of Abel's unhappy memories would be erased, and he'd be much happier."

"You would also kill over a hundred of your own people." Lilith's voice sharpened as well, though hers was anger.

"There is that. But then, they did turn against us." Cain shrugged. "Perhaps you could persuade them to return, 04, since they followed you the first time."

"I will not." Lilith's voice was stern. "You say you are doing this for Abel. If that is true, why isn't he here? Surely it would be best to hear his feelings on the matter, if you are doing this for him." Her eyes moved to a timepiece set in one wall. "We are past the time when you requested our arrival."

"Hmmm...well, I did tell 02 to come a bit later. Abel always gets so confused and upset, when he has to argue with you." Cain smiled. "I thought I'd spare him the trouble. So 02 won't be coming for another hour or so." There was a hint of a laugh on his face. "Really, he was so nervous, I had to send him on a small mission just to get him to settle." He shrugged. "Really, it's better for Abel if everything's resolved before he comes back. That way, he won't have to worry or be troubled by anything."

Lilith stiffened, then spoke slowly. "In your message, you spoke of wanting to resolve matters, to 'remove the negative element' and 'handle things as they needed to be handled'. Is this what you meant?"

"Of course. The only thing that's really holding 02 back is his concern and feelings for you. If matters are resolved between you and I, then he won't have any more problems."

Lilith shook her head. "Do you not understand, Cain? Abel does not wish to fight. Not me, not the Terrans."

"Hmmm...well, he said that, but then, you and I both know how changeable Abel is. Besides...02 is strong. He won't be able to sit idle forever, you know." Cain smiled. "And honestly, he only seems to dislike fighting because you told him to seek peace, my dear. You always have been the one to persuade Abel away from violence, haven't you?"

"Yes." Lilith nodded. "And I will still tell him to seek peace, every chance I get." She drew herself up regally, taking on the air of authority she had in the Vatican, and on the battlefield. "If you wish me to return, only to persuade Abel to return to battle, only to betray and murder the Terrans I have sworn to protect, then no. I shall not return. I will not help you slaughter them. I will not tell Abel that I support the violence of war."

"Hmmm...well, if you aren't willing to return, that does present a bit of a problem. After all, I can't have you continuing to oppose me, and trying to turn Abel from my side." His head tilted to one side. "I suppose I'll simply have to deal with you now."

Almost idly, he extended his left hand, palm outward. Esther gasped as power, compressed air stronger than a battering ram, exploded forth. Lilith dodged, but Esther saw her stagger slightly as the edge of the blast clipped one arm. The wall behind her shuddered with the force of the blow, but didn't crack.

Lilith regained her balance. "You would attack and kill me? One of your own?"

"Well, you've already fought with 02, haven't you?" Cain's smile had gone cold, madness and cruelty staining it. His eyes began to shine a faint red, his hand flexing as the nails elongated into claws. "It's really just another battle. And anyway, I can't have you getting in the way of what I want, and upsetting 02. I'd hate to be forced to punish Abel for defying me, after all, but...since it's your fault..."

Esther barely saw him move, but suddenly he was across the room. Lilith dodged, and Esther saw her wings unfurl, the triple wingspan of her eighty percent activation. Lilith sidestepped, then caught the next blow on one of her swords. The other blade whipped around, catching Cain hard in the shoulder and chest, drawing blood. Then Cain's hand came up again, and Lilith disengaged, leaping back and sideways to avoid another burst of power.

Esther watched in horror as the bloody wound sealed itself, returning Cain's body to perfect condition. Cain's smile widened, blood-lust mixing with the already present madness. "Well, you have learned something from 02, haven't you, 04?" His hand flexed, and Esther saw his spear appear in his grip. "It's a bit of a pity. If you'd rejoin me, you could use all that strength at Abel's side."

"No. I will not support your genocide." Lilith shook her head.

"Well, then..." Cain's wings unfurled. There was a heartbeat of stillness, then both of them attacked. There was a blur of movement, and then they were locked together, Cain's spear and Lilith's swords, their movements a whirl of motion. The energy gathered in the room sparked, reverberating off the walls.

Esther bit her lip. She had both hands wrapped around her gun, white-knuckled with tension, but she couldn't get a clear shot. Cain and Lilith were both moving too fast, and she didn't dare shoot and hit Lilith. She wanted to reach for her knives, but there was too much energy, too much violence in that chamber. And she already knew her skills were no match for either one of the combatants when they were fighting as humans, let alone like this.

Something happened. She couldn't see it clearly because Lilith's back was turned to her, but there was a terrible clanging of weapons, then Lilith staggered sideways, bleeding heavily. Cain struck again. Lilith dodged, but Esther bit back a gasp of horror as the blow tore through the wings on Lilith's left side, obliterating them. Lilith staggered with a gasp of pain, stumbling sideways with her back to the clear glass wall.

Esther's heart sank, fear knifing through her. Cain wasn't unmarked, his arms and torso bleeding. There was even a slash across one side of his face. But Lilith...

Lilith's breathing was rough, harsh, and her formerly white sari was nearly completely crimson and black, rent in several places. Her wings should have regenerated almost instantly at the activation she held, but they weren't, which meant there were far greater wounds her powers were tending to.

Cain was still smiling. "Well, you've made me use quite a bit of power. Still...02 will return soon. And he'll only be upset if he finds us fighting."

Lilith didn't say anything. She seemed to be waiting for Cain's next move. Esther saw the grim resolve in her eyes, and felt ice pour through her. She'd seen that look in Abel's eyes, just before his combat with Cain Underground, and in Elissa's eyes, before she'd gone on her suicide mission against Abel. _No._

She didn't even really have time to think about it. She just stood, dropping her gun, her hand reaching for the door to fling it open, to shout a denial, to run between them, anything. But...

Cain exploded into movement, the aura of power flaring brightly. Esther saw his spear come up to strike, saw Lilith bringing her own weapons up to bear, stepping forward to meet the charge...

Everything seemed to happen in snapshots of time, and yet, far too fast for Esther to move. She saw Lilith meet Cain's charge, the swords blocking the spear. Saw her stagger, just the tiniest bit off balance, as Cain's spear was reabsorbed, and her strike went wide. Saw Cain's hand slam forward, blasting a concentrated bolt of power into her chest, as he'd done to Abel in Esther's time, but with far more violence behind it. Lilith's body jerked, convulsed, her power vanishing under the onslaught. The swords shattered and disappeared, and the razor sharp nails of Cain's other hand slashed through her throat.

Utter silence fell. Esther felt herself freeze. She wanted to race into the room, but horror and shock held her still. _No._

Lilith crumpled slowly to her knees, falling, her hands at her throat as if to stop the blood pouring forth. Her eyes moved, going to the door Esther hid behind. For one brief second, their eyes met, and Esther saw just the faintest smile in Lilith's gaze, an unspoken forgiveness and benediction.

Then she turned back to Cain, moving as in an abortive attack. Cain's hand slashed out again, and Lilith's body crumpled, blood pouring from the severed neck.

Esther froze in absolute horror. Nausea slammed through her, grief and shock warring with complete terror. She clapped both hands over her mouth to stifle her scream, but the rest of her body felt paralyzed.

Cain stood a moment, staring at Lilith's body, her head dangling from the hair that had gotten tangled over his fingers. A small, distant smile touched his face. "Ah...this really is quite a mess. 02 won't be happy to see that." He shrugged, the smile replaced by careless indifference. "Oh well. You really should have known better than to get between me and what I want, or between me and Abel, my dear." He glanced down. "I suppose I'll have to go and change uniforms, before 02 gets back." With that he turned and walked calmly away, shutting the door behind him.

Esther remained frozen for a long moment, her heart pounding and tears pouring down her face. _No.__Oh__no..._

Finally, she managed to force herself to move. Her legs were trembling, her entire body shaking as she staggered out of the side room. Her stomach heaved as she saw the ruins of Lilith's neck, and she dropped to her knees, gagging. She'd seen plenty of violence and battles, wounds and death, but this...the casual, uncaring brutality of what Cain had done was as horrifying as the first time she'd seen it. She hunched forward, choking on the sobs, struggling to control her emotions. She knew she had to do something, but she was too shocked to think what.

The door hissed open, and Seth came running in. "Hey, I thought I heard..." The youngest Crusnik stopped abruptly, eyes widening in shock and pain. "No. Lilith..."

Seth staggered forward, as Esther had done, collapsing to her knees beside Lilith's body, heedless of the blood. Her eyes were wide, haunted, tears falling across an expression of utter shock. "Lilith..."

One child-like hand reached out, feeling for a heartbeat amid the red ruin of gore and wounds. Then Seth's hand clenched, her whole body curling inward. "No. Lilith..."

The grief of her words, the sound of her heartbroken sobs, shocked Esther out of her own impending hysteria. She stared at the small form before her, feeling utterly helpless. She wanted to comfort the other, but she didn't have any words to say before such desolation, any more than she'd known what to say to Abel in front of the tomb. She was too shocked even to voice something as simple as 'I'm sorry'. Grief and pain froze her tongue, and all she could do was add her own silent tears to Seth's, watching the younger woman mourn the lady she had loved as both mother and sister.

"Cain did this, didn't he." The words came out of nowhere, almost a physical shock. Then Seth looked up, her face hard and grim, even with the tears still tracking over it. "Cain...he's the one."

Esther swallowed against the lump in her throat. "Yes. He..."

Seth shook her head, grief, pain and guilt aging a child's countenance into a young woman's. "I knew he'd been getting more unstable lately, more violent. Even Brother Abel noticed it. But I...I never thought...something like this..." A sob hitched in her breathing. "I didn't think, even though he blamed Lilith for Abel and me, I didn't think that even he'd be capable of something like this."

Seth rose to her feet suddenly, grim resolve and smoldering anger hardening her features further. "I can't let brother Abel see this. Not like this. Besides...if we can just..." Her gaze traveled over the blood-smeared floor. "Esther...Lilith's head..."

"Cain took it." Esther swallowed back another surge of bile, remembering the callous way it had dangled from his fingers. Remembering what Abel had told her, the night he'd revealed his past. _Cain...he __took __Lilith's __head. __He's __going __to...to __give __it __to __Abel. __As __a __trophy._ She felt nausea threatening to overwhelm her.

"Esther." Seth's voice broke her thoughts before hysteria could set in. She looked up. Seth was looking at the body. "We have to clean this up before Abel gets here. If he sees this...if Abel sees this, even I don't know what he might do. Besides..." One hand clenched into a fist. "I don't know if even the Crusnik could heal this, but we have to try. There's a stasis chamber in the medical wing a few levels down. We'll use it to preserve her for now, until we can...get everything together." Seth's voice cracked on the last word. Then she knelt again, and laid her hand on Lilith's wound. "Nanomachine, Crusnik 03."

Her eyes began to shine red, power gathering around her. Esther stifled a gasp, watching as the blood pooled around Lilith began to move, ripple, then to flow into the wound under Seth's hand. Even the stains on her clothing followed the movement, leaving the fabric nearly pristine. When the deck and Lilith's robes were spotless, Seth's power faded. "That's the best I can do for now. Without her head..." Seth's voice stuttered to a halt.

Esther nodded. "I understand." She looked at the clock. "When will...when will Abel be back?"

Seth glanced up. "Soon. We'd better hurry." She glanced down. "I hate to ask you, but...I can't move her by myself. She's so much taller than I am..."

"I understand." Esther looked at the body lying before them. "How..."

"If you'll support her legs and keep her feet off the ground, I'll take her upper body." Seth moved into position, gently sliding her hands under Lilith's shoulders and waist. Esther swallowed back nausea, then moved to the opposite side, placing one hand next to Seth's and the other at Lilith's knees.

Seth waited until she had a good grip, then met her eyes. "Ready?" Esther nodded. "All right. One, two...three." Both of them Straightened at the same time. It was an uneven load, with Esther's slightly greater height, but Seth's strength compensated. It was awkward, getting their limp burden through the door, but with a bit of careful maneuvering, they managed, and stumbled over to the elevator.

The ride down was silent, and filled with tension. The grimness of their task prevented casual conversation. Esther felt tense, terrified that at any minute, Abel would appear, stopping the elevator, or around a corner. Or worse, Cain. She could tell, from the set of Seth's shoulders, and her expression, that her young companion felt much the same.

Somehow, they managed to make it to the Infirmary without incident. Esther's heart was pounding as Seth shifted her grip and tapped the code to enter the emergency care area. "This way. The stasis chambers are in the intensive care ward, in the very back."

Esther followed Seth's lead as they gently carried Lilith's body past the examination tables in the front room, then the surgical tables in the second room. Then Seth opened the final door, labeled 'Stasis Ward' and Esther felt her stomach lurch. The room was full of half a dozen familiar-looking pods, nearly identical to the one she'd seen under the Vatican in her own time.

Seth directed her to help lift Lilith's body into the first of the chambers. They took a few moments to arrange her body, moving gently, then Esther stepped back while Seth shut the lid and tapped a few buttons. Seth's hands flashed quickly over the panels, flipping switches and activating machinery, then she stepped back with a sigh. "There. That's the best I can do, for right now. I'll have to wait to fully activate the chamber, but that ought to at least stabilize her condition, for now at least." Her expression was grave. "We have to get the rest of her, as soon as possible. The longer she's like this, the more difficult it's going to be. If she remains in this condition for too long..." Seth's voice cracked and trailed off.

Esther nodded. "So, what should we do now?" It felt cruel, forcing the burden on Seth's shoulders, but she felt lost without the guide and mentor she'd relied on. Either of them.

Seth sighed. "We need to take care of Lilith, but we'd better try to find Abel, and warn him something's wrong. If he stumbles onto things in this state..." She shook her head, then glanced pensively at the ceiling. "I think we also need to send you home as soon as possible. Thing's aren't quite as ready as I'd like them to be, and it's a bit earlier than scheduled, but..." She bit her lip. "Cain blames you for Lilith's defection. If he was willing to do this to her, then there's no telling how he'll react to you."

Esther felt a cold chill run up her spine. "I know."

Seth sighed. "You know, it's not really fair to ask you, considering how dangerous it is, but...could you go back and wait for Abel for me, in the observation area. It's risky, but you should try to speak with him if you can. Abel might listen to you, as Lilith's friend."

Esther nodded. Seth un-clipped a device from her belt. "This is an emergency signal device. I use them to communicate with troops, or between ships. When you find Abel, press this button here." She gestured to one on the right hand side. "And if you see Cain...try not to let him see you. And press this one." She touched a button on the left hand side. "I'll keep an eye out for your signal." She clasped Esther's hand. "Be careful, okay, Esther?"

Esther nodded. "I understand. I'll do my best." She tucked the device into a pocket where she could easily reach it. "Is there anything else?"

Seth shook her head. "I've got to go tend to final preparations, and I'll see if I can find Abel first. But we'd both better hurry. He's due back any minute." Her face was pale with strain, and fear, concern and grief written together in that too-young countenance. Esther suspect she looked much the same. But there was nothing more to say. She offered the other girl one quick, gentle squeeze on the shoulder, of encouragement and support. Seth returned it, with a weak smile that couldn't touch her eyes, then turned and darted out the door. Esther took a moment to brush a hand across the coffin in farewell, and followed her.

The trip back to the observation room was easily twice as difficult on Esther's nerves as the the trip down. Her heart was hammering in dread at the thought of encountering Cain alone. And as for Abel...

She knew Seth was right, about how cruel it would be for him to find out too suddenly, too harshly. And she knew it was dangerous. But she also remembered that Abel had told her this part of the story, and how he'd heard of Lilith's death. She wasn't sure if changing the manner of his discovery would change any of his reactions, but her heart ached with Lilith's death, and the suffering that was about to befall him. She wanted to soften the blow, but she wasn't sure it was possible, and after having come so far, it seemed a cruel mockery to try and change fate now.

The observation room was empty when she arrived. She looked in, then hesitated. She considered the idea of sneaking back into the side room, but...there was no way out of that room, other than through the observation dome, and she was terrified of being trapped. Besides, she knew she might need to move, to meet Seth. She didn't want to get caught, seeming to spy on Abel. Whether she warned him or not, she knew it would only upset him, provoke his temper. And if Cain came back first...

Her ear caught the faint click, a sound suspiciously like boot heels on steel floors. The last thought decided her, and she turned and ducked into a room across the hall. It was actually a storage closet, but there was enough spare room for her to duck inside and pull the door nearly closed.

Moments later, Abel came striding through the corridor. He was wearing his UNASF uniform, with a knee-length jacket, his silver hair falling loose down his back. His expression was pensive. He stopped at the door, straightened his shoulders, then stepped inside, leaving the door open behind him.

Esther tapped the button to alert Seth, then stepped forward to peer through the cracked door into the observation room. Abel stopped, and in the reflection of the glass, she could see the faint frown on his face. Then he moved forward to stand next to the windows, staring out at the panorama of Earth, his expression shifting subtly between thoughtful, tired, and somewhat nervous.

Esther bit her lip. She wanted to step forward. She knew she should. But at the same time. Knowledge of events to come and fear of Cain held her frozen in place, unable to move. She was just screwing up her courage to step out when the elevator chimed, and Cain emerged into the hallway.

His uniform was clean, the mirror of Abel's except for the red trim, and his face was settled into his usual empty smile. He saw the open door, and his smile widened. Esther shifted, edging unconsciously back into her hiding place as he passed. Then she saw his left hand, what he was carrying, and clapped her left hand over her mouth in horror. Her other hand clasped the device Seth had given her, tightening her fingers down over both buttons until she felt she'd crack or bend the metal, or break her own hand. Bile rose in her throat, and she bit her lip hard enough to make it bleed. But there was nothing she could do to stop what was about to come.

Cain stepped into the room, his movements relaxed, easy. "Hello Abel. You're late, you know."

Abel turned. "I...yes. It took a little longer than I thought." He glanced out the doorway. "But Lilith...I didn't think she'd come and go so soon. Unless...is she with Seth? I can't have...I didn't miss her visit, did I?"

"Hmmm...well, I suppose you could say that." Esther saw the reflection of Cain smile just a bit more. "But really, there's no need to be so distressed. Everything's been taken care of, Abel. You don't need to worry any more."

Abel tensed, and Esther saw the concern that touched his features. "Cain."

Cain smiled, stepping forward. "Take heart, Abel. I've removed all of the negative elements, so there's no more need for concern." He raised his right hand in front of him, Lilith's severed head dangling from his fist. "See?"

Abel staggered, and Esther saw the shock and grief hit him like a shot from a cannon. His already pale face went completely white, as if he'd taken a mortal blow. "Cain...what...have you..."

"I told you. I've removed all the negative elements. I did tell her you'd be a bit unhappy with the way things turned out, but now you don't have to worry about 04 interfering any more. You won't have to fight her anymore." Cain shrugged carelessly, letting Lilith's head fall from his fingers to thud against the deck. Abel made a choked sound, as if he'd been struck, his body stiffening. Even from her hiding spot, Esther saw his body begin to tremble.

Cain studied his face with an air of detachment. "Ah, well, I had hoped for a better reaction, but I suppose it will take you a bit of time to get used to it." He shrugged. "I suppose I'd better go see what to do with the ship, since she won't need it." He looked at his brother, the distant smile on his face. "I'll be waiting, Abel." Then he turned and exited. Seconds later, the elevator chimed once more.

At the sound of the elevator, Abel shuddered, then stumbled two steps forward and collapsed to his knees, desolation in his gaze. "Lilith..." Esther felt tears spring into her eyes at the sound of his voice, broken with pain and shock and terrible grief. Abel's trembling hands reached forward, touched the crimson hair, the cross upon the brow. "Lilith...I..." His voice broke, and he gathered her head into his arms, eyes closed and utter agony on his face, grief combining with the shock of Cain's callousness for a pain that went beyond tears. His head bowed, his shoulders shaking as wrenching, incoherent groans tore from his throat.

Esther stepped slowly from her hiding place, her heart breaking as she watched him curl around Lilith's head, folding himself over it as if he were protecting a child, or trying to staunch a fatal injury. Tears streamed over her face. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry, Father." She knew he wasn't a priest yet, but she doubted he even heard her.

The elevator chimed and Seth came dashing out. "Esther. I got your signal. Where..." She saw Abel kneeling on the floor and froze. "Abel? What happened?"

"I didn't...I didn't reach him in time. Cain...told him. And gave him Lilith's head." Esther swallowed hard, fighting to get the words out around the knot of grief and pain in her throat.

"Oh no. Abel..." Tears filled Seth's green eyes, to track once more across her face. "How could Cain...even Cain, how could he do something like that, to Brother Abel? He knew...he had to know..." Seth's voice cracked again, anguish filling her expression as she watched her brother's suffering. "Oh, Abel...I am so, so sorry, my dear brother."

The two of them stood in the doorway a long moment, then Seth moved forward, and laid a gentle, tentative hand on Abel's shoulder. "Abel...will you give her to me?"

Abel shuddered, and raised his head. "Seth?" His voice was a rough, broken rasp of sound, painful to hear. There were no tears on his face, but the tortured confusion and grief, the sheer anguish in it, made Esther flinch back.

"I'm sorry Abel. So, so sorry. I knew Cain was angry, but even I didn't think he'd do something like this." She touched her brother's shoulders, a light embrace, offering comfort. "Esther and I took her body down to a stasis chamber. We need to get her head there too. There isn't much chance, but even so..."

Something shifted, darkened in Abel's gaze. Esther saw the darkness, the shine of madness, terrible rage overtaking grief in him. The air was suddenly charged with electricity. Seth's words broke off. "Abel?"

Abel rose to his feet, energy snapping about him. His face was tight, and Esther saw the violence emerging. Violence born of grief and pain and the shock of betrayal. Madness. Then Abel spoke, his voice gone flat as a lake's surface on a still day. "Take care of her." He gently deposited Lilith's head in Seth's arms.

Seth's eyes widened. She shifted her burden, caught her brother's sleeve. "Abel...where are you going? What are you going to do?"

"I'm going after Cain." Darkness and madness resonated through his words, all the more terrible for the fact that he hadn't transformed. His face was still human, but the tone was a dark and menacing as his Crusnik form's had ever been. Esther shuddered at the promise of violence in those words. "He will...pay for this." With a quick jerk of his hand, he broke Seth's grip and vanished through the door.

"Abel..." Seth's voice shook with distress.

Esther swallowed, and forced herself to take a deep breath. She knew what was going to happen, and there was no way to prevent it. She reached out and touched Seth's shoulder. The green eyes turned to her, shock and pain similar to Abel's in them. "I'm sorry. But we really ought to put...well, we should put this with the rest of her, and seal the stasis tube, right?" She touched Seth's hand, brushed Lilith's hair. It was odd, that the crimson strands felt as they always had, other times she'd happened to brush it.

Seth took a deep, shaky breath, forced herself under control. "You're right. And the power exchange sequence for the quantum-temporal dislocation device has already begun. You need to get up there." She shook herself, and Esther saw her visibly pulling herself together. "Come on, we've got to hurry." She shifted Lilith's head gently into the cradle of her arms, then drew Esther out the door at a run.

They made the trip to the infirmary in record time. Seth opened the lid, laid Lilith's head gently inside, aligned with the neck, then shut the lid and tapped a few more controls. The remaining panels hissed to life, the tube glowing a gentle blue radiance as it was activated. "There. That should do it."

Seth sighed, then shook herself. "Come. We've got to get you to the transport chamber, before the cycle finishes."

"No." Esther shook her head, remembering what Abel had told her, about the end. "Just tell me where to go. I think you might be needed more at Abel's side."

Seth swallowed, a stricken look crossing her features. "Abel...I don't know what he'll do now. When he's like that...I don't know, but I'm worried for him. But I promised Lilith..."

Somewhere, Esther found a weak smile to offer her. "I know. But it's all right. I think it's more important that you go to Abel's side. He and Cain..." She shook her head, remembering Abel's story, and the battles she'd witnessed. "He can't fight Cain. If he does, it will only end badly." She put a hand gently on Seth's shoulder. "Trust me, you need to prevent Abel from fighting Cain." It was a heavy burden to lay on Seth's shoulders, but...

Seth nodded. "All right. I don't know how much I can do, but I'll do my best. Take the elevator to the top dome, and go left, to the command deck. You'll know it. It's the one you showed up in, and the doors are open." She looked at the clock. "You won't have time to get the suit on, but there's a small, portable oxygen mask and mini-tank set up. Be sure you take that."

Esther nodded. "All right."

She started to turn away, but Seth's hand caught her, and she turned back. Seth gazed at her with solemn green eyes. "Say Esther...Lilith, she told me where you come from. And when." Esther nodded, waiting for her next words. Seth hesitated a moment, then spoke. "In your time...is brother Abel happy? Will he...ever be okay?"

She thought of Seth's broken form, the battles, Abel's death. Then she thought of their love, hours in the gardens, Abel sleeping beside her. "Yes. It's still a bit hard, but...there are plenty of times of happiness."

"Then I hope you get back there." Seth offered her a pale ghost of a grin. "You'd better get going. Best of luck, Esther." Her voice softened. "Take care of him, okay?" She shifted her grip to a quick one-armed hug, then let go. Esther swallowed back a fresh wave of tears, then turned and all but ran from the room, before the tears could overtake her once more.

The ride up to the command deck was the longest she'd ever had to bear, worse even than the flight from the chapel, after Virgil had named her the Crown Princess of Albion. She was torn between grief at leaving, being unable to comfort the two siblings suffering through such unbearable sorrow, and fear that she'd miss her one chance to return to her own time.

The door to the lift opened, and Esther stumbled through it, almost at a run. The hallway was familiar, and she turned left as directed. The door to the command deck was open, and a familiar glass tube standing in the corner. Esther raced over to it, seeing the lights dancing on the panel, though the charging panel showed mostly inactive. She turned, found the breaking mask and tank that Seth had mentioned, and slipped them on. Then she climbed into the tube and pulled the door shut with shaking fingers.

It seemed like every second crawled by in an eternity of time. Then, suddenly, she felt something shudder through the ship. The remaining, inactive panels flashed to life. '**Atomic ****Quantum****Temporal ****and ****Physical ****Dislocation ****Device ****now ****activating. ****Charge ****at ****30 ****percent ****required ****for ****long ****range ****usage.**' Light began to gather around her.

Esther's hands clenched into fists. _Dear __Lord,__please __protect __me,__and __let __me __see __everyone __again. __Guide __me __safely __home._

Another shudder passed through the ship. Esther saw, out of the very bottom of the view-screen, something falling. Her stomach lurched, knowing that, somewhere below her, Seth had just thrown Cain out an airlock to burn in the atmosphere. And Abel...

Another shudder rocked through the ship, and a warning sounded. **'Power ****overload. ****Danger ****of ****hull ****breach. ****Power ****rerouting ****and ****safety ****measures ****activating.**' Seconds later, another alarm sounded. '**Now ****activating ****long ****range ****function ****of ****Dislocation ****Device**'.

Below her, a ball of red-gold fire exploded into existence. Esther felt her stomach clench. _I __am...so __sorry._ Then everything disappeared, and she fell once more into the light.

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*** FACT - **Lilith went by many names throughout her time as the defender of human kind. Such names where her most well-known the **Nia Sancta** meaning black saint in Latin, the Holy Woman, Black Madonna, the Dark Saint, 04, Minus Element, Abel's "Lost Lover", "That woman".

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**[*]**- Seeing from different flash backs in the anime and manga at how Lilith was killed and from what we read in the side note spoilers from the late Yoshida Sunao's note. We took once again what we could use along with last newest manga RAWS to come up with a good idea at how Lilith was decapitated even though we have yet to see if there is more detail on her killing in future manga chapters to come or if there any in the novels to show it.

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**smcandy (AN): **I had quite a few readers asking me from the beginning when they read Esther going back to the past just how much of her presence and actions will affect the ongoing present. We'll you see in chapter 35. But I can guarantee but it' does not gonna be enough interference to alter the present cannon timeline.


	54. Thirty-Five: Returned in Time

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Greetings and salutations my fellow readers and fans. **smcandy** here once again speaking with you tachi.

**1#** On Sept. 27th is my birthday not brag or boast but I got this chapter in earlier the other day and so far this best birthday gift I got so far. Thanks so much my dear friend and ongoing writing partner and editor **d****ragonwriter24cmf**. She says she'll have chapter 36 ready sometime this weekend lets cross our fingers that she can make in time. I was beginning to have cyber cobwebs in my brain since it was taking longer than necessary once again for chapter 35 to come but once again my only excuse to say its du' to some more priorities that were highly important on my editors end that needed attending to.

*** **I remind all again whom are not aware of this, there is fan arts done by me and others on my **Deviantart** page for most of the outfits Esther and Seth are wearing along with some others. All you need to do it looking my DA gallery and faves to find them. My deviantart page is located on my main profile page just scroll down to find the link there for you to click on.

**BTW:** This chapter is not one of the longer ones but I think you guys might be happy for what is in store in this one so take care and enjoy reading and leaving your positive and constructive comments/critiques again.

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**(*)** As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

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**Warning:** This fan fiction is rated (M) AKA **Lemon**. This story is **ABSOULTLY NOT** suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. _**I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter**__**. **_

This story contains _strong_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in hand sex, one-sided love, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. If this disturbs you, do not read any further.

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**Notice:** **TBWC** takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons **(****RAM)****, **Reborn on the Mars **(ROM)**. In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. **Trinity Blood** is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you in any form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

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**Trinity Blood: War Continuum** - **Chapter:** **Thirty-Five: Returned in Time**

Esther had no idea how long her 'fall' was. As before, light and impressions washed past her in a dizzying whirl. It was all she could do to hold on to her sense of self.

Finally, she became aware that the light was fading, more the glow of afterimages, rather than blinding glare. Then she became aware that the air was rasping in her mask, that her hands were pressed against something hard, and that she was kneeling, or sitting, on a hard surface.

She opened her eyes cautiously, then blinked as spots danced in front of her vision. She blinked a few more times, and gradually, the room came into focus. She slipped the oxygen mask off and stood, feeling shaky, then focused on the wall in front of her.

She was in the ARK, in the same cylinder. She looked around. The command bridge looked...battered, deserted, yet the lights were functioning, and some of the panels were blinking. The temperature was reasonable, not as cold as when Cain had dragged her to the ARK in her own time. She could see soot stains and damaged paneling on the wall in front of her, but nothing to tell her when she'd arrived.

A creak sounded, from the direction of the door. Esther spun around, losing her balance as a wave of dizziness crashed over her. Firm, slightly cool hands caught her, and she looked up.

Virgil stood there, half in, half out of the cylinder, his hands gentle on her arms. Blue eyes met hers. "Majesty?"

Esther blinked. "Lord Walsh?"

Relief washed over his features, a smile lighting up the normally taciturn visage. "Majesty. It worked." He drew her out of the transportation tube, onto the deck, and flung his jacket around her shoulders. "By the blessed stars...it worked. You've come back." The relief and raw emotion, the joy in his voice, was shocking in one usually so well controlled.

Esther followed him, feeling dazed. The heady mix of relief and happiness, combined with the emotions she'd felt before and the difficulty of the transition made her head spin. Her legs felt rubbery, and she found herself leaning into Virgil's support more than she'd thought she needed to.

"Here. This will help." He braced her with one hand, and held a flask to her lips with the other. Esther sipped and tea, hot and strong and with just the right amount of sugar and cream, flowed down her throat. It warmed her, and steadied her. After the first few swallows, she could hold it on her own, and she didn't feel quite so much like fainting.

She drank half the flask, then looked up at him. "How...how did you know?"

"Well, as to that, we didn't precisely know, but we were rather hopeful." A deep, familiar voice caused her to turn around. The Professor was standing by one of the panels, a wide smile on his face, and a pipe in one hand. "Welcome back Esther."

"No kidding. It's good to see you back safe and sound, Esther." Esther felt her heart hammer into her throat. She blinked again, looking at the figure standing by the Professor's side.

Seth grinned at her, wide green eyes shining with amusement. Esther swallowed hard, memories of a broken body lying in a crater warring with memories of a child she'd seen run down a corridor, what felt like only a few hours ago. She swallowed. "Seth?"

"Of course." Seth grinned. "It's good to see you again. You know, I was afraid this might not work, even though I knew it was supposed to."

Esther swallowed again, feeling close to tears. "But...how? I saw...after what Cain did to you..."

Seth blinked, then a sad sort of smile touched her face. "Sorry. I'd forgotten about that. But...I'm perfectly all right now. It's a bit of a long story, but Abel stepped in to save me." Her gaze shifted past Esther's shoulder. "Speaking of Abel...aren't you even going to say anything, my dear brother?"

"Esther..." The word was so hoarse, so soft, it was barely audible, and yet, somehow, it rang through the room. Esther turned.

Abel stood by the charging panel, his hand on the panel itself. The dark crosses that marked his human form after use of the Crusnik stood out in stark contrast to his pale skin. He was staring at her, his expression that of a drowning man seeing safety, a dying man seeing salvation.

Esther stared at him, her eyes taking in the black cassock, battered from the activation of his powers. Lilith's crucifix, hanging from his neck to just past his waist. Silver hair and blue eyes, and the shocked look of mixed sorrow and desperate hope on his face. Her Abel. Not the Abel of nine hundred years past, but hers.

She was barely conscious of moving forward, of Virgil letting her go. Barely conscious of the roughness of the deck, the shakiness of her legs. All she could see was that slender black-clad form. "Abel..."

She took two more stumbling steps forward, reaching for him, and then he was there, so fast she didn't even see him move. He caught her in his arms, embracing her fiercely, wrapping her in a cocoon of black fabric, scented of ozone, incense and earth. Abel's scent. Abel's warmth. Without thought, her own hands came up to grip the black fabric, wrapping themselves in his shirt as she buried her face in his chest. "Abel!"

"Esther." His voice cracked on the word, overflowing with a wealth of emotions. Love, relief, joy...and more. She could hear the tears breaking in his voice, feel them dripping on her head, but it didn't matter. Her own face was tear-streaked, her heart too full to do anything more than hold on to him like a lifeline. All that mattered was the warmth of his embrace, the love he surrounded her with.

How long they remained like that, Esther couldn't tell. But gradually, she became aware that Abel's cross was digging into her ribcage. And Abel...Abel was shaking, his body trembling against hers. The realization startled her, and set off warning bells in her head. She leaned back, tilting her head back to look into his face.

Abel's face was streaked with tear tracks, though he was no longer weeping. But he was paler than normal. His eyes were closed, his jaw clenched, as if he were in pain. Concerned, Esther reached up to lay a hand on his cheek. "Abel?"

Abel almost flinched from the contact, then the blue eyes blinked open. She saw pain in the crystalline depths, but then he smiled weakly, hiding it from her. "I am...all right." He winced, eyes closing again, as if the very act of speaking had hurt him.

Esther's concern sharpened to worry, and fear. "Abel, please, don't lie to me." She lowered her hand to touch his chest, feeling his racing heartbeat. Abel shuddered again, his arms tightening around her, though not enough to be uncomfortable. She saw him flinch again. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Abel shook his head. "It's all right." The words came slowly, and he sounded as if he were having trouble catching his breath. "It's just...a side effect. I'm sure..." He broke off as another wave of trembling, almost a convulsion, passed through him. He folded his arms around her, embracing her gently. "It's all right. It will...end soon."

Another shudder rocked through him. Then, abruptly, Abel's knees buckled. Esther staggered, caught off balance, trying awkwardly to catch him as he collapsed against her. She managed to keep him from crashing to the floor, but she was too shaky to hold him. She just managed to get her arms around him, then stumbled to her knees, then backward to sit on the floor. "Abel?"

Virgil was beside her in a moment. "Majesty, are you all right?"

Esther nodded. She'd banged a knee going down, and the bruises she'd picked up in the other time were reminding her of their presence. But she had other things to worry about. She looked down at Abel. His head was resting in her lap, the rest of his body sprawled on the floor. He was shaking, his eyes closed and his lower lip caught between his teeth. "Abel..."

Seth and the Professor joined them. Seth stared at her brother in dismay. "Abel, I thought I told you not to push it too far!" She sat down beside her brother, taking one of his hands in hers. There were tears glittering in her eyes. "You idiot...why must you always be so stubborn.?"

Esther's stomach clenched. "What's wrong with him?"

"It's feedback." On Abel's other side, Professor Wordsworth was staring at his friends' body, frowning slightly. At Esther's look of incomprehension, he continued. "In an ordinary Methuselah, if you drain them of too much blood or energy, it produces the Thirst. While Crusniks can suffer a similar phenomenon, the relationship between the human host and the Crusnik is far more...independent. Rather more like a split personality. This makes it possible for Abel to force his Crusnik into activation, even if he technically isn't strong enough. It also allows him, under most circumstances, to control the blood lust. However, this..." He gestured to Abel's body. "This is the result of trying to use too much power, without compensation. It's a sort of biofeedback, or backlash. Rather like stretching a rubber band too far, and having it snap against your fingers, but a great deal worse."

Esther winced. "Isn't there anything we can do?"

"There is." Virgil was already unbuttoning one sleeve and rolling it up. "It's possible this will pass on its own. But a blood donation will calm him more quickly, and ease his pain."

Seth frowned. "That's a bit risky. With Abel in this state...besides, you've already been his donor recently, and you know Abel's rules about that."

Virgil frowned, ever so slightly. "Nonetheless..."

Esther looked back down at Abel's pale, drawn face. Lines of weariness and pain drew furrows on his countenance. Absently, she brushed his hair back from his face, running her fingers across his brow. At her touch, Abel blinked, and opened his eyes again. Chagrin and shame swept over his face, and he raised one shaking hand. "I'm sorry, Esther. Sorry about this." He winced again. "I...this isn't..."

"I know. Shh...it's all right." She took his trembling fingers in her hand, smiling gently. The smile pulled in the place where she'd split her lip, but she didn't mind. Then she froze, blinking as a thought occurred to her. She ran her tongue across the inside of her mouth, wincing as she found the place where she'd bitten the inside of her cheek bloody, those final hours in the past. Experimentally, she bit down lightly, and was rewarded with a sting and the coppery taste of blood in her mouth.

"Esther?" Abel was looking at her in concern. "Esther?" He made a move as if to sit up, and she touched his shoulder, pushing him back down.

"Shh...it's all right." She bit the inside of her cheek a little harder, feeling the blood pooling in her mouth, then she cupped the side of his face gently with one hand and leaned forward to kiss him.

They were both in awkward positions, but she managed. She felt Abel's hand trembling in hers, deepened the kiss, then parted her lips and let the blood flow from her mouth to his. Abel stiffened, but she felt him swallow convulsively, too shocked to do anything else. His hand tightened over hers. She thought he would have pulled away, if he could have.

The cut in her cheek sealed over fairly quickly. Esther held the kiss for a few more seconds, then sat up. Abel met he gaze, a stricken expression on his face. "Esther...I..."

She smiled and put one finger to his lips to stop the apology. "I know. But I wanted to help you, all right."

He shivered. "I...you shouldn't have to...you just returned to us and I..." He shivered again, then pulled free of her hands and Seth's to sit up. Virgil moved out of the way. Abel pushed himself shakily to upright, then to his feet. "I...I...if it were possible, I would have preferred your homecoming to be different. I would have liked...not to ask that of you at all, let alone when just after you came home to us." His head bowed. "I'm sorry, Esther."

She shook her head, still smiling, then got to her feet and moved forward to lay a hand on his shoulder. "It's all right. There's no need to apologize, Abel." She looked up into his haunted eyes. "It's all right, really. I wanted to help you." She leaned into him, glad he didn't pull away. "You've always been there for me. And...you kept your promise, didn't you? That you would find me, even if it took you till the end of time, you promised you would come for me. And you did. So...you shouldn't be unhappy about needing help."

For a moment, she thought he wasn't listening. Then, slowly, his shoulders relaxed. "Well, if you insist...I suppose I'll just have to let it go." He turned to face her, his arm around her shoulder. "Thank you, Esther, love."

The last word warmed her better than Virgil's tea. She smiled, leaning into the warmth of his arms once more as exhaustion swept over her.

Abel caught her gently in his arms, then shifted his grip and lifted her, picking her up and cradling her to his chest. Esther blinked, at him, her mind suddenly hazy with sleepiness. "You...you shouldn't be..." She swallowed, trying to clear her head, and made a movement to stand. "You're so..."

Abel's soft laugh cut her off. "It's fine. Trust me. Even if my nano-machines _are_ somewhat depleted, I still have more than enough energy to carry you to our ship." The gentle laughter, the hint of amusement in his voice, reassured her more than anything he could say. She relaxed, feeling the firmness of his grip. His hands were steady, no longer shaking. Esther sighed, and let herself settle into his arms.

She heard a soft chuckle, the Professor's baritone. "Well, I can safely say the mission was a success. However, I'd recommend leaving, before we attract unwanted attention."

"Rigiht. I'll shut everything down." Esther closed her eyes, but she heard the quick light tap of Seth's boots, and a slightly more distinctive tread that she thought was Virgil. She cracked her eyes open to see Seth and Virgil working at panels on opposite sides of the deck, flipping switches methodically. All around the bridge, the lights dimmed, flickered, and went out. Seth tapped one last console, then turned away. "It's shut down for now. I'll key in the final locking sequence as we leave."

"All right." Abel's voice was soft, but Esther felt it vibrate through her shoulder where she was curled against him. She felt Abel shift slightly, settling her weight a little more firmly in his arms. Then they were moving, Abel's strides smooth and even as he carried her through the darkened passageways. Esther snuggled into his chest. The adrenalin of her experiences was fading, and though she wasn't quite asleep, she did allow herself to relax and close her eyes again, listening to the click of boot heels on metal, and the gentle sounds of Abel's steady breathing and heartbeat.

They stopped for a moment, and Esther heard a deep, vibrating rumble that she vaguely recognized as the outside doors. A blast of colder air hit her, and she shivered, fingers going automatically to the edges of the long coat Virgil had wrapped around her. Abel's arms tightened, drawing her closer to his warmth. "It's all right, Esther. We'll be on board the ship soon."

She heard the crunch of footsteps on stone as Abel moved quickly away from the door. Then a hiss, and the click of metal, and the angle of his grip changed. Esther cracked her eyes open to see. They were ascending a ramp into a mid-sized craft, apparently of Vatican design. Abel carried her briskly up the ramp, into the hatch. The others followed them seconds later, and Virgil closed the doorway. Instantly, the air felt warmer. Esther relaxed, feeling Abel do the same.

Seth spoke softly from Abel's right. "You might as well take her to your quarters, Abel. Esther looks pretty worn out, and you aren't far behind, after all. I'm sure Lord Walsh and I can take care of launching the ship. You should just relax, okay?"

Abel sighed. "I suppose you're right." His voice was rueful. "If you're sure..."

"Abel, if you don't head for your quarters, within the next ten seconds, I shall tranquilize you myself." There was no heat, no tension in Williams voice, but Esther thought he sounded oddly serious.

"All right." Abel settled Esther into his arms a little more firmly, then turned. Esther felt him walking, heard the echo of his boots. She opened her eyes a little further, to see the narrow hallway they were striding through. Then Abel stopped, shifting her weight slightly toward his shoulder as he freed one hand to tap a door panel. The door slid open, revealing a modest chamber housing a small desk and a reasonably sized bed.

Abel slipped inside, then moved forward. Esther thought he might set her on the bed, but instead, he settled onto the mattress, still holding her, sliding back until he was leaning against the pillows. Esther felt him settle in, then blinked hazily at him. "Abel?"

Abel smiled at her, and one hand moved to stroke her hair. He folded his arms loosely around her, arranging his position so that she was settled in his lap, curled against his chest. Then he leaned forward and kissed her gently. "Just rest love."

Those words, spoken with that voice, were all the encouragement she needed. Esther relaxed and settled against Abel's chest. A part of her wanted to know how long she'd been gone from her own time, and what had happened. But the aftermath of the tumult she'd experienced in the other time, and the relief she felt at being home, being in Abel's arms, was overwhelming. In spite of her questions, Esther felt her eyes closing, as Abel's warm embrace, and the gentle beat of his heart lulled and soothed her. She let her head rest against Abel's chest, and within moments, she was asleep.

**8888888888**

Esther woke sometime later, aware of a slight crick in her shoulder, and a need to use the restroom. She felt warmer, though, and much more alert. Her stomach rumbled, and she opened her eyes cautiously.

She was still curled in Abel's embrace. He had wrapped his arms loosely around her, and she was settled in his lap, his knees to either side of her. Esther stretched carefully within the circle of his arms, to let him know she was awake, but Abel didn't move. She blinked, then tilted her head gently back to look up into his face.

Abel's eyes were closed, his head bowed slightly over hers, his long bangs tickling her face. His breathing was slow, but steady and even. Esther called his name softly, but he didn't stir. Esther smiled, realizing he'd fallen asleep holding her. She worked one arm free, and gently brushed the silver hair back from his face.

Abel didn't respond, too deeply asleep. Esther studied his face for a moment, noting the lines of weariness that slashed across it. Then, moving carefully, she worked her arm out from underneath his and gently worked her way free of his embrace, moving slowly so she wouldn't startle him awake. She half expected Abel to rouse at every movement, but there was no sign of awareness.

Finally, Esther worked herself free and scooted off his lap. As she did, Abel frowned in his sleep, pain crossing his expression. Esther froze, then reached out and took his hand. "It's all right. I'll be right back."

"Esther..." It was barely a breath, hardly a word, but the pain and sorrow in it made her heart ache. She reached back her other hand and brushed his face again. "It's all right. I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

Abel relaxed, his lean frame leaning awkwardly to one side. Esther continued to soothe him a moment longer, then rose carefully from the bed. She waited a moment, to be sure he was all right, then turned away, toward a small door she hadn't had the presence of mind to notice before.

The door proved to lead to a small bathroom. Esther relieved herself, then took a moment to splash some cold water over her face. She toweled away the moisture on her face, then paused a moment, looking into the small mirror over the sink.

Her hair was longer than she'd ever worn it before, past the shoulders. With everything that had happened, she couldn't remember the last time she'd had it even trimmed. She thought it might have been while she was on the station, but there had been no time for things like that when she'd been helping Lilith. Not that she remembered, anyway. Aside from that, her face was pale, except for the fading bruise on her cheek, and a few scrapes she'd received in the fighting. The angles of her chin and the hollows of her cheeks looked more pronounced than she thought she remembered. She sighed, and pushed the thoughts away, remembering Abel's loving smile as he embraced her. She patted the last droplets of water away, then returned to the other room.

Abel was still sprawled against the pillows, but his face was tense, as if he were having troubling dreams. Esther hesitated, then settled back on the bed. Abel looked so uncomfortable, his body tilted at an angle, his head hanging sideways and forwards. She thought a moment, then settled herself against the pillows and embraced him, drawing him to her until Abel was lying with his head in her lap, the rest of him sprawled in a tangled heap over the covers, a slightly more comfortable version of the way she'd held him on the bridge of the ARK. She started to lean forward, perhaps throw a blanket over him, but Abel stirred and moaned softly, so she settled back, brushing her fingers gently over his face. His right hand shifted, flung up near his head, and she touched his wrist softly. Abel's fingers curled around hers, and the tension went out of his face.

Esther smiled as Abel relaxed, glad she could bring him some peace. Her finger stroked idly over his brow, pushing back his disordered hair. He hadn't tied it back, so it fell over his shoulders and back in wild abandon. She brushed it away, noting how his cheekbones stood out sharply in his face, even in profile. He was thinner than she remembered as well, nearly gaunt, his cassock looser on him than it should have been. The hand that curled in hers was leaner than it should have been, and she could feel the bones of his hand under the skin and muscle. It worried her, but there was nothing she could do about it. She wondered again, how long she'd been absent, and what had happened during that time. What he'd endured. Her eyes went again to the lines drawn in his countenance, lines of strain that even sleep couldn't erase.

The door hissed open, startling her from her thoughts. She looked up as Seth and William stepped into the room. Both of them stopped at the sight of her, cradling Abel's head. Then Seth leaned down to take off her boots. To her surprise, William did the same, then put his hand on Seth's shoulder, tucking the cane in his left hand under his arm.

Seth settled moved forward until she was at the edge of the bed, then leaned carefully onto her elbows. "Well, it looks like Abel really is asleep." Her voice was a low whisper, but Abel didn't even twitch.

"Yes. And I don't think you need to be quite so careful." Esther smiled. "I've already been moving around quite a bit, and he hasn't woken yet."

"That's excellent news." William smiled, then leaned forward to look at Abel's hand, resting on the sheets. "I see his marks have gone as well."

"Have they?" Seth bounced up onto her toes, then leaned forward to examine her brother's face. She studied him a moment, then a broad smile crossed her face. "Well, that's certainly a relief. Abel's finally really relaxed then."

"It appears he has." William pulled a case from his pocket, then withdrew a hypodermic kit from his other pocket and placed it inside. "I suppose that means that this won't be necessary. Thank goodness, I was getting a little nervous about the dosage, even with Abel's unique metabolism."

Esther swallowed hard, her nearly forgotten unease coiling in her stomach. "Father Wordsworth...what is that?"

"Oh, this?" He glanced down at the needle in his hands, the blinked. "Oh, yes, silly me. Of course, you wouldn't know." He glanced at Abel, then at Esther and finally at Seth. Seth gave him a small nod. "This is a sleeping medication we've had Abel on for some time. Why don't I let Seth tell you all about it, while I go fetch you some food, and something to drink?"

Esther nodded. "Thank you, Father."

"Nonsense. It's nothing. And you're quite free to call me William, you know." He smiled and went to the door, then looked back over his shoulder. "I'll be back in just a few moments." Then he leaned against the door, slipped his shoes on, and vanished down the hall.

Seth smiled after him, then settled herself on the edge of the bed, careful not to disturb her brother. "I imagine, now that you're awake, that you have quite a number of questions."

"Yes." Esther looked down at Abel's face. "Father Wordsworth...he said...that was sleeping medication?" She had so many other questions she wanted to ask, but that was the only one she could seem to force to her tongue.

Seth nodded. "Abel was...well, he was very distressed when we lost you." She reached out to brush her brother's brow. "It's been over half a year, since I've seen Abel without Lilith's brands on him." She ran her fingers through Abel's silver hair, love and concern on her young face. "Abel...he's been fighting so hard...after you vanished, we nearly lost him. Abel wouldn't eat, wouldn't sleep...he barely even spoke to anyone. It took all our efforts to get him to respond. Honestly, if Rosenkreutz hadn't kicked up a fuss, and Lord Walsh hadn't needed him in Albion, I rather think we might have failed. But...even after Abel emerged from his shell...he was still...in very poor condition. I wasn't sure we could hold him, but we finally convinced him to at least try to remain functional. I'm afraid we told him that we needed him to be strong, if we ever managed to get you back."

Esther nodded. "And the medication...?"

Seth sighed. "Abel couldn't sleep. Even he noticed how severe it was, what it was doing to him. Six months ago, he allowed us to start sedating him, to prevent him from losing too much control."

"I see." Esther swallowed hard, feeling a lump in her throat. Her mind went back to the conversation she'd heard on the ship. "You said...when Lord Walsh offered Abel his blood...something about Abel's rules?"

Seth grimaced. "Abel's control has been...rather tenuous. There's been a lot of fighting, so it hasn't been too bad, but...as I said, his power has been continually active for over six months. I know my brother tried to control it, but his emotions..." She looked up at Esther, a sad smile on her face. "It really did break his heart, when you vanished. He was afraid you were dead. Honestly, I don't think he's been quite sane since then." She sighed again. "Abel's needed a lot more blood to control himself. He fought it for a while, but about the same time he started permitting us to sedate him, he started accepting people's help. But he's rather insistent on making sure no one is harmed. He won't let anyone help him more than once a month. He hasn't really needed it, actually, but still..."

Esther nodded, looking down at the silver-haired man. "Well, I can't say I'm not worried for him, but I'm glad he's let everyone help him. And even if it puts him at risk, or gives him trouble...if he's made rules like that...it's a good thing, isn't it? It means he's still...still himself."

Seth nodded. "That's what we thought. That's why no one's protested, so far. And His Holiness has been keeping Cardinal di Medici away from him." Esther blinked. Seth caught her questioning look and made another face. "Abel had to reveal a bit of his connection to Cain, and to the past, in order to get the Council to listen to him. Di Medici's been trying to corner my brother ever since."

Esther swallowed hard. She knew what Cardinal di Medici was like, and what he'd likely do to Abel. And given the condition Seth had described Abel being in...She felt another lump in her throat.

Seth reached across and patted her hand. "Sorry. I know this is all rather hard to take. You've had a bit of a shock. Probably a fair number of them, and not just now, either."

Esther shook her head, feeling tears sting her eyes. "No. I was..." The words threatened to choke her.

"You were in the past." Seth's voice was quiet. Esther's head shot up. Seth gave her a small smile. "I do remember you, you know. But I couldn't be sure that it was you, not when I first met you. To be honest, I'd mostly forgotten, over nine hundred years, until Abel gave you that locket. I wondered then, if it was you. And after I heard how you disappeared in the machine, and William told me what had happened, I was sure. But it took rather more effort than I was expecting, to get you back. Even with the notes and hints I had."

Esther swallowed hard, again. Her mind felt frozen, trying to catch up with all the implications of what Seth had said. She couldn't seem to find any words, not for the questions she wanted to ask, or the things she needed to say. Finally, she managed two words. "I'm sorry."

Seth blinked. "Why are you apologizing?"

"I left you there, to take care of everything on your own. Back then..." The lump in her throat choked off all her words.

Seth shook her head. "It's all right. After all, you couldn't have done much if you'd stayed. Actually, my followers, and those loyal to my brothers probably would have assumed you did everything, betrayed Lilith and hurt Cain and Abel, and they would have killed you. It was difficult enough as it was. And in a situation like that, I don't think even you could have reached Brother Abel. After all, he simply didn't know you that well, back then." She patted Esther's hand again. "And if you hadn't gone when you did, who knows if we would have been able to retrieve you?" She smiled. "I much prefer having you here, to save my brother, than I would seeing you die back then."

Esther found a tremulous smile of her own to return. "I suppose you're right. But still...I feel like I ought to apologize. Everything you went through..."

Seth sighed. "Well, I don't think it would have improved matters if you'd tried to change them. Besides...it creates a bit of a paradox, you know, and that's really not safe, when you're messing around with time. You can apologize to Abel, if it makes you feel better, but I'm pretty sure he'll say the same thing."

That much she knew was true. Abel had always forgiven her, for everything. Any pain she caused him, even to his own death. She stroked the silver hair, smiling sadly at him. She still wanted to apologize.

The thought about death reminded her, and she looked up. "When I...before, when Cain took me...you were..." Her throat closed up around the words. It had been a year, more or less, for her, but the wounds remained fresh.

Seth grimaced. "Well, I was in pretty bad shape. Cain really did come close to killing me, that's for sure. But I'm a bit stubborn, you know, and so is Brother Abel. Although...I'm afraid I gave him a bad time of it."

Esther blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

"Abel really was worried. I'm a lot younger than he and Cain, after all. Astha told me he was pretty frightened that I'd go crazy, like Cain did." She reached out to brush her brother's face. "I don't know if I could have done it in his place, although...I suppose telling Caterina exactly what to do for him might count."

Esther felt the pieces click into place. "Abel...did he give you a transfusion?"

Seth nodded. "Abel gave me his blood, and his powers. Of course, that means he also gave me Lilith's strength as well. It's a bit frightening, when I think about it. But Abel made me like him." Seth sighed, and rocked back in her seat on the bed, bringing one foot up to wrap her small hands around her knees. "I rather think I gave Baibars a bit of a start, when I bit him. But he keeps insisting it's quite all right. If this is how Brother Abel feels when he has to drink, then I'm not surprised he's so reluctant."

Esther felt relief flooding through her. "Well, I'm glad you're all right. And that the Duke of Khartoum was there to care for you."

Seth grinned. "Not just the Duke of Khartoum, actually. Astha helped Abel with the original fusion. Abel told me that himself, when he explained what happened. She actually hit him for telling me, she was so embarrassed. And that's to say nothing of Alessandro."

Esther blinked, confused. "His Holiness?"

Seth's grin widened. "You know, I had him figured as the shy, quiet type, rather a bit like Abel pretends to be. But that kid's got quite a bit of spunk, even if he does twitch around loud noises."

Esther blinked again. "I don't understand...what did His Holiness do?"

Seth smirked. "After the fighting died down, Abel took us all back to the Vatican. Even with Baibar's blood, I was in pretty bad shape. They weren't sure it would be safe to take me to the Empire in that condition. So they contacted Mirka and took me to the Vatican, to Caterina, and began taking care of things from there. I was asleep at the time." She made a face. "Abel's the only one I know of who went from fusion into battle mode. Even Cain slept a few days." Her green eyes met Esther's. "I guess it's because Abel really had something to fight for, that night."

Esther nodded, her fingers twining involuntarily with his. "Yes."

Seth sighed, then the smile reappeared. "Well, Caterina took fairly good care of us, got my people and I settled in the visitor's wing, and Abel. He wasn't doing much at that point, but I understand that she at least made him sit down. But anyway, the Professor decided to tell the Council I'd been injured and suffered severe blood loss, and was in a coma until I could recover." Seth shrugged. "That was actually pretty close to the truth. But that kid..." She smiled. "That kid came down to see me, the second or third night, I guess. Honestly, I don't know how he got his guards or mine to leave him alone. I think that knight, Brother Petros, picked a fight with Baibars. But Alessandro, he came to see me, and then he did something rather brave."

Esther frowned in curiosity. "What did he do?"

Seth grinned. "He gave me his blood. Just sliced open his hand and gave it to me." She rocked backward thoughtfully. "I think Alessandro must be like you, a bit. Normally, a human's blood wouldn't make much difference for me, but I was well the next evening."

Esther stared at the small girl, her mind reeling. "His Holiness...gave you blood."

"Yes he did. It caused quite an upset in the Vatican." Esther turned at the sound of Williams voice, watching as he elbowed the door open, a tray in his hands. Seth jumped up from her seat and grabbed it. William steadied himself against the door frame, then removed his shoes once more and stepped into the room. "Lady Caterina was rather proud of His Holiness. Cardinal di Medici was incensed, of course, and the rest of the Council was rather shocked." He chuckled softly. "To be honest, I found it rather touching. It even shook Abel out of his shock, for a day or two."

Seth grinned. "Well, I'm rather grateful to him. And really, as gestures go, it did a lot for us, especially the Alliance. I mean, with an action like that...there wasn't anyone who could really talk about Methuselah-Terran hatreds with a straight face. Well, aside from that Cardinal. And then, after Virgil offered his assistance to Caterina, and all that..."

William smiled as he settled himself on the edge of the bed. "Yes. There's no denying it turned out well." He took the teapot, and deftly poured three teas, then handed one cup and a plate to Esther. "Here you go. The supplies are rather limited, I'm afraid, but this will tie you over until we return to the Vatican."

Esther nodded and took a long sip of the tea, more of Virgil's hot, sweet brew. She took a few more drinks, then began to eat the food the Professor had given her. It was only a few sandwiches, thick roast beef, but it was good. And given that she hadn't eaten in nearly a day, she suspected she wouldn't have cared if it had been three-day old soup and crackers, or porridge and stale bread. As it was, the warmth of the tea, the food in her stomach, and the presence of her companions served to take the last cold knots out of her gut, and clear the fog from her mind. She let her thoughts drift as she ate, going over everything Seth had told her, the comments William had made before, and on the station.

She was relieved Seth was all right, relieved beyond words. She'd been terrified that she'd return, only to find the Empress, Abel's sister, dead. Likewise, she'd been afraid he'd be lost to madness. From the sound of it, he had come terribly close, and her heart ached for the suffering he must have endured, worrying and grieving for her.

She wanted nothing more to curl up with Abel, to sit with him till he woke, then reassure him. To hold his hand and apologize, for all his anguish. To relax and forget everything but them. But here, in this time, she was the Queen of Albion, a leader of the Alliance, a member of the AX. Much though she wished otherwise, there were other concerns she had to deal with.

Seth and William had both mentioned that there had been fighting. And that Rosenkreutz had kicked up a fuss. And Abel had been unstable enough to be sedated for over six months. She'd been gone quite some time then. Which meant that Albion was most likely in trouble, though she knew she'd given Mary and Virgil powers to govern in her absence, in her letter when she'd gone out hunting the Order. Both her advisers were capable and skilled, but she knew that the country's morale would be damaged at the loss of a monarch, no matter how good her advisers were.

Esther finished the last bite of her sandwich and washed it down with another swallow of tea. Seth and the Professor had both been quiet while she ate. William reached forward and topped off her cup with a smile. "Feeling better?"

"Yes. Thank you." Esther swallowed again. "If you don't mind..."

Seth grinned. "Of course we don't. I know you asked about Abel first, but we know you probably have lots of questions. So then, what do you want to know?"

"Well, first off...how long was I gone?"

"Just over a year." Williams voice was soft, as if he was trying to soften the blow. "It's just now March, the year after you vanished."

"I see." She thought she'd feel more disoriented, but she'd been in the past with the children for a few months, and as Lilith's aide for several more. "And Albion?"

"Albion has survived relatively intact, though not without problems." William sighed. "It's been rather difficult, I'm afraid."

Esther nodded. "I was afraid it would be."

Seth sighed. "It's rather lucky, you know, that you wrote them that letter when you went off hunting Abel that one time. Otherwise, they might have had a riot on their hands. Fortunately, Lord Walsh still had that. We had to blank out the part saying where you were going, but at least it gave them some support."

"Quite right." William pulled out a pipe, though he made no attempt to light it, or even to stick it in his mouth. "And in a way, Rosenkreutz coming into the open has also done us a favor in that regard." He glanced at Esther. "The official story given to the court is that you were targeted by the Order, for foiling several of their schemes, both as a Sister and as the Queen of Albion, and that we removed you to a safe location under guard, while we attempted to get a handle on the situation. We've let slip rumors that you're in a secluded location guarded both by the Empire and the Vatican. And that, in order to protect you, we've been changing your guards regularly, to prevent anyone from knowing our exact schedule, or who's with you."

Esther felt a surge of relief. "That's good."

Seth grinned. "It's pretty clever. I'm rather surprised I never thought of that. Although, it really is easier simply to slip out in disguise, at least for me." She sighed, and her amusement slipped away. "Unfortunately, Rosenkreutz is good at spreading rumors as well."

Esther felt ice go down her spine. "What do you mean?"

William sighed. "There have been several ugly rumors floating around. They haven't come to much, quite yet, but it's getting worse all the time."

Esther swallowed. "What rumors?"

"The first was that you had defected to the Vatican, or the Empire, and were intending to sell Albion to the highest bidder. However, too many people witnessed the Alliance proceedings. Besides, with the uneven footing that would create, even the densest lord on either side realized there would be a great deal of fighting. Unfortunately, the other rumors are much harder to dispel."

Seth nodded. "There's one that you were captured by Rosenkreutz because you're secretly their agent, and you wanted to be taken. And one that Lord Walsh and Colonel Spencer were actually traitors, and allowed you to be taken so they could control the government. There was even one that you'd died, and the church was trying to cover it up, to gain power in Albion."

Esther swallowed hard, feeling her shoulders tense with mingled outrage and hurt. "I see." She set her tea down, suddenly too upset to drink any more.

Seth reached across and patted her hand gently. "I know it sounds bad, Esther, but it's not as bad as it could be, you know. Certainly not quite as bad as that hardliner plot we had to take care of, when I first met you." Her eyes glittered with warmth and understanding, and Esther relaxed a little.

"She's right." William smiled encouragingly. "There's been some trouble, but we've been remarkably fortunate. Especially since you happen to have two stewards, rather than one, and of rather diverse natures."

Esther blinked. "What do you mean?"

Seth grinned. "Well, we worked a bit of misdirection, to make them think you were still around. Mirka's rather good at forging signatures, you know, with all the practice I've given her. She's been meeting with your Colonel Spencer every so often, to sign things that have to have a monarch's signature. I don't think your advisers were too happy with that, and I know Lord Walsh and Colonel Spencer kept records in triplicate for you to go over, but it's at least kept the illusion that you were around."

Esther nodded. She wasn't too fond of the idea of someone forging her signature either, but she knew that neither Mary or Virgil would have even taken something before her, or Mirka, if they hadn't been sure it was a worthy prospect. And she knew Mirka was absolutely trustworthy as well. Despite the Duchess's penchant for teasing people, she was very level-headed, intelligent, and well-versed in playing the role of a sovereign's double. "And...the other rumors?"

"We've had a bit of trouble with those." William sighed. "Colonel Spencer is, unfortunately, a known supporter of the church, and a friend to His Holiness, after her part as his escort in Albion. And, while we've tried to prevent the information from spreading, it is a fact that Lady Walsh did have some rather unfortunate dealings with Rosenkreutz, though at the time she was unaware of their identity or their purpose. And, of course, there is the fact that both she and the Count of Manchester are Methuselah." He shook his head, then smiled grimly. "However, I think we've managed to at least stem the concerns of your people, for the most part."

Seth nodded. "We switched their envoy positions. Colonel Spencer agreed to work with Mirka, and Lord Walsh has been a guest of the Vatican for months now." She grinned. "The Colonel is well known for her skill against rogue vampires, and the Cardinal di Medici threw a rather public fit when Cardinal Sforza and that kid, the pope, invited Virgil into the Vatican the first time. No one thinks that Colonel Spencer would sell out to the Empire, or that Lord Walsh would sell them out to the Church, if he even could. And with both of them so closely involved with the Alliance, they could hardly betray anyone to Rosenkreutz."

Esther nodded. She could see the wisdom in that. "And...the rumor that I..defected to sell the country to the Order?"

"Well, we've managed to dispel part of it with the documents you've supposedly signed. For the rest of it...well, Abel's been our best advocate for that." William looked at the silver-haired man lying between them. "His concern for you, and his rather violent reaction to Rosenkreutz...well, there aren't many who would believe that you were a traitor, not after watching him."

Esther swallowed another lump in her throat. "I see." She looked down at Abel's still face, and ran her fingers through the soft silver hair. _Even when he mourned for me, he was doing so much, to make sure I came home, and to a place of safety._ She leaned over, and placed a gentle kiss on Abel's brow. _Thank you, love. _

They sat in silence for a moment, as Esther tried to gather her thoughts. "You said...Rosenkreutz came out into the open?"

"Quite." William grimaced. "We've fielded several attacks in different cities, either by members of the Order, or by terrorists we know to be their allies. Aside from the rumors we've been facing, there's been several vicious assaults. Even with our combined forces, we're spread a bit thin. And with all the uncertainty in Albion, we've been forced to keep most of those troops out of the fighting."

Seth nodded. "We've had at least one attack in every country, to say nothing of the rumors. And there's a lot of civil unrest. Even among the people who haven't lost a ruler. With the terrorist attacks, no one really feels safe, you know. Abel's been our best weapon, with his abilities, but he can't do everything."

"Quite true." William sighed. "We've been mostly fighting on the defensive. Caterina doesn't have enough agents to keep an eye on everything. And, of course, there are rulers such as Ludwig of Germanicus, who simply refuse to cooperate."

Seth nodded. "We had a real problem in the Amsterdam area for a while, as well. I understand that everything's been a bit chaotic over there anyway, but it was fairly tense." She sighed. "Fortunately, Caterina got that Sword Dancer guy, and a couple of the locals, to start working together. It's tense, but we haven't had any major eruptions there for a few months. Which is lucky, considering what else happened."

Esther felt her muscles tense. "What else happened?"

William grimaced. "The Order of Rosenkreutz made a direct attempt on Lady Caterina."

Esther froze, a sick feeling hitting her stomach. "They did? Is Lady Caterina..."

William held up a hand. "Not to worry. Lady Caterina is quite all right. She did suffer some minor injuries, however, she's fully recovered."

Seth snorted. "That's rather more than can be said for you, Professor. Honestly, if I didn't need your help with the repairs, from where Abel and I blew the systems to stop Cain, then I would have left you in the Infirmary. And once we get back..."

William shook his head. "I know, I know. I promise I'll submit to the Doctor's orders, and let Havel keep an eye on me. Though you've done a wonderful job, I must admit." He smiled. "I've hardly felt anything, even when I went to get the tray."

Esther listened to the older man speaking, her heart heavy. "Professor...are you all right? What happened?"

"What...oh, sorry about that." He smiled and reached across to pat her hand comfortingly. "I'm fine, honestly. A bit sore I suppose, but nothing that won't mend. As to what happened...well, as I said, the Order decided to try and get Lady Caterina out of the way. The fact that they didn't succeed is something we owe you our deepest thanks for."

Esther blinked. "Me? But I..."

"You warned us about all the Order members we didn't know of. Admittedly, the Ice Witch is rather distinctive, and I know enough about Isaac's signature to detect him fairly well. But as it happens, neither of those were the person chosen to attack us." The Professor sighed.

Esther swallowed. "Was it Dietrich?"

"No." Seth grimaced. "Actually, it was one of the ones even I've never seen."

William nodded. "Kaspar von Neumann."

Esther's stomach did a slow, nauseating flip. "The one...the one they said could...could disguise himself as anyone."

"Quite right." Williams face was grim. "Apparently, he inserted himself into the Inquisition troops returning from battle. Once he'd arrived at the Vatican, he killed two novices, in order to heighten the security." Williams hand tightened on the pipe. "A rather ingenious strategy, I have to admit. With heightened security, the Inquisition would be deployed all over the Vatican, and every major official in the building is assigned more guards. All he had to do was wait until his path crossed Caterina's."

Seth made a face. "I wondered why he didn't go after anyone else. Both His Holiness and I were at the Vatican as well."

William shook his head. "It's my guess that he didn't attack you because there wasn't much chance he could have overpowered both you and your guards. Your powers alone would have stopped him before he even made an attempt. As for His Holiness...while he is indeed a powerful figure, it's a well-known fact that he did not spearhead the Alliance, and that, despite the growth he's shown over the past two years, he's still likely to bend to his older siblings more forceful personalities. And if Caterina dies, Francesco would tear the Alliance apart in a heartbeat. Not to mention, Caterina's guards are AX members, and therefore, mostly human. He probably thought Abel was the only one he had to worry about."

Esther swallowed a lump in her throat, remembering the Methuselah. "That's true. He would think like that. Most of the Order would."

William nodded. "And Abel spent a great deal of time either fighting or incapacitated entirely."

Seth nodded. "I borrowed brother Abel, to see if I could help him out a little bit, and to get his help on getting you back. Williams very smart, but Abel has more practice with the computers and the equations I needed. Not to mention, we had to shut down the ARK so Cain couldn't try to sneak on board and use it as a weapon. I can't do that without Abel's clearances."

"Precisely." William frowned and shifted, as if slightly uncomfortable. "About a week after the murders, von Neumann made his move. He gained entry to the Cardinal's wing by claiming he had some reports to deliver, then attacked Caterina in her office. Fortunately for her Grace, both Havel and I were already there, working with her on our own reports." He grimaced. "As it was, we barely had any time to respond. Havel managed to get Caterina to safety, then returned to aid me. I took a few wounds during the initial scuffle."

Seth snorted. "You're worse than Abel. At least when _he_ says three cracked ribs and a nicked artery is minor, it's because he has the Crusnik to heal the wounds. Not to mention the damage he did to that one leg."

William shifted his right leg, wincing as he did so. "I hardly need you to remind me of that." He sighed. "Be that as it may, Havel and I managed to drive him off, although Havel was too concerned with getting me to treatment to capture him."

Esther nodded. "I think I'm rather glad about that. I think...well, I know I'd miss your company, and I think a lot of other people would too. And I know Abel's always considered you a very good friend."

"Thank you." William smiled warmly. "As it happens, I'm not really complaining. Sister Kate gave me a very stern lecture as well." He sighed, the smile slipping away. "Unfortunately, due to that little scuffle, von Neumann apparently decided I was more of a barrier to his assignment than anyone else."

Esther felt her breath nearly stop in her throat. "He came after you? While you were injured?"

"Quite." The Professor smiled, a grim, tight smile. "The man really is quite a master of disguises. Fortunately for me, he made one rather grievous error." He bit on his pipe stem for a moment. "He guessed, correctly I might add, that I would be suspicious of anyone I didn't know well, so he chose to approach me in Lady Caterina's form. Unfortunately, he assumed we had a rather closer relationship than we actually do."

Esther blinked. "I beg your pardon, Father?"

Seth snorted. "He means that von Neumann assumed he and Lady Caterina were lovers, or something like that."

Esther blushed, and William smirked. "Exactly. Lady Caterina and I have been close friends for many years, I'll grant you, but neither one of us has ever expressed, or even felt, the slightest inclination to take it any further than that."

Esther flushed further. "So when...when he came to attack you..."

"I'll confess he got a bit closer than I would have preferred. However...he showed his hand too soon. I was able to dodge, though just barely, and trigger the emergency alarm." The Professor grimaced again.

Esther nodded. "So what happened?"

"Havel was attending to something else, but Lady Caterina came to my rescue." Williams grim smile reappeared on his face. "As often as she tends to dress up, it's rather easy to forget, but Lady Caterina is known as the 'Lady of Steel' with good reason."

"No kidding." Seth grinned. "I've seen her fight, and I'm pretty sure brother Abel had a hand in her training, even if he didn't teach her directly."

"Quite. Of course, she can't be seen sparring, as it's not a fit occupation for a lady, nor can she be seen associating too often with the normal clergy. But Abel has been closer than her shadow for years, and one of the first things he taught all of us in the AX, was how to look out for our Lady, and how to teach her to protect herself." William smiled. "I honestly can't say which is more amazing, how well he handled it, or how few of our number ever realized that he was doing so."

Esther knew what they meant, but she was still worried. "Father..."

William made a rueful face. "Yes, yes, I do beg your pardon. We do seem to keep getting off the topic." He stopped a moment, collecting his thoughts. "As I said, Lady Caterina came to my rescue. I took a glancing blow to one temple, another wound to both shoulder and leg, and a rather severe slash to the abdomen." His hand not holding the pipe moved to cover his midsection with a grimace of remembered pain. "That one was nearly fatal, but I managed to deflect the worst of it, and Lady Caterina distracted him from finishing the job. I managed to throw a large bottle of rubbing alcohol in his face and over top of him, and while he was clearing his eyes, Caterina and I put three separate blades into him, before I collapsed."

Esther nodded, unsure whether she felt horrified at what had happened, or relieved that everyone survived. "Did he escape?"

The Professor shook his head. "Not at all." The grim smile washed once more over his features. "Lady Caterina was defending me, trying to get me to a place of safety, when he attempted to come after us. However, seeing that he was covered in more than one rather volatile liquid..." He paused, then held up his pipe. "I always carry matches, you know, even when I'm not smoking. Lady Caterina managed to disable him again, and I set him on fire before he recovered enough to stop me."

Esther swallowed hard, remembering the burning she'd seen on the walls of Carthage. She felt sick for a moment, then forced the memory back. "So then...von Neumann...he's..."

"Dead. There wasn't anything left but ashes." Seth rocked back in her seat. "Cardinal di Medici was a bit upset over the lack of prisoners, but even he didn't complain about it."

Esther felt a surge of relief, remembering the crazy Methuselah she'd met. Remembering his voice and his tongue, licking her blood, the weird aura of perversion that surrounded him. She shuddered. "I'm glad."

"So are we. That man was one of the more considerable weapons the Order had. His ability to imitate anyone was extremely dangerous. We're fortunate that he overplayed his hand." William stuck his pipe between his teeth once more. "I've honestly never been more glad in my life that I took up smoking, to be honest."

"No kidding. But you'd better not be smoking yet." Seth gave him a half-hearted glare. "Honestly, you haven't been out of the hospital all that long, you know. Give those wounds time to finish healing, before you start inhaling a lot of smoke."

Esther swallowed. "You will be all right, won't you Father? You didn't push yourself too hard, coming to get me?"

William smiled and reached back to pat her shoulder once more. "Never fear. I've been watched closely by everyone else aboard the ship, so I don't strain myself, and I assure you, I was taken excellent care of. Though I'll concede, I am a bit more tired than I should be. Her Majesty is probably right, that I'll need a few days more recovery time when we return."

"I told you, it's Seth. We're not in the Empire, and you aren't my subject, just my friend. Honestly, I swear, no one ever gets that right." Seth huffed, but her eyes were shining with good humor.

Esther felt a small answering smile touch her own face. The Professor chuckled. Esther looked at him. "You will be all right, Professor?"

William shrugged. "Well, I'll probably always have a bit of a limp, I suppose, and an ache in one arm. On the other hand, that's hardly new, at my age." He smiled warmly at her. "There's no need to worry, Esther. I'm sure I'll be just fine. And honestly, when you consider what we were up against, it's not that high a price to pay." His gaze slipped to Abel, who hadn't moved at all during their conversation. "To tell you the truth, Abel has endured far more than I have."

Esther nodded, her throat tightening as she ran her fingers through the long silver hair. "Seth told me. He couldn't sleep, that he's been fighting a lot. That he needed to have people helping him, to control the Crusnik. She said...that Cardinal di Medici was after him."

"He has been. However, with the heightened defense, and the help of His Holiness, Abel has been safe. And once we've returned with you, I'm fairly certain Abel will insist on remaining by your side, which will get him far away from Di Medici." William looked at his friend's sleeping face. "To be perfectly truthful, Abel is a far braver man than I could ever hope to be. Though he would most likely insist that it isn't true."

"Yes." Esther smiled softly at the man sleeping in her lap. Her Abel, not the angry child of the past, nor the torn and violent warrior of the Dark Times. Her Abel. Hurt, and torn, but loving and gentle, brave and kind. Father Nightroad. She stroked her hand across his brow, and his other hand, entwined with hers, tightened softly, even as his expression relaxed a fraction more. His lips moved, barely more than an exhalation, but it sounded like her name.

The three of them sat in silence for several moments, watching the sleeping man with similar expressions of tenderness. Esther stroked the silver hair. Seth, sitting next to her brother, reached across and gently took his free hand, holding it in a loving grip. William said and did nothing, watching Abel with a kind expression on his face. Finally, Esther looked up at them. "What are we going to do now?"

William sighed, as if a train of thought had been broken, and took his pipe from his teeth. "First off, we're going to return to the Vatican. Since we've spread the rumors that you were hiding in a safe house known to the Vatican, it's a logical step. Lady Caterina will be waiting to meet us, along with a few others, though not too many. Colonel Spencer is still in Albion at this time, so you can meet her when we send you back. Lady Caterina should have already started the plans for that."

Esther nodded. That seemed the most sensible thing to do. "And then?"

Seth shrugged. "First off, you've got to get things settled in your kingdom. I'd recommend doing a short tour in Albion, just to let the people see you. You'll have to be careful, of course, and it needn't be a long one, just enough for people to know you've returned. And you'll have to think of something to tell your Court. A full Court, I think, rather like when my Nobles gather." She pulled her knees up. "I won't tell you what to say, but I'll give you one piece of advice, Esther." She looked up, and Esther nodded to show she was listening. "It's best that you make it very clear that you trust the fealty of your two Stewards. You might even want to make a formal presentation of thanks, or something like that." A small smile ghosted her features. "Though I'm pretty sure that Lord Walsh won't thank me for suggesting it."

Esther smiled as well, knowing she was right. Virgil was a very reserved person, and a public ceremony would make him uncomfortable. Still...she remembered her time in the past, when Queen Vivian had done something similar for Alexander. Perhaps she could use some of the same techniques, so he'd not feel too embarrassed. Or throw in something for the entire Underground, in keeping with his position as its Governor. She'd find out from Mary and Vanessa if there was anything appropriate.

She nodded again. "I'll take that advice. But after Albion is settled..."

"Well, technically, that will be up to you, Caterina, and Seth, as the leaders of the Alliance. However, if you want the truth..." William hesitated.

"It will be up to Abel." Seth spoke softly. "Abel is the only one who can handle this, who can stop Cain. They've been at a stalemate, more or less, ever since you disappeared, and Cain's only come to the field of battle once. But Abel is the only one who can truly say what will happen now." Her face was sad.

Esther understood. This wasn't a decision Abel should have to make. No one should. But they were right. Abel was the only one who could end Cain's madness. Even if they could find a way to defeat Cain without him, she suspected he would have refused. He believed too much in his own responsibility toward his brother.

There was another long moment of silence, then William spoke again. "We should be arriving at the Vatican in a few hours. However, there's plenty of time for you to rest some more, you and Abel both."

Esther felt tired, but she also felt sticky, and dirty, and her clothing...she knew it would create more questions than they could answer. "I really..."

"You really should rest some more." Seth bounced carefully to her feet. "Don't worry. I'll wake you and Abel both in time for you to clean up, okay?"

Esther nodded gratefully. "In that case...I am feeling a bit tired."

"All to be expected." William levered himself to his feet while Seth grabbed the dishes. "We'll tell Lord Walsh you're resting, and to notify you when we get to Rome. In the meantime, just concentrate on making the most of your time to relax. I suspect things will be rather hectic after we actually land."

Esther nodded, and returned his kind smile with one of her own, then watched as the two of them left the room. As soon as they were gone, she shifted, so that she was leaning partially against the pillows, Abel still lying across her legs. Within seconds, she slipped back into sleep.

**8888888888**

Esther woke to a gentle hand on her shoulder. She blinked her eyes to find Virgil standing over her, his face impassive, though his eyes were concerned. She blinked away the rest of the sleepiness and sat up. "Lord Walsh."

"Majesty." He bowed his head slightly. "Lady Nightroad informed me you wished to be awakened before our arrival."

"Yes." Esther stretched. Her shoulder was a bit stiff, and a few of her bruises ached, but nothing too serious. "How soon?"

"Within the hour, Majesty." Virgil's voice was still soft. With a start, Esther realized that Abel was no longer sleeping across her lap. She looked at the bed, but he was gone. Virgil spoke from beside her. "Father Nightroad had already awakened when I came in. I believe he has gone to get himself cleaned up as well."

"Oh. Of course." Esther relaxed, her panic subsiding. "Thank you." She stretched again, then rose to her feet.

Virgil backed out of her way. "I fear we have no proper bathing facilities on board, however, the sink has both hot and cold water, as well as soap, and I have a washcloth and towel for you here, and some toiletries. I've also brought you a change of clothing." He set down the bundle of cloth he'd had folded under one arm.

"Thank you. I'd like to wash up a little." Esther grimaced at her dirty clothing, and the her hands scraped and bloodstained, though little of the blood was her own. Her hair felt slightly greasy, but there was nothing she could do about it.

"Of course." Virgil held out the towel and washcloth for her, and a bag with a hairbrush and few other items, then laid the clothing neatly on the bed. "I will assist you, if you wish, or I will wait outside the room for you."

Esther flushed. She'd almost forgotten, over the months, what it felt like to have servants waiting on her. "I think I can manage on my own, if you don't mind."

Virgil nodded. "As you wish." He executed a bow, then his eyes came up to meet hers. "Majesty...allow me to say once more...I am relieved you have returned to us."

Esther nodded, thinking of his dark-haired, kind ancestor. "So am I. Very much so." Virgil watched her a moment more, then a small smile curled his mouth. He bowed once more, then took his leave.

Esther went into the bathroom and turned both taps on. The hot water felt wonderful. She removed her clothing from the past and set it to the side, then rinsed her face and arms, then the rest of her. It felt a bit odd, but not much different than some of the baths she'd taken under battlefield conditions, and it was a relief to be at least moderately clean again. She had no shampoo, but she did run her brush under the warm water and brush her hair thoroughly, which helped a bit. Once she felt clean enough, she wrapped the towel around her and stepped back into the bedroom. The clothing Virgil had left her was simple, but well made in fine linen and silk, the type a noble might wear in casual situations, and certainly comfortable. Esther pulled it on and settled it into place, then smoothed out the last of the creases. She took a few moments to re-arm herself, and adjust her locket, then slipped on her stockings and boots, and opened the door.

Virgil was standing across the hall from the door, relaxed but upright. Esther opened her mouth to thank him again, when the door beside him opened, and Abel emerged, tying his hair back. Esther stopped, and so did Abel.

The stared at each other for a moment, then Abel moved forward, eyes wide. One gentle hand came up to brush her cheek, lightly. His fingers were trembling. Then he pulled her to him, enveloping her in his arms. "Esther..." His grip tightened, though it was still gentle. "I was almost afraid I dreamed you. Or that you'd be gone when I came back."

"No. Of course not." Esther embraced him as well.

Abel held her a moment, then spoke softly. "I'm sorry, Esther. What happened...with Cain... I am..."

"No. You don't have to apologize." Esther pulled back enough to reach up and lay her hand on his lips. "It's all right. I know you did your best. Besides..." Her hand dropped to touch her locket and ring. "You did keep your promise. You promised me you'd come for me, even if it took you to the end of time. And you did." She smiled at him. "That's all that really matters, Abel."

He stared at her a moment. Then his head bowed, to kiss her forehead. "Thank you, Esther." He held her a moment longer, then stepped back, a slightly sheepish smile on his face. "We should probably get going. We'll be landing soon, and Seth will tease us if we aren't at the airlock before we dock."

Esther nodded, her smile matching his. "Of course." She turned. "Thank you, Lord Walsh."

He bowed, hand over his heart. "It is my pleasure to serve you, Majesty." He gestured down the hall. "If you would, I will escort you and Father Nightroad to the bay."

"Thank you." Virgil inclined his head once, then started down the hall. Esther followed behind, Abel just beside her, like a shadow. He was close enough that Esther could feel the warmth radiating off of him, but she didn't mind. It was comforting.

Seth met them at the doors, with the information that William was landing the ship. Esther felt a pang of concern, but Seth smiled. "You needn't worry. It's mostly automatic, and there's a Captain's chair in there. Honestly, if I thought he'd be straining himself at all, I'd have done it myself."

Esther nodded, her concern vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. She glanced out the window, to see the lights of sunset, then turned to Virgil. She remembered that he took silver nitrate solution, but she couldn't help being concerned. She watched as the sun played over him from the window, as they descended, but he didn't show any signs of reacting badly. She sighed, and released those fears as well.

Soon, though it felt like far too long for Esther, the ship settled to the ground. The faint vibrations of the engines faded. Moments later, William joined them. "Shall we?" He gave Esther a broad smile. "Ready Your Majesty?"

Esther straightened her shoulders. "Absolutely, Father."

Williams smile widened. "That's the spirit." He tapped the buttons by the side of the hatch, and the doors slid open.

The ramp was already fully extended. At the other end, a group of people were waiting. Esther's heart rose as she saw Caterina's familiar robes, right alongside the pope's, though Alessandro was wearing his informal clothing. Behind them Havel and Petros were sharing guard duty. And next to them stood two figures with Ion's short blond hair and Astha's distinctive red streak. Her friends, the people she'd returned through 900 years worth of time to see.

She didn't quite run down the ramp, but her steps were faster than normal, and Seth grinned as she skipped beside her. Behind her she could hear Virgil's quick, light footsteps, and the tap of the Professor's cane, and the whisper of Abel's almost noiseless tread.

Caterina smiled warmly as she reached the end of the ramp, and held out a hand to shake. "Welcome back, Lady Esther. It's been a while."

Esther nodded, her throat tight, and tears of joy dampening her eyes. "It has." She shook Caterina's hand firmly, then turned to the young man beside her. "Holiness, it's good to see you."

Alessandro blushed. "You as well, Esther." A shy smile touched his features. "It's been...it's been a long time. I missed you."

"I missed you as well." Her gaze slipped to the two guards. Havel gave her a friendly smile and a bow, Petros saluted her, his habitual scowl somehow more respectful than menacing. Esther returned the gesture, then turned to the two Methuselah.

She'd barely gotten turned when Ion took two steps forward and embraced her fiercely. "Esther!" He held her a moment, then released her, regaining some of his composure. "It's good to see you. I'm glad you've finally returned." His eyes were shining, even with the smile on his face.

Astha moved forward as well, though she delivered a noble's bow, rather than an embrace. "Welcome back, Majesty. It's good to see you." A small smile creased her face. "My tovarish has been almost impossible without you. Hopefully, you'll manage to restore some decent sense to him." There was laughter in her dry tones by the end of the sentence.

"Really now. Astha..." Abel spluttered to a halt as Seth and the rest of them laughed softly. Esther turned to look at him. Despite the exasperation in his voice, he was smiling, and the careworn face looked far more like she remembered it. Then his eyes met hers and his smile widened, warm and loving. Abel's smile. _Her_ Abel's smile.

Esther returned it, feeling the warmth of his love, and the kindness of her friends sweeping around her, banishing the cold of the memories that still lingered.

She was home, at last, in her own time with the people she loved.

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*** FACT – **In the cannon spoilers, either in the novels on later chapters in the ongoing manga **Kaspar von Neumann** under Balthasar's orders disguises himself as Caterina Sforza to stab Professor Wordsworth. Against his brothers' approval, he travels alone to Rome to finish off the injured Wordsworth. He ends up dueling with Wordsworth, who leaves his hospital bed to defend Caterina Sforza. Sister Kaya uses the distraction of the battle to burn Kaspar to death. Some facts where changed and altered in this chapter to loosely portrayed this known cannon fact. There is also a thores art work picture depicting the real cardinal Caterina holding a still injured William in the medial wing I assume somewhere in the Vatican or in Rome hospital. I'm sure everyone whom seen many of thores TB arts works knows which one I am talking about.

*** FACT –** Kaspar is a polymorph, his vampire ability can allow him to change his appearance very well. For this reason he is known as Hundert Gesicht (A Hundred Face). He has similar ability to what Naraku possessed in Inuyasha series. I can assume he can change his voice as well when help hide that he's a shape shifter. Otherwise he would not have been so successful in getting close enough to injuring William if he did sound like the real thing ^^

**[+] - **Alas it's been revealed that the Pope Alessandro might possibly be a pure blood like Esther. Now I will not officially state this fact until the polls results come in chapter 40. But to do take note my readers that Esther will not be the only 'Pure Blood', there will be a small handful more of them but I will not say who they are. I cannot make all cannon human cast characters immune to the Bacillus virus. If **TBAS** becomes the next story that we are chosen to work on you'll find out for sure by **100%** if Pope Alessandro is one of those pure bloods along with a few others.

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**smcandy (AN): **Some readers that have been asking me this reoccurring question one again since this the last update:

Q1# - _**"Are the **__**Crusniks**__** infertile? Are they capable at all of having or making children? If so then will those children they be alike their **__**Crusnik patent inheriting their nano-machines/powers?'**_

Q2# - _** 'Are Abel and Esther are going to have any children or a family?'**_

**A1#-** Truth be told it was never really officially stated in the cannon that the Crusniks we infertile or not but since Abel and Lilith had a **non-sexual** relationship it might be safe to say that they might not wanted to have kids during the time the Armageddon war was going on. Or they might not have been able to have children there are many reasons why they these guys might have had any offspring or kin from long ago in their hay days when the red mars project was still going on.

Abel was still part of the Countra Mundi during that time. I have seen few fan arts and stories portraying Abel with a son or daughter but not stating if they are like him in having any type of new found inhumanly strength or powers. If the Crusniks did have kids the chances of them are in my POV most likely might become 50/50% of the fallowing.

How? I'll tell you why since there are many possibilities:

**1=** The child or children in question might just be born plan normal if mixed with pure blood's blood and DNA what pure bloods do for a Crusnik it might leave their Crusnik side dormant permanently so the child or children might never experience this type of problem when they come of age or at puberty or even when they are still very young before adolescence. They might remain normal humans for most of their lives.

**2 =** The child or children in question will most likely be born a Hybrid(s) of inheriting part of their Crusniks parent strength and powers so they might be able to access their Crusnik but not to full extent like their parent do. The might have a longer lifespan then a human but maybe not as long as a crusnick. Remember Cain, Abel, Seth and Lilith are genetically made humans they were not born naturally like normal humans.

**3=** There might be an instance that one child would inherit and become hybrid like their Crusnik parent while another child might not might then there the case of another child or children having inherit of their Crusnik parents agility and strength by a _wee_ fraction, it all depends on whom the Crusnik mate/couples with in sexual intercourse. If the child or children had both Crusniks for a father and mother the changes are more likely the kid(s) would become 100% blood born Crusnik from bother their parents DNA and blood of the nano's forming inside when they are born.

There are_ so_ _many_ possibilities depending on the writers POV and what they can see becoming in their stories if Cain, Abel, Seth and Lilith ever had children in their lifetime. These are just my theories and suggestions I made above. Another is such good examples to keep in mind about these are - **Inuyasha** a hanyo, **Blade** a dhamphire**, Sabrina Spellman** a **half-witch ,Van Fanel** **he's 1/2 human 1/2 draconian, Hercules** **a Demi-god **the list goes on**. **Some to all have a verity in strengths and weaknesses while others none at all.

**A2# -** Now officially right now in the story it's still _very_ and I mean _very_ soon for me and editor to say if Abel and Esther will l have any kids in the future after they are married, this something of spoiler that is going be stated more in the sequel **TBAS** but it's still very soon to say. We are not done with **TBWC's **story line yet, so one step at a time please everyone. Allot of you already know that these two are going to get married– **"(sings)** _**first comes love then comes marriage…. **_We are not going to say if they'll be a baby carriage _yet_.

Those kinds of questions **will not** be answered officially. Anything that has to do with spoilers that have _yet_ to appear in this story and on its sequel will not confirmed until they are shown in the next update or newest chapter. For this story because we are not done with **TBWC** story line it kind of jumping the gun way too soon. My best advice to my readers whom have these types of lingering questions is to just place your vote on my poll on my front profile page and wait for the results in chapter 40. Depending on which story is chosen the most next you'll get your answers when the next story project is announced. So until then have a great weekend I'll see you the next time in the next update cheers.

Sincerely,

Authoress **smcandy**


	55. Thirty-six: Truth and Choices

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Well my loyal and enthusiastic readers this is very special surprise for me and others this weekend as you can see I received another draft much earlier then I was expecting from my good hard working editor. Since thanksgiving for many of us Canadians is today this is something worth it being happy about in getting in ones mailbox on turkey day ^^

I also want to say thanks for all the belated wishes I got recently from thought readers whom become aware of when my birthday came and passed over a week ago. I also wish all Canadian readers and writers out there a happy thanksgiving today for you all.

*** Warning! Warning!** Another fluffy knicky lovemaking scenario at the end the chapter people keep your hormones and nosebleeds in check ^^

Have fun reading.

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**(*)** As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.

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**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

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**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. **I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter****.**

This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided love, **Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

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**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode twenty four along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM) **and addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

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Trinity Blood: War Continuum – **Chapter 36: – ****Truth and Choices**

Once they'd finished laughing, Havel, Petros, Astha and Ion escorted them inside. Havel stayed by William and Caterina, while Ion and Astha formed an impromptu honor guard for Seth. Petros was practically the Pope's shadow as they strode toward the church, and Esther could feel Abel's presence at her back, and the slight change of the air, all of them alert for danger.

Esther felt mixed emotions. She was overjoyed to be among friends once more, back in her own time. At the same time, she was tired. Part of it was the travel itself. Part of it was the knowledge that she'd come from one war zone, only to fall straight into another. She knew it was different, but still...the thought made her weary, and a little heartsick. She brushed that feeling to the back of her mind. She knew that everyone else was just as tired of fighting as she was. Even if she'd never gone to the past, she would have faced war.

Walking into the Vatican gave her an odd feeling, rather like vertigo. Everything looked so similar to the things she'd left behind, and yet, different. There were more statues on the wall, ones she hadn't seen in the past, but they still looked weathered and worn with nine centuries of time. The walls of the church were older, and she could see where this spire or that one had been added, or modified. She saw what appeared to be a stylized version of Count Matthias, of Istvan, and of Devon. Just the realization made her feel slightly dizzy.

A warm hand touched her shoulder. "Esther, are you all right?" Abel's voice was soft.

Esther nodded. "It's just...well, it's rather strange. It feels like only yesterday that I left here, in the past, and yet...everything is...it's different."

Abel's hand tightened comfortingly. "I understand. It's all right Esther. It will take a little getting used to, I know, but I'm sure you'll be all right. And I'll be right here with you."

Esther nodded, comforted by his words and the knowledge that Abel did understand, at least somewhat. After all, he'd been in isolation for 900 hundred years, and emerged to a vastly changed world. Something in her mind shivered, making her stomach turn over, as she thought of why he'd been in isolation. She pushed the thought quickly away, unable to think too much on it. Despite all her rest on the ship, she was still tired, and, even though she understood what had happened, she felt confused and slightly disoriented.

Their group made its way deep within the Vatican. Then Petros, Havel, Caterina and Alessandro went one way, into the wing designated for the Pope and the Cardinals. William led Esther down another hall to the quarters for important guests. To Esther's relief, the room he and Virgil showed her into wasn't the one she and Lilith had stayed in. It was somewhat larger, a suite with a sitting room, bedroom and a moderately sized bath. William ushered her through the door, then stepped back. "This is where I'll leave you for now. I believe I have a date with my kindly doctor, and I confess, I am feeling a bit fatigued." He smiled. "I'm sure Lord Walsh and Father Nightroad will take excellent care of you."

Esther nodded. "I'm sure you're right, Professor."

He might have said more but Seth, standing beside him, cleared her throat. "It's long past time for you to be sitting down, Father Wordsworth."

"Yes yes." He waved a hand distractedly at her, and gave Esther another smile. "We'll probably be here for a few more days, so take the time to rest and catch up, all right?"

Esther nodded again, and the rest of the group turned away. She waited until they were several paces down the hall, then shut the door. She felt tired, ready to curl up and sleep. She blinked to find both Virgil and Abel standing awkwardly in the sitting room. "Lord Walsh."

He inclined his head. "My own rooms are right across the hall. However, is there anything you need?"

Esther shook her head. "No. I'm just a bit tired, is all."

He nodded. "Very well. I'll lay out a nightgown for you and retire." He stepped into the bedroom, leaving her with Abel.

Abel looked slightly uncomfortable. "Esther..."

"Stay. Please." She remembered months rooming with Lilith, and even more, sleeping with Abel beside her.

Abel blinked. He opened his mouth as if he was going to argue about it, then shut it again. "Yes." His face flushed and he looked away. "I...I wasn't sure...after so long... if you'd still want me to..."

Esther took a few quick steps to his side, and wrapped her arms around him. Abel caught her in his own embrace and held her close. "I've missed you, Abel."

"Yes." His voice was softer. "I've missed you as well."

Virgil exited the bedroom. Esther felt a slow flush trying to creep over her cheeks, at her adviser catching her with Abel, though she knew he hadn't minded before her absence, and he'd said nothing earlier. After so much time away, it felt slightly awkward to have someone else witness their affection. But Virgil didn't comment. He simply offered her a short bow. "Majesty, if there's nothing you need, then I'll retire for the night."

Esther nodded. "I think I'll be all right. Good night, Lord Walsh."

"Good night, Majesty." His pale gaze slipped to Abel. "Father Nightroad..."

"I'll remain here, to watch over her." Despite everything, Esther half-expected Virgil to protest the propriety, but he only inclined his head in acknowledgment, offered her another bow, and left.

Abel held her a moment longer, then released her. "You should get ready for bed." He smiled down at her. "Don't worry. I'll be right out here."

Esther nodded, and slipped into the other room. She undressed quickly, but made sure everything was folded neatly, then slipped into the warm, soft gown Virgil had left for her. The bed was wide, a queen-sized. Esther looked at it a moment, then went to the door.

Abel was leaning against a wall, then lines of his body showing exhaustion as deep as or deeper than hers. His head was bowed, the silver hair falling forward to obscure his face. The dimming fire light from the hearth sparked off the rims of his glasses. Then Abel tilted his head back, his face drawn and weary in the light, and pulled the frames away from his face.

Esther watched him, her heart aching for the signs of how much strain he'd been under. Then Abel's head turned, and he caught sight of her in the doorway. He blinked at her a moment, then straightened. "Miss Esther, did you need something?"

"No." She shook her head. "Just...I'd like to have you by my side, tonight. After all, it's been...it's been a very long time."

Abel nodded. "It has, but I...I didn't want to...it's all right, if you'd prefer to be alone tonight."

"No." Esther stepped forward into the living room and took his hand. "I'd much rather have you with me. Besides...I know you're tired, Abel." Abel blinked, and opened his mouth as if he was going to deny it, but Esther put up a hand to stop it. "You don't have to try and be strong for my sake Abel. It's all right. Seth and Father Wordsworth told me how hard you've been working."

Abel stood still, then his hand came up to take hers and pull it gently from his face. "I...I didn't want to worry you. Not after you've just returned. And I...after so long...I didn't want to rush you." His other arm came around, to embrace her. "I want...you should have some time to readjust to everything."

"I know. And I appreciate what you're trying to do for me. But I missed you, and I'd much rather have you beside me than sleep alone." She stifled a yawn, though she knew he didn't miss it, and leaned against him.

Abel nodded. Then his arm changed angles, and he swept her off her feet. "In that case, you should get some rest." He carried her into the bedroom, and laid her gently on the bed, then hesitated. "Ah...would you like me to pull up a chair, or..."

Esther felt hazy, lethargic, almost too tired to form sentences. She settled for reaching up to take his hand and pull it down beside her. Abel stumbled, as if he hadn't expected the gesture. He remained still for a moment, then gently drew away. Esther watched through heavy-lidded eyes as he unfastened the crucifix he was wearing and set it to the side, then removed his boots. He stretched lightly, then came back to the bed and settled on the edge. He hesitated a moment, and Esther wrapped one hand sleepily around his elbow. She heard a soft, almost inaudible sigh, then Abel leaned back against the pillows, stretching out beside her. One long arm reached out to embrace her, to stroke her cheek gently. Then Abel leaned over and kissed her lightly. "Good night love."

She wanted to tell him good night as well, but she was too tired to form the words. Instead she nestled closer to him, until she could feel his warmth and hear his heartbeat through the cloth of the cassock. Then she relaxed, and fell asleep once more.

**8888888888**

The next few days were busy for Esther and the others. She met with William, Caterina and Seth to discuss the cover story they'd concocted for her absence. Then she and Virgil met to go over all the policies and paperwork she'd supposedly seen and handled during her absence.

That took days. There was so much that had to be covered. Troop movements, alliance details, hierarchy questions. Also supplies for various areas, and compensations to deal with shortages and potential shortages as violence swept over the world. And there were details for the Underground that had to be sorted out. Over the year they had increased their ship production, and made some improvements. Some of the ships had gone to the Vatican, some to the Empire. All the ships they'd produced had outer atmospheric capability, as well as modified shielding and armaments. Esther found herself glad that Virgil took such comprehensive notes. Though it meant more to read, by the time they'd worked through everything she was confident she could answer any questions intelligently. And between them, her advisers had made sure to stay close to her policies, as close as possible. There were a couple issues Esther wasn't sure she'd have dealt with the same way, but even there, it was close enough that she couldn't really argue it. In any case, the matters had all been handled fairly and well.

In addition to the paperwork, there were meetings. Most of them were informal, a short conference with Caterina over lunch, tea with His Holiness, breakfast with Seth or someone else. And evening conference calls with Mary, to discuss the state of the kingdom and the plans for her returning home. Mary was inclined, in terms of security, to simply have Esther return to the Palace, then call a full Council, with perhaps a small court function to welcome her home. Esther knew it was safest that way. She also knew it would do nothing to allay the people's fears, or quell the unrest Rosenkreutz had stirred. The two of them spent long hours discussing alternatives, working on a place so that Esther would be able to visit and reassure her people, without risking her life too much.

There was also a meeting with the Papal Council, to give her greetings, and her thanks for their assistance in protecting her, though it had been Caterina's department. Seth and Caterina arranged a com-call to the Empire, so she could extend similar sentiments to them, as well as a more private thank you to Mirka for handling the paperwork for her.

It was hectic, but in a way, Esther was grateful for all the fuss. It served to ground her solidly in her own time again, and allowed her to get used to seeing all the familiar faces, the people she knew. The first few days were a bit disorienting, seeing Alessandro instead of Grigori, and Caterina instead of the Cardinal she'd been working with, but still...it took her far less time than she'd feared, to settle back into routine. And despite the slight disorientation, it wasn't any harder than when she'd gone from simple Sister Esther Blanchett to Queen of Albion.

Throughout everything, Abel was as close as her shadow. He didn't smother her, but he was always nearby. He sat in with her while she went over things with Virgil, sometimes adding a clarifying point or two. Esther was surprised, until she remembered that Seth had told her Virgil had asked for Abel's help in Albion. Seth had never mentioned what Virgil had asked for assistance with, but most of Abel's statements seemed to be related to issues of defense, or matters in the Underground. It made sense.

For Esther's meetings with Caterina or Seth, Abel would come with her. He remained quiet, sitting by the windows as if on guard duty while they discussed business. Then, when they relaxed, one of the women would draw him into the conversation. Then Abel would join them, usually over food and tea, and relax, smiling in the slightly sheepish, charming manner that Esther remembered.

For other meetings, Abel stood outside the doors, as a guard. When Esther emerged, he met her with a smile, warmth in his voice and the light touches he gave. Just seeing him uplifted Esther's spirits and calmed her mind.

At night, Abel stayed with her. After the first few nights, he stopped sleeping as heavily as he had, but despite being a light sleeper, gradually, the dark circles and strain lines upon his face faded away. And at the meals Esther shared with him, he put away enough food for three or four men his size, and after a week, his priests uniform began to look like it fit properly once more, instead of hanging loose on his frame. The hollows of his cheeks filled out a little, and he looked almost normal, though slightly wearier than Esther remembered him being. Still, that wasn't much of a surprise, and she was relieved that he at least looked healthy once more.

It took two weeks for Esther to get caught up on everything that had happened, and to plan a suitable return to Albion that Mary could agree with. In accordance with Esther's decision to make sure her people knew she was alive and well, and still concerned for them, they planned to make a tour of Albion. Mary suggested a stop in Eire first, both to thank Lady Jane for the military support she'd offered them, and to rendezvous with additional troops, acting as an honor guard. From there, Esther would tour through several of the more populated and prosperous cities, ending about a week later in Londinium. After that, the honor guard would be housed in the Palace for a time, then disbursed. In the meantime, Esther could greet the city, and Mary and Virgil would call a full court to welcome her home.

In the interest of continued cooperation and safety, Seth and her guards would meet them in Albion, as would Father Wordsworth if he was well enough, and Leon. Caterina would stay with His Holiness, to help coordinate matters from the Vatican, if needed, just as Mirka was doing with Baibars in the Empire.

The night before she departed, Esther met Seth and Caterina for a late evening cup of tea. Sister Kate had sent another one of her relaxing blends. Abel, for a change, had been snatched by William and Havel, since the Professor insisted on giving him a quick health check.

Esther sipped her tea in quiet, thoughtful silence. She was overjoyed to be returning home, and hopeful of being able to reassure her people. However, she was also apprehensive.

Caterina seemed content to enjoy the silence, but after a few minutes, Seth broke the quiet atmosphere. "What's up Esther? You're pretty quiet this evening."

Esther nodded. "I suppose I'm a little apprehensive about returning. I have been gone for almost a year after all, and I'm sure the people will have mixed feelings."

Seth shrugged. "They usually do, you know. On the other hand, I rather think you'll be able to soothe them and win them over quite well." She smiled. "You really are good at that, you know. And if you can talk people like Ion around, and get Abel out of his moods, then a few crowds shouldn't be anything for you to worry about."

Caterina nodded. "I've heard only excellent reports of your speech during the first attack on Albion. I'm sure you'll do fine."

Esther nodded again, her thoughts already moving to another topic. "You know, in all the planning, I don't think I heard what Father Nightroad will be doing." Her heart felt heavy at the idea of being separated from him, but still, she knew he had his own duties, and he was critical to the continuing battle against Rosenkreutz.

Seth snorted. "I thought that would be obvious by now, Esther."

Caterina set her tea in front of her. "Abel will be traveling with you. He's been assigned permanently to your side."

Esther blinked. "He has? But I thought...Father Wordsworth said he was in combat..."

"He was." Seth sipped her tea. "But we all knew that was just until we figured out a way to retrieve you. Abel would have gone mad if he'd remained idle, or gone catatonic. Sending him into battle was the only way we could hope to keep him functioning. That's the way Abel is, you know. But now that you're back, Abel might fight, but you're his first priority."

Caterina nodded in agreement. "In addition, it was the consensus of all three Alliance governments that Abel is the best person to protect you. He's made it quite clear, to just about everyone, that he would do anything for your safety." A gentle smile touched Caterina's features. "I doubt there's a noble in the whole of the Vatican, Albion or the Empire that doesn't know that Abel cares deeply for you."

Seth grinned. "That's true. After all, he's gone after you against the Order twice, and he mobilized everyone's defenses after that second time."

Caterina nodded. "That being the case, since you're still a member of the AX, Abel has been assigned as your permanent partner. In regards to his other duties as Vatican representative to the Empire and Albion, he'll simply perform them in conjunction with his duties regarding you, and with the assistance of Lord Walsh, Colonel Spencer, The Earl of Memphis and the Duchess of Kiev." She peered over the rim of her tea cup, gray eyes glittering with gentle amusement. "Unless, of course, you have some objections."

Esther shook her head, relaxing back into the chair. "No. I've no objections at all." They sat for a while, talking of other subjects, then finished their tea, and Seth and Esther returned to their quarters.

Abel was waiting outside the doors. Seth greeted him affectionately. "So? What did the Professor say, Abel?"

He smiled. "Everything's perfectly fine. My metabolism should be returning to its normal levels within the next fortnight, and _they_ are being perfectly well behaved. I shouldn't even require sedation or assistance, not for a while, at least."

Seth grinned. "That's good to hear. Honestly, I thought you were going to collapse for a while there. Then I thought you were going to eat the Vatican stores to nothing." She reached up to embrace him. "I understand why, Abel, but please try not to scare me like that again, at least not for another century or so, all right?"

Abel smiled and hugged his sister back. "Well, I'll try." He met Esther's eyes. "Ummm...speaking of which, I am sorry if my condition alarmed you, Esther."

She shook her head and stepped closer. "It's all right. After all, you were worried about me, and I understand what that's like. Although, I do agree with Seth, that you should be more careful with your health."

Abel nodded. "I'll do my best."

Seth stepped back, and poked her brother with a finger. "You'd better Abel. Caterina and I just told Esther about your assignment as her partner, and I wouldn't want you to worry her again."

Abel's smile remained tugging at the corners of his mouth, but Esther saw the seriousness in his eyes. "Well, I did say I would do my best." He glanced at Esther, and she saw a shade of uncertainty in his gaze. "I do hope you don't mind."

"Of course not." She stepped forward another step, to gently frame his face with one hand. "Never think that I would mind your presence."

Seth made a soft noise, rather like a snort. "Abel, if you honestly can still say things like that, then it's obvious that you need more rest. So why don't you take Esther to her room, and both of you get some sleep. After all, your next week is going to be pretty hectic, you know." She gave them one more grin, then turned and skipped to her own suite.

Esther smiled after her, then turned to Abel, who was still watching her with a warm smile on his face. "We should do what she says."

Abel nodded. "I suppose we should." He held the door open for her like a gentleman. Virgil had already come in to leave a clean nightgown out, and within half an hour, both of them were fast asleep, hands intertwined.

They boarded a ship for Eire the next morning. Esther didn't have much luggage, but there was a suitcase full of clothing, since she'd supposedly been in hiding. Abel had his own suitcase, with a few uniforms and what-not. Surprisingly, Virgil had the largest load, with both clothing and his working supplies, evidence of how long he'd been at the Vatican in his role of a supporting adviser.

The trip was long, but comfortable, and quiet. Esther was too nervous, going over her plans to meet Lady Jane and give a short speech at the main Navy station in Eire, to feel like talking much. Virgil was working, as usual. Abel for his part, seemed content to relax and stare out the window, or at Esther. He had a book in one hand, extracted from his suitcase shortly after takeoff, but he didn't seem to be reading much. Still, Esther was glad to see him relaxing, at least a little.

The landed in Eire in mid-afternoon, early enough for Esther to visit with people, and greet Lady Jane properly. Esther went over her itinerary in her mind. Today they'd meet Lady Jane, tomorrow she'd have a tour of the main naval command, speak with the soldiers and sailors, perhaps even visit the town to speak to the people, if they had time. Then the following morning, they'd board Jane's fastest warship, for Albion.

The captain alerted them to the imminent landing. Esther put away the papers she'd been looking at, and saw the other two doing so as well, then smoothed the creases on the dress she was wearing. It wasn't the most formal gown she had, but it was elegant, well made, and definitely not casual either. Virgil was wearing a slightly dressier version of his normal dark suit, and when she looked at it, Abel's cassock was clearly new, and clearly a compromise between his armored cassock for battle, and the dress vestments he wore for formal occasions.

They exited the ship into the glow of a bright afternoon sun. Lady Jane was waiting for them in full dress uniform, surrounded by a complete Royal Honor Guard. The men snapped to attention as Esther came down the ramp, offering a full salute, while Jane bowed.

Esther returned the salute with a smile and a nod of her head, then greeted her second cousin. "Lady Jane."

Jane smiled, just an edge of flirtation in her eyes and her expression as she rose. "Your Majesty. Welcome to Eire. May I offer you some refreshment?"

Esther nodded. "That would be very welcome, thank you."

Jane nodded and led them to a large building, sort of a cross between a fortress and castle. The guards followed them in formation, until they passed through the gates, then disbursed. At that, Jane relaxed, no longer standing on ceremony as she led them through the halls to a comfortable parlor, where tea and snacks were waiting. Virgil and Abel, being gentlemen, offered the two of them seats, then went to prepare the tea. Jane's dark eyes followed Abel's slim frame. "So then...that's the one? The priest you've fallen for?"

Esther blinked. "I'm sorry?"

Jane smiled at her, cool and confident and still a bit flirtatious. "Ah, there's no need to be shy, Esther...I can still call you Esther, yes? In private, at least?" Esther nodded, and Jane's eyes went back to Abel. "I've heard rumors, you know. The Queen of Albion's mysterious protector from the Vatican. It's not hard to speculate. Besides...I've met him a few times, and the way he talks about you..." Jane smirked. "I am a little disappointed we can't further our own...relationship in that direction, but it would be a shame and a scandal, to not care for a man so passionate." Her glance slid over Abel's frame again. "Honestly, if I were still inclined toward men...well, I'm not, and I still find him incredibly attractive." She gave Esther a rough, slightly overbearing hug. "You've got a good one there, cousin of mine. But...do let me know, if you find your tastes changing." She winked suggestively.

Esther could feel herself flushing slightly, and across the room Abel's ears were a similar shade of pink, which wasn't surprising given his excellent hearing. Then the moment passed and Abel and Virgil both turned from the table, tea in hand. Abel's was its usual mess, more sugar than tea. Virgil had his own cup, and brought over Jane's, while Abel gave Esther the second cup he had. Esther took a sip. It was a strong tea, with just the right amount of sugar and cream. Esther sipped it as her blush receded.

Jane took a few ladylike drinks from her own cup and glanced at Abel. "I see you've recovered, Father Nightroad, from your exhaustion." her gaze went to his unmarked forehead. "Interesting. I'd heard that those tattoos of yours could disappear, but I haven't seen you without them for some time."

"Yes, well...a side effect of my condition, you know." Abel grinned sheepishly. "Now that I've managed to calm down some, they simply aren't as noticeable."

Jane nodded. "And your sister? That charming young lady?" The flirtatious, semi-seductive smile was back on her face. "You know, I'd quite like to get to know her better, Father Nightroad. But we've only met a few times, and it's been all business, no pleasure." The smile widened, just a fraction.

Abel spluttered. "Ah yes, well...Seth is quite busy, you know, coordinating with the Empire. And anyway...I do beg your pardon, my lady, but I'm really not sure she's quite your type."

Jane raised one cool eyebrow. "She's such a winning personality, Father. Quite charming, with a little bit of fire to add interest. Though perhaps, she does look a little young for my tastes."

"Ah...well, as to that, she _is_ ten years younger than I am." The odd flush to Abel's face, and the strange look in his eyes hinted that Jane hadn't been informed of Abel's true age. Or Seth and Abel's true role in the world.

"Yes, and you don't look even to be out of your twenties, early thirties at the best." Jane sighed. "Well, there's time, I suppose."

"Indeed." Virgil had been watching the exchange quietly. He set his empty cup down, and composed himself. "However, I think it would be best if we discussed the business that brought us here, my lady."

Jane made a face. "Always so serious, Lord Walsh. Really, you do need to take some time out for fun." She shook her head. "Ah well, on to business then, shall we, Majesty?"

Esther nodded. "Please."

"We'll have you stay here tonight and tomorrow. This is the main facility for the Navy in Eire, but it's also one of my houses, so you'll be fairly comfortable. Tomorrow, I'll let you have a tour of the ships in port, and the town. There's two ships in right now for repairs and reloading, and I've told the captains to expect us. Then the day after tomorrow, we'll set you across the sea to Albion. Fortunately, it's a short cruise, only a few hours."

Esther smiled. "That sounds fine."

Jane took another sip of her tea and glanced at the clock, and the outside windows. "We do have some time this evening. So, Esther, what would you like to do?" She gave Esther another of her flirtatious winks.

Esther considered. "Well, actually, I've never been to Eire before, but I've heard it's a beautiful place. So, if it's not too much trouble, I think I'd like to do a bit of exploring, just not in an official capacity."

"Oh, like that trip to the races?" Jane's eyebrow rose.

"Well, yes, something like that, I suppose. Really, I just want to get a feel for the atmosphere, and look around a little."

Jane smiled. "Well, we can do that. Just let me change into something a little less formal. And if you want to change too, that would be fine. You do look so darling in blue and white, you know." Esther blushed lightly. Jane rose from her seat. "Father Nightroad, Lord Walsh, will you be coming?"

"Of course." Virgil finished the last of his tea and set the cup aside, as did Abel.

"Well, that's fine then." Jane studied them. "You know, you won't turn heads, Virgil, but if you want to not make a scene, Father, then you're going to have to go in something a little less clerical."

Abel blinked. "Well, I suppose I do have a plain shirt or two in my bag...nothing fancy though."

Esther smiled at him. "I'm sure that will be fine."

Jane smiled. "Well, in that case, let me show you to your rooms. This way." She turned and headed out the door. Abel caught Esther's eye and smiled, then mimed wiping his brow. Esther snickered and followed her cousin.

The rooms Jane ushered them to were comfortable, and their bags had already been delivered. In interests of safety, Jane had given them three connecting suites, so that if something happened, Abel and Virgil could both be through the doors in a heartbeat. Following the Lady's suggestion, Virgil agreed to remain on guard while Abel and Esther changed. Esther took a quick shower, to get rid of the travel dust, then went through her outfits. They were in several different colors, and she found her fingers lingering on a blue and white dress, recalling Jane's words.

_'You do look so darling in blue and white.'_ She did like both colors, colors of the novice and Sister uniforms she'd worm for most of her life. But they also brought to mind memories of the space station, everyone in uniform, and an angry, hurt youth with silver hair. And more memories of the battlefield, where she and Lilith had faced Abel, in his UNASF uniform. She shook her head and bypassed the dress opting for one in a deep green with cream highlights. It wasn't one of her favorites, but she'd been assured she looked pretty in it. She pulled it out, then hurried to get dressed.

Twenty minutes later, there was a hesitant knock on her door. She answered, and Abel came in, dressed in a dark shirt similar in style to his cassock, black pants and his boots. His hair was tied back neatly, and he showed signs of having cleaned up as well. "Are you ready, Esther?"

Esther nodded. "Yes." She showed him the dress. "What do you think? I usually wear red and gold, or blue and white, but I thought I'd try something different, you know?"

Abel nodded, then smiled and captured her hand to press a kiss to the back of it. "I think you look lovely." The warmth of his smile drove away the uneasy memories in her mind. Then his smile turned a touch sheepish. "You know, I suppose we shouldn't keep Lady Jane waiting."

Esther smiled back. "You're right."

What Jane considered informal dress was actually closer to scandalous. Nevertheless, she was polite and friendly as they toured the city. Esther had been slightly concerned that Jane would take them to the rougher, more bawdy sections of town, but she was surprisingly restrained. She took them out past the town, to see 'Eire's rolling hills, the inspiration of poets for time immemorial', then showed them through several of the more interesting locations. A little glass shop were beautiful crystals were made. A historic monument, commemorating an event before the Dark Times. A cozy street corner where a story-teller spun fantastic tales with an intensity that almost made them come alive. And for dinner, they stopped in at a pub where various men and women took turns singing and dancing, uplifting songs that made Esther's fingers tap, or lovely ballads. Despite the crowd inside, it was a very enjoyable evening, and Esther returned to the house feeling extremely content.

She'd just finished getting ready for bed when there was a knock on the side door to Abel's rooms, and he slid inside. "Esther. Sorry to disturb you."

"You didn't. I wasn't quite ready to sleep yet." She smiled, as Abel came forward and wrapped his arms around her in a gentle embrace.

"Hmm. Well, you should probably rest soon. After all, tomorrow's a busy day." His arms held her close, then he spoke softly. "Did you enjoy it? Our trip this afternoon?"

Esther nodded. "I did. It's very beautiful here. Did you?"

"Yes. It's a bit different from my earliest memories of this island, but still...the people are very kind, and it's a beautiful place."

Esther smiled against his warm shoulder, beginning to feel a little sleepy. "It is. You know, I wonder if I could get a copy of those songs they were singing in the pub this evening. I did enjoy them."

"I'm sure you can. And if you can't...well, I can certainly sing them for you, though my pronunciation on some of them is probably a little off. Gaelic was a dying language when I was a boy, I'm afraid."

Esther blinked up at him. "You know those songs?"

Abel smiled sheepishly, flushing just a little bit. "Well, some of them. And I do have a _very_ good memory." Esther snickered, remembering how often he lost his wallet, or his ID. Abel huffed. "Honestly...suffice it to say I can remember most of the words, and I _can_ at least hold a tune."

Esther nodded. "I know you can. And you do have a beautiful voice." Abel's ears turned a slightly darker shade of pink.

They stayed standing together for a few moments longer, then Abel sighed. "I suppose I ought to let you get some rest."

Esther sighed as well, but she let him go. She longed to ask Abel to stay with her, but they weren't in Buckingham Palace, or the Vatican. In the Vatican no one came to check on them, and in Buckingham it was usually Virgil and Mary who came to wake her, and if it wasn't...the maids were discreet, as they'd been trained to be. Here in Jane's castle there was no telling who would come, or when, and the situation was too tenuous for them to take chances with a scandal. She watched as Abel slipped into his own rooms, then took herself to bed.

The next day passed in a whirl of visits and introductions, and short speeches. Esther met with both ship crews individually, and personally thanked the captain who would be returning them to Albion, causing he and his first mate to blush happily. After that, she was taken to see the rest of the sailors and troops that served 'Calamity Jane'. Though there was no way to speak to all of them individually, she did give a short speech, thanking them for their efforts and urging them to remain strong and brave, as well as reiterating how proud she was of them, and how glad she was to be able to serve as their monarch. When she left the podium, the assembled troops gave her a rousing cheer. It was heart-lifting, but as she walked down the stairs of the platform, Abel met her with a gentle, proud smile that was worth more than a hundred cheers of victory.

Afterward, they visited the city, the official places, and took a short parade through the streets. Esther smiled and waved and spoke to random people, glad to see the smiles on their faces. Whatever Rosenkreutz had done and said while she was gone, it hadn't broken her people's strength, or their faith, and that knowledge cheered her immensely, and gave her hope.

Jane was remarkably cool and collected during their tour. Esther had been slightly worried about her ability to handle Jane if she reverted to her 'Calamity Jane' persona. However, the dark-haired noble remained calmly professional during the day. Esther supposed it was because she was in the public eye and in uniform, though she'd known Jane to be somewhat unrestrained even in the public eye, hence the numerous scandals about her. However, she was glad Jane was making an effort to be politically correct for the day.

Virgil said and did little, remaining quietly in the background as he usually preferred to do. However, he assisted her throughout the day, bringing her drinks when she needed them, a helping hand when asked, and silent encouragement.

Abel, for his part, was simply himself. Though he remained at Esther's side as her guard, he was also interacting with the soldiers, sailors and people in town. Several of the sailors and soldiers seemed to know him on sight, and called out greetings, to which he responded with a cheerful wave, and sometimes a name in return. Both captains of the vessels shook hands with him, and Esther heard several comments along the line of 'glad to see the Father's finally looking better' and 'I'll be damned. First smile I've seen out of him. Makes him almost a different chap, doesn't it?'

Abel's smiles were contagious, as was his mix of humor and wry, gentle wisdom. He seemed to know when Esther was feeling slightly nervous or overwhelmed, and was more than willing to divert peoples attention, usually through some simple, or slightly silly act, like asking a nearby store matron for his usual tea, or tripping slightly over something, or even simply smiling and calling greetings, in that slightly inane, harmless way he had. Esther smiled, remembering the first time they'd met, how he had spoken to her the same way.

It was late by the time everything was finally over, and all their belongings were packed. Esther settled into bed feeling relaxed, and very satisfied with how things had gone. Her last thought, before she fell asleep, was hope that it was a good omen for her tour in Albion.

Jane saw them off the next morning at the turning of the tide, escorting them to the dock with a full honor guard. She was smiling mischievously as she saluted, and she gave Esther a flirtatious wink as their eyes met. Esther blushed slightly, but smiled back.

The trip was relatively smooth, the weather calm and peaceful. Thirty minutes after they launched, Esther made her way to the deck to find Abel leaning over the rail, paler than usual. She grimaced in sympathy, then patted his back as he retched over the side. "Are you all right?"

Abel remained where he was a moment, then straightened partially and turned his head to give her a weak smile. "Umm...well, I have to say I _have_ been better."

Esther nodded and patted his back again. "You'll feel better in a while, right?" he nodded glumly, then gagged, slapped a hand to his mouth, swallowed hard, then dry-retched again with a groan. Esther held his shoulder gently as he settled to his knees by the railing. She smiled at him, trying to think of a way to take his mind off how wretched he felt. "You know, I've always been rather surprised that you get so sea sick. I mean...you usually have excellent balance, when you aren't goofing off. And it's not like you're sick all the time. Don't you usually get better fairly quickly?"

Abel sighed. "Well, sometimes. The Professor's actually wondered about that, since most people who are sea-sick take a few days to recover." He swallowed hard again, grimaced, but didn't lean back over the rail.

"Did he have any idea what caused it?" The conversation seemed to be helping, so Esther settled carefully beside him.

"Well, no." Abel sighed again. "Of course, I hadn't actually told him about my childhood at the time." He looked over the waves. "I didn't actually do much boating when I was younger, really. They still had the races and all on the River Thames, but I didn't participate. I did learn to swim, of course, but riding a boat's a bit of a different motion. It's possible that it's simply lack of exposure when I was a boy, I suppose."

He shrugged lightly, but Esther saw the darkness, something akin to pain in his eyes. She touched his shoulder gently. "You look like there's something else bothering you." Abel blinked and met her eyes. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but it might make you feel better."

Abel considered her a moment, then sighed again and leaned his head back. "When I was...when I lived in the Research Facility...well, you probably saw the incubation tube they had there. The Professor commented on it."

Esther thought about it. "You mean the room with the large glass tank? The circular one?"

Abel nodded. "That's it. It was...well, primarily for growing me to term, of course, but afterward...sometimes, they would put me in there, for tests, or if they'd thought of something that could 'improve' me. Once or twice to sedate me when they thought I was getting too temperamental." There was an edge of bitterness to his voice. Abel stopped a moment, then took a deep breath, relaxing his shoulders. "That place...of all the things I hated, I think being stuck in there was one of the worst. Suspended in liquid, it was hard even to tell up from down. I couldn't get any purchase to move. They always had a mask strapped to my face so I could breathe, but I felt like I was choking. And there were monitor wires attached to me, and I couldn't get them off."

Esther felt a rush of sympathy. "That sounds terrible."

"It was, for me at least." He took another deep breath, and relaxed again, his shoulders loosening from where he'd tightened them unconsciously during the description. "They stopped when I was twelve, although that was probably because I kicked a hole in the tank, and it was rather expensive to repair. Besides, they'd all agreed that I had to grow through adolescence more naturally or I'd be 'stunted'." A small sharp smile touched his face. "Being surrounded by water, even like this...sometimes I remember more than I want to, about those days."

"Well, I don't care why they stopped, as long as they did." She clasped his hand, squeezing it gently. "I'm sorry you had to go through that." She looked back over the sea. "It's all right if it bothers you. I think we all have things that trouble us. So it's all right." She glanced over at him. He still looked a little pale, but not nearly as bad, and though there were lines of strain in his face, he didn't look quite as ill. And he hadn't gagged or turned around to throw up for a few minutes. "Are you feeling better yet?"

Abel blinked at her, then frowned thoughtfully. "Actually...yes." He smiled at her, then levered himself to his feet and pulled her to hers. "Thank you, Esther."

"You're welcome." She smiled back, then stretched up to kiss him lightly on the cheek. "Why don't we go inside and get some tea for you?"

Abel grinned. "That sounds quite nice. Although...I'm afraid I'm a bit short of funds, so I hope they don't charge me for it." He looked a little sheepish.

Esther laughed, knowing the sailors weren't charging them anything to travel. She'd seen the respect they had for Abel, and how much they liked him. Still laughing, she took his hand and led him inside.

They docked in Albion just about noon. Mary met them in full dress uniform, with an honor guard and an entourage of minor nobility that would serve as her escort. Esther greeted her warmly, then the nobles by name, making sure to thank each one of them and offer them a hand to shake, or kiss, depending on the customs of the representative. The reception from some was cooler than others, but all of them were respectful, and if some of them were wary, she sensed no honest antagonism, and she hoped she'd be able to win them over.

They spent that afternoon going over itinerary, lodged in a respectable merchant's home that had been offered for Esther's use. She'd felt a bit guilty for taking over someone elses home, but Mary assured her that the merchant in question was out of town, traveling to tend to his business, and was pleased to both offer a service to his Queen, and also to have a reason to have the house well-tended in his absence. The news made Esther feel a bit better. Even better was that night when Abel knocked on her door to inform her that he would be sleeping right across the hall. It wasn't as good as having him with her, but she understood propriety, and it was just like when they'd worked together. The knowledge that he was close enough to respond to anything from a need of a cup of tea to a serious threat relaxed her.

They spent the next several days traveling through Albion. It was a meandering route, partially to throw off Rosenkreutz, and partially because of all the places she wanted to visit. They started doing a circuit of several towns near the coast, then meandered inland before making their way toward Londinium. The pace was reasonably sedate, traveling by car, and fairly comfortable, but it was still exhausting for Esther.

They stopped in several major towns and cities. Most of the nobles in her entourage had been selected because they were representatives of a given area. At each stop, one of them would escort her, telling her of the town's most noteworthy points, showing off production sites, historical places, and oddities that they thought might interest her. Often they boarded in the lord's castle for the evening, then spent the morning exploring before returning to the road.

Esther, for her part, admired everything she was shown, made comments, gave speeches, and greeted people. It was exhausting work, and being in the public eye so much made her uncomfortable still. But she'd known even before leaving the Vatican that her people needed something to lift their spirits and reassure them that she hadn't forgotten them. She also knew that Caterina and Alessandro frequently made similar progresses, for much the same reason. The thought of shy, quiet Alessandro giving out speeches and blessings bolstered her courage. After all, if he could manage it, despite his dislike of crowds and loud noises, and his shy nature, then she certainly could. Still, she couldn't help feeling slightly uneasy.

The fourth night of their journey, she was surprised when one of the guards for her room saluted her, then stepped forward and knelt. "Your Majesty, I know it's impertinent of me to ask but...may I have your blessing?" Esther blinked, surprised, and the man looked up. "I have family in Istvan, Majesty. I've heard about the Lady Saint. I've heard rumors of troubled times, and I'd be honored to have the Lady Saint, and my Queen's blessing."

Esther swallowed hard. She felt rather embarrassed, but she couldn't think of a single way to avoid it. Finally, she laid a hand gently on the man's shoulder. "I pray God goes with you, and watches over you, in everything you do."

The man rose to his feet with a smile, then bowed. "Thank you, Majesty." And without further ado, he opened the door and ushered her inside.

Esther stepped through, then turned. "When you see Father Nightroad, please tell him I've retired for the evening."

The guard bowed again. "Yes Majesty."

Esther dressed in a pensive frame of mind, then stretched out in bed. She wasn't tired, or particularly sleepy, but she did want to think for a little while. She lay in the dark, pondering the guard's words, and her own feelings.

It occurred to her then that this was exactly the sort of thing that had happened when she arrived in Istvan, for her own confirmation of sainthood, and also when she'd arrived in Albion as Sister Esther, before her parentage had become known. And that...that was part of what made her uncomfortable. Despite the necessity of the progression, of being seen and reassuring the people, it reminded her of those times, and of memories she didn't want to think of. When she'd faced Vanessa, nearly gotten killed by Dietrich and the auto-jagers, had seen Mary nearly killed by Cain, and witnessed Abel's death.

Esther sighed and turned over onto her side. They were taking every precaution, and she didn't think anything like that was going to happen now. The progress had been peaceful thus far, and she knew everyone was being very careful, keeping an eye out for any potential trouble. They couldn't keep people from approaching her, and didn't want to, but Mary, Virgil and her guards were wary. And that was too say nothing of Abel.

Esther sighed again, and rolled over onto her back. Mary and Virgil had been as close as her own shadows since they'd docked. Both of them were courteous, and very much her servants, and neither of them had made a move that was even close to inappropriate. Every time they spoke to her it was with a bow and a 'Majesty'. Every time they stepped in for her, it was with backward glances for approval and questions. She knew why they were making such a public show of their loyalty, and their obvious respect as her servants, but she missed the relaxation of mornings at breakfast, or laughter and advice shared over tea, or reports on the desk. She missed Mary's warm smile of familiarity, as her half-sister, rather than the polite smile of a Colonel and noblewoman addressing her monarch. She missed Virgil's easy warmth and support, the man who had spoken frankly to her over her first absence, and hadn't hesitated to take her arm and pull her to her feet in the chapel that first night. The man who had first told her of the Underground and shared its secrets with her. She wanted to be home, where they could all relax. It was odd, that she'd avoided homesickness for over a year in the past, but this close to Londinium, she missed it desperately.

And there was Abel. He stayed close to her, giving her a hand out of the car, and into it, at every stop. When she stopped for a speech, he handed her up to the podium and back down, smiling warmly and encouragingly. When they toured, he frequently took time to speak to the nobles, several of whom knew him by name, and to people on the street, particularly shop owners and the like. He'd regained most of the weight he'd lost during her absence, and no longer had the haggard, haunted look he'd carried the first night.

He dealt with the people he spoke to with a blithe disregard of propriety, rank or anything else, handling them all in that unique way he had, half gentle amusement and rather hopeless foolishness, and half quiet inspiration. Walking through the street in a short parade, he made comments in a stage whisper to whomever happened to be walking with him, usually eliciting smiles, tinged with exasperation though they sometimes were. His presence practically radiated warmth, good humor and comfort, and everyone around him responded to it.

On one hand, Esther was relieved to see him acting so much like himself. She'd been worried that her absence, and the war with Cain would have stripped him of his humor and his laughter, leaving only the lonely, wistful man she'd first seen standing over Gyula's body, or the torn and anguished one she'd glimpsed so often since Carthage. On the other hand...

She remembered the boy she'd left, some 980 years in the past. The lonely, angry confused teenager who'd whispered _'I thought you wanted to help me. To be my friend.'_ Who had come running into the room at the very last instant as she left, his eyes aching with loss and confusion. She remembered Abel in the streets of Albion, in his UNASF uniform, and the painful isolation of his voice as he whispered to the woman he loved. Abel in the dunes, asking for one night, one hour of peace before battle, a single moment to remember friendship and love, rather than the hate he could no longer summon.

Abel, holding the body of a Terran commander he had been an enemies with, and had cherished and respected for protecting what was dear to him.

Abel, lost in grief and madness, at the death of his beloved and the terrible, world-shattering betrayal his brother had committed against him. Lost in anger and violence, a madness that consumed and destroyed him, and left him with nothing but ashes for nine hundred years.

She loved having him nearby, seeing him smile, hearing him laugh. The warmth of his hands as he helped her. The light touches of affection they exchanged, a brush across the shoulder, a hand holding hers for a moment, and some nights, a light kiss on the cheek or forehead. They were still sleeping in separate bedrooms, for propriety, but he could get away with that, since everyone knew he'd been her mentor, and her partner, for some time. She suspected, from the looks they got, that Jane wasn't the only one who knew it was more than friendship, but she didn't mind that.

Still, the memories made her feel...ashamed, and guilty. She loved him, loved seeing him as he was, as Father Nightroad, but she couldn't help remembering what he'd endured. And more, that she'd let it happen to him, that she hadn't prevented his suffering. That she hadn't even warned him, at least given him time to brace himself for the agony. Rationally, she knew why she hadn't, but still...she felt selfish, and a little cruel, for what she'd done.

Esther rolled over, and tried to push the thoughts from her mind. Now wasn't the time to confront Abel. Not when they were so much in the public eye. It would have to wait until they returned to Buckingham Palace, where they could get together in the privacy of her rooms, or his. She sighed again, and began going over their next stop, and what she planned to say until, finally, she fell into a restless slumber.

She managed to set her disconcerting thoughts of Abel aside during the following days, but she couldn't help thinking of them. She managed to maintain a cheerful expression while speaking to everyone, but she couldn't help feeling awkward, and slightly unhappy around him, the way she had in Carthage, when she'd wanted to know the secret he was keeping, and hadn't been able to ask. Abel, for his part, seemed to sense her mood. She could sense a slight edge of worry to his smile when he spoke to her or gave her assistance, but he didn't ask.

As they came closer to Londinium, she began to see more evidence of the war, and the Contra Mundi's machinations. People were a little quieter, more desperate to see her. Buildings were in worse shape, and tension was higher. Men, though they still dressed in good clothes and greeted her warmly, also carried weapons. Women seemed to require more reassurance. It made her heart ache, for what her people had gone through, and she wished she'd been able to return sooner. But there was nothing to be done about it, so she threw all her attention to offering comfort and promises that she was back, offering kindness and warmth. She shook hands, smiled, even bent down to talk to some of the children she encountered. She knew some of the more proper nobles were practically scandalized, but she remembered being a frightened, lonely child, and it felt right. She saw Mary and Virgil smiling in approval. It reminded her of how she and Alessandro had found acceptance in the Ghetto, by befriending the children.

Finally, they reached Londinium itself. The morning they were scheduled to arrive dawned fair and clear, and only slightly cool. Esther selected one of her prettier, brighter gowns to wear. The top of the car was folded back, so she could be clearly seen. One of the nobles had been elected as her driver, with Virgil, Abel and Mary walking at the sides. Esther got in the car, feeling nervous. The other stops had been fairly informal, but this was the capital. She took a deep breath, caught Abel's encouraging smile, then nodded at the driver, and they were off.

People began lining the street half a mile outside the city. Several were cheering, some held flags. Children and young women threw flowers to line the streets, while the men saluted or waved solemnly. Esther responded with gentle smiles and nods. She'd never been one to wave at crowds, so she kept her hands in her lap.

It was even more crowded when they entered the city. People packed the roads, crowding the barriers the army had put up. They stood in shop doorways, leaned out of windows. Albion banners, some very obviously homemade, dangled from rafters. The flowers were thick enough to carpet the street entirely, and here and there people were calling out things like 'God Save Queen Esther!' and 'Welcome Home, Majesty!'

Esther continued to smile and nod, trying to hide the lump in her throat. She'd hoped not to be met with too much anger and suspicion for disappearing for over a year. She hadn't expected such a warm reception. Her heart was filled with pride, in her people, and relief that they felt so strongly.

Here and there, she saw signs of damage. Buildings that had been battered. Some of the men carried weapons, and from the way Mary's guards were watching them silently, it didn't look like it was a new occurrence. Every now and then she spotted a face in the crowd with bandages, and once a young man with crutches, saluting while two of his friends supported him. It was obvious that Londinium had come under attack at least once, and from the signs she saw, fairly recently at that. The knowledge stiffened her spine with anger, knowing what Rosenkreutz had done to her people.

Finally, they reached Buckingham Palace. There was a full complement of guards at the gates. Beyond that, representatives of every noble family in Albion, all the major traders with influence, and the heads of the military lined the walkway, their dress uniforms glittering brightly in the sunlight. As Esther's car passed the gates, all of them snapped to attention. As suggested, Virgil and Mary did so as well, joining the ranks of their fellow aristocrats and leaving Abel and her driver to escort her up alone. Mary had argued against such light security, even as close to the Palace as they were, until Virgil had reminded her both of Abel's strength, and his fierce devotion to Esther.

Together, they made their way to the steps leading to the main doors of the Palace. The car pulled around in front, and one of the lieutenants in charge of the Palace Guard opened the door as the rest came to attention. Abel handed her out, gently but firmly, and led her to the top of the steps. Once there, she stopped and turned.

Mary and Virgil came forward and knelt at the base of the steps. As one, the rest of the assembled nobles also dropped to their knees, men removing caps, ladies dipping in deep curtsies, every head bowed in respect.

Esther waited a few moments, then spoke, her voice carrying over the silent grounds. "Rise, my nobles." They all did, with the exception of Mary and Virgil. Normally, she would have been upset, but she understood. With all the rumors of their betrayal of her, they needed to make a public show of loyalty, and her trust.

Esther moved forward and laid a hand on each of their shoulders. "Lord Walsh, Colonel Spencer, thank you so much for all you've done for me while I was away. Please know, your efforts are greatly appreciated." At her gesture, both of them rose to stand beside her as her gaze swept over the assembled throng. "As are the efforts of every single one of you. Thank you for your continued work for this country and its people."

Several spines straightened, pride in the eyes of the nobles. Esther continued. "I know many of you have questions, both as to my activities and their meaning. Therefore, in order to quell the disquiet of the people, and to reassure you, I shall be giving a public statement in half an hour, so please...be patient."

There were nods all around. Esther returned them with grave acknowledgment, then turned and strode through the line of saluting guards and into the Palace, Abel, Virgil and Mary beside her. As the walls of the Palace closed around her, Esther found herself breathing a sigh of relief. Something deep inside relaxed at the knowledge that she was finally home. She allowed herself to enjoy the feeling for a moment, before reaching up to unpin the crown she was wearing. She did have a public announcement to make, but she didn't plan to make it in her formal dress.

Half an hour later, Esther stepped out onto the roof Buckingham Palace arrayed in a simple dress she used for working in her office. Her hair was loose, tamed only by a small coronet over her brow. The dress was a cream color, trimmed in red and silver, reminiscent of the sister's habit she'd worn over two years ago while claiming her throne. Virgil stood at one shoulder, Mary at the other, with Abel almost invisible behind them.

Esther took a deep breath and accepted the megaphone that Virgil extended to her. Then she stepped toward the edge of the roof. Below all the nobles, merchants, and as many of Londinium and Albion's inhabitants as could squeeze into the royal garden were present, waiting for her words. Esther swallowed hard. She'd tried hard to prepare a speech, but doing so made her remember all the prepared speeches she'd been subjected to as the Lady Saint. She hated reciting things. She did far better speaking from the heart. She took another deep breath and moved forward, hoping she was at least projecting confidence, even if she didn't feel it.

The people below were silent, waiting. Esther raised the megaphone to her mouth, took one last deep breath and began.

"_**People of Albion!**__**Thank you; thank all of you for your warm welcome." **_She steadied herself, straightening her back, looking over the crowd._** "I know, these past two years have been a trying, difficult time for all of you. I know, you have faced many difficulties, not the least my enforced absence, caused by the enemies who seek to undermine this country and all it stands for. However...I also know that all of you are brave, strong people. All of you have worked to maintain the peace and solidarity of our mutual home. Even as I have been fighting abroad, working with our allies, I know each and every one of you have worked here, to protect your homes, your families, and your country. It is because of each and every one of you, because of all your effort, that I am able to return to this place. I can only hope that I may continue to try and be worthy of the trust and support that all of you have given this place."**_

Esther raised her head, letting her gaze sweep slowly over the crowd, lingering as though she looked into every person's eyes. Caterina had taught her the trick, and she found it helpful. _**"People of Albion, as your queen, I promise you...they will not win!"**_ She let the biting ferocity she felt into her tone, strengthening it. _**"Our enemies have tried to splinter our comradeship, our alliances, with their rumors. They have tried to make us fear each other, suspect each other. They have attempted to attack us and break us by damaging our homes, threatening our lives and our peace. However...we will not let them. They have attempted to capture me, to take me from you and prevent me from serving you. However...I will not let them! Together, with faith and trust in each other, we can overcome their whispers in the night. With all of you by my side, I know we can vanquish these enemies. Let us unite, and prove to them that we, the people of Albion, are greater than any rumors of discord or threats of violence can every destroy. I ask that you listen to me, and follow me into battle one last time, that we may dispel these invaders, these liars, and destroy them once and for all. For Albion!"**_

The roar that rose from the grounds at her statement was almost deafening, even from where she stood on the roof. She heard _**'Majesty!'**_ shouted out, along with _**'Long Live the Queen!', 'God Save Queen Esther!'**_ and other such sentiments.

"You are their Star of Hope." Virgil's soft voice spoke from behind her. "Listen to them, Majesty. They are welcoming their Star." There was a soft pause. "As are we."

Esther nodded, her throat closing around a swell of pride and fierce protectiveness. "I know. And I intend to live up to it."

Mary spoke softly. "I have no doubt you will succeed, my lady Esther."

Esther stood where she was, looking over her people as the cheering slowly faded. Then she smiled, and raised a hand in salute. _**"For Albion!"**_

"_**FOR ALBION!"**_ The roar reverberated off the stones of the Palace. Esther remained until it faded, then turned and went back inside.

**8888888888**

The next few days were so busy Esther barely had time to breathe. She woke early, worked nearly non-stop, and fell asleep late.

There was a convening of the full Court. To them, Esther gave an abbreviated version of her story, telling them that Rosenkreutz had taken hostages, and used them as leverage to abduct her, and that she had been rescued, but it had been decided she needed to be out of reach for a while, to dissuade her attackers and give their allies a chance to build their defenses and launch a counter-attack. The explanation was met with grumbling, however, it appeared that more than one of the assembled courtiers had seen Abel in action, and they weren't nearly as vehement as Esther might have expected.

There was also a full Council meeting. The members of the council received a few more details, though it was still maintained that Esther had been in hiding. However, Virgil and Mary released a limited amount of information about the ARK, namely the Contra Mundi's interest in it as a weapon, its other dangers, and the defense measures that could be further implemented. They already had a partial Aegis Shield to protect Buckingham Palace and parts of Londinium, as well as evacuation routes and safe zones, including the Underground. But Seth and the Professor's work, in addition to retrieving Esther, had gathered more information about the ARK that could be used for more comprehensive defenses.

In addition to that, there was a tour Underground, to assure them of Esther's continued well-wishes there. This time, it was Vanessa who knelt before her, to receive her gratitude and show her loyalty. The people there were just as happy to see her as the people of above-ground Londinium had been.

Three days after she returned, William, Leon, Astha, Seth and Ion arrived. The following day, they held an Alliance meeting. It was an in depth strategy meeting, covering a recap of all the movements each side had made over the past year and planning possible courses of action. They made no definite plans, but Esther felt slightly uneasy, especially when she noted how silent Abel was throughout the meeting.

There were other meetings as well, and in between them Esther dealt with all the formal paperwork that had to be handled. Though Mary and Virgil's efforts had kept it from being unmanageable, there was still a great deal of it to handle. In addition, Esther began procedures to list Mary and Virgil as her formal Stewards in the event of another such emergency. She also listed Mary as her immediate heir, with Jane as the second in line. There was a great deal of protest, but Esther was adamant, and after a great deal of argument from the council and court, they reluctantly yielded.

Abel remained by her side for the majority of the time. Most of the time, he was silent as a shadow. He walked with her in the halls, stayed in the meetings in an out-of-the-way corner, and sat with her at meals. Sometimes, he would speak, to add his thoughts on this or that matter, or place a tentative suggestion, but for the most part, he was simply there, supporting her.

Esther was glad of his presence, but also strangely glad that her schedule left virtually no time for them to be alone together. Abel did always come to bid her good night, when she prepared for bed, but he didn't stay with her unless she asked, and she hadn't asked. She missed his warmth, but still...

She couldn't bring herself to talk about her time in his past, but looking at him only reminded her of all he had suffered, all she had let him suffer. She felt guilty, being so distant with him after everything he had risked for her, but she didn't know how to broach the subject with him, not without reopening the terrible wounds that scarred his soul. She didn't want to hurt him, and couldn't see a way to handle it without causing pain. She tried to push it to the back of her mind, but she felt guilty, and didn't know how to apologize.

Abel seemed to sense her distress. She caught him, more than once, looking at her with a slightly puzzled, somewhat concerned a almost hurt expression. However, he didn't pursue the matter.

Finally, after nearly two weeks of non-stop work and meetings, things began to settle down into something like a normal rhythm. She finally felt able to sleep later than the crack of dawn, and allowed herself to go to bed at midnight, or even a little earlier. After another week, she didn't even feel as fatigued as she had.

A week after things settled, she still hadn't managed to speak to Abel. That night, Esther got ready for bed in a pensive frame of mind. She wanted to speak to Abel, but still...a soft knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. She pulled a night robe over her gown, then turned. "Enter."

Abel slipped into her room. He'd already removed his outer cassock for the evening, and his expression was somber. "I know it isn't a good time, but...well, I was wondering...if we could talk."

Esther nodded. "Of course. It's no problem. I wasn't quite ready to sleep yet." She swallowed. She had a feeling she knew what Abel wanted to speak with her about, and she wasn't sure what to say, or how he would react.

Abel nodded, fidgeting lightly as one hand came up to rub the back of his head in a gesture of agitation. "Umm...well, it's about..." He trailed off, and his hand dropped back to his side, his movements stilling. "Ever since you came back, you haven't seemed, well...I feel as if I'm making you uncomfortable. And...if it's something I did, I'd...well, I'd like to know." He sighed. "I..I know it took a long time for us to retrieve you.,,"

Esther swallowed hard. "No. It isn't that..." Except, in an odd way, she wasn't sure it wasn't.

Abel caught the hesitation in her voice. "Esther...you don't have to try to spare my feelings." He paused a moment. "When you came back...I...because my condition, you were forced to...to give me your blood. I...if it bothered you, I understand."

Esther shook her head, then stepped forward to stop his words. "I already told you, I didn't mind that at all."

Abel swallowed. "Well then...I'm not quite sure what happened. You couldn't...you couldn't possibly have thought I was interested in Miss Joycelyn..."

Esther shook her head again. "No. I know you weren't."

Abel nodded. "Well then, I'm afraid I'm at a bit of a loss. If you don't mind...could you tell me what is upsetting you?" He met her eyes, then reached up tentatively to brush her hair back from her face. "I did promise, you know, to be here for you, but I can't really help if I don't know what's wrong."

Esther swallowed hard, biting her lip. He, of all people, deserved to know. Finally, she swallowed again and turned away from him, turning to the darkened window. "All right." She took a deep breath, trying to still the sudden queasiness in her gut. "Did Seth...did she tell you where...when I was sent to?"

Abel made a soft sound. "Well, she wasn't very specific. Only that it was the past."

Esther nodded, a lump forming in her throat. "It was. Only, it was your past, Abel."

She heard the sharp intake of breath. "My past?"

She nodded. "I was there...on the station, for a few months. The station where you were trained for the Red Mars Project. And after...I was with Lilith, during the Terran-Methuselah War. Seth sent me back, just after Lilith's death."

"Dear Lord." The words were an exhalation, pain and something else she couldn't identify in them. Then Abel's voice, so soft she nearly didn't catch his words. "I...you know, I remember...I never realized though...Lilith didn't tell me it was you. Not even Seth did." She heard him take a deep, shaky breath. "Lord have mercy...what you must have seen, and heard of me...what you must think of me..." his voice cracked on the words. "Miss Esther, I am..."

Esther turned, hearing the apology in his voice, and the anguish. Lines of strain and pain slashed his face, and his eyes were an ocean of regret and terrible shame. "That you saw that...saw _me_ like that..."

She put her hand to his lips. "You don't have to explain, or apologize. And you have nothing to be ashamed of. It's true...I saw some very terrible things, back then. And you...I think everyone involved had to do things they were ashamed of. But...I also saw you, how deeply you cared. In Carthage...you spoke so gently to Lilith, and the way you tried to protect your men from dying from sun poisoning, the way you brought Elissa home and helped protect her tomb from desecration...I think you did the best you could, in a terrible situation."

Abel swallowed. "I'm afraid I don't feel the same way." He looked away from her. "I...I do remember you there..." He paused, his voice soft, hoarse with emotion. "When...when Lilith died, and Seth...she tried to help me...and you, you were there, weren't you?" Esther nodded. "You saw it then...the insanity, the violence in me." His voice was trembling. "I'm...I'm not surprised, that you're avoiding me then. To have witnessed that..."

"No. It isn't that. It was a bit frightening, but I understand, why you would have reacted that way. What happened that day, it must have been terrible for you." Esther swallowed hard, remembering the day Bishop Laura had died, the day he had died, and tried to imagine combining it with her feelings about Dietrich's betrayal. "It must have felt like your whole world shattered."

Abel nodded. "It did. But still..."

Esther shook her head. "I haven't been avoiding you because of anything you did then, or anything I saw. Actually...it's because of what I did." She tried to swallow back the burning in her eyes, but her throat felt too tight to do so.

Abel started visibly. "What you...Esther..." His eyes came back to hers, surprise in them.

Esther held his gaze, feeling tears in her eyes. "I let you suffer. Back then...I knew what was going to happen. I knew...everything. What you endured on the station, what you were going to face on Mars. And I let you go to it, even knowing what would happen, what your own people would do to you, and what would happen to Cain. And then, _I _told Lilith she had to leave. She left for me, not just to protect the Terrans. She might not have left, if I hadn't asked her to stop you. And everything after that..." Tears spilled down her face, blurring her vision, distorting Abel's expression. "Even knowing what it would do to you, in this time...I didn't stop anything. All the grief you suffered, all the guilt you felt, everything that makes you so ashamed...I let it happen to you. I didn't even prevent Lilith's death. I didn't even manage to warn you, before Cain did such a terrible thing to you." She swallowed hard, feeling the grief and hurt she'd choked down flooding her. "Abel...I am so, so sorry, for what I've done to you."

Her tears were blinding her, but she couldn't bear to wipe them away and see Abel's expression. She didn't want to see his face, as he realized how badly she had really hurt him.

There was silence in the room for a long moment. Then Abel moved. He stepped forward, reached out, and gently touched her shoulder. "Is that why you were avoiding me?"

Esther nodded. "I am...so, so sorry. I know...it was selfish of me, to put you through that, just to preserve my own time line. I'm sure...I'm sure you're probably very angry with me, and you won't ever forgive me, for what I've done to you, what I made you suffer...but I am...more sorry than you'll ever know."

"Nonsense." Abel's voice was soft, but there was no condemnation in it. "Of course I forgive you. Though, honestly, I don't really think there's anything you need me to forgive you for." His hand moved, then gently brushed away her tears.

Esther stared at him, shocked both by his words and the gentle, kind expression on his face. "What...but...after everything, you must be furious with me..."

Abel shook his head, then gently enfolded her into his embrace, wrapping his arms around her. "I will admit, I was angry when you left me, when I was seventeen. I'd just gotten used to the idea of having someone there for me, you know. But I did get over it, after a fashion. Cain, Lilith and Seth tried very hard to support me. As for the rest of it it..."

He paused, and the words were slower, more thoughtful as he spoke. "When Lilith left with you, when she disappeared to Albion with you, I was furious. I have to admit, I honestly hated both of you, for a while there. But...it was Lilith's choice to go. You didn't make her do anything." A small note of amusement, tinged with pain, entered his voice. "She probably would have gone even if you hadn't come. That's just who she was. I think you just gave her an excuse, made it easier for her. And if she hadn't been that type of person, well, she wouldn't have been Lilith."

Esther swallowed, trying to suppress her tears enough to at least talk coherently with him. "But...everything else...I didn't even warn you. I didn't even try to stop you."

Abel nodded. "Yes, well, I'm not sure it would have made much difference if you had." He sighed. "By that time, I didn't really have that many memories of you from the station, and Seth and Lilith neither one told me exactly who you were. I knew you looked familiar, like someone I knew, but I didn't make the connection. And as for not stopping me, or warning me...I'm not sure I would have listened. Lilith tried, after all, and I didn't even listen to her, so I don't think I would have paid much attention to you." His arms tightened around her. "You know, that really does sound rather cruel of me, but..."

"No. I understand." Esther felt herself relax, just a fraction. "But still...I didn't even try, because I was afraid of changing the future, of changing my future. It was selfish of me, and because of that...you suffered so much." She bit her lip. "I could have spared you so much pain..."

"Well, perhaps. But you know, even if you had managed to change the future...there's no guarantee it would have been any better. And I much prefer my current life to what might have happened. If Lilith hadn't left us, and we'd destroyed the world completely, for example. Or if you hadn't helped her, and the Vatican or the Terrans had killed her, instead of giving her a place of honor among them." He stopped for a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was lighter. "Besides...if you'd changed the future, I might not have gotten to meet you after all. And that would be a terrible thing."

Esther swallowed hard. "But..."

Abel shook his head. "Truly, Esther. I am not proud of what I have done, and I will admit that I have suffered. However, I tell you this with all of my heart..." He cupped her face with his warm, gentle hand, and brushed the tears from her cheeks again. "There is no future I would rather have, than one with you. Even with everything, I would rather be here with you, than anywhere else."

Esther gulped, feeling her chest tighten and more tears threatening her. "But...if you could have Lilith...if she hadn't died..."

"Then I might have been different. I would have cared for her, yes. But I still do not wish to trade your presence for hers. Not now, not ever. You have nothing to be ashamed of, or feel guilty about. And as I told you before: I am on your side. And I love you, with all my heart and soul, everything I am." He bent and kissed her on the brow, love and benediction and forgiveness all in one.

Esther swallowed hard, then flung herself into his arms, wrapping her own around him and entwining her fingers into his shirt. Tears flooded her eyes and poured down her face again, but this time they weren't tears of grief or regret, but relief. She buried her face in the front of his cassock, feeling his arms embracing her as they had that day on the station just over a month ago. The warmth of him soothed the ache in her heart, banishing the clouds of pain that had haunted her.

Abel held her while she cried. Then, when the tears had slowed and stopped, he handed her a handkerchief. "There. That's better, isn't it?"

She nodded. "Thank you." She sniffled, wiped her face, then leaned back against him. "I was just so afraid that you wouldn't forgive me, for not saving you."

"I understand. It's all right." His arms wrapped around her gently. Then he shifted, picked her up and carried her to the bed, kicking his boots off awkwardly as he did so. He settled them on the bed, leaning himself against the headboard and settling Esther so she was wrapped in his arms, settled comfortably into his lap.

Esther, for her part, was content to lean against him, savoring his warmth, and the feeling of relief that flooded her. She hadn't realized, until this moment, how desperately she had missed his presence.

Her mind drifted over the events of the past year, for her. They still hurt, but knowing Abel had forgiven her made the pain less tangible. The memories of his grief faded a little replaced with her Abel, the Abel of her time, and his gentleness.

Her thoughts wandered to Cain. She'd avoided thinking of him, of the quiet young man she'd met on the station, and the callous monster she'd met 80 years later. But she knew he was still out there, the Contra Mundi. He still had to be dealt with. She bit her lip again, thinking over what she remembered of the Cain she'd meant in the past.

Abel sensed her tension. "Esther?" His voice was soft.

"I'm sorry. It's just...it's Cain." She paused, trying to find words to describe him. "When I was in the past, especially on the station, when you were children, I got to know him a little better. Before this...I wasn't sure, exactly who he was, you know. I couldn't tell what was him, and what was the Crusnik."

Abel was silent, but she felt the tension in his arms as he waited for her to continue.

"When I was in Londinium, before I knew who he was, before he knew I was with you, he seemed so...relaxed, carefree, I guess. Like you, when you were showing Seth and I around. And when I was captured, he spent a lot of time with me, because I was connected to you. Sometimes, he could be so cold, so cruel. But sometimes, he seemed so gentle, so concerned. And he kept saying everything was for you."

Abel sighed. "I know."

Esther took a deep breath to settle her thoughts. "It's just...it's like there are two completely different sides to him, and they're both connected to you. I didn't know before, but when he's being gentle, quiet, and sometimes when he isn't...he's like he was as a child, isn't he?"

Abel sighed again. "He is. Very much like he was when were children. And honestly, he was like that when we were adults too. The way he was in Londinium, when you first met him, before we encountered each other...he was like that. Very scatter-brained sometimes, but quite kind. And chivalrous. He got that habit watching out for Seth."

Esther nodded, and finally found the words to voice the thought that was in the back of her mind. "He...he's still there, isn't he? Even though...even though the Crusnik have taken him over so much, he's still there. Your brother."

Abel was silent a long moment, and when he spoke, there was pain in his voice. "I think so." He hesitated, then spoke again, as if he too was struggling to put his thoughts into words. "Cain was...he was the only one who had no time to prepare, mentally, for the Crusnik. And he was the only one who went straight from his initial activation into a 100 percent fusion. The rest of us...we had time, time to adjust, but he was at a disadvantage. But yes...I've thought, at times, that Cain was...that he was still Cain. The brother I knew." His arms tightened around her, and Esther didn't have to see his face to know the expression of pain and old grief that was etched upon it.

She thought of letting it lie, but her instincts told her that she and Abel both needed this. That Abel needed to give voice to this. "When I was with him it was like speaking of you, it made him more violent, but it also...those were the times he seemed most like himself. I remember, he invited me for dinner once, and he played a song. An old song. He said it reminded him of you."

"'Within You'." Abel's voice was quiet. "He used to play that when I upset him, as a hint." Esther nodded and felt Abel sigh against her shoulder. "The fusion, it pulls you to whatever generates your strongest feelings. For me, it was you, and the need to stop Cain. But for him...I..." His voice broke, then dropped to something just above a whisper. "From what he says, what he said during the first war...I think Cain was fixated on the promise he made to me." His arms clenched around her, seeking comfort, and she wrapped her own arms around his, returning the embrace.

Abel swallowed hard, his chest moving with the motion. "Cain...he did everything he could to keep that promise, when we grew up. That was one of the reasons the commanders of the Red Mars Project gave me such a high rank and security clearance. He asked them to, for my sake, because he knew I hated being over-ruled, or kept in the dark. But I think, when the Crusnik took him...it warped his memories. He's fixated on keeping his promise, but...I think, somehow, it's been warped. He no longer differentiates between that promise, and the things I said in anger that day."

Esther nodded. "Lilith, she said something like that too."

Abel's arms tightened once more. "She did. But I didn't listen. I didn't want to hear that." Esther heard the pain in his voice, and reached up to touch his jaw comfortingly. After a moment, Abel relaxed just a fraction.

They sat in silence for a few moments. Then Esther spoke again, her voice soft. "If Cain's still there...what happened?"

"The Crusnik overwhelmed him. His own personality has been subsumed by them, nearly completely absorbed." Abel's voice was heavy.

Esther grimaced. She remembered Abel, the few times he'd lost control, and how he'd felt afterward. If his own personality now mirrored what Cain's had been before, then the shock of being completely taken over... "Isn't there any way to save him?" she twisted her head back to look at Abel.

Abel's face twisted in pain. "I don't know." He closed his eyes, pain slashing lines across his countenance like wounds. "I can't say for certain. I know he won't listen to me, if I speak to him. And to be honest, the way I feel when I see him, I'm not sure I would listen either. But...I don't know how to free him. I don't know that there is any way. Especially now, with him relying on the Crusnik for his regeneration. To separate him from their control will probably kill him."

Esther felt her throat tighten in response. Much as she hated what Cain had done to her, to Albion, to Lilith and Abel and Seth, her heart ached at the thought of the gentle kind boy she'd met being trapped within a monster. "What will you do?"

"I will do what I must." Abel's voice was deep, rough, broken with the pain that shadowed his face. "The Contra Mundi and the Order of Rosenkreutz must be stopped, before this world is destroyed again. If I cannot save my brother...then I must end this. If the only way to do that is to kill him, and scatter his ashes on the wind, then I will." His head bowed, eyes still closed in grief. "For all our sakes, I will finish him. No matter what it takes."

Esther reached up to touch his face. "I'm sorry. I know it's hard for you."

Abel sighed. "There was a time when I hated him. Sometimes...I'm still angry enough with him for it not to matter. When he threatens you, it's enough. When I let myself go, when I was going insane, after you vanished, I didn't really think about it. But still...now that I know what he went through, what happened to him...when I've come so close to his madness myself..." He trailed off, and bent his head to bury his face in her shoulder. He wasn't weeping, but the sorrow in him was evident.

Esther held him, trying to offer what comfort she could. There was no way she could think of, to alleviate his pain. So she simply held him, and let him hold her.

Finally, Abel sighed and raised his head. "I should let you get some sleep." He shifted out from under her, and started to rise from the bed, but Esther caught his arm.

"Stay with me tonight." She held his wrist, looked up into his eyes. "I've missed you, and I'd like your company, if you don't mind."

A small smile touched his mouth. "Of course I don't mind." He unsnapped his rosary and laid it aside, then settled pulled back the covers. Esther slid under them, and he settled beside her. One hand gently stroked her face. "Thank you, Esther, for speaking with me, and listening to me."

Esther smiled. "You're welcome. And thank you." She took his hand in hers. "For staying with me. For saying you love me."

Abel chuckled. "I do." His longer fingers turned to gently clasp hers. "Rest, Esther."

Esther nodded, and closed her eyes. Within moments, she was drifting off into slumber.

**8888888888**

Esther woke gasping hours later, from a dream of the past, of the battlefield. Watching Abel and Cain fight, watching Abel as he attacked the ramparts of Carthage. She sat, propped on her hands, taking deep breaths and willing the fear and horror to subside.

Finally, she managed to calm, enough to be aware of the warmth next to her hand. She turned her head, and looked at Abel sleeping beside her.

His hair had come loose as he slept, falling to frame his face and brush his cheeks. His shirt was rumpled, haphazard, as though he too had suffered ill dreams at some point. She was a little surprised that he hadn't been awakened by her nightmare, but she recalled how William had said it would take time for his body to return to normal, and knew he was probably still recovering from the strain, and tonight had been an emotional night for both of them.

She sat up further, studying him in the moonlight. Her Abel. There were lines on his face that his younger self hadn't had, graven there by 900 years of mourning and a dozen years of laughter, love, battle and strife. He was darker skinned, though not much, the effect of the sun he got while traveling. His hair was more disordered, though just as long. The fingers of his hand, next to hers were still faintly calloused. She wondered if he wore his hair long as a sign of defiance against the military life he'd led, or just liked it that way. She wondered of the callouses came from weapons practice or wielding tools, or both. Or simply turning the pages of books and wandering in the garden.

In sleep, Abel's face was relaxed, without the look of anguish he'd worn during their discussion earlier in the evening. Esther studied him a moment longer, then reached out, and gently stroked the hair away from his face, her fingers tracing the lines of his brow and his high cheekbones.

Abel's eyes opened. He started to speak, but Esther put her fingers over his mouth, stilling his words. She didn't want to speak. She simply wanted to touch him, to feel him, to reassure herself that this was her Abel.

She wasn't sure if Abel understood, but he relaxed, rolling onto his back against the pillows. Esther leaned over awkwardly, hesitated a moment, then shifted so she was straddling him. She reached up again, tracing her fingers across the lines in his brow, the arch of his cheekbones and the hollows below them. Then across the straight bridge of his nose, and lower down to trace the lines of laughter and sorrow that bracketed his mouth. Her fingers traced across his lips. Abel pursed his lips, gently kissing her hand, but didn't say anything as her fingers drifted lower, to trace the point of his chin, and then traced the line of his jaw up to his ears.

She'd forgotten that, even in his human form, Abel's ears were slightly pointed. She traced the tips, then down his throat, feeling his pulse beating lightly, quickly, against her fingers. She let her hand rest there for a moment, then slid it lightly along his collar, feeling his breathing pick up a little as she did so.

For a long moment, she let her fingers run over the cloth. But it wasn't enough, somehow. Without much thought, she found herself undoing his collar, then the rest of the fasteners, pushing away the fabric to reveal Abel's torso. She heard him make a sound, deep in his throat, but he didn't stop her, didn't say anything, as she pushed it back from his shoulders.

She'd been half-afraid to find him covered in battle wounds, or scars, in spite of the Crusnik. But he was as whole as ever, the clean lines of his body marred only by the very faint scar from where Cain had struck him down, two years ago.

She let her hands drift upward, to trace the hollow of his throat, then across his shoulders. As always, he was lean, no fat on his frame, his muscles streamlined in smooth lines, rather than bulky. She ran her hands over the lines of his shoulders, then his biceps and triceps. It was awkward, with the shirt. After a moment, Abel raised himself silently on one elbow, and drew it off his arm. He shrugged out of the other sleeve as well, then settled back, watching her silently, making no move as she drew her hands over his arm, tracing the vein at his elbow in a long line down to his wrist.

She'd forgotten the way the muscles in Abel's wrists stood out, the tendons clearly visible. She'd forgotten the long crease of his lifeline, the faint callouses on the heel of his hand. She ran her palms over them, traced the long, supple fingers with her own. Abel's hand closed over hers, squeezing gently before he released her.

Esther traced her way back up his arm, then across the broad shoulders, scooting back a little as she did so. He hands ran across his shoulder-blades, then down, across the muscles of his chest, over his heart and across his breast.

"Esther." It was barely a whisper of sound, but so raw with emotion that it startled her. Esther looked up. Abel's eyes were closed, but his hand, lying next to his head, was clenched, and on his face was an expression of such raw need it took her breath away. Then his eyes opened, and she saw the depths of love in his gaze, love and desperation, and a need that nearly matched her own need to touch him. The sight of it sparked an answering feeling deep inside, sending slow tendrils of warmth from her gut.

Esther stilled. She hadn't thought of making love, and yet, she could feel Abel's desire, and it woke an answering desire in her. Her heart was suddenly pounding, her face burning, her hands feeling like she'd held them too close to the fire.

She held Abel's gaze a moment, then gently ran her hands over his breast again, then down his abdomen. Abel made another soft sound, then relaxed against the pillows, his eyes closing again, though his hand remained clenched in the blanket.

Esther ran her hands gently down his rib cage, lightly stroking the most sensitive spots with her fingers. It surprised her, that she still remembered, after over a year, but she felt Abel's breathing speed up, and her own heart rate increasing as warmth pulsed through her.

She scooted backwards again, across his hips, pausing for a moment as she felt the bulge in his trousers. Then she ran her hands across his abdomen again, fingers sculpting the toned muscles, flexing with every inhalation he took. She traced the line of them down to his navel, and very deliberately caressed him. Abel made another sound in the back of his throat, a strangled gasp, and whispered her name again.

She ran her thumbs over his navel again, then trailed her hands lower, to the waistband of his pants. Her fingers traced the line of his hips, then along the edge of the cloth until she found the button. Then, slowly, gently, she undid the catch, and the zipper, and slid her hands under the black cloth, and the undergarment beneath.

Abel shuddered at her touch, awakening an answering ripple of fire from within her. He was burning hot to the touch, the pale face already flushed.

Moving carefully, Esther scooted back further and slowly drew his pants down his hips, then his thighs, freeing his erection. Abel made a soft sound of relief. Esther scooted back further, then traced her hands down the long line of his legs, over his knees and calves, pulling his pants along until she drew them over his feet, leaving Abel lying naked on the bed.

For a long moment, Esther simply knelt there, looking at him. She hadn't seen nor felt his body in over a year, and her hands were shaking, even with the embers smoldering in her gut. Abel, for his part, didn't move. He simply lay there, as she had done the first time they'd made love, waiting for her next move.

She took a breath, to steady her hands slightly, then ran her hands over his feet, tracing the tendons there was well, copying the movements he had made during their first lovemaking. Then she edged forward, running her palms over his shins, her thumbs tracing along the inside of his calves. Abel moaned softly as she slid forward, caressing the sensitive inner skin of his thighs, then around to caress his hips and buttocks.

Esther ran her hands over his back, then across the lines of his hips once more, stroking forward to his groin. At that, Abel moaned again, then gasped as Esther gently stroked her hand over his erection.

Esther stroked him again, running her hand across his body and then down to caress his balls, and Abel's body jerked, eyes opening wide. "Esther..." The word was half a prayer, half a plea. His hands clenched in the bedspread, sweat shining on his face. "Esther..."

She stroked him again, eliciting another moan as Abel's hips rocked in helpless response. She let her fingers caress his shaft again, then up his stomach to his navel as she shifted position.

Carefully, Esther straddled his hips, her nightgown brushing over his body. Abel shuddered at the feel of silk on sensitive flesh. Still moving slowly, Esther shifted forward, until she was kneeling directly over him, her nightgown encasing him as well as her, and the tip of his shaft brushing her underwear.

Abel groaned as she rocked her hips slightly, brushing the satiny negligee over him. She teased him a moment, then reached under her nightgown and pulled the underwear free, letting it slide across Abel's body as she did so. Abel's hips jerked again in response, shaft rubbing over her bare flesh, exciting her, stimulating her.

She awkwardly removed the garment, getting another moan as it brushed his balls. Then she widened her legs a little bit, shifting until she felt Abel's erection pressed against her entrance. Underneath her, Abel stilled, his face tight with the strain of keeping himself under control.

Slowly, carefully, Esther lowered herself over him. It had been a long time, and it was tighter than she remembered, but the fire that danced through her, the excitement racing through her veins, more than made up for the discomfort. She continued moving, lowering herself over his shaft, until he was completely inside her, their hips nestled together.

Abel's eyes opened, his expression a mix of strain and rapture. He watched as she removed her nightgown, then propped himself on one elbow, both of them shivering under the stimulus as his body moved in hers. One hand reached out, to brush her face. "Esther." He caressed her cheek, then sat up just a little more, pulling her close for a kiss. His hands cupped her face, then her body, showing her much the same care she'd shown him. Then they were on her hips as he leaned back slightly, coaxing movement from her, reminding her of their lovemaking sessions from before.

Esther rocked her hips, feeling Abel's body exiting hers, then entering again, setting up a slow, steady rhythm, guided by his hands, and the answering movements of his body, responding to hers. They moved apart, came together again, varying the depth and strength of both movements. Abel was careful to keep his own actions gentle, holding back when Esther tried to increase the pace, both of them enjoying the slow building fire between them.

Esther felt as if she was burning, drowning in desire and the wonder of his touch. The pleasure felt almost unbearable. Unconsciously, she found herself increasing the pace again. Abel held her, but responded to her speed, his expression a match for what she was feeling. Then in one sudden movement, Esther pushed forward. Abel met her, their hips grinding together as the world exploded around them. When Esther came back to herself, she was gasping, lying across Abel. One of his hands was holding hers, the other arm thrown around her, his eyes wide with rapture as he too found release.

They lay like that for several minutes, propped against the pillows, both breathing hard and too relaxed to do anything more than lay there, enjoying the afterglow. Finally, Abel moved. "Well, that was...unexpected."

"Yes. But I'm glad."

"Quite." Abel smiled, then kissed her again, a long slow gentle kiss. His arms curled around her gently. Then he moved again, shifting to release her, to withdraw.

Esther shook her head and pulled him closer. After so long, she wasn't ready to lose the comfort of his embrace, the feel of him joined with her, just yet. "No. It's all right, if we stay like this." She edge a little closer, then looked up into his face. "Unless it's uncomfortable for you, being like this."

Abel chuckled lightly, brushing the damp hair back from his face, then from hers. "Oh no, not at all. But...well, you know...once I've got my strength back, if we stay like this..." He smiled at her, blushing slightly.

Esther smiled back. "I don't mind. Actually, I think I'd like that." She curled up against him, feeling slightly cold as the heat of desire and lovemaking wore off.

Abel chuckled again, then shifted to pull a blanket around and over them. Then he settled them both against the pillows, and carefully arranged his body so she would be comfortable, pillowing her head on his shoulder as he pulled her close and tucked himself around her. "All right love." Esther smiled at the endearment, her eyes starting to close on their own. Abel laughed softly and brushed the hair away from her face again. "Go to sleep, Esther."

Esther snuggled against him, feeling his body still within her, and smiled, then relaxed and let herself drift into the darkness.

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**(AN) **The events that happened inmanga chapters 39 to 46 that have happened in the time line with Shahrazad Al-Rahman and Archbishop Emmanuelle D'Annunzio have come and gone. I wanted to have Shara become part of the sequel** TBAS** in **AU** sort of way and delay her death and meet Esther much later then what the manga showed but it seemed after some earlier discussion with my editor that it would just confuse and twist the story line more in way not to make sense to the original cannon so sorry Shara fans no countess of Babylon coming in the sequel. Adding Judith J. Jocelyn was my editor's idea as sooner in this story then I wanted. I was expecting her to show more on TBAs as well but as with a lot so things I was not expecting to happen until much later she appears earlier in this story instead.

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**FACT:** Both **Judith J. Jocelyn** and **King Ludwig II** of Germanicus are second cousins to Esther and Mary. This not something I made up. I have mentioned this before in recent FAQ's in past chapters if you look back into chapter 49 the king and I you'll see that what I say is the truth. Even though it was not officially stated they are blood related cousins to the Queen of Albion and Viscountess of Carlisle (Mary). I once again have my editor to thank for this she pointed this known fact out to me long ago and it's true.

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**FACT:** Abel does get sea sick, it was shown once in the manga so I can assume Abel does not do well when it comes to traveling in the water ^^, he seems to be better on land then sea but I can assume when push comes to shove he does semi overcome it for certain amounts of time lie when it need to fight .


	56. Thirty Seven: Armageddon, Angel's War

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Ah… finally another update I trust all my readers and fans from the **USA** have been having an awesome thanksgiving and black Friday weekend/ holiday?

Well this comes right on time for when it ends I did not think my editor would make it in time before since she messaged me a few days ago that she was burning gas per se in getting this update to be before thing go back to normally until the winter holidays come rolling around soon. Have splendid time in reading the chapter everyone.

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(*) As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.

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**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. **I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter****.**

This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided love, **Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

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**Notice:****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

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Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter: 37 – ****Armageddon, Angel's War**

Esther woke the next morning tired and slightly sore, but very content. She and Abel had made love again during the night. She had woken, sometime after she'd fallen asleep, to the feel of Abel growing aroused inside her. It was a strange feeling, but it was stimulating as well. Abel had held her, kissing and caressing her, as his own body hardened and lengthened inside hers. Then, when they were both flushed and panting, he'd rolled her gently onto her back and made love to her once more, still as gentle as before. He'd maintained a quicker, stronger pace the second time, but Esther didn't mind in the least. After they'd both found release, he had held her some more. He hadn't stayed within her that time, wanting not to hurt her, or disturb her rest too much. She had to admit, he had a point. Besides, it had been enough, to be able to curl up beside him, wrapped in his arms.

Esther smiled, then turned to look at her sleeping lover. Abel had rolled onto his back, the sheets rumpled and pushed down to his waist, revealing his lean body. After two rounds of lovemaking and a few hours of sleep, his face and body were completely relaxed, the lines of strain erased from his countenance.

Esther glanced at the clock. She'd woken early, and there was plenty of time before anyone came for her. She smiled, then leaned over and kissed Abel.

Abel woke, startled, then relaxed. Esther held the kiss for a few moments, then sat back. "Good morning."

Abel smiled. "Good morning." He chuckled. "Honestly...I could get used to waking up that way."

Esther felt her own smile widen, and reached out to brush his jaw. "I could get used to waking you up that way. Although, the way I woke up last night wasn't bad either." She grinned at him.

Abel flushed. "Yes, well...I did warn you."

Esther leaned her head against his chest. "You did. But...I don't regret it. It was a wonderful evening."

Abel laughed gently. "It was, wasn't it? I will admit, I'm rather inclined to tell all your advisers that you aren't feeling well, and simply stay here with you for the rest of the day. Although, that would hardly be proper. In which case, I suppose I ought to get out of bed and get a bath ready for you."

Esther smiled and ran a hand over his arm. "There's still plenty of time."

Abel laughed again, then leaned in to kiss her lightly. "So there is, but I'm _very_ likely to lose track of time, if we don't get moving now."

That was probably true. She'd seen him lose track of time more than once and, despite Mary and Virgil's respectful attitudes, they were both shy about being embarrassed by her advisers. She kissed him back, then let him go. Abel smiled, caressed her cheek gently with the back of his hand, then untangled himself from the sheets and rose from the bed. Somehow, he managed to sling his discarded shirt over his shoulders as he did so. It didn't offer a lot of protection, but it did provide some.

Esther smiled as he disappeared into the bathroom, and the water started running. She felt better than she had for days. Their late night discussion and its unexpected aftermath had not only cleared the air, but revived their relationship.

Abel came out when the bath was ready and gestured her in while he collected his clothing so he could run across the hall to his own rooms. Esther took a longer bath than normal, enjoying the heat and relaxation. Finally, she emerged, toweled off, and dressed for the day.

Abel met her in the hall, cleaned up, in a freshly laundered uniform. He smiled as she emerged. "Shall we go down to breakfast? I know we're a little ahead of schedule, but I confess, I'm a little hungry."

"Of course." Esther smiled as Abel held out his arm, in proper Albion fashion, and took his hand. "But there's no need for formality, not for this early, Abel."

"As you wish." His tone was properly solemn for a Queen's escort, but his eyes were dancing with happiness, and his fingers intertwined with hers.

They arrived at the table to find Astha and Ion relaxing, holding cups of tea. Virgil was there as well, serving the other two Methuselah, though his relaxation spoke more of friendly companionship than service. All three of them looked up as they entered, eyes flicking to their faces and their joined hands.

Astha snorted. "It took you long enough, tovarish. I thought I was going to have to slap you, to get you to speak to her."

Abel flushed, and Esther stepped forward. "It isn't his fault. I was actually avoiding him this time."

Astha stared at her, unblinking, for a moment. "Well, that's fine then. Although...I take it you've resolved matters?"

"We have." Esther nodded.

"I beg your pardon. I thought I overheard someone say something had been resolved?" The Professor limped into the room, followed by Leon and an all-too-alert looking Seth.

The Empress glanced at their faces, and Abel's hand holding Esther's and grinned. "Well. It seems the two of you have finally managed to reconcile. I have to admit, I was getting a little worried there."

"It's all right. Esther and I talked a bit last night, and everything's fine." Abel smiled, but Esther saw a shadow darken his eyes. Seth must have noticed too, because a similar one touched her expression.

Leon made a rude noise. "Finally! I thought you were going to sulk forever, Four Eyes. I was about ready to punch you." He smirked. "He didn't give you too much trouble, did he, Red?"

Esther started to protest, but Abel's hand tightened on hers, and he shook his head slightly, a smile tipping up one corner of his mouth. Esther relaxed and shook her head. "No. He was very polite."

"Good. Then I won't have to crack his skull." Leon shot Abel one of his wolf's grins. "I vote we eat. I think I can hear Four Eyes' stomach growling from here."

Abel managed a sheepish grin. "Probably. It actually woke me up this morning."

"Well then, we should take care of that." Seth stepped over, took their joined hands, and dragged both of them to the table.

The meal was fairly lighthearted, little conversations starting up here and there and then dying away into the clink of plates and glasses and silverware. Mary joined them shortly after the servants brought the food, and Virgil courteously offered to fill her plate. Yet despite the small talk and the interest everyone applied to their plate, there was an odd undercurrent to the meal, as if everyone was only waiting for it to be over for something to happen, and no one was particularly eager to rush whatever they expected.

Finally, the last plates were cleared, and cleared away. Esther glanced at the clock. Her schedule was rather open. Given the current situation, she had a Council meeting every day, but not morning Court, so she had a few hours free. She'd been planning to do paperwork, but the odd silence among the others was making her uneasy. She was just about to break it when Seth spoke. "So then, Abel, if you and Esther have talked things out...does that mean you're ready?"

"Yes." Abel's voice was rough.

Esther blinked. "Ready? Ready for what?"

Abel rose slowly from his seat, all the laughter gone from his expression. "Do you remember, Esther, what we discussed about Cain, last night?"

Esther nodded. "Yes."

Abel's hand clenched slowly. "Do you remember...what I said I would do?"

"Yes, you said...you'd do whatever you must." Something clenched in her gut. "You don't mean..."

Seth sighed. "The rest of Rosenkreutz is a threat, but the truth is, this battle has always been between Cain and Abel. Ever since Lilith's death, and maybe even before then, you know. We've been fighting, but really, we've been waiting for Abel to decide what to do."

Leon's eyebrow rose. "You finally gonna go after him, Four Eyes?"

Abel swallowed hard, face pale. "Yes."

Leon nodded. "About time. I can get why you aren't exactly anxious, but I was getting tired of waiting."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. This is a difficult decision to make." The Professor rose from his seat, and moved to lay a hand on Abel's shoulder. "What do you want us to do?"

Abel swallowed again, took a deep breath. "I need to call a full War Council meeting, with Caterina, all the AX members we can get online, and Brother Petros."

Virgil and Mary both nodded, and the Count rose. "It will be done. When do you want to schedule it?"

Abel hesitated. "I...as soon as possible."

Virgil nodded, then turned to Esther. "Majesty...if the War Council is convening, may I suggest we alert the formal Council that we shall be delayed, and meet this afternoon? That way, we'll be in a position to inform them as to the plans that are made."

"Yes. Of course."

Mary rose from her seat. "Lord Walsh if you can summon the War Council, I will inform the other Albion nobility." Walsh nodded, then both of them bowed to Esther, and left.

Seth stretched. "I'd better help him get Mirka and Baibars online. You two." She gave Ion and Astha a quick glance. "I'd appreciate it if you could collect our notes on the current situation, as well as everything we've previously discussed, and bring it to the Council." Both nodded, rose, bowed, and left in a hurry.

Wordsworth stretched. "We should probably get our information together as well."

Leon nodded. "Yeah." He pulled himself out of his seat. "See you in Council." he gave Esther a half-hearted salute, and he and the Professor left the room.

That left Esther and Seth with Abel, who was still staring at the table, a strained look on his face. Seth moved to cover her brother's clenched hand. "Abel...are you sure?"

"I am. This has gone on far too long. Cain...he must be stopped. And there is...there is no one else."

Seth nodded. "I just don't want to lose you again, Abel. After everything..."

"I know." Abel took a slightly deeper breath, then gave her a wan smile. "It will be all right. After all, I can hardly leave you alone again, and Miss Astha and Leon will certainly beat me up if I don't keep myself together. Besides..." He raised his head, to look Esther in the eyes. "I have a very important promise to keep to Esther."

"Hmph. So you do. As long as you understand, that there are people who want you to be all right and come home safe, whatever happens." Seth managed a weak smile as well. "If you're sure, then I suppose the three of us had better get to the conference room." Esther and Abel nodded, and the together, they left, Esther and Seth linking arms with Abel.

Half an hour later, they seated themselves around the Conference table. Vanessa had come up from the Underground to join in. Several of the wall screens were lit, showing Caterina, Hugue, Brother Petros, Mirka and Baibars. Vaclav hovered in the background with Lady Caterina, as Sister Paula did with Brother Petros.

Caterina was the first to speak. "I take it, if a full Council is being called, that something has happened, or is about to."

"Yes." Abel rose from his seat, facing his superior. His face was pale, but stern rather than drawn.

Caterina studied him a moment, steel gray eyes locking with Abel's. "I see. You're ready then?"

"I am." Abel swallowed. "It's time to finish things."

"Very well then." Caterina nodded, leaning forward and lacing her fingers together in front of her face. "What's your plan, Abel?"

Esther was surprised. She hadn't expected Caterina to defer to Abel. She was far too used to seeing Abel as Caterina's subordinate. But no one else looked at all confused. In fact, they were all staring at the silver-haired man, simply waiting for his lead. It shook her a bit, to realize that Abel had become the war leader in her absence. He'd always been so gentle, so kind. It was hard to see him as a commander, and it woke uneasy memories of the past, when he'd been Cain's commander, against them. She shook the thoughts away and listened to Abel speak.

"We need to take the battle away from non-combatants. Anywhere Cain and I fight is going to be leveled, especially if we're both at full strength."

Caterina nodded. "We're all aware of that. I take it you have a location in mind."

"I do. The ARK." Abel swallowed again. "It's isolated, the only people who would get there would be the combatants for both sides." One hand clenched. "I plan to call Cain out, and summon him to the ARK. And this time, we're not leaving until this is finished." There was a harsh, terrible finality to the words that made Esther shiver, and she wasn't the only one. Beside her, she saw Seth make a face, pain and grief and fear on her young face.

She saw a flash of similar emotion in Caterina's eyes, but the older woman masked it well. "I see. It's a viable plan. However, there are two things that need to be addressed. One, how we can convince the Contra Mundi to agree to the terms. And two, despite my confidence in you, Abel, we need a backup plan. Should the unthinkable happen, and you lose, then how will we stop the Order of Rosenkreutz."

Abel's hand clenched, then relaxed. "If I lose, truly lose, then the ARK will detonate. Seth and I saw to that, while we were visiting. I hadn't mentioned it, because there was no use for the information, but we implanted a code that will allow the ARK to be fully destroyed upon my death." One hand reached up to lay upon his chest. "The cycling process will take a few minutes, and will look like an ordinary start up, or power surge, which Cain and the others will probably expect. You'll have that time to retreat."

Esther felt her heart sink, and further down the table, Leon cursed. "You sneaky little bastard." Dark eyes glared at Abel, then at William. "Did you know about this?"

"Of course. I did help set it up after all." William leaned back in his chair.

"But you didn't inform me." There was only a hint of reproach in Caterina's tone.

"I did not. Abel asked me to assist him with a fail-safe measure months ago. I have to confess, I was a bit reluctant, and I did consider reporting it, until he explained things to me. However, what he's proposing is not a suicide attack, but rather, a distraction and a stopping measure in case of total defeat. Considering what our circumstances will be if that occurs, I thought it well worth the risk."

Esther blinked. "Of course. You've created something like the Ibilis haven't you, Father?"

Abel's eyes cut to her, startled. Then he nodded. "Essentially, yes."

"In that case, we'll have to assume that it will work." Caterina frowned. "I do wish you'd told me before hand, Abel."

A small, sheepish smile touched his mouth. "I know. But, to be honest, I wasn't entirely sure how to bring it up."

Astha growled softly. "You'd better make sure you never use that trigger, tovarish, or I will resurrect you myself and beat you to death."

Abel actually laughed at that. "I understand. But I've already promised to do my absolute best to survive, so...there's no need to be concerned."

Caterina snorted. "With you, Abel, there's every reason to be concerned. However, there's nothing we can do about it at this point." She sighed. "Since we've covered that, I assume you have a plan for drawing the Contra Mundi out of hiding as well?"

Abel's face paled slightly, but his eyes were resolute. "Yes." He gestured to the battle map that spread between them. We know there is a base of operations for Rosenkreutz and their associates near Amsterdam. They've been particularly difficult to handle, because of the unofficial hostilities between the current Count Four, as well as other upheavals in the region."

Hugue nodded and spoke softly. "I've been working on it. But there are numerous underground factions, and the Order members move among them too easily to track." The pale face was impassive, but the way he shifted slightly betrayed his frustration. "Some of them are moving among the local Terrans as well."

Abel nodded and looked to Caterina. "I'd like permission to join Hugue in Amsterdam. It's my guess that if we make a concentrated effort, we may be able to force their hands."

Caterina frowned thoughtfully. "You think you can force their main agent in the region out of hiding?"

Abel nodded. "Everything we've seen indicates one of the major lieutenants in the area. My guess is Isaac von Kampfer, or the Ice Witch. The Nuemanns have always played back-up, or extreme situations, and Cain's been keeping von Lohengrin on a short leash of late."

Caterina nodded. "Quite logical. And once you've uncovered their agent..."

"I'll send Cain a message, demanding he contact me. Then, however it happens, I will challenge him to combat, aboard the ARK."

Petros scowled. "A sound plan, but how do you know he will behave with honor, and meet you as a warrior should? He is no servant of the Lord, to act in a righteous manner. He will most likely betray you."

"It is possible. However, we know that Cain _will_ meet me. After all..." Abel's voice was soft. "He's been after me all along. Me and Esther, once he discovered her association with me. If I summon him of my own accord, even for battle, he will come."

William frowned and pulled the pipe from his teeth. "Be that as it may, you can't be considering meeting him alone? You should at least take some back-up. After all, he may well bring the rest of the Order down upon your head, and even you can't handle those odds, Abel."

"I know. I had intended..." Abel swallowed. "I had not intended to go alone, this one time. After all of this...you all swore, this past year, to see this to the end." His eyes flickered around the table, resting longer on Caterina, who had stood with him for ten years, on Ion, who had followed him, even at the risk of exile. On the Professor, his friend. To his sister, watching him gravely. "I will not ask you to come with me, but I will not stop you."

Astha made an exasperated noise. "Don't be stupid, Nightroad." She met his eyes, her expression fierce. "Did you truly think I would send my tovarish into such danger alone?"

Abel acknowledged her words with a slight bow of his head. From her position, Caterina sighed. "The Duchess of Kiev is correct. However, first we must get the Contra Mundi to agree to the meeting. We can plan our most effective strike force once we know that we'll be engaged in combat aboard the ARK."

Abel nodded, and the rest of the Council echoed the gesture. Seth folded her arms. Tapping one finger thoughtfully against her cheek. "Well, that just leaves one question, doesn't it? Are we sending Abel to Amsterdam, or sending someone else in his place with a message?"

Esther bit her lip. She didn't want Abel to leave, but she knew it was selfish of her, especially with his role in the war. She also didn't want him to be in danger, but the truth was, as long as the Contra Mundi and Rosenkreutz still existed, he wouldn't be safe.

At the center of the table, Caterina's projected image was also frowning thoughtfully. "Since Esther has returned, Abel's primary objective is to keep her safe. Considering the situation, even with trusted guards and extra security measures put in place, I'm reluctant to reassign him, even temporarily."

"That's quite true." Abel's voice was calm. "But there's no guarantee that any member of Rosenkreutz, particularly one of the top members, would even bother to deliver a message given secondhand. Especially not if they thought we were bluffing. And even if we ensured that it was delivered..."

"Cain might not listen. He's really rather unpredictable that way." Seth sighed and leaned back in her seat. "I really don't think Abel should leave Esther's side, and I don't want to send him to the front lines again, but I'm not sure there's any other way to guarantee Cain will receive and listen to the message. I honestly don't see how it can be avoided in this case."

"It can't. Not if we want to be sure." Leon scowled at the table. "Damn."

Abel stood where he was a moment, then turned. "Esther? What do you think?"

Esther bit her lip again. She didn't want him to leave. But they were right. Only his presence would ensure that the Contra Mundi took the bait. He might not listen to anyone else.

"Esther?" Abel spoke again, his voice soft and gentle. Esther looked up to meet the solemn blue eyes. Abel held her gaze a moment, then stepped away from his seat to come around and lay one hand gently over hers. "It's true that Cain might not listen to anyone else, but still...it's all right. If you don't wish me to go, then I won't." He offered her a crooked half-smile. "It will take some work, but I'll find some way to force Cain to listen to me. There has to be something that will convince him the message is genuine."

The warm smile, coupled with his promise, warmed the cold fear that had settled in Esther's gut. She found herself smiling weakly back at him. "No. It's all right. I can't say I like the idea of you leaving, but if it's necessary to end all this conflict, then I'll manage. And I'm sure Colonel Spencer and Lord and Lady Walsh will take excellent care of me."

Virgil and Mary nodded, almost in unison. Virgil turned, to share a quick glance with his sister, then turned back to face Abel, his expression solemn, like that of his two companions. "We would see that no harm comes to her in your absence, Father Nightroad."

Abel nodded. "I know."

"Very well." The words were quiet, but the authority in them was unmistakeable. Caterina leaned forward, surveying Abel over her folded hands. "We'll send you to Amsterdam as soon as arrangements can be made. Will you require an escort?"

Abel frowned, then shook his head. "No. Not with Father Hugue already there. Besides, Gypsy Queen is on standby, isn't she?" Caterina nodded. "Two addition agents should be enough. With their combined skills, I shouldn't be in danger of being over-matched. Not even if Cain's Order commander has back-up for some reason."

"As you wish. Father Hugue, you'll need to prepare for Father Nightroad's arrival. I'd like you to pinpoint where the highest concentration of enemy forces are, and be prepared to strike. Whatever alliances you have, or threats you know of, have them dealt with before his arrival. I want this mission to go quickly, gentlemen."

Abel nodded. "Yes." He studied the map. "It will take an all-day flight. How soon can we put this plan in motion?"

Hugue shifted, a faint frown marring his usually impassive face. "I'll need a few days to prepare. Especially if we're planning on launching a full assault."

"Very well. Abel, you'll leave in three days for Amsterdam. However, I expect you back in Albion as soon as you've delivered your message." Caterina's steel gray eyes mat her subordinate's.

Abel flushed. "Well, you really don't need to remind me, you know. I do have things I want to protect here." His hand slipped sideways, to brush Esther's lightly.

Caterina smiled. "I know. I'm sorry." She sighed. "The past year, you were rather difficult to keep track of."

Abel sighed as well. "I know. But I did promise, you know, to stay with Esther. Besides...I'm feeling much better."

"That's good." Caterina ran a hand through her long blond hair. "Is there anything else we need to discuss?"

Abel frowned. "If this works, you'll need extra protection for the Vatican, especially in a worst case scenario. And if it doesn't...Cain will most likely launch an all-out attack, and even I can't be sure where. Probably Albion, but he may attempt to destroy the Vatican."

"We will be ready for him." Petros scowled.

Mary nodded. "The reinforcements we've put in place over the last several months should make us fairly safe. And if needed, we can always flee to the Underground and lock it down."

Seth smiled grimly. "We've been preparing in the Empire for quite some time. If needed, we can even retreat to the Underground waterway." Esther noticed Astha making a face. Abel did as well, and a small smile touched the corner of his mouth for a moment.

Caterina nodded. "It appears we're as well prepared as we can be. Let's hope this goes well." She glanced around the table. "I assume we'll reconvene as soon as we have news?"

"Of course." Esther nodded, along with the rest of the table. "I just have one question. Assuming the Contra Mundi agrees to combat...will we need an army?"

Abel grimaced. "I'd prefer not to, but we do need to destroy Rosenkreutz. Even without Cain, they're a force to be reckoned with."

"True. However, at least two Order members possess the ability to control, manipulate, or mimic other people." William frowned thoughtfully. "Under such circumstances, having a large force is dangerous. Our own fighters could be turned against us, or used as shields."

"Sounds like a strike force kinda mission." Leon scowled. "Elite soldiers only, and everybody in combat should know everyone else's fighting style."

Abel nodded. "That was my assessment as well."

"I see." Esther looked around the table, thinking. She had a feeling everyone else was thinking the same thing she was. The most qualified individuals for close combat with the Order of Rosenkreutz were here. The AX. The top guards for each of the three countries.

Caterina finally broke the silence. "We'll consider that if we get so far. In the meantime...we all have work to do. So if you'll excuse me...Father Hugue, you have preparations to make. And Abel...I wish you Godspeed on your mission." She gave him a nod, one hand raised slightly in benediction. Then the image disappeared.

Petros gave a curt bow. "I must return to His Holiness." His image disappeared as well, followed shortly by Baibars and Mirka.

Abel sighed as the last of the connections closed. "Well, if that's settled...it seems I have some more traveling to do. Professor, if you don't mind contacting Kate for me..."

"Of course." William rose from his seat and moved around the table to pat Abel on the shoulder. "You just concentrate on planning your strategy and keeping an eye on Esther. Leave the rest to us." Abel nodded. Those in the room shared one last glance, then disbursed. There was, after all, work to be done.

**8888888888**

Abel left three days later, aboard the Iron Maiden. Esther watched him go, Mary and Virgil and half a dozen guards serving as her escort. It felt odd, to see him board the ship without her, to watch it lift into the sky without her on it. She wanted to go with him, even though she understood it couldn't happen. Still, her heart ached as she watched the ship disappear into the sky.

The days that followed some of the most trying that Esther had experienced in her life. She missed Abel. She missed his quiet presence at her side, that gentle smile and warm encouragement. She missed his rare insight, his suggestions. She missed that easy sense of humor and kindness that eased her stress and her worries.

It was worse at night. Then she missed his kiss, his arms wrapped around her in the darkness, promising safety. She missed his warmth to curl into. She missed their lovemaking, and all the little ways he indicated how much he cared for her.

She also worried for him. William kept her updated, with reports from Kate on the Iron Maiden, but there wasn't much to say. The battles of the Four Cities area were largely underground, off the radar. Rosenkreutz operated in the shadows, therefore, so did Abel and Hugue. More to the point, Hugue was erratic in his updates at the best of times, and impossible to keep track of when he was hunting, or in combat mode. Abel was usually more reliable, but he was in Hugue's territory, following his lead. Besides, having determined his plan of action, Esther knew that most, if not all, of Abel's focus was on his quarry.

It didn't help her worry, but she understood it. And there was plenty of work to distract her. Spring was coming, and with it came a whole mountain of concerns, and the paperwork they produced. There were people petitioning for specific privileges, or assistance, particularly the farmers. There were permits to sign, trade issues to look over, and other such details. More to the point, spring was the time when she was meant to do her review of each noble's holding, and approve it or make any changes she felt might be needed. She had lands and production reports to review, though they were summarized for her by the Councilmen in charge of such things, namely Virgil and another gentleman she didn't know well. It was also tax season, time to collect money and document the budget for her country.

In addition to that, they were still operating under war conditions, which resulted in extra precautions and conditions to everything. With the potential battle that lay ahead, that was more important than ever, even though her country had been in combat readiness for over two years.

She'd informed the Council of their plans in a general way, announcing that the Alliance was opting for an all-out offensive, hopefully to be engaged on neutral territory. She informed them that they had sent agents to attempt to provoke and direct the final conflict, at a place of their choosing, rather than continue the nasty, drawn out, shadow war of intrigue and escalation they'd been dealing with. The Council had mixed reactions, but the overall response seemed to be one of relief and support. She, Virgil and Mary made sure to clearly outline what they might expect, the best and worst case scenarios, and what each noble's duties were in either circumstance. They also outlined the precautions that could be taken before hand. The best case scenario was that the conflict would be confined to the ARK, but she knew better than to depend on it, and her Council appeared to be of the same opinion.

In addition to those concerns, Esther had her own preparations to make. She wanted to be ready for combat. If Abel's plan worked, she had every intention of accompanying him to the final battle. She knew there would be objections, but still...she had the skill and experience necessary for the strike team, and she didn't want to be left behind. When she thought about it, she had a string feeling she needed to be there, for Abel's sake, possibly for her own. Remembering what she and Abel had spoken of the night before the Council, she even wondered if perhaps she was needed there for Cain as well, though she pushed that thought aside as soon as she could.

To that end, she spent at least an hour in day training. Mary and Virgil were always with her, along with a handful of guards. The others joined her some days, all of them working together to hone their skills. They paired up, switched pairs, went two or three or even five on one, testing their abilities, learning how to compensate for weaknesses, practicing their own unique techniques and styles. For her part, she wasn't as fast or strong as a Methuselah, but she'd learned how to compensate. William and Leon both showed her a few more of the tricks they'd picked up, as veterans of other battles. Astha, Ion and Virgil gave her sparring partners to practice on, and Mary continued her hand to hand and weapons training. Esther's reflexes were good, and her technique was flexible. She even managed to get a tap in on Ion and Astha every so often. Her battle experience in the past had honed her sensitivity to what was going on around her, even in a chaotic situation, and increased her stamina tremendously. She made good use of both traits in her training, and was gratified to see the results.

In the first week, Esther also called together a small, highly secret Council. She'd seen, both with her predecessor's death and her own absences, what leaving the country with no heir or designated figure of authority to turn to could do. She had no desire to cause that problem again. With the help of William, Astha, and a few other trusted members of her Court as witnesses, she formally drew up documents naming a line of succession in case of an incident. Virgil and Mary were still named as her stewards, but in the event of her death, she made it clear who would follow her. Mary Spencer, followed by Lady Jane Jocelyn, followed by Ludwig II King of Germanicus. Any of these claims would be rendered null if the person ahead of them produced children, or another viable heir with good reason for the change.

There were some complaints about Mary's status as an illegitimate daughter, to which Esther pointed out that she'd been brought up and raised as an orphan of the church. Mary had at least been raised in court, aware of her status, trained in the behavior of nobility and the inner workings of politics. She was also an excellent fighter, crucial in the potentially unstable times they faced, and she understood the situation, and what it would be in circumstances surrounding Esther's death, far better than anyone else, which made her position even more important. Besides, she was a well-respected and well-known leader, talented and responsible in her use of authority, and she had at least wary support from the Underground, even the more rebellious factions. She was exactly the kind of leader the people would need. It took a bit of arguing, but eventually, her advisers and Council were forced to concede the point.

Virgil and Mary were both startled, and unhappy, when she presented them with the papers, Mary particularly so. However, neither of them commented, and she knew they both understood and agreed it was a necessary precaution. A few days later, in fact, both of them presented her with their own documents detailing lines of succession.

Virgil's will passed the responsibility of the Manchester House and the Underground to Vanessa, followed by his two most promising advisers and lieutenants, then a prominent and influential family Underground, whom he knew to be well liked. In fact, it was the same family he'd sent the never land children to.

Mary's document was split into three parts. The first reiterated that the Crown of Albion was to pass to Jane Jocelyn, if she died without child, and from thence to either Ludwig, or a distant relation she felt to be more suited, though they were only related on her mother's side. The second part indicated succession for the title of Countess of Carlisle, her inherited title on the maternal side as well. The final section detailed her recommendations on who should succeed her as Captain of the Palace Guard. Her second in command was named, as well as a short list of other possible candidates.

Esther had all three documents read, witnessed and signed, then had four copies made. One went to Caterina. Aside from being safer with her allies, it was important that the pope know of their decision and validate it, as he had with her. It didn't hurt to have the support of The Duchess of Milan either. Another copy went to the Empire, for much the same reasons. The third copy she had put in the Council archives, as official documentation. The final copy she placed into her private safe. She felt a little ridiculous, and paranoid, going to the trouble, but she'd seen enough of Rosenkreutz to know they'd try to stop her. Besides, she remembered clearly all the issues that had surrounded her own identification and coronation. Granted, some of those had been deliberate, but not all. She didn't want the documents conveniently destroyed.

The official documentation took a few days. After that, there was nothing to do except attend Council, work on her paperwork, and wait for Abel's return.

Finally, twelve days after his departure, Kate contacted them. Esther was in her office, catching up on her paperwork for the afternoon, but she immediately put it aside when Virgil told her who was calling. She watched him set up the connection, then smiled as a familiar holographic face appeared. "Sister Kate."

"Your Majesty." Kate bowed her head in a brief greeting, then looked up with a smile. "I have a message for you from Father Nightroad."

Esther swallowed, feeling that little spark of hope and relief leap to life inside her. "How is he?"

Kate's smile widened. "Well, and unharmed. He and Hugue have completed their mission. I'll be picking Abel up within the hour, and we'll be back in Albion tomorrow evening."

"I see. That's excellent news." Esther swallowed again, hoping the myriad of emotions roiling in her gut weren't showing on her face. "Please tell him I'm looking forward to seeing him."

Kate nodded. "I will. Stay safe, Esther. I'll return Abel to you shortly."

Esther nodded. "I know. I wish you Godspeed, Sister Kate, and pray that both you and your passengers have a safe journey." Kate nodded in acknowledgment, and farewell, and the connection went dead.

Esther spent the day in a state of restless preoccupation. She did manage to get a little more of her work done, but she couldn't keep her focus, and it was a relief when she was able to lay aside her pen and retire for the evening.

The following evening found her out by the landing pad, with the others standing as an informal escort around her. It seemed like forever before the Iron Maiden appeared above the Palace, even longer still before it landed, and the boarding hatch opened to extend the ramp for it's passengers.

Finally the ramp was down, and the last whisper of the engines faded. Esther clasped her hands together, heart suddenly pounding in overdrive as a tall, slender, silver-haired figure emerged from the ship and strode toward them. Abel's hair glittered in the low light, as did his glasses. He looked tired, and his expression was grim and resolute. Then he got closer, and Esther saw his shoulders relax, the hard lines on his face softening into a warm and gentle smile. He stopped two steps down from where she stood, still smiling. "Miss Esther? You're doing well?"

Esther swallowed. The words seemed so inane, and there were a thousand other things she wanted to say to him, but they were in public, and she wasn't totally sure what his mood was. "Yes, of course. And you, Abel?"

He laughed, ever so gently. "I'm fine." He must have caught the flicker of disbelief in her eyes, or someone else's. "Truly. I wasn't injured, after all, and I was very well taken care of, so..." His voice trailed away sheepishly.

Behind Esther, Leon snorted, and a strong hand thumped her gently in the back, pushing her forward into Abel's arms. "Honestly Four Eyes. After over a millennium, you can't tell me you don't even know how to properly greet a pretty woman when you come home." There was another snort, and what sounded like a muffled snicker from someone else. "If you keep this kind of crap up, I'm not gonna let you stay with such a pretty little senorita. Red needs a man who's going to treat her right, you know."

Abel blushed. "hmm...well, you might have a point, Leon. And as it happens..." He paused, then cupped Esther's face gently with one hand, bringing her eyes up to meet his. "I know exactly how to greet a pretty young woman." He bent forward and kissed her gently, then leaned his forehead lightly against hers. "I'm all right, Esther, really."

Esther smiled, feeling the cold worry that had plagued her finally dispelling. "I'm glad."

They stood like that a moment, then William coughed from behind Esther. "I do hate to break the pair of you up, however, I believe you have a report to make, Abel."

Abel sighed, but released Esther from his embrace. "True. Sister Kate should have made contact with the Vatican by now, so Caterina will be waiting." He straightened and held out his arm. "Shall we, Miss Esther?"

She nodded and looped her arm through his, walking beside him as he escorted her inside and toward the smaller chambers used for the War Council. She was vaguely aware of Virgil excusing himself and going on ahead, but she didn't really pay attention. She felt almost overwhelmed by her emotions. Relief that he'd returned safe. Joy at his presence. Apprehension at the outcome of his task, and what the next course of action might be.

The communications panels were already online when they arrived. The effect sobered the group immediately, all of them moved quickly to their seats and settled in, except for Abel, who took a standing position by Esther. Caterina waited for them to settle before addressing him. "Well, Abel?"

"It was a rather successful mission, actually." Abel's hand twitched, as if he wanted to rake it through his hair. He offered his superior a smile, but it faded quickly into solemnity. "Hugue and I managed to discover and shut down several locations being used as hide outs for Fluer du Mal and lower ranked Order members. Three nights ago, we were confronted by the commander of that region. Helga von Vogelwiede, code name Eisehexe."

Caterina nodded. "The Ice Witch. She's reputed to be formidable, however, I believe you've had dealings with her in the past."

Abel nodded. "There was a brief combat while Hugue and I dealt with her guards." he sighed. "Once she was disabled, I delivered a message saying I wished to speak to Cain. I told her nothing concrete, only to convey to him that I was tired of these games, and wished to end them."

"Excellent." William bit the end of his pipe thoughtfully. "With wording like that, it's impossible to tell if you intend combat, surrender, or simply truce."

Abel's face twisted in a slightly bitter half-smile. "Well, yes. Knowing what I do of the Eisehexe, she probably wouldn't have told Cain if I'd said I wanted to meet him in combat. I suppose the Wizard or the Puppet Master might have delivered my message, but even then..."

Caterina shook her head. "You did very well Abel." She folded her hands together in what was her habitual listening pose when seated at her desk. Are we to assume that you anticipate an attempt at communications by the Contra Mundi?"

Abel nodded, his face tight. "Probably within the next two days."

Caterina nodded. "Then we have preparations to make. Once they've contacted us, we'll have to be on our guard. And, assuming they agree to meet with us, I suspect we'll have to move quickly."

Abel nodded. "We should decide who will accompany me."

Caterina frowned in consideration. "I will stay with Francesco and His Holiness. As for guards...you'll need Sister Kate, for transport and possibly combat. But we can't afford to lose all our air support. I'll keep Gypsy Queen and Know Faith with me. The rest of the AX is at your disposal."

Abel bowed his head in acknowledgment. "It's their choice." His gaze lifted. "Professor..."

"I'm coming." William smiled grimly around his pipe stem.

Abel's expression tightened. "Your injuries..."

"Are mostly healed and quite manageable. Besides..." William's expression darkened. "I have a score to settle with von Kampfer. If this is truly to be our final battle, then I shan't allow even you to interfere, Abel." His gaze was determined as he met Abel's.

Abel held his stare a moment, then bowed in surrender. "As you wish." His eyes shifted. "Leon..."

Leon grinned ferally. "Don't even ask, Four Eyes. There's no way in hell I'm gonna miss this."

A brief smile touched Abel's mouth. "Of course." He frowned. "Hugue is still on the Iron Maiden with Kate. He came back with me, but he didn't want to leave the ship. Miss Caterina, I'll need to borrow Tres."

Caterina nodded. "He'll be on the next flight to Albion. You can expect him within a day."

Abel nodded. His gaze turned to the other Vatican call. "Brother Petros..."

Petros snorted. "I have already obtained permission from His Holiness to accompany you. Sister Paula and I will join Father Tres Iquis." One fist clenched to tap his chest. "In the name of God, we will destroy this unholy threat once and for all."

Abel offered him a half bow. "Thank you." He straightened. His gaze traveled over the circle to the slight figure sitting across from Esther. "Seth."

His sister smiled. "I'm coming with you, Abel." Abel opened his mouth to protest and she glared at him. "I'll bring Baibars, and I'm sure Astharoshe and the Earl of Memphis will be coming as well." Both nobles gave a sharp nod. "I'll be quiet well-guarded. I shan't go after Cain again, I promise. But I won't stay behind while the two of you fight." Green eyes locked with blue. "You're my family Abel. You can't ask me to stay behind. Not for this." Defiant tears glittered in her eyes.

Abel's expression softened and he stepped around the table to embrace her. "All right. I understand, and I won't try to stop you this time. Just promise me you'll try and stay as safe as possible."

"That goes the same for you, brother of mine." Seth reached her arm around him and gave a quick squeeze. "I'll do my best." Her gaze moved to the projected images of her two main advisers. "Mirka, I'm trusting you to take care of things while I'm away.

"Of course." Mirka inclined her head respectfully to her monarch.

From his own projection, Baibars saluted. "I will be on the fastest transport within the hour."

Seth nodded. "You should probably use my private high-speed transport. It's a bit cramped for you, but you'll get here quickly."

Baibars nodded. "As you command." His gaze met Abel's. "I will be there within three days, at the longest."

Abel gestured in acknowledgment. Then his eyes moved to the Albion section of the circle. "Esther..."

Esther braced herself as Virgil spoke. "Colonel Spencer and I will accompany you. Vanessa will be in charge of the Underground. Colonel Spencer's second-in-command and Lady Jane will coordinate the aboveground efforts." his eyes came to Esther. "Majesty..."

"I'm coming." Esther took a deep breath and put as much conviction as possible into her voice. "I'm coming with the combat team."

Virgil and Mary both stiffened. Virgil's voice was tight when he spoke. "Majesty, I would request you rethink this. We cannot afford to endanger you."

Esther swallowed. "I know. But honestly, if the two of you are gone, then I'll probably be in just as much danger. Besides, I've named at least three contingency heirs, as have the both of you, so it's reasonably safe. I won't be leaving Albion without leadership."

"Esther..." Abel's voice was soft, entreating. "Esther, please...I don't want you to...please, stay here."

Esther shook her head. "I can't. I have my own scores to settle. Besides, I think I need to be there." She laced her fingers together.

"Interesting." Caterina studied her over her laced hands. "Why do you say that?"

"Well, it's just..." Esther raised her eyes to meet Abel's. "You'll have to fight at full strength, won't you?"

Abel nodded, his face tight. "Most likely." His voice was rough.

Esther swallowed again. "In that sort of situation...I want to be there to make sure you come back."

Abel's eyes widened. Then he was back at her side, his hand gentle on her shoulder. "Esther..." His voice cracked on her name, and she looked up to see him swallow. "I promise...I will always come back to you wherever you are."

"I know." Esther raised her hand to rest over his. "But I want to be there for you. Besides, after everything...I can't simply stay here. You're too important to me. I suppose I feel a little like Seth does, about that."

A rueful grin touched Seth's face. "She does have a point there, Abel." She brought one foot up to rest on the chair and laced her fingers around her knee. "Esther really does have as much right to be there as I do. And there's about as much risk." She grimaced. "I don't really like it much more than you do, but I think perhaps she should be there. Anyway, you know she'll probably just follow you if you try to leave her behind."

Esther nodded. "I would." She looked at Virgil and Mary, both standing ill at ease at her side.

Virgil held her gaze for a moment, then took three steps forward to kneel before her, blond hair curtaining over his face. "If you truly wish this, Majesty, then I will not defy you. But I ask that you stay close to us during the combat. Please."

Esther nodded. "I'll do my best." It was the best she could offer. Virgil looked up into her eyes for a moment, then bowed his head in acquiescence, rising gracefully to his feet. Esther looked up at Abel once more.

Abel looked into her eyes for a moment, then bowed his head. "All right." his fingers brushed her cheek in a quick caress. His voice was barely a whisper, as if the words had been pulled from him.

They stood in silence, then Abel raised his head. "Is there anyone else?"

Caterina shook her head. "Given the situation we discussed, I'd hesitate to include anyone else. There's simply no one else we can trust, or be sure of preventing the Wizard and Puppet Master from manipulating."

Abel's face was grim. "Then we prepare, and wait for their call." There were sharp nods all around. Then the Vatican and Empire representatives bid them curt farewells and silenced the connections. The rest of them sat still in grim silence for a moment, then dispersed.

There was no contact that night. The resulting silence left all of them restless and uneasy. Even Virgil showed signs of tension. When Esther retired a few hours later, Abel joined her without a word, enfolding her in his arms as if he was never going to let go. Esther was more than grateful to snuggle into his arms, relaxing into his warmth and unspoken promise of security.

They all spent the next day getting ready, handling last-minute duties, alerting those that needed to be alerted, preparing supplies. Esther spent part of the afternoon in sparring practice with both her advisers. It served to ease her nerves a little. Abel stayed by her side the whole day, silent and brooding.

Tres arrived around midday. William immediately pulled him aside for an extensive diagnostic and full combat armaments. Petros and Paula cornered Abel at evening for sparring as Esther finished with Mary. Astha, Leon and Ion joined in, creating a melee-style free-for-all that left everyone, including Abel, tired and at least a little calmer.

The next day brought Baibars, equipped with UV gel, in one of Seth's emergency messenger ships. He greeted Seth and Esther respectfully. He then engaged the others in a series of mock combats, familiarizing himself with their fighting styles. He even managed to engage Abel in a match, a ten minute vicious brawl that left Abel the clear victor and Baibars smiling grimly in approval.

Esther participated in a few more mock combats, trying to plan strategies. Then she retired to her office, watching Abel and trying to keep herself busy. Abel stayed with her, ostensibly writing his own reports, though he spent most of the time staring out the window, his expression solemn and brooding. Esther left him alone, knowing how much strain he was under.

The others seemed to understand as well. They stopped in to check on the pair of them often. They spoke very little to Abel, but most of them stopped to clasp his shoulder in silent camaraderie. Abel didn't speak in response, but Esther saw the flicker of relief and gratitude in his eyes at each silent touch of support. For her own part, Esther was equally grateful for the interruptions, to keep her mind occupied.

She was just putting her work aside for dinner when the console flashed for an incoming transmission. Esther froze, and she saw Abel tense, one hand clenching at his side.

Less than two minutes later, Virgil opened the door. "Majesty, Father Nightroad...we're receiving a call from Old Berlin. There's no specific ID, however..."

"It's Cain." Abel seemed to barely breathe the words. He stood at the window a moment longer, his breathing suddenly harsh in the silence. Then he turned and sharply strode to the door, Esther and Virgil following quickly in his wake.

The others were already assembled when they arrived. Esther noticed Vanessa controlling the communications panel as she stepped quickly to her seat. Abel moved to the viewing area of the console. He waited until Esther had reached her seat, Virgil at her side, then gestured. "Open it."

"Yes sir. I'm accepting the connection now."

Vanessa tapped a few buttons, and Esther fought to suppress a shiver as Cain's image appeared. He was wearing his knee-length uniform jacket, his white wings flared behind him.

Cain's image regarded Abel a moment, then he smiled. _**"Hello, Abel."**_

"Cain." Abel's voice was tight and hard, but controlled.

"_**I was surprised to hear from you, you know. But...I heard recently that you found Esther. So tell me, Abel, is she safe? Is she with you?"**_ Cain tilted his head to one side, the empty smile widening on his face.

"Esther is none of your concern." Abel's voice sharpened.

Cain's eyes flickered with amusement. _**"Oh, come now, Abel. Esther is such a part of your life, just like that woman. And, of course, I've already placed a claim to her. Once you've joined me, then we'll both be able to be with her."**_

"I'm not going to join you." Abel's voice was beginning to crackle with anger.

"_Hmm. Well then, what did you want, Abel?"_ Cain studied his brother with detached interest.

"There has been enough bloodshed in this world. It's time to end this." Abel's voice deepened. His hand was clenched into a fist, so tight Esther feared he might cut his own palm. Abel didn't seem to notice.

"_**I see. Well then, if you don't plan to join me...are you going to surrender, Abel?"**_

"No. I will not let you destroy this world."

Cain's head tilted a fraction further. _**"Then what do you plan to do, Abel?"**_

Abel's back stiffened. "I'm returning to the ARK. It's time to settle this, where we began it, away from this world."

"_**Interesting."**_ There was a flicker of heightened interest in the ocean-blue, empty eyes. _**"And if I refuse?"**_

"Then I will destroy your base in Old Berlin, and set the ARK to a complete auto-destruct. I will destroy everything aboard, as well was all the information I have on the God's Template." Abel's eyes hardened, and electricity began to gather around him. "And then, I will find you, and destroy you."

A small but terrifyingly genuine smile curved Cain's mouth. _**"Well, that's certainly refreshing. It looks like you've finally regained your old spirit, 02."**_He studied his brother. _**"You really have been rather fierce this past year, you know. It's cost me quite a bit of effort, dealing with you."**_He shrugged._**"Still, I suppose I can afford to indulge you. After all, if I win, you'll have no choice but to join me, and we can remake the world in fire. Not to mention, I'll have a complete body, and we'll both have Esther."**_

Esther bit her lip to prevent herself from speaking. Abel paled, fury in every line of his frame. The charged feeling in the air grew stronger. "I will not let you touch Esther."

"_**Well, we'll see. But you should bring her along, you know."**_ Cain's smile was once more cool and empty.

"Cain..." Abel's voice dropped to a low growl and Esther thought she saw static sparks slither over his hands and his sleeve, and the links of his crucifix.

Cain shrugged. _**"Ah well, I suppose we'll settle this soon enough. I don't mind meeting you aboard the ARK again."**_He studied one hand idly. _**"Three days should be sufficient for Isaac to stabilize this form for me to face you properly."**_

Abel nodded. "Three days. Then we end this."

Cain nodded. _**"Of course. I'd intended to last time, when Esther disappeared. Now will do just as well, though." **_Cain rose. _**"I'll see you in three days, 02. Abel**_**."** He smiled once more, then the connection went dead.

Abel stared at the broken connection, then slowly relaxed. After a moment, the static in the air died away.

Leon was the first to break the silence. "Three days, huh? I didn't think it took that long to get there."

"It doesn't. Seth spoke softly, "You heard Cain. He'll make sure he's at maximum strength when he faces Abel." Her voice was wavering, and Esther knew exactly what she was feeling. Fear, concern.

"Abel." William's quiet voice drew his attention. The Professor met his friend's eyes, his own expression grave. "If your opponent is planning on maximizing his strength...at the risk of upsetting you, I recommend you do the same."

Abel stiffened once more, but before he could speak, Caterina interrupted. "He's right, Abel. You need to build your own strength."

Abel paled. "I..."

"Father Nightroad." Vanessa stepped away from the console, moving to stand before him. "The Underground would be proud to donate to your cause." She bowed. "Please, allow us to assist you."

Abel swallowed hard. His gaze moved to Virgil, and the lord gave him a quick, encouraging nod. Abel swallowed again, then nodded sharply, once. Then he spun away and left the room. Esther rose and followed him.

She found him standing at a darkened window, staring out at the gardens. Esther watched him for a moment, seeing the strain and the shame that darkened his face, then moved forward to lay one hand gently on his arm. "It's all right. I'm sure you won't hurt anyone, and Lord Walsh and Vanessa trust you as well."

"Esther..." His voice was hoarse, and the word died away into silence. After a moment, however, he reached over to cover her hand with his own. "Cain..."

"I know. But really, it hasn't changed since the last time I faced him. And I'm sure everyone will be looking out for me." She tightened her hand on his arm. "Really, I'm much more worried about you."

Abel sighed. "I know." He took another deep breath, then turned slightly and leaned forward to brush a kiss across her head. "You should get some rest, Esther."

"All right. As long as you do as well." Abel didn't reply, but he didn't resist when Esther led him toward the bedroom. And if he was silent as he joined her, at least he was there.

The next day, Abel disappeared shortly after breakfast. Virgil reported that he was in the Underground. When he reappeared that afternoon, Esther could see the difference. His posture had changed, and his eyes were sparkling with fire and barely restrained power. In fact, he looked as he had in the past, before Lilith's death. The thought was both comforting and oddly unsettling. Seth was with her when Abel returned, and she saw her thoughts mirrored in the other woman's gaze.

The others noticed Abel's change as well, when he joined them for dinner. Esther saw grim approval on several faces, including Virgil's. Abel's eyes met the advisers as they sat down, and Virgil nodded in reply. Esther didn't understand the silent exchange, but she saw Abel's shoulders relax slightly.

The next day felt strange. The hours passed with maddening slowness, and yet, the day as a whole seemed unbearably long. Esther rechecked her armor and weapons a dozen times, consulted with her stand-in ministers at least twice, reviewed information with Vanessa, and went over her battle strategy until she thought she could have done it in her sleep. Her nerves felt like they'd been replaced with tight strung wires. She spent a restless night, barely able to sleep, and Abel was as bad as she was. Despite the churning in her gut, it was almost a relief when they prepared to board the Iron Maiden the following evening.

The journey to the ARK was a quiet one. All of them were grim, quiet, locked in their own private thoughts. Esther found Abel at one of the observation ports, staring at the earth as it fell away beneath them. She hesitated a moment, then joined him, Mary and Virgil standing back as her silent guards. None of them said anything, but the warmth of his presence was comforting.

Finally, the ARK appeared in the view-port. Esther watched for a long moment as it grew larger in their view, then moved across to lay a hand on Abel's arm. "Will you be all right?"

Abel shuddered, his face pale and tight in the light. "I don't know." His voice was a harsh whisper.

Esther nodded. She understood what he meant. She squeezed his arm sympathetically, but didn't press him further.

Finally the engine sounds changed, the deeper thrum of the landing engines kicking in. Abel stiffened visibly, then turned away from the observation port, heading toward the doors. Esther followed him, her two advisers right behind them.

The rest of the crew met them at the doors. As the ship touched down, Kate shimmered into view. "Everything's secure. I'm reading an energy signature though, rather large, and it's not the ARK. It looks to be a major Rosenkreutz battleship."

William smiled grimly. "It appears as though our opponents have arrived ahead of us. Do you suppose they've been here long?"

"Yes." Abel's voice was quiet.

Leon smiled his wolf's grin. "Enemy on the high ground, and they got here first. Bet they'll outnumber us too."

Astha matched him. "I think we should have a rematch, priest."

Leon nodded. "You're on."

William nodded. He moved forward to lay a hand on Abel's shoulder. "Shall we go?"

Abel nodded, and Kate opened the hatch. Abel took a deep breath and stepped forward, and the others followed him. As they stepped off the ramp the group fanned out, with Abel as the center of the formation. Esther saw Astha, Ion and Baibars form a loose group around the Empress. Virgil and Mary took up flanking positions on either side of her. Leon, Hugue, Tres and William split two on either side of Abel. As they settled into combat positions, Esther heard the ship close, and the deep hum of the engines as Kate lifted off, seeking a more advantageous position for combat.

Esther slipped one hand onto her gun, eyes scanning the landscape. The others were doing the same thing. Only Abel remained still, his eyes fixed directly in front of him, toward the doors that led to the entrance of the ARK.

For a moment, there was nothing. Then, with a deep rumble, the doors slid open, framing a white-clad figure with wild blond hair, flanked by two grinning men. Abel stiffened, and Cain smiled. _**"Hello, Abel."**_

Abel stepped forward, energy beginning to swirl around him. Darkness began to gather around his frame, even as white wings unfolded to either side of Cain's form. "Cain."

Cain tilted his head, studying them. _**"Hmm...well, I didn't expect you'd bring your friends, but I suppose that's all right. It will make things easier in the long run."**_ His eyes drifted to Seth. "03." Seth didn't bother to respond, but her back was ramrod straight, her knives in her hands in a fighting posture. Cain smiled. _**"You know, those security protocols you put in place really did give me a hard time. It took Isaac and Dietrich almost a whole day to bypass them. I had hoped that I'd have better control of the ARK by now."**_

Seth snorted. "Well, if it took them that long, they must not be as good as I thought." Esther saw a flash of anger on Dietrich's face.

Cain shrugged, and his gaze moved to her._**"Esther."**_

"Don't speak to her." Abel's voice was a low growl.

Cain smiled. _**"Well, you are in a temper. If that's the case...shall we get started?"**_ One hand extended, and a spear formed.

Abel's black wings flared his skin darkening as his scythe formed in his hands. Electricity crackled around him, power swirling over his body. Standing behind him and to his right, Esther couldn't see his eyes, but she saw the crosses that appeared, branding themselves on his skin.

Behind Cain, more figures were coming from the door, fanning out behind him. She saw the rest of the Order, Helga and Gudiern, Balthasar and Melchior Neumann. And behind them were the slouched forms of Auto-jagers, and the slim forms of Melchior's Dolls. She couldn't see the exact numbers, but they filled the door, fanned out around it. Her heart sank.

Tres spoke. "Enemy forces, estimated attack force, 200. Rewriting program from search to genocide mode. Special disregard, leader of opposing forces."

"200, huh?" Leon grinned. "Sounds about right. If the odds were any better, then this wouldn't be any fun." The easy confidence in his voice, the matter of fact tone of Tres' somehow eased the cold fear in Esther's gut.

Abel and Cain were still staring at each other. Then, Cain's hand twitched, and Abel exploded forward. Cain smiled coldly and launched forward to meet him. The two crashed together in a burst of red and blue fire. Esther ducked, shielding her eyes as power exploded around the two brothers.

The two of them locked together. Esther couldn't see anything besides two blurry forms, surrounded by flashing coronas of energy. Then, with a roaring scream, Abel launched himself skyward. Esther caught a brief glimpse of him, skin dark as midnight, the cross scars replaced with the electric blue tattoos that slashed across forehead and cheeks.

Cain smiled coldly, flaring his white wings to full extension, then shot upward after him. Esther followed his path upward, her heart in her throat as the blue form in the air turned, meeting the red head-on. Lightning slashed across the sky, arcing between the two, but they were too far away for Esther to see what was happening.

A low chuckle brought her attention back to the Order. Kampfer was watching, an amused smile on his face. "Well, it seems everything's working quite well."

"So it is. And since our two leaders are out of the way, I believe you and I have some unfinished business." William stepped forward.

"Well, well. William Wordsworth. I'd heard you were injured. What a surprise to find you on the battlefield again." A cold smile flickered over Kampfer's face. "Or is your department so weakened that they're sending even the injured reserves out?"

"Hardly. But I'd hate to miss the chance to discuss things with you. After all, our last meeting was hardly satisfactory. So then, shall we finish it?"

"Well, you're welcome to try." Kampfer raised his hands, and dark power spun up around him, glowing from the pentagrams on the back of his hands.

"You always were one for theatrics." William smiled coldly. "So then, let's see what you've really got." He gestured, and a bright spark jumped from his hand, to explode in a ball of cold fire. Esther winced as a shadow demon howled, disintegrating under the blast.

"Combat engaged. Mission start." Tres lunged forward, firing with both pistols. He was intercepted by three Sieglind Dolls, their swords spinning to block his shots. At the sound of the shots, the rest of the army surged forward, attacking with silent and deadly speed. One group was led by the von Neumann's. Esther saw one wave being led by the silent Gudiern, a wolf's snarl twisting his features. Then the two sides slammed together.

Astha released a wild battle cry and launched herself straight at Helga. Petros met Gudiern in battle, the two giant men slamming into each other. Leon simply charged in amongst the auto-jagers, his weapons spinning. Hugue was right behind him, his sword and sheath swinging in twin arcs around his body as he moved.

Esther found herself shoulder to shoulder with Seth. Baibars, Ion, Virgil and Mary spread out, protecting them as the wave of attackers surrounded them.

Esther shot three auto-jagers straight on, winged two more, ducking as Seth went past her with her knives. Seth's slight form and speed made her a deadly opponent, ricocheting from one opponent to the other. Esther kept an eye out for her and the others as she fired. She didn't want to hit anyone by accident.

"Hello, Esther." The soft voice made her spin around. Dietrich was behind her, flanked by his auto-jagers. "You've become quite the good shot, haven't you?"

"Dietrich." Esther brought her gun up to point at him.

"Now then, there's no call for that." Esther felt the strings touch her gun and let go quickly. A twisted smile pulled at one corner of Dietrich's mouth. "You do learn fast, don't you? But then, that is one of the things I love about you, Esther."

"Get away from her!" Ion was suddenly between them. Seth landed at her side, the four advisers moving to protect the pair of them. "Don't you dare touch Esther, or I'll rip your head off!"

"Again with the theatrics. Honestly, I thought you'd have learned by now, you're really rather helpless, aren't you?" Dietrich's cold eyes raked over the group. "As a matter of fact, I doubt there's a single one of you who can even touch me, aside from her Majesty there." He leveled a dark smile at Seth. "But of course, you know if you try, I'll simply use someone else as a shield, don't you. In fact..." One hand flicked out.

Ion gasped as the strings caught one wrist, but before Dietrich could do anything further, Virgil's hand caught the wires. "Earl of Memphis...I would ask you to withdraw. Now." He twisted one hand, and the wires snapped. "Protect Her Majesty. Both of them."

Ion nodded, and Virgil took a step forward. "Von Lohengrin."

Dietrich's smile widened unpleasantly. "Well, if it isn't the Count of Manchester. Apparently our last little game wasn't enough. Or perhaps, you actually think you can make it turn out differently."

"Indeed." Virgil shifted his stance, hands outspread to either side.

"Well then, if you're so confident..." Dietrich's hands raised. Esther saw light shining on his threads as he made a complicated gesture.

Five auto-jagers attacked. Virgil took one quick step forward, then he was among them, his hands slashing, moves quick and efficient as he struck them down. Esther saw Dietrich gesture again, then twist and jerk one hand, clenched into a fist. One of Virgil's hands was trapped. Virgil ducked, then twisted his hand around the cord, his face a mask of concentration. Seconds later the wire snapped. Dietrich took two stumbling steps back.

Virgil's eyes were alight with grim triumph. "You forgot, or never knew, the Walsh families various defenses. In hand to hand combat, any one of us can handle you, my lord von Lohengrin. Use your strings, and I will burn them away." He held up his hands, both palms shining darkly. Esther recognized it. Acid. His secondary weapon, besides his hand-to-hand combat skills.

Dietrich's face twisted in an ugly scowl, then he stepped back, flinging his hands out. Auto-jagers surrounded them, and Esther saw silver strands weaving through the attackers. She fired, shooting two of the undead soldiers, then gasped as someone grasped her sleeve and yanked her back.

Seth had her by one arm. "Come on. This fight is better left to the Earl of Memphis and your Count." She offered Esther a small, tired smile. "I'll admit, the Earl's a little hot headed, but he's a good fighter, and I think they'll do all right. But they'll do a lot better if they don't have to worry about protecting us." Both of them jumped aside as an auto-jager fell past them, armor and helmet smoking. "Besides, Lord Walsh might be immune to that acid, but we aren't."

Esther nodded and ducked backwards with the smaller woman. She didn't want to leave Ion or Virgil facing Dietrich, but Seth was right. She dodged two more auto-jagers, leaving bullets in both and blowing one helmeted head to smithereens. She caught a glimpse of Virgil, his jacket gone and his shirt worse for the wear, but he looked unharmed. Ion had been scratched, but his eyes were still shining with determination, and the sword in his hands was steady.

Seconds later, she and Seth emerged from the edge of the fighting. She'd sustained one minor scrape to her arm, and Seth had as well, but they were both unhurt. Mary and Baibars joined them, forming a protective guard. Seth sighed and sank back on her heels. Esther followed suit, her eyes drifting over the battlefield.

Petros and Gudiern were still fighting. She couldn't tell which of them had the upper hand, but the leader of the Inquisition was still going strong. Paula was occupied in protecting her superior's back against auto-jagers and Dolls and, from what Esther could see, living up to her name as the Lady of Death.

Leon had encountered the Nuemann's and was keeping his distance from Balthasar. Tres was supporting him, fending off the Dolls with his lethal accuracy. Esther was surprised he hadn't run out of bullets, but she remembered when she'd seen him on the Iron Maiden in full arsenal, and knew he could hide reloads just about anywhere. Besides, he had been trained in hand to hand as well.

The Professor and Isaac were still fighting as well, surrounded in a barrier of dark, sickly glowing energy that made her stomach turn. The Professor looked worse for the wear, but so did Kampfer, and there was an expression of grim determination on the older man's face. A little apart, Astha and the Ice Witch were in full battle mode. It seemed to be an even match between the two of them, fire versus ice.

Esther's heart clenched. Her friends were in danger, and she wanted desperately to help them. Her hand tightened on her gun. She jumped as another hand touched hers, and turned to find Seth watching her sympathetically.

Seth held her eyes a moment, then nodded. "I know. I know how much you want to help them, Esther, but you and I need to stay as far as we can. Believe me, if I could, I'd transform right now and turn all of the Order soldiers to dust." Seth's body was tense, her eyes hard with anger. "If I could, I'd join Abel right now, to face Cain. But if I interfere, it will only make things harder, and if I join Abel..." Her face twisted in momentary anguish. "Then Abel will protect me, and he'll probably die. All I can do, all we can do, is remain here, and do what little we can to help."

Esther nodded, swallowing hard. _It's just like the past, with Lilith. I mustn't go rushing into a confrontation, no matter how worried I am. All I can do is support the others from the sidelines, and pray for their safety._

Another auto-jager broke through from Mary's side. Esther shot it twice, then turned and shot three more that were being held at bay. She stared at the fallen bodies, then bit her lip in renewed determination._ No matter what else is true, I can at least do this much, to help everyone. Even if this is all I can do...I won't let them down. Nor Abel._ Her gaze drifted skyward, toward the flashing points of red and blue fire. _Please, Abel, stay safe._

**88888888888888**

Abel snarled, dodging another strike from Cain's lance. Below, he could see the battle raging, see the dark forces surging around his companions. But it seemed so very distant. The madness of the Crusnik danced, sang and pounded through his blood, urging him to violence. And only a few feet away...Cain.

Cain sneered, shot at him again, and Abel dodged, then swooped forward, lashing out with both weapon and lightning. Cain caught the scythe with his spear, though he didn't dodge the whip end entirely. Abel snarled in satisfaction as it gouged Cain's side, then cursed as an invisible force pushed him backward. He was barely able to catch the ionized bolt that followed it on his weapon, flinching slightly as the energy crackled over him, though he'd deflected enough to prevent serious harm. They circled, energy crackling around them, then he lunged forward again. Cain met him, power flaring between them. Lightning burst all around them, both electricity and plasma as they both unleashed their power. Abel winced again as Cain's power struck him, then gathered his own strength to strike back, a vicious blow that opened Cain's chest. It wasn't deep enough to do him serious harm though, and second later, Cain dealt him an equally damaging blow, forcing him back.

Energy crackled again and red fire blasted past his defenses, searing across his shoulder. A guttural snarl ripped from his throat, even as the black mist circled his shoulder into his wings, being absorbed and restoring him to perfect health. He dodged a second burst, fired back saw Cain reel in the air as one arm was vaporized. Then he too was renewed.

Abel charged forward, slashing with his weapon. Cain blocked, the two of them locked in a savage back and forth. More energy burst around them, hammering both their forms. Abel flinched as Cain's power slammed into him. His own power carved wounds on his opponent, then they were both blown back. He staggered in the air, then recovered, just as Cain attacked again.

Violence burned between them, madness flaring in his blood. He saw similar fury in Cain's eyes, felt the roar of the Crusnik's satisfaction. He held sanity by the thinnest of margins. A violent snap of energy broke his thoughts and he parried yet another burning flare of scarlet plasma.

Abel growled and launched himself forward, striking out. The whip on his scythe slashed Cain's leg, severing it just below the name. Cain's return strike destroyed his lower ribs. He continued forward, slamming into his brother, putting all the force he could into a vicious back-handed blow. Cain dodged, but blood sprayed as Abel's claws slashed ragged rips in a diagonal from shoulder to hip. Abel snarled and toppled backward as Cain's spear crushed his shoulder and pulverized his arm.

Both of them hung in the air, trading bolts of incandescent fire as the wounds healed. There was nothing but savage madness in Cain's glowing red eyes. The same insanity hissed through his mind. He flung a ferocious bolt of fire toward his opponent, dodged a returning blast. They circled each other, attacked and retreated in a haze of fire and mist and blood.

Sudden pressure blasted him backward, an invisible gale force wind that threw him off balance. Red fire crackled around him. He deflected two shots, returned one, then screamed in savage pain as crimson lightning vaporized his wings. Black mist exploded around him, as the pain burst through him. Then he was falling, falling toward the stones below, unable to do more than fire defensive energy behind him as he fell. He saw one blow strike Cain, knocking him back, blowing him away. Then the ground rushed up to meet him.

**888888888888**

Esther ducked, shot another auto-jager, then dodged backward as Mary and Baibars closed ranks in front of her. The others had formed a fence in front of her, giving her a brief respite. She took a deep breath, reloaded, waiting for the next shot.

A high, feral scream shook her concentration, sent her head snapping skyward, even as she saw Seth stiffen and look up. She followed Seth's gaze, and felt the air leave her lungs in a rush.

High above, a figure outlined in blue fire was falling. Falling toward the ARK with no sign of stopping. _Abel..._

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**{*} ****dragonwriter24cmf**** Author's Note: **The Iron Maiden was not originally a space transport. However, in order to keep up with Cain's maneuverability and forces it was modified over the year Esther was away, for emergency situations. This counts as an emergency.

***** Monica is not in this fight because there is **no way** in hell Caterina would want her on something like this. Too many opportunities for sabotage and Monica is too unpredictable, her loyalties are also questionable. When you see in the manga how Caterina treats Monica compared to Tres you can understand why we are not including her in the fighting on this big of a scale.


	57. 38: Mourning Angel, Cain's Last Truth

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **Again the smell of another update. Ah… the small is sweet ^^. I wish everyone all my readers and fans the happiest of the holidays season the best for the oncoming New Year's **2013**. Enjoy what's in chapter 38.

**(*)** As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.

**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

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**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16. So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. **I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter****.**

This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided love, **Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

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**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

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Trinity Blood: War Continuum - **Chapter: 38 – ****Mourning Angel, Cain's Last Truth**

Esther didn't stop to think. Before she could form a coherent thought, she was running forward, breaking past Mary and Baibars and Seth. She heard Mary shout after her, and a more distant shout that she thought was Virgil's, but she didn't stop. All her attention was that falling, blue-lit figure. Abel's distant scream rang in her ears. Auto-jagers appeared in front of her, and she shot them without thinking, absently glad that her hands were steady and her aim was good.

Abel was still falling. She kept expecting him to spread his wings, to brake his fall, but he didn't seem to be doing so. Esther's heart lodged in her throat at the realization that she couldn't see his wings at all. They were gone. _No..._

She was only a few yards away when Abel crashed to Earth.

Esther was at his side in seconds, gasping in horror as she saw his wounds. Abel's back was a bloody, seared ruin, his wings completely gone. He had bounced on impact, ending up partially on his side, and she could see the red, pulped ruin of chest and ribcage from the fall. Black mist swirled around him, the healing process already underway, but the damage was still appalling. She fought back tears of dismay. "Abel..."

Red eyes cracked open, then widened in alarm. **"Esther..."**

A grimace twisted the dark face, an expression of pain and fear and shame. Then the focus of his gaze shifted past her, and his eyes widened. Fear took over his expression, fear and anger. He struggled to rise, then fell back, panting. **"Esther...run..."**

Esther turned. Cain was landing a few yards away, wings outstretched as he touched lightly down. The aura of his power still glowed red around him, his hair and robes disordered by a wind she couldn't feel. There was a terrible, manic gleam in his eyes, a savage delight in violence that terrified her.

Esther rose, setting herself deliberately between Cain and Abel. She heard Abel moan her name, another plea for her to run, but she didn't move, despite the pounding of her heart. She remained where she was, fingering her gun and her knives. They weren't any good against Cain, and she knew it, but she wasn't going to let him hurt or take Abel without a fight.

Cain studied her a moment, and the manic smile widened. **"Hello, Esther."**

Esther swallowed hard. "Stay away. Just stay away."

Cain's smile widened still further, and he took a deliberate step forward, striding towards them.

Esther lifted her gun by reflex and fired. The bullet did absolutely nothing. Cain didn't even slow down. The metal struck the vortex of energy in which he walked and bounced aside. Esther took a half-step back. "Stay away from us." She tried to keep her voice firm, but it was hard.

"**Esther...please...run..."** Abel's voice sounded marginally stronger, but he was still in no shape to fight. She could hear that in his pauses, the desperate tone to his words. Somehow, though, the sound of Abel's voice gave her courage. She set her feet, gripping her knife a little more firmly in her hand. She didn't have anything near Seth's reflexes, but even so, if he got close enough, she'd be able to stab him. Maybe not enough to do more than distract him, but every second she did so bought Abel time to regenerate.

Cain stopped a few feet away, just out of reach. And, frustratingly, just beyond the range she thought she'd have a chance at wounding him. The red gaze studied them both. **"Esther..."**

"Leave him alone. Leave us both alone." Her voice was still quavering slightly, but it was stronger than it had been.

Cain shrugged. **"Honestly, I don't see why you're so upset. All I've done is prove that Abel is the weaker of us after all. I really don't intend to destroy you, but I do have to deal with Abel. After all, he's been rather a lot of trouble lately."**

"You mean, you'll kill him." Esther swallowed back bile. "How can you say such a thing?"

"**Oh, well, it's not that black and white, you know." **Cain's head tilted. Esther felt something inside her go still and quiet. That gesture, the look that seeped through the madness in his blood...there was something there. She didn't want to look any closer, but still, she had a feeling there was something important that she wasn't quite grasping.

Cain continued speaking. **"If I kill Abel as he is now, he won't completely die, you know. After all, I'll just be destroying the operation of the Crusnik, like last time. After that, the rest will be easy."**

"What do you mean, the rest?" She had a feeling she knew, but it was better to keep him talking.

"**It's rather simple. I'll absorb Abel's body and his memories. Then the two of us will be one, as we were originally. Abel can rest, and I'll be complete. Then we'll remake the world. And you, my dear, can stay by our side. Together with Abel and I for all eternity."** A cold smile touched his inhuman face, though for a moment Esther thought she saw a flicker of something almost...human. Genuine. Something that might have been a flash of true feeling, gone too quickly for her to process.

She swallowed hard. There was no way of knowing if she'd seen something real, or just something she wished to see. "How can you still say things like that?"

"**Because that's the way it should be. You are rather spirited, after all. I can see why 02 chose you."** The smile turned...almost indulgent. **"It would be a pity to waste such spirit. And since Abel and I have both made a claim to you, then it should be fine."**

"It isn't. How could you say that?" She bit her lip, aware she was repeating herself. "Why? Why must you destroy the world?"

"**For peace. To create the new world. After all, that is what we wanted, Abel and I. A new world, where Abel could be free and not suffer."** He shrugged. **"By fire, the Earth will be reborn in perfection, quiet and peaceful for Abel and I."**

"But then why must you kill Father Nightroad? If this is for him...why can you not stop? Can't you see, this isn't what he wants anymore?"

Again, there was that flicker of something that was...human. Real. Then he shrugged again. **"Abel's always been rather changeable. He tends to fight things that are for his own good. But if I absorb him, he won't have to worry about it."** he smiled, cruelty and hunger in his gaze, and something she simply couldn't understand. **"Abel always does struggle too much. You've seen that as well, haven't you, my dear? But if he joins me, all Abel's troubles will be over."**

"No. That isn't true. Don't you understand? You'll destroy everything precious to him. To both of you." she felt silent tears dripping down her cheeks, but she made no move to wipe them away.

Another of those uncaring shrugs. **"Abel will still have you and I. And you, my dear, will still have both of us, joined as one."**

Esther felt her hands tightening into fists. "Dear Lord, are you still so blind? How could you not understand? What you're suggesting..."

"**It would bring everything I need, and everything dear to Abel all together in one place."**

"No. It would destroy everything. Don't you see?" Tears fell faster. Her voice was shaking as she sought to articulate it. "If you absorb Abel, you...you'll both lose something precious. Abel is...he is important to you _because _he's separate from you. Don't you understand? It's your individuality that makes you and Father Nightroad so important. If you take him...if you take him..." Her words dissolved, incoherent.

Red eyes regarded her, fathomless depths of madness, but deep, deep within, she thought she saw a spark of understanding. She swallowed hard and tried again. "You keep saying...I would have you both, if you absorb him. But the truth is...I'd lose you both. Absorbing Abel would surely destroy both of you!"

"**Esther..."** Abel's voice was a broken groan. Whether he agreed, or sought to tell her to run once more, or something else, she couldn't tell. **"Esther...please..."**

Cain tilted his head. He seemed to be genuinely considering her words. Esther held her ground, held his gaze, seeking to understand what he was thinking. She wished if she knew whether she spoke to Cain or the Crusnik. She simply couldn't tell.

"**You make an interesting argument, my dear."** Another of those cool, madness-edged smiles. **"Even so...Abel has gotten between me and what I need. He keeps causing trouble."**

"That's because Father Nightroad cherishes everything in this world."

"**Hmmm. Well, Abel did always have a bit of a soft spot for those weaker than he was. Still...it's better if it's all removed. Of course, if you're willing to help me, my dear..." **The smile took an edge of hunger and cruelty.** "I might be willing to leave Abel alone for now. After all, now that I've defeated him, it should be all right."**

She wasn't sure what he meant, but she shook her head. "No. I won't leave him. All you do is destroy. I can't live like that."

Another of those flashes of something she thought might be sanity. **"Hmmm...well, Abel can't protect you now." **Abel growled behind her. **"Cain..." **She heard him move but didn't dare turn to look.

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter if he can protect me or not. Abel is still my choice. I won't stand by to let you destroy the world, or hurt him." She held his eyes. "Do you really want to do this? You said it was all for Abel, but is this truly what you promised him? Is this really the future you meant to help create?"

She saw another, stronger flicker in those eyes, and pressed her advantage. "Look around you! All this killing and fighting! What kind of freedom is it, if everything is destroyed? Can you really say this is the future you wanted? Even then...is this what you wanted? How can _this_ bring anyone peace. All it does is create more sorrow!"

Cain's head tilted, and for a moment he looked almost human, even with his flared wings and red eyes. He really appeared to be listening. Then he shrugged, as if brushing her words away. **"Hmmm...well, it is a bit difficult. Still, things will be much better when it's finished. Abel and I can finally have peace. And you my dear..." ** He held out a hand and took a step forward.

Esther shrank back. "What are you..."

"**Abel can't protect you now. And since you don't want to me to absorb him, then you'll have to choose one of us. With Abel fallen...I suppose you'll have to come with me."** He took another step forward.

"No." Esther took a half step back.

There was a low snarl behind her, then blackness covered her vision. She blinked, and her heart began to race in mingled relief and fear.

Abel stood before her, newly formed black wings spread wide. His cassock had been shredded. There was nothing left of it above his belt, save for the collar that supported his crucifix. The skin of his back and shoulders, though healed, looked raw, even darkened by his powers as it was. Blue electricity flickered through and over the muscles, testament to the damage still being repaired.

Cain studied the figure before him. **"Abel. Up again? You really don't know when to stop, do you?"**

Abel's answer was a low snarl. **"I will not let you touch her. Nor...destroy...anything. Ever again."** His hands clenched on his scythe. **"Cain..."**

Amusement glittered in Cain's eyes. **"You really are hopeless, you know that. Do you really think you can win in this condition, 02?"**

Abel's eyes burned, and the electric blue markings on his body flared a little brighter. **"I will not...die. I will not...I will not fail. I swore...to return. To end this, and return with her. I will not...break that promise."**

Cain shrugged, the glittering light of madness and power in his eyes. **"Well, since you're prepared to fight again..."** A cold smile illuminated his features. He lifted his spear.

Abel fired first, a bolt of pure blue energy. Cain dodged, then white wings flared wide, and he launched himself skyward once more. A red beam of fire blasted down. Abel deflected it with another snarl, and his own wings extended. Esther stepped back quickly, covering her face as Abel's wings snapped out and down, propelling him upward.

The force of his leap sent her staggering backward. Strong arms caught her, a low intense voice spoke in her ear. "Majesty? Are you unharmed?"

She blinked. Virgil and Mary stood to either side of her. Both looked worse for the wear. Virgil's clothing was in rags, the long jacket he wore into battle discarded completely. She could see where the acid had burnt, or melted the edges of the material. Mary's uniform was better off, since it was mostly armor, but she could see where it had been scrapped and dented. "I'm all right? You?"

"There is no need to concern yourself." A faint ghost of a smile touched Virgil's face. "There has been no serious injury done." His gaze shifted to the battle, to a small knot of combat at the edges. "Von Lohengrin is a formidable opponent, but Lady Seth and her companions are, I believe, equally formidable allies."

Esther blinked. "Dietrich..."

Mary grimaced. "We haven't taken him down yet. He keeps using those undead creatures of his. However, Lord Fortuna and Lady Seth seem to have a personal score to settle with him." She must have seen the worry on Esther's expression, because she smiled as well. "Don't worry, Majesty. The Duke of Khartoum is protecting them, and they are a highly effective team."

Esther nodded, her gaze skimming over the battlefield. She could see knots of combat, but she was too far and there was too much chaos. Still, the numbers of Dolls and Auto-jagers had dropped. There were several spaces nearly filled with motionless dark forms. She saw the sparking of power, knew the professor and Isaac were still in combat. A burst of light at the corner of her eye suggested Astha was as well. She couldn't see Petros or Leon or Paula, but she didn't dare think of why.

Her eyes went back to the two figures in the sky. Red and blue flames burned above her, surrounded by a shimmering globe. She bit her lip, recognizing the shield glow. Only Cain could do that. Her heart was pounding, so hard it hurt, and she was conscious of her fear, of her feeling that something was terribly wrong. But there was nothing she could do. _Abel...please be safe._

**8888888888**

Abel faced his brother across the expanse of sky once more. Power throbbed in his blood, power and madness. He drew on the strength of it, letting himself absorb the energy of the Crusnik far more than he had done in over nine hundred years.

Cain faced him, a small smile playing across his lips, revealing his fangs. **"Hmmm...you're a bit more energetic than I expected you to be."**

"**I will not fail her. Nor...anyone."** It was hard to force words through the power that burned through him. He'd experienced the feeling before, but it was so much harder this time.

Cain shrugged lightly. **"Well, since you're so determined..."** His wings flared. Abel snarled, bracing himself for a bolt of power, or an attack. Instead, a web of power surrounded them. Cain's shield encased them.

Unease slashed though him. The shield would inhibit Cain's movement as well as his own, but Cain was used to this. And his instincts were screaming that there was something wrong. Something was happening he didn't understand. **"What..."**

Another of those enigmatic, empty smiles. **"It does seem like we get interrupted every time we're nearly finished, doesn't it? This way, there won't be any more distractions. You and I can finally settle things, and no one will get in our way this time."**

Cain lifted his spear, and Abel saw red fire sparking over it. He drew back his scythe, gathering his energy, and launched a bolt of power. Not electric, just the pure plasma-forged energy of his other self. He could feel the electric current in his body, building to explosive force, but he wasn't ready. His previous wounds delayed the charge. He snarled, fired another bolt of plasma. Cain blocked the first shot, and an equal explosion of red shattered his second. He dodged the energy inferno that answered his attack, then lunged forward, scythe upraised.

Cain's eyes sparked with the power he felt inside himself, the black spear raised to meet his strike and a wild, satisfied smile on his face. Abel drew his arm back, feinted with the opposite end of the scythe, then lashed out, forcing his arm forward with every ounce of strength he could put into it, backed by all the momentum of his flight forward.

His arm was halfway through the swing when he saw Cain's hands drop, the spear falling out of guard position, leaving his torso exposed. _What is he...?_ There was no time to stop, no way to pull back.

He slammed into Cain with terrible force, The point and blade of the scythe ripping through his brother's chest. He _heard_ the ribs crack and shatter, felt the cleaving of flesh and bone as his scythe slammed home, piercing Cain's body, destroying heart and most of his lungs and blood vessels in his chest before the curved point exited his back and slashed through his spine. The dark spear exploded into fragments, vanishing in a swirl of black energy that flowed around them.

Abel froze in shock. **"What..."**

A small smile curved Cain's mouth, even as blood trickled from the corners of his lips. His eyes still glowed red, but there was an expression in them Abel hadn't seen in a very long time. Affection. _**"Ah. Well done. But then, you always did have a talent for this sort of thing, didn't you."**_ Cain's hand brushed across the bleeding wound, the weapon still embedded in his body. _**"Definitely a killing blow. But it won't be enough. You know that, Abel."**_

Abel stared at his brother, shock overtaking even the madness that using a full activation induced. **"Cain. What have you...? What is this?"**

Cain smiled, and there was warmth in it. The smile of a boy who had defended his brother, of a man who had cared for his siblings. _**"I'm just fulfilling my promise, Abel. After all, Esther is right. I did promise to give you the future you desired. And since it won't be settled with both of us here, like this, then it's time to finish this. After all, it looks like you've got plenty of people to take care of you now." **_The smile widened. _**"Especially Esther. She's really very good for you."**_

"**Cain..."** Abel met his brother's eyes. Through the red shine of power, he saw affection, kindness. His brother, the man he had followed to Mars and back. **"Cain...you..."**

A genuine chuckle bubbled past the blood coursing down the pale face. _**"Come now, Abel. This really isn't a time to get sentimental. You and I both know it can't end like this."**_ His hand touched the wound, the scythe that still pierced him. _**"Really, it's a bit lucky isn't it? You powers, of all the skills we each mastered...your electricity can induce a backlash effect, can't it? Since you can control electricity, finishing this ought to be easy for you."**_

Shock swept through him, a rising tide of pain and fear he couldn't bear to touch. **"No. You cannot mean...I cannot..."**

"_**Hmmm...well, I'm afraid you really don't have much choice, Abel. I can't hold them back forever, you know."**_ Within the crimson, blue sparkled in Cain's eyes. _**"I don't have the control you do, after all. But after this, you and Esther can relax, and enjoy the future you really wanted, after all. And I...I'll have peace, I suppose. At least, I shan't have to worry about fighting you anymore."**_ He coughed, red-black blood spraying outward, before misting and joining the black energy that swirled over them, poured into his wings, though not fast enough to heal him. _**"It's really quite simple. One last strike, and then everything will be at peace. You'll be free to do whatever you want, Abel."**_

Abel hung motionless in the sky beside him, hands still locked about the shaft of the scythe. **"You can't mean..."**

"_**Well, it really is the only way, after all."**_ Cain's eyes met his, held them. _**"You do know that, Abel."**_

"**Why? Why are you...Cain, what are you doing?"** Abel couldn't look away from his brother's eyes, shining with the presence of a man he thought overtaken centuries ago. The Crusnik within him called for blood, but he forced it back. **"Cain..."**

"_**Well, it's as Esther said. This isn't what I promised you. After all, when we were children, I made that promise to end the fighting you had to endure, and give you peace. But it appears things have turned out rather differently than I expected. So...this is the only way after all."**_ The small shrug sent pain lancing across his features. _**"But you'd better hurry, Abel."**_

"**Cain...I can't..."** Abel swallowed hard. To kill the Contra Mundi, the Enemy of the World, had been his goal for nearly three years, ever since he'd heard from Seth that his enemy had survived. But this...this was his brother. **"Cain..."**

A sparkle of amused affection glittered in the red eyes, still sparking with flickers of blue. _**"Ah, Abel. Still incapable of killing without anger. You know, that always gave her hope. And me as well, for a while."**_ He coughed, more reddish-black mist spraying out of him. _**"Well, that's all right. After all, you wouldn't be Abel without that. And I do cherish you, everything you are."**_ One bloodstained, clawed hand reached up to grip Abel's nearer wrist. _**"You know, you could just absorb me after this. If it makes it easier."**_

"**No. That...I will not..."** The very idea filled him with revulsion. **"Cain...please..."** He didn't know what he was begging for. He tried for the hatred that had driven him for so long, but it was impossible. Lilith's word's drifted through his mind. _You try to hate, because you truly love...your rage is proof of that._

Cain smiled again. _**"I didn't think so. I suppose Esther is right after all. It really would result in losing something, wouldn't it? Even with how you've changed. But you never could do something like that. That's part of what was so special about you. What I admired of you."**_ The hand holding his gripped a little tighter. _**"That's fine. I think I can help you one more time, Abel. Just don't forget, okay?"**_

"**Cain...what..."** He didn't have time to ask anything more. Cain's free hand came up, red fire burning around his palm.

Abel's instincts, the Crusnik still powered up through his body, reacted instantly. As Cain's power blazed, so did his own. Blue plasma and the powerful electric charge building in his wings twined together, blasting through his core and down his hands into his scythe. Raw energy, Crusnik and human alike, slammed into the white-clad form still impaled by the weapon.

Cain's body arced under the onslaught, eyes snapping closed, muscles spasming. The red fire playing around his hands flared, backlashing against it's owner, washing over him in the wake of the blue. The energy sphere around them imploded, white wings vanishing into nothingness as the power reverberating through Cain's body was cut off by a titanic explosion from within and without.

"**Cain!"** Abel gasped the name. He let go of the scythe, vanishing it back into his body as his brother's frame fell limp. He caught Cain's body as he started to topple, holding him in the air. The smell of ozone, burned flesh and blood was sharp in his nose. **"Cain..."**

The eyes fluttered open, wholly blue and sane. "Well done, Abel. Don't forget, okay?" Then his eyes shut once more. The thrum of energy within his body died away, leaving him inert in Abel's arms.

"**Cain..."**Abel's voice broke. He clasped his brother to him, claws puncturing his own hand wildly. But there was nothing. No sense of life, not even the subliminal hum of the Crusnik. From the wound in his chest, blood pooled, then slowed, only gravity drawing it to run down Cain's abdomen, staining the white uniform. He shifted his brother's body in his arms, laid a hand over his chest. Pulled him closer, as if the miniscule distance they were separated could change the fact that his ears detected no breath or heartbeat.

Nothing. There was no pulse in his brother's chest. No breath of air stirred around him. Not even a whisper.

Desolation flooded him, and he threw his head back, screaming his sudden agony to the skies. **"CAIN!"**

**8888888888**

On the ground, the brilliant flash of triple lightning froze the battle. Most of the auto-jagers were destroyed, only a handful surrounding Dietrich remained. The Dolls were mostly annihilated as well, and those few that weren't had been damaged on the death of their creator, minutes before. Gudiern was down, along with Balthasar.

At the bright flash in the sky, Helga broke from Astha. "My Lord!" She broke away, taking a few steps forward, her eyes on the sky above.

Astha was content to let her go. Instead, she rejoined Hugue and Leon. "What the hell's happening up there?"

"Beats me." Leon was bloodied, battered, and several of his rings were missing. He didn't seem too much the worse for wear though. "Looks like someone's delivering or receiving an ass-kicking though." he gestured. "Now might be a good time to join our buddies from the Inquisition."

"Positive." Tres had joined them. A stray auto-jager attacked, and Astha blasted it out of existence as the four of them made their way to where Paula and Petros stood watching.

On the other side of the battle, Isaac paused in his fight with Wordsworth. The Professor was panting, and bleeding, but he'd given as good as he'd received. Isaac's glance went to the glowing sphere. "It appears I have other business to attend to. Or I will shortly." He gave William a cold, mocking grin. "It's been rather amusing, but I think we'll have to pick this up another time." He offered an equally mocking bow, then gestured. Darkness flowed over him, and he vanished.

"Well." William frowned, then pulled his pipe from his robes. It had been broken, the pipe-stem nearly snapped clean off. He snorted, replaced it in his pocket, and looked at the glowing light in the sky. "Abel...what have you done now?"

In another group, Ion and Seth both froze at the brilliant explosion. "Abel!" Seth disengaged from the battle before either of the others could even think to stop her.

Dietrich took the opportunity to pull away. He'd lost most of his soldiers, almost all in fact, and he was bleeding from several small wounds. It was only luck and clever use of his strings that had prevented those wounds from being fatal.

Ion barely noticed his opponents departure. "Father Nightroad." He glanced, saw Dietrich back away, and started to turn, but Baibars' hand caught him. He looked up into the dark face.

"It is dishonorable to attack a retreating enemy. Besides...our duty is to the Empress, and we have other matters to attend to." He gestured. Ion nodded, and they followed Seth's slight form across the dusty ground, joining the others.

Esther watched the entire battle with her heart in her throat. The brilliant explosion within Cain's shield made her blink, though she couldn't bear to look away. _Abel...what's going on up there?_

She blinked spots out of her eyes. It looked like the shield had vanished, but she couldn't clearly see the reason why. Abel's blue fire still burned, but she didn't see Cain's red. _What...what's going on?_

**8888888888**

A terrible, heart-breaking scream filled the sky, rang in her ears. She couldn't make out words, if there were any, but the anguish in it was unmistakeable. So was the voice. Abel's voice, screaming in a kind of anguish she'd heard only once before. _Abel...no. Oh god, no. What has happened? _She saw Virgil flinch at the anguish in that sound, and Mary made the sign of a cross.

Several yards away, the rest of their group flinched as well. Leon grimaced. "What the hell is that?"

"That is Abel." William's face was dark with concern, and sorrow. "That is the sound of Abel in more pain than anyone should endure."

Astha had a tear streaking her face, though she ignored it. "What has happened to him?"

William shook his head. "I don't know."

Seth was crying, silent tears of sorrow and pain streaking her face. "Oh, Abel, what have you done? What have you been forced to do, my dear brother?"

**8888888888**

The scream echoed over the ARK, resonating for several moments. Esther felt tears on her cheeks. She was helpless in the face of such raw pain, and she didn't understand what was causing it. What Cain had done to Abel.

Abruptly, she realized the blue light was starting to descend, it's landing point several yards away. She wanted to rush over, but her feet felt frozen to the spot, as they had been in the past, when she'd seen Abel's grief. Instead she watched, as the others came to join her, watched as the glowing blue form settled to the ground.

Light flared around Abel's form, then died. Esther gasped, and heard Seth bite back a cry. Several others muttered hastily muffled curses.

Abel stood before them, pale skinned and silver-haired. Black wings flared about his shoulders, lending dignity even to his half-naked frame. His eyes were blue once more, but Lilith's marks stood out starkly on his forehead and hands, and twin trails of blood poured down his cheeks, streaming from haunted eyes. His arms cradled a lean white form, bloodstained and still.

There was a moment of shocked silence. Then Abel's gaze moved past them. Without a word, he began walking, past them and towards the open door of the ARK. As he strode past them, Esther saw Cain's face, resting against Abel's chest. The blond hair and pale features were streaked with blood, but curiously peaceful. She felt her heart aching, and stepped back quietly to let him pass.

Abel got five steps beyond them when Petros broke the silence. "Father Nightroad."

Abel paused, but he didn't turn. Didn't speak.

Petros studied the still form again, then spoke, his voice only a quiet echo of his usual forceful growl. "Has the Contra Mundi been vanquished?"

Silence met his words. Then, softly, in a voice that broke Esther's heart and made even Petros flinch with the despair in it, Abel spoke. "Yes. The Enemy of the World is dead." Then he started forward again. No one stopped him.

Esther watched him a moment, feeling tears on her face, then started after him. Seth was beside her, her face also tear streaked. The rest of the Alliance combatants formed an honor guard around them, escorting them as they followed the silver-haired priest.

**8888888888**

Behind an outcropping of rock, dark eyes watched the procession. Isaac stood with Dietrich, with Helga a few feet away. A mere half-dozen auto-jagers stood in silent attention around them. Isaac watched the small procession enter the ARK. "Well, it seems our lord has been defeated, after all."

Helga's hand clenched angrily on her weapon. "Those...I will kill them for what they have dome to my lord."

"Well, you're certainly welcome to try, but you wouldn't even stand on the Palace lawn in our last little encounter." Dieitrich's cold drawl was hard and ugly with scorn. "But do be my guest and rush to get yourself killed."

Helga swung toward him. "You little wretched Terran..."

"You might as well save your hysterics. After all, he does have a point." Isaac brushed the hair out of his eyes. "At the moment, we're rather badly outnumbered. And with Mien Herr defeated, we really haven't any fall back plans, now do we?" He contemplated the scenery. "Personally, I believe a quiet retreat is in order."

Helga rounded on him in turn. "You would leave Mien Herr's body in the hands of those murderers? And refuse to take vengeance?"

Isaac smiled coldly. "Vengeance can be taken at any time. As for Mien Herr's body...well, if it's still active, then he'll likely return on his own time. If not, however, there's really nothing to be gained from trying. Except, of course, a quick and embarrassing death." He shrugged. "Personally, I have no intention of dying today."

Dietrich snorted. "I really don't see any reason to stay either. Did anyone else survive?" His fingers flexed. "It would be a pity to waste any able bodies."

Isaac shook his head. "I'm afraid you're out of luck. We're the only survivors, and I doubt even you could make use of those remains."

"Pity. A few more targets and shields would have been an excellent distraction. Still, I supposed they're distracted enough."

"Indeed. I highly recommend we take our leave now." Isaac flexed his hands, calling up the energy that could mask them to get to the ship docked on the far side, and thinking of what programs he would need to cloak it and hide their escape. Dietrich, recognizing his movements, clicked his fingers and brought his auto-jagers to surround them. Isaac looked at Helga. "Well, Eisehexe? Will you come, or shall I leave you here to distract our adversaries?"

Helga scowled, then stomped over to join them. "I will have my revenge upon them, for what they've have done."

"So will we all." Isaac grinned darkly, then brought his hands up. Darkness flowed over them, and they slipped quietly away.

**8888888888**

Esther and the others followed Abel through the ship in complete silence. Esther and Seth led, keeping a few yards back. They were both surprised when Abel entered the elevator, but it only took Seth moments to bring another online and follow him.

The door opened on a familiar looking corridor. Esther wondered why she knew it, then her eyes found a familiar looking door. Her breath stopped in her throat.

The door opened to the observation deck. Here, Lilith had died. Here, Abel had gone mad, lost in his grief. She shared a quick look with Seth, reading the other's recognition and anguish in her gaze, then stepped forward and looked through the door.

Abel stood by the giant windows, head bowed and his brother's body still in his arms. Then, slowly, he knelt on the metal floor. His voice was a harsh, broken rasp as it broke the stillness. "Leon, Brother Petros. Your cloaks, please."

Neither of them hesitated. Petros unhooked his battle cloak and stepped forward without a word, following Abel's nod to lay it flat upon the floor. Abel hesitated, then laid Cain's body gently, tenderly, on the cloth. He straightened out the limbs, then reached back, took Leon's outer cassock without looking back, and laid it over the still form, covering Cain's body to mid chest, including the terrible wound.

Leon broke the quiet. "Someone care to explain to me why exactly we're doing this? I mean, this guy was the Enemy of the World."

"He was...is...also...my brother." Abel didn't look up, his voice rough with the tears that continued to stream down his cheeks. "He was the Enemy of the World. But he was...before that...he was a good man. And...no matter what happened between us, he is still my brother. Cain Nightroad."

Esther felt tears on her own face. Beside her, Seth was weeping as well. Without thought, she moved forward, reached out to lay a hand on Abel's shoulder. Seth moved at the same time, kneeling to wrap her arm around her brother's shoulders. Abel shuddered, agony and grief etched on his face. Esther's heart was breaking for him, but she couldn't find any words to say. She didn't have any way to comfort him, didn't know anything that could ease the terrible pain she saw in his eyes.

It was William who broke that anguished silence. "Go ahead and say what's on your mind, Abel. It's all right."

At that, Astha stepped forward. Her eyes were sad, grieving for the man before her. "He is right, my tovarish. Speak, or the pain will tear you apart." She strode forward to stand behind Abel, then knelt and laid a hand on the center of his back, between the stil-flared wings. "Tell us what you mourn, priest."

Abel shuddered, head bowing. "Cain...he was...so gentle. Before everything went wrong. So kind. He...was...my brother." Rasping, gulping sobs broke his words, shaking his frame. "He...made mistakes. He could be...so over-confident. So blind to things. I just...I wanted to shake him. I...wanted to hate him. But I..." His voice broke, his body trembling under the onslaught of emotion. His next words were a cracked whisper, pain sharp as a knife blade. "I loved him. Even at the worst...I loved him."

The words seemed to wrench themselves out of him, an unstoppable flood of pain and love and grief. "Cain...he gave me everything...in the beginning. Safety. Love. Stability. Even...a future. He gave me hope. Even when...when he drove me mad, I knew...he _did_ care. And I...I would have...even if I couldn't say so...even if I fought him...I would have..." His voice broke again.

Seth finished the unspoken words, her own voice shaking with grief. "You'd have done anything for him."

"Yes." Abel shuddered again, the words barely audible. "I...even after he changed, I...would have done...anything, to save him. Even if...he was the world's enemy...my enemy...he was still my brother."

The dark wings melted away, vanishing into Abel's body, leaving him unmarked save for Lilith's crosses. Kneeling by his side, holding him as he wept, Esther watched the tears turn from crimson to clear, streaking his face as Abel hunched over, wrapping his arms around himself. The words that broke from his throat were soft, filled with an entirely human agony. "He was my brother. For everything that he became...after everything...he was my brother. What I have done...God forgive me, for what I felt I had to do."

Seth's eyes widened. "Abel..."

"He was...Cain still, at the...the end." Abel's voice broke and he bent over until his head nearly touched the metal floor. Silver hair hid his face as he wept, bowed over his brother's body.

Esther swallowed hard, her own tears forming a knot in her throat. _Oh no. Please no. Abel...did he regain his sanity after all? Did you...have to kill him?_ She remembered the words she'd spoken to Cain, trying to force him to remember his human self, the past he and Abel shared. _Oh, no. I am...so sorry, Abel. _She shifted position and wrapped her arms around him, bowing her head against his shoulder so she could whisper in his ear. "I am so, so sorry, Abel." On his other side, Seth was kneeling in a similar posture. She could see tears falling from the Empress' eyes, understanding in that childlike face.

Abel made no response, only continued crying, soft wordless groans of utter desolation wrenching from his throat.

There was a sound from behind them, though Esther couldn't find the strength to turn and look at the others. She felt Astha move away, backing away respectfully. There was an odd, embarrassed cough that she thought sounded like Leon. Then William's voice, quiet and sympathetic. "I am sorry for your loss, my friend." A hand brushed her arm, touching Abel kindly. "I wish I could ease this burden for you, Abel. If there's anything I can do, even if it's just to be here for you, rest assured I shall."

"I as well." Astha's voice was hoarse, as if she wept with them.

"Me too." Ion spoke from somewhere near Esther's shoulder.

There was a quiet alto rumble from somewhere further back, then Petros speaking. "Quiet. Even if we do not understand, it is God's orders that we shall offer our respect both to our brotherhood and to our fallen enemies. We will respect Father Nightroad's actions as we would a burial for our own dead." His usual growl was muted, and though his voice was rough, there was something awkward that might have been kindness in it.

Esther didn't know if Abel heard any of it. He gave no sign, simply remained where he was, weeping, curled in on himself.

She wasn't sure how long she knelt at Abel's side, holding him. Her own tears dried long before his did. But finally, the shudders wracking his frame faded. The deep, wrenching groans quieted, then died away. Esther didn't move. She didn't know if his grief was truly spent for the moment, or if he had simply run out of tears and broken his voice too deeply to continue to vent it.

After what seemed an eternity, Abel slowly raised his head. His expression was tight, hollow, a lifeless mask with eyes that burned in anguish. He looked for a long moment at Cain's body, then uncurled his body, sitting up straight before he rose slowly to his feet, moving stiffly. "We need to leave."

Esther winced at the harsh rasp of his voice, but she didn't argue with him. She and Seth both moved, rising to stand beside him. Seth glanced at Cain's body. "Abel. What about...?"

"I'm leaving him here." Abel's eyes lifted, to look at the panorama of Earth below. "This was his favorite place. The place he used to stand and watch the world turn. Even as children."

"All right." Seth nodded. Her eyes followed Abel's. "It was his favorite view, after all." She smiled, a small smile tinged with sadness. After a moment, she turned and touched her brother's arm. "Is there anything else we can do, Abel?"

"Yes." He turned. For one brief second he stopped, looking at the comrades gathered around him. Esther recognized the look on his face. She'd seen a similar look when Noelle died. She wasn't surprised when Abel simply moved forward, walking past them without a word.

Leon started to step forward, to say something as Abel walked past, but William caught his arm. "Let him be, Leon. Abel will speak to us when he's ready."

Leon snorted. "If you say so, Professor." He stepped back though, leaving Esther and Seth to follow as Abel vanished through the door.

Esther entered the hall just in time to see the door of the elevator close behind Abel. Seth stepped over to the secondary elevator and activated it. Within seconds, they were inside, headed for the upper deck. Esther waited impatiently for the car to stop, then stepped out. Abel was entering the command deck as she emerged. She hesitated a moment, then followed him, Seth right beside her.

Abel was standing beside the central charging panel when they entered. Esther stopped just inside the door, uncertain what he was doing and not willing to disturb him. Not too much, at least.

Abel stood still a moment, then spread lifted his hands. Black wings burst forth from his shoulders as he set his feet and brought both hands down on the charging panel. Electricity sparked around him, gathering in his wings. Then Abel screamed, the raw sound ripping through the air as he released the pent up energy into the panel. The panel glowed white hot, then it and several others exploded with a ringing crack. Esther and Seth both ducked, shielding their faces with their arms, as little pieces of debris showered past them.

Esther waited until the ringing settled, then raised her face. Abel stood, surrounded by debris, human once more. He looked suddenly weary, as if all his strength had finally run out. She hesitated a moment, then stepped carefully across the room to join him. "Abel?"

"I destroyed the power grid, and the charging mechanism. The Ark won't be salvaged again. Not by anyone." His voice was hollow, like an ancient echo of the scream he had voiced moments before.

"All right." Esther nodded, then gripped his arm a little more firmly. "Come on, Abel, let's go home."

"Home..." He blinked, then looked at her, and for the first time since his second fight with Cain, he seemed to see her. "Esther..."

Seth appeared at his other side. "Come on, Brother Abel. Esther's right. We should go home now." She took his other hand.

Abel's gaze slid sideways to his sister. "Seth..." Something broke in his expression, destroying the frozen mask. "Seth, I..."

"I know, Abel." Emerald eyes met sapphire. Then Seth shook her head. "I'm afraid this isn't the time or place to talk about it, Abel. So..." She trailed off, then embraced her brother tightly.

Abel's arms went around her, head bowing once more. He embraced his sister tightly for a moment, then reached out and gripped Esther's arm, pulling her into the embrace. Esther wrapped her arms around both of the Nightroads, though whether she offered or received comfort, she wasn't sure.

They stayed wrapped in a tight little circle for several moments, then Abel's knees buckled. Esther and Seth caught him, one on either side as he fell forward. Seth managed a small smile. "Still getting yourself beat up, huh Abel?" There were fresh tears on her cheeks, and Abel's as well, and Esther felt something glittering damply on her own. She couldn't bring herself to care. Instead, she wedged herself a little more firmly under Abel's arm and together she and Seth supported him as they staggered toward the door.

It took a great deal of effort to make it to the elevator. Once inside, Abel took a deep breath. He seemed to get his feet under him. Esther staggered as his weight came off her shoulder, but Abel's hand kept her upright. His eyes were distant, fresh tears still tracking down his face, but the tormented mask was broken replaced by an odd, haunted peace in his eyes. When the elevator stopped, he was moving on his own, though he kept one hand on each of their shoulders.

The rest of the assault team met them at the entrance to the Iron Maiden. Abel still looked rather lost, but Seth looked the group over. "Huh. Looks like everyone's present and accounted for. That's rather better than I was expecting."

Leon made a face. "Yeah, well, that's what you get for underestimating how stubborn we are. Especially since Four Eyes brings out the worst in us."

A tight answering smile lifted a corner of William's mouth. "Yes, well, as glad as I am that we're all here to return, I do have some troubling news." He gestured toward the ship. "Kate informed me when I boarded that the Order ship took off while we were occupied inside. We did a quick survey of the bodies, and it appears we have at least three missing Order members." He sighed. "Unfortunately, I'd estimate it's probably the worst three. Von Lohengrin, von Kampfer, and von Vogelwiede."

Seth made a face. "Puppet Master, Wizard, and Eisehexe, huh?" She sighed. "Well, I can't say I'm happy, but we did make a huge dent in their forces, so...I suppose we'll just have to accept that."

Leon snorted. "You know what they say about the snake's head and all..." Abel shuddered, and Astha elbowed the dark-haired AX member in the ribs. He growled, then looked at Abel's face. His own expression turned slightly embarrassed. "Sorry."

William sighed. "Never mind. I'd say it's high time to leave. Brother Petros and I have a report to make, and I suspect, Empress, that your own people will be anxious to hear from you."

Seth nodded. "I'm sure the Duchess of Moldova is quite worried by now." She looked up at her brother, who was staring over the bleak landscape. "Come on, Abel."

Abel stayed still for a moment, then he nodded and turned, without a word, and boarded the ship. Leon made a face, but the rest of them followed quietly.

Sister Kate appeared as the door shut behind them. "Finally! Did you know how worried I was getting?" She spotted the state of Abel's clothing, the faint tracks of blood on his chest and face, and gasped. "Father Nightroad!"

"Sister Kate." William interjected, stepping smoothly between them. "I wonder if you'd be kind enough to provide some spare clothing for everyone. Particularly Abel. And some fresh water and towels, if you don't mind."

Kate nodded, her eyes taking in everyone's bloodstained, torn and battered clothing, assorted purpling bruises and cuts. "Honestly! William, you march yourself and everyone else straight down to the medical center at once. You all need to be looked at. Goodness knows how much damage you've done to yourselves." She sighed. "There's clean uniforms there, and wash water, but you'd better make use of the supplies in there. And no shrugging it off to be macho! Not even you two!" She shook a finger at Petros and Baibars. "I don't care what that armor protects you from!" Baibars looked chagrined, Petros scowled.

"Negative. Not all. I do not require medical assistance." Tres was expressionless as always. But his uniform was also battered, and almost all his ammunition holders were empty.

Kate glared at him. "You march yourself down to the diagnostic center, Father Tres!"

Tres paused, calculating, then nodded. "Positive. Complete systems scan requested."

"Of course. As if I'd do anything less." Kate gestured impatiently. "Shoo, shoo, all of you. I have work to do. And you still have reports to make."

William nodded. "Quite correct. However, I think we'd all appreciate a lift-off first, if you don't mind." Another one of those grim half smiles crossed his face. "I can't speak for the others, but I would personally like to be home."

There were nods all around, and Seth grinned. "No kidding."

"All right, all right." Sister Kate huffed in exasperation. "I'm starting the pre-lift checklist now. So go on."

"Thank you Sister." William gestured courteously, then indicated his companions should proceed him. Seth and Esther gave each other a quick look, then began the process of steering Abel toward the infirmary.

Abel didn't resist when they steered him into the infirmary. Nor when Seth and Esther sat him on a bed and let William give him a thorough going over. His eyes were still hazy, though he'd stopped weeping. William diagnosed severe emotional shock and moderate exhaustion from combat. Everything else the Crusnik had healed. Between them, the three of them managed to get the worst of the blood and dirt off of him and bundle him into a clean uniform. He didn't help, but he didn't hinder them either. Seth left him looking out a window while the rest of them sorted themselves out.

Everyone had numerous bruises and cuts. Even Paula, who usually emerged without a scratch, had over half a dozen nicks and cuts, including one above her right eye that she'd staunched with her headband. The Professor admitted to having re-injured both knee and ribs. Mary's armor had saved her from the worst, but there was one long slice on her right leg that had been hastily bound with a piece of Virgil's jacket. Virgil himself had bruised and cut wrists, elbows, throat and torso from Dietrich's strings, and Ion was in little better condition. All four Methuselah dressed their wounds, then drank three glasses each of the Aqua Vitae solution.

Leon had taken a fair number of knocks, including a head wound that was pronounced minor. He also had cracked ribs. Petros had been shielded by his armor, a blessing since he'd been in pitched combat with a lycanthrope. All he had were bruises. Baibars was in similar condition.

Esther was surprised to identify several slashes and bruises on her own person, and her wrists were protesting the excessive use of the gun and knives. Seth taped her up, then wrapped each wrist in a light weight soft splint and warned her to be careful for a few days.

Of all of them, Seth had come out the best off. Her Crusnik hadn't been nearly as exhausted as Abel's. By the time she'd finished with Esther, her wounds were entirely healed, and her only problem was hunger. That brought a laugh from the AX, remembering Abel's appetite.

Finally all their wounds were bound, and they retired to the observation lounge. For some reason, they wound up in the aft lounge, watching the ARK dwindle behind them. Abel immediately gravitated to the glass. Esther considered trying to tempt him with a snack, or even his favorite tea, then decided against it. Abel would let them know when he was hungry. Until then, it felt right to leave him to his thoughts.

Kate provided a wide selection of food and soothing teas. Esther picked up her favorite blend, and a few sandwiches. Her stomach was growling. From the looks of the other piled-high plates, she had a feeling she wasn't the only one who'd just noticed how long ago it had been since they'd eaten. Tres joined them a few minutes later, cleaned up and in immaculate robe and cassock.

She was halfway through her third sandwich when Leon jerked in surprise and sat up straighter. "What was that?"

Astha glared at him. "What was what?"

"I thought I saw a light. You know, kinda reddish, coming from that ship." He indicated the ARK.

"Positive. Red flash, 5.3 seconds ago. Source unknown. Cause, unknown." Tres was focused on the ship slowly receding into the distance. "Incoming fire detected. Percentage of danger, below threshold requiring evasive maneuvers or defense."

Something flared in the atmosphere. A reddish-orange ball of fire. Leon blinked. "What the hell? Is that some sort of shot, or what?"

Esther frowned. Something about the flames reminded her of something she'd seen before, but she couldn't place it. She turned to Abel to ask his opinion.

Abel was staring at the falling fire, his whole body rigid. His eyes were wide, shock and something akin to horror in them. He watched as the fire fell away from them, then whirled and raced out of the room, moving so fast she heard him slam into the opposite wall in his haste.

Seth was staring after him. "Abel?"

Leon scowled. "What the hell was that all about?" He frowned at the doorway. "First he goes all moody, now he's running around like a lunatic."

"Professor." Kate appeared in the lounge. "Something's happening. I just registered an energy surge off my aft bow. I haven't even analyzed it yet, but..." There was a beep and Kate's eyes widened. "Abel!"

"What is it?" The Professor was on his feet in seconds, Seth right beside him.

"Father Nightroad. He just activated and opened the emergency repair doorway near the landing bay!" She scowled.

Something black flashed past the window, startling all of them. Esther saw a brief flash of silver. Then, just below the arc of the hull, black wings snapped out, and a dark figure tumbled into a dive, away from them.

Leon and Astha both swore. "That crazy bastard jumped ship!"

Esther turned to Sister Kate. "Can we track them?"

"Of course." Kate already had her hands up in front of her, cradling a sphere on which numbers danced. "William and I have a tracking program for Abel's energy signature ready at all times." She studied the numbers. "It appears he's headed for the ground. From the readings, I'd say he's following the energy flare."

"Can we follow him?" Seth's voice was sharp with concern.

"Not precisely. I can't land this ship just anywhere." Kate scowled at her read-outs again. "Based on his trajectory and the terrain, the nearest landing spot I can get to is at least a quarter of a mile away."

Seth sighed. "I suppose that will have to be good enough. I'd appreciate it if you'd take us down, please. I just hope Abel doesn't go running off into the wilderness again."

Leon made a frustrated noise. "Next time, I vote we sedate him as soon as we get him on board and tie him to a bed."

"Positive."

William sighed. "I'll admit that jumping out of the aircraft isn't the smartest thing Abel's ever done, and it certainly is a bit of an inconvenience, but Abel is under a great deal of stress." he turned to Sister Kate. "If you'd be so good as to bring us in for a landing, and contact Cardinal Sforza and His Holiness concerning the outcome of the fight, and our delay."

"Roger." Kate nodded and blinked out.

Twenty minutes later, the ship settled in a flat plain. Kate met them at the door. "This is as close as I can get you. Abel should be half a mile to the north-east."

William pulled a device from a pocket and fiddled with it. "Excellent. I've got a reading on him now. Thank you, Kate. We'll take it from here."

"Tell Abel he's getting a good scolding from me!" Kate sighed. "Honestly...that man..."

"Yes, of course. I'll be sure to let him know." William smiled, then led the rest of them down the ramp.

The walk took longer than Esther expected. All of them were tired and sore from the battle. And the terrain was uneven, and thick with plant growth. Even so, by the time the Professor announced they were near Abel's location, her stomach was a knot of anxiety.

Esther rounded the last hill, then stopped. Abel was kneeling in a small hollow of the hills, his back to them, and so motionless she couldn't even see if he was breathing. He'd removed the outer part of his robes, and his arms were curled in front of him, his head bowed.

Esther watched him a moment, but Abel didn't acknowledge their presence. Finally, she stepped forward to lay a hand on his shoulder. "Abel?"

Abel's head jerked up, eyes wide. "Esther?" She stepped around so he could see her. Abel stared at her a moment, looking lost. Then buried leaned his head into her arm. "Esther. I..." He broke off, trembling in her light grip.

"Abel, what's going on?" Seth's voice sounded from behind him, and Abel raised his head just a fraction.

"Seth?" Abel turned awkwardly on his knees to face his sister.

"I'm right here Abel. What's going on?" Seth stepped forward to face her brother. "Tell me what happened, Abel. Why did you leave the ship?"

Abel flinched. "I saw it. The red comet. And I...Seth...I..." He looked down at the wrapped bundle in his arms.

Seth and Esther followed his gaze. There, wrapped within the folds of Abel's cassock, was a child, an infant. Short, unruly blond hair covered the child's head, framing pale, delicate features. Esther felt her heart clench. Beside her, Seth gasped. "Abel...is that..."

"I think so. I...I can't feel _them._ But I...I think so." Abel's voice was tight. "Seth...I..."

"I hate to interrupt, but the rest of us _would_ like to know what's going on. Particularly why you felt you had to go and jump from a perfectly good ship and land in the middle of nowhere, Abel." William's voice was stern, but kind. "If you're wanting some time on sabbatical, my friend, I'm sure Caterina will grant it to you."

Abel shuddered, closing his eyes for a moment. Then he opened them, rose carefully to his feet, and turned to face the rest of them.

William blinked. "Abel, exactly what is that?"

Leon frowned. "Looks like a kid. What the hell is a kid doing out here? That age, he ought to be dead of exposure."

"No." Abel's voice was cracked with strain, but strong. "He's...I...I followed him down. There's been no time."

"Followed him down? You mean, from the ARK." William frowned. "I don't recall there being any children there."

"Positive." Tres had moved forward to examine the tiny figure in Abel's arms. "That child is an anomaly. There were no sub-adult life forms on board the vessel." The android priest seemed to be reading something. "Child's genetic make-up shares 98 percent genetic match to Father Nightroad. 99.8 percent match to former Contra Mundi."

"Interesting. That would imply that either someone managed to create a clone, or..." William trailed off. "Abel...is it possible?"

Abel stared at the child's form. "I...I don't know. None of us do. But he...he seems right. And if they had a clone...Cain wouldn't..." His voice broke. He closed his eyes, steeling himself, pulling himself back under control. "He wouldn't...have needed me."

"So...this child is your brother?"

"I...think so." Abel shuddered again. "I can't sense...the Crusnik, but..."

"But revival and regeneration both take a great deal of energy. It's possible for them to have gone dormant, at least temporarily." William frowned, and Esther could practically see the wheels turning in his head.

"Wait a second." Astha was frowning as well. "The Contra Mundi was a full grown adult. Even if that was a regenerated or artificial body, why would he be a child now?"

"Good question." William rubbed his chin. "Abel, didn't you and Seth both tell me...the Crusnik bonds as much to your mind as to your body and your DNA, doesn't it?" Seth nodded, Abel seemed too much in shock to move. "Well, it's possible that his earlier form was created by a combination of DNA, damaged as it was, and his perception of himself. If, however, that final blast we saw somehow wiped or suppressed the original Cain's mind...that would leave only basic DNA coding. And a child's form is easier to adapt and maintain."

"This theory makes sense." Baibars was frowning. "However, that is not the primary question. Assuming this child is, or was, the Contra Mundi...what is our course of action from here?"

There was a whisper of steel from a sheath. Esther turned, to find Sister Paula wielding a short sword. "Sister? What are you doing?"

Paula's eyes were grim and cold. "It is the duty of the Church to wipe every heretic from the world. Man, woman and child. That abomination cannot be allowed to survive."

Abel jerked, as if he'd taken a blow. His already pale face went white.

Leon scowled. "I'll admit, I kinda see your point. After all, the Contra Mundi did a hell of a lot of damage. Still..." He scratched the back of his head. "I really don't like killin kids."

"True." William fished in his pocket for a pipe, then made a face. "However, he's hardly a danger as an infant."

Baibars nodded. "However, some would argue that it is best to prevent his growing into a threat by ending it now."

Ion's eyes were wide and confused. "That man...he got Radu killed. He killed Father Nightroad...he tried to harm the Empress!" The young Methuselah bit his lip. "But..."

"But it is a dishonorable thing, to raise a sword to a helpless infant." Astha nodded. Then she turned, and offered Seth a bow. "My apologies, my Empress, but I do not feel wise enough to make a decision regarding this. I shall follow your instructions in this matter."

Petros looked ready to chew rocks, his hand clenched on the staff of his weapon. "The Lord demands justice...but also mercy."

Seth's huff of annoyance cut the debate short. "honestly. Why are any of you talking like it's your decision to make?" She sighed. "Really, it is a bit of a vexing issue, but...you know, I'm afraid it's really your decision after all, Abel." She looked at her brother, regret in her eyes. "It's always been you and Cain, hasn't it, my dear brother?"

"It has." Abel's hand were trembling as he cradled the child.

William sighed. "She does have a point. After all, Abel was responsible for his defeat before."

"For his death." Abel's voice was barely a whisper on the last word. "I...Seth..." he looked his sister in the eyes.

She shook her head. "You know, I've never interfered in the two of you. Whatever you decide is fine, Abel."

Abel nodded once, then turned to Esther. His eyes were an ocean of pain, regret, fear. Wild terrible emotions. "Esther..." His gaze went to the child in his arms, then came back up to meet hers. "Esther...what..."

"It's all right." She laid a hand gently on his trembling forearm. "No matter what you choose, I'll be right here beside you." She wondered if he could bear killing his brother again.

Abel shut his eyes, his entire frame trembling like a leaf in a high wind. Anguish slashed lines of strain across his face and his lip was caught between his teeth. The entire group waited, silent, for his decision.

Finally, Abel's trembling calmed some. The blue eyes opened, once more glittering with that strange, distant peace. "All right."

"All right, what, Abel?" William's voice was gentle.

"This war...I'm adopting an orphan." Abel looked down at the child. "And I'm naming him after my brother, who died."

"You're joking." Leon stared at him.

"No." Abel shook his head. "I can't...Leon, I cannot kill him. Not again. Not like this."

Paula tightened her grip on her blade. "If you cannot take the necessary action, Father Nightroad, then I will."

"No." Abel shook his head.

Paula stepped forward, but Petros put out a hand to stop her. "Halt, Vice-captain." He leveled a challenging stare at Abel. "Explain. If your words ring valid, then I will support you."

Abel nodded. "He is my brother. I know what he has done, but...right now, he's an innocent child whose hands have never known blood." He stared at the sleeping face. "Before he died, my brother remembered who he was. That final blow...was his doing more than mine. His choice, to give me the future I was protecting. So this...perhaps it's Cain's second chance. He was a good man, before he was taken over. With this...there's a chance he could be again. I will not destroy that."

"And if he fails, and once again becomes the Enemy of the World? What then, Father Nightroad?" Petros held Abel's eyes.

Abel shuddered. Closed his eyes, drawing a long, deep, shaky breath. "Then I will do what I must. As often as I must." he opened his eyes, and met Petros' gaze squarely, his own haunted expression alight with determination. "Did not the Lord once order that a man shall love his brother, and be his keeper?"

Petros held his stare for a long moment, then nodded. "That is so. But be warned...if you fail, I will have justice on both you and him."

Abel nodded, and a ghost of a ragged grin touched his mouth. "So be it." He turned to the others.

William shook his head. "It's your decision, my friend. I won't stand in your way."

Seth shook her head. "I said so already. It's fine, Abel."

Hugue and Tres looked disinterested. Leon snorted. "I don't get all of it, but it's not like I can stop you, Four Eyes. You wanna adopt the kid, go ahead."

Astha matched his gaze for a moment, then smiled. "I am happy for you, my tovarish." Ion nodded in agreement, as did Baibars.

Abel accepted the congratulations, then turned slowly to Esther. His eyes were strained. "Esther I..." A shuddering sigh broke from him. "If you...if you don't want...I can understand...but I..."

Esther reached up to put a hand over his lips. Abel froze. She smiled and shook her head. "I don't mind at all. Honestly, I think it's wonderful. I'd be glad to help you with him, if you want me to."

Abel swallowed as she took her hand from his mouth. Then he bent his head, leaning his forehead against hers. "Thank you."

She smiled, and tilted her head so she could kiss him gently. "It's no problem at all."

Someone, it sounded like Leon, made a rude noise. "That's great, Four Eyes. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to go home, take a long, hot shower, eat, and sleep for a week. If we've got this all sorted out."

Seth nodded and caught her brother's eye. "You have to admit, Abel, that does sound like a wonderful idea, doesn't it?"

Abel looked down at the sleeping babe, then up at Esther. Then, slowly, a smile broke across his face. "Yes." He took a deep breath, and when he opened his eyes again, his gaze was saner than it had been since the battle. "Actually, I think that sounds like a wonderful idea." His blue gaze caught Esther's. "Let's go home."

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**dragonwriter24cmf**** AN:** So...Cain and Abel have duked out. We tried to make the whole thing with Cain believable. As for what's coming...wait and see!

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*** smcandy AN**: Ha!, didn't think you saw that coming for Cain did you ? ^^

**~* **This was planned with both something of idea I got from Cain's unique way of coming back in the cannon since he could/can regenerate his body from ashes. Seth pointed this out to Abel in both the anime and manga along with saying Cain is the **only** one able to do so with his crusnick powers. I also got the idea from when I watched and read Sailor Moon **S**series/manga from Sailor Saturn; Hotaru's powers, she was the sailor soldier or death and rebirth. Hotaru came back reborn and her age accelerated in varying degrees when she did and re-awaken as Sailor Soldier again.

My editor also had an idea as well from where Cain becoming reborn as infant but I cannot remember from which series she also was reminded of such a thing. Trust me it was **not** sailor moon that is for sure.

**~*** All the rest of RCO members are gone; **dead** only **Helga, Isaac** and **Dietrich** remain alive what becomes of them well, you'll have wait and see, they'll be around for another story. We had plans from when the story going come to close that at least three members from the now disbanded/defeated order will be around for a comeback. But I assure you guy's it's far from you might think for them. How they'll work will not work the same as they used to do when they were in the orderen.

**~* **Also some readers felt in that Esther should have had in the last chapter more ways in protecting herslelf such as of weapons or ability(ies) to help her out. I said this before in past **AN's** Esther if fine the way she is. If we gave each helpless character canon or not such things like in weapons of lost technology or abilities it be _too much of a good thing_.

Esther is 'fine' with her own talents that she has as human. Not all characters In the TB series have weapons and special abilities. Example: Not **all **Justice league or avengers characters be born with super powers, such as Green Arrow, Speedy/Red Arrow, Bateman Robin the list can go on. Yes they made and carried various weapons of their own deigns but they were still human and also were human and when they becomes disarmed they had to rely on their own human and intellectual strengths to pull through some of the toughest situations that had as hero's. The same per se when with opposite to villains as well in varying degrees. I'm pretty sure many people are getting the point I am trying to make from this.

If you want to so such things in your stories that's fine. But I am trying to keep everyone within in character and ability they came with per se and not become overloaded with such things they never needed in the first place. IF I do decide include such additional made up abilities or lost technologies for such characters you guys will be the first ones to know in my future AN's. But hence this why there are just 'lost technologies' in TB universe from after the Armageddon war started and because of the destruction that brought about from that war, the majority of technological and cultural achievements of human civilization have been lost. Most "lost technologies" for reasons unknown. Not every episode and manga chapter in TB has revolved around lost tech.

Now it's also been two years since we first got **TBWC** posted from the back burner but unfortunately we will not make the deadline to get the rest of the story posted before New Year's. Of course this might change but this was something my editor wanted to try and get done she declared it out of the blue two and half months ago. I said go for it if you think we can make such a deadline in time.

Now things are getting intense with only _two_ chapters left we are getting closer and closer to the grand finale of this wonderful story. Happy holidays once again from me and **dragonwriter24cmf** and stay tuned for the next update coming along your way ASAP.


	58. Authors Notice 5

**Authors Notice #5**

Hi's once again dear readers and fans of **TBWC**,

Again it's **smcandy** here Authoress of Trinity Blood War Continuum.

Once again I apologize to everyone for the lack activity for the past few months. More so with this delay because me and editor **dragonwriter24cmf**are so _very close_ to finishing this story since it's only two more chapter ware from being completed.

But sadly the reasons for this less then welcome delay is because my editor re-injured her arm more like an injury to which she thought was healed and dealt with came back with vengeance. So you can understand typing with one arm when you on a temp. Sick leave can slow anyone down and my editor does her down and R&R time is when she writes on her laptop with her stories and helping me with mine as my editor.

Right the progress is getting there she still healing but she taking it slow in doing so not to cause another problem in her still healing arm. But trust me and **dragonwriter24cmf** we are doing out bets to get the next much anticipated finale chapters to you guys as fast as we can.

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So keep your eyes peeled most of you should have either my name or the story no your alerts so you'll know when the next update or newest story will come. For those whom just faved I highly recommend you add me to your alerts soon this story will be over and another new writing project will come out and be announced once we reach the long await chapter 40.

That seems to be about it I appreciate all the recent reviews, messages and patience that many readers new and old are putting with in looking forward to see this story through the end.

TTFN,

Sincerely,

**Authoress smcandy**


	59. Thirty-nine: Pt 01 Royal Wedding

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: **The wait is finally over part one of chapter 39 is here. Thanks for being so patient to wait so long for this update again it was worth the wait, we so far **never** failed to deliver or disappoint to our fellow readers and fans. Please be sure since we are one one chapter away from the finale to add your vote to my still open poll on my front profile page. We need all the votes we can get to those whom have yet to add theirs so everyone can know in the final chapter what the next writing project will be once **TBWC** is completed.

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(*) As always many _special thanks_ to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner **dragonwriter24cmf**. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.

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**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

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**Warning:**This fan fiction is rated **(M) **AKA **Lemon**. This story is _**ABSOULTLY**_ _**NOT**_ suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. **I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter****.**

This story contains _**strong**_ explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in **hand sex**, **one-sided love, **Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. **If this disturbs you, do not read any further.**

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**Notice: ****Trinity Blood War Continuum **takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (**RAM)**, Reborn on the Mars **(ROM). **In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

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Trinity Blood: War Continuum – **Chapter 39 part 1: **Royal Wedding, The Aftermath of War

Sister Kate was waiting for them when they returned, a worried scowl on her face. She pounced as soon as she spotted Abel, in the center of the group. "Father Nightroad! What on earth do you think you were doing, Abel?! Flinging yourself out of the ship. Honestly, I didn't pick you up from that ship just so you could go jumping out like a lunatic halfway down! What were you thinking? Really, Abel...!"

Abel smiled softly. "Yes, yes. I'm really very sorry, Kate."

She sniffed. "I'm used to it! But you'd better have an excellent reason for making me detour like this! And for scaring me half to death!"

Abel blinked, then looked at the child he carried. "Yes, well...it was very important. Now, if you'll excuse me, Sister..." He shifted the sleeping child in his arms and stepped past the holographic nun, heading into the ship.

Kate blinked. "Hold on there, Abel! What's going on?"

"Leave him be." William came up the gangplank, smiling as he held up a hand to forestall her pursuit of Abel. "I think it's best to let Abel alone, for now. I'll make the report to Caterina."

Kate scowled. "That's not what I'm concerned about. I want to know what's going on, William. Starting with what Abel just brought aboard, and what it has to do with him leaping out of my ship!"

The Professor's smile widened. "That, my dear Kate, was Abel carrying a child. I believe he said he intends to adopt the boy."

"A child?" Kate looked shocked. "But how in the world...there's absolutely no way that Abel could have sensed a child in the middle of the wilderness from the atmosphere. Even my best instruments won't do that."

"You're quite correct. However, that child fell from the ARK." Kate's eyes widened. William shook his head to stop any further questions. "As Her Majesty the Empress of Byzantium pointed out, this is Abel's business. While I'm certain Caterina will have her own opinions on the matter, its best we let it rest for now. And Abel as well. Although..." he frowned thoughtfully. "I hope you have some milk on hand. While it's entirely possible they'll both sleep through the rest of the ride, I'd like to be prepared."

Kate sighed. "Well, I do have milk and cream for tea. That will have to be good enough."

"Of course." William nodded.

Esther smiled. Then she caught Seth's eye. The young woman grinned back, then jerked her head in the direction Abel had taken, making a little shooing gesture with one hand. Virgil, standing beside her, caught the gesture. He met Esther's eyes, then nodded. Esther took the hint and slipped down the hallway after Abel.

She found him in his room, seated on the bed with the baby still cradled against his chest. He'd kicked off his boots, and was leaning against the headboard. He looked up when Esther entered, and smiled. "Esther."

"Seth seemed to think I should check on you. The Professor is getting some milk from Sister Kate for him. He said he'd take care of reporting in for you." Esther kicked her own shoes off, then settled to the bed beside him.

"Ah. I'll have to thank him later." Abel flushed. "I suppose it isn't really fair of me, but..."

"I think everyone understands. I'm sure Lady Caterina will as well. After all, you've had a very rough day." Esther leaned over to look at the child he held. "Do you really think...?"

"That it's Cain? Yes." Abel sighed, looking down into the tiny face. "I never saw him as a baby, of course, but...he does look a bit like I did at that age. Besides, Tres confirmed the DNA match, so there really isn't any doubt."

"That's true. It's just..." Esther frowned. "I wonder how he wound up falling from the ARK."

Abel smiled, though there was no humor, and a great deal of tiredness in it. "Well, the rejuvenation process _is _rather explosive. It probably blew the window out of the observation deck. After that, the change in atmosphere would probably have dragged him through. Or...well, I suppose it might be like when I left the church, after my own revival. Perhaps being revived makes one claustrophobic." He shrugged. "I hadn't really thought about it, to be honest."

Esther shook her head. She could see his energy fading, fatigue settling in. "I'm sure it doesn't matter." She laid a hand on his arm, and Abel leaned toward her gratefully. "How is he?"

"Still sleeping. Honestly, he'll probably sleep for a while. The whole thing is rather exhausting." Abel sighed, his head tilting back.

Esther smiled settled in next to him. "Well, why don't you both rest some? After all, we have plenty of time. And I'll be right here with you, if you need anything."

Abel blinked at her, weariness in his blue eyes. "I...I don't want to impose...I..."

She laid one finger across his mouth, stopping the words. "It's not an imposition at all."

Abel stared at her for a moment, then closed his eyes and relaxed, leaning partially against her and partially against the wall. Within seconds, his breathing deepened, and he was sound asleep. Esther smiled and brushed the loose silver hair back from his face, then curled into a comfortable position beside him.

**8888888888**

Abel and Cain both slept the for the entire journey home. Esther dozed, awakened partially by William bearing milk, blankets and hastily improvised baby supplies, and later by Seth bearing food. She and Seth shared a quiet meal, watching the sleeping brothers. Then Seth slipped away to return to her own activities. Esther watched her leave, then curled a little closer to Abel and let herself go back to sleep.

Esther drifted in and out of a light sleep, until a light knock on the door brought her back to full awareness. She shifted into a sitting position, then stretched. "Enter."

Virgil opened the door, one hand balancing a stack of neatly folded garments. The Albion lord looked somewhat rested, and he'd taken some time to clean himself up. Only the bandages peeking out from underneath his collar and his shirt sleeves revealed he'd been in battle at all. He nudged the door closed behind him, then bowed his head. "Majesty."

She nodded. "I'm awake, Lord Walsh." She stretched again, then eased herself away from Abel's side, leaning him against the pillows. "We're almost there?"

"We'll arrive at the Vatican in an hour." He set the bundle of clothing down, then picked up the uppermost set of garments and offered them for her inspection. "I've brought fresh clothing for yourself and Father Nightroad, if you wish to change."

Esther considered that. She'd put on fresh clothing in the infirmary earlier, but it had gotten sticky when they'd gone after Abel. Besides, the clothing Kate had provided in the healing area was plain clothing. Even though she'd been part of the combat team, and hadn't gone officially as Albion's queen, she did need to be a little better dressed for visiting the Vatican. She was still a ruling monarch, even if the visit was unofficial. "I think I'd like that, thank you."

Virgil inclined his head once more, then gestured toward the left hand wall. "There is a bathing room three doors down in that direction, should you care to make use of it. Sister Kate has left it stocked with the necessary supplies, and Colonel Spencer can safeguard your privacy."

Esther smiled. "I'm sure that it won't be necessary to guard me, but thank you." She took the clothing he offered her, then glanced at the man still sleeping on the bed. "I'll only be a few minutes, but if you could please see to Abel, and tell him where I've gone?"

Virgil nodded. "Of course, Majesty." His pale eyes rested on Cain, still sleeping swaddled in Abel's cassock, and his arms. "I shall take care of the child as well, if Father Nightroad permits."

Esther smiled again. "I'm sure he will. Please tell him I'll return shortly." Virgil nodded, and Esther stepped into the hall and shut the door behind her.

The bathing room was right where Virgil said, and stocked with half a dozen scented soaps and shampoos, as well as brushes, a hair dryer, wash-cloths, and several large towels. Esther chose the rose scented soap and shampoo, then turned on the shower. She spent several minutes simply standing under the spray, enjoying the feel of the hot water and being clean. She would have willingly spent hours under the spray, but she didn't want to use all Kate's hot water. Nor did she want to leave Abel alone for too long. She finished her washing, then dried off and shook out the dress Virgil had given her.

It was a fairly simple dress, a crimson red with gold embroidery of the sleeves, hem and neckline, but otherwise fairly plain. Best of all, she didn't need any help getting into it, and it was fairly lightweight. Particularly compared to some of the court dresses she'd worn. Esther slipped it on gratefully, along with the shoes, a slightly dressier version of her boots, then ran a brush through her hair and returned to Abel's room.

She found Abel awake and upright, adjusting the outer robes of his cassock. At the small desk, Virgil was tending to Cain. There was a faint odor that suggested the infant had been changed, and as she watched, the Albion lord pinned a diaper gently in place, then wrapped the child in a fresh blanket. Abel finished what he was doing and stepped around the bed, and Virgil placed the babe in his arms once more.

"How is he?" Esther stepped forward, looking over Abel's elbow at the tiny form.

"Well, he seems all right. But he should probably be fed." Abel sighed, then blinked as Virgil handed him a bottle of milk. "Thank you, Lord Walsh."

Virgil smiled. "I confess, Father. This courtesy is one Father Wordsworth thought to provide, not I."

Abel returned the smile, though his was a pale shadow of Virgil's. "Well then, I shall have to thank him when I see him." He looked at the bottle a moment, then shifted Cain awkwardly in his arms. "Ah..."

Esther smothered a laugh and moved forward to help him. "Here." She adjusted his grip on the baby, and the bottle, then guided his hand into position. Within seconds, Cain was drinking eagerly. Esther looked up into Abel's face, to find him staring at the child in his arms with bemusement. "Have you never done this before?"

"Ah, no, not really." Abel flushed slightly. "I was...well, I don't usually work with children, at least, not this young."

Esther smiled. "I'm surprised. You seem like you'd do fairly well with them." She helped Abel shift his grip slightly, to something more comfortable. "Here."

Abel smiled. "Thank you, Esther."

Virgil spoke from where he was folding the remaining clothing. "Father Nightroad, have you eaten?" Abel shook his head, and Virgil set his work aside. "Very well. If you and Lady Esther would remain here, I will bring a meal for you."

Abel smiled, a little guiltily. "Thank you, Lord Walsh."

Virgil smiled softly. "It is no trouble." He offered Esther a brief bow, then left the room.

Esther waited for the footsteps to fade, then spoke softly. "Virgil told me we'll arrive at the Vatican soon."

Abel nodded, the faint smile on his face vanishing. "I know." His eyes darkened, pain and apprehension in his gaze.

Esther reached up to gently touch his shoulder, then brushed his bangs back from his face. "Will you be all right?"

Abel grimaced. "I suppose so. Though I suspect Miss Caterina will be rather upset with me. Still..." He sighed and bowed his head.

Esther laid her hand on his arm. "I'm sure Miss Caterina will understand." Abel nodded, but the tension remained in his face and shoulders. Esther watched his face. "What's wrong, Abel?"

Abel flinched. Esther tightened her grip reassuringly. "Surely you don't honestly think she'd order his death?"

"No. But Cardinal di Medici..." Abel's face twisted.

Esther shook her head. "I'm sure that neither His Holiness nor Lady Caterina will let him do anything to you. And Seth..."

"I know." Abel swallowed. "To be honest, I'm not truly worried about it. It is just..." His voice cracked.

"Just what?" Esther kept her voice calm and quiet.

"I cannot...Esther, I can't..." Abel swallowed hard, then raised his head, turning his face to one side as a tear slid down his cheek. "The world, the Vatican, they will view this as a victory. And I cannot..."

"I understand." Esther fished the pocket handkerchief from where she knew he kept it, then reached up to dab the tears from his face. "It's going to be terribly hard for you, isn't it?"

"I...yes." Abel swallowed again, then took a deep shuddering breath.

She finished wiping the tears from his face. "It's okay. I'll be with you. I'm sure the others will understand as well. If we all work together, I'm sure we'll find a way to spare you as much pain as possible." She offered him a gentle smile. "In fact, I'm sure the Professor and the others are already thinking about it."

Abel took another breath, then relaxed. After a moment, he turned his head, and gently kissed her hand. "Thank you, Esther."

"You don't have to thank me." A knock announced Virgil's return, with a loaded tray. "Here. Why don't I hold him, while you eat?"

Abel let her take the child from his arms, and Virgil handed him a plate. He took it carefully, then offered Esther a smile. "Thank you, Esther."

Esther smiled back. "You're welcome."

**8888888888**

They touched down at the Vatican thirty minutes later. Fortunately, Seth arrived to give them plenty of warning. Abel finished the last bites of his plate. Kate appeared to assure him that she would take care of the domestic details. By the time the ship finished docking procedures, the assault party had assembled by the doors. Abel stood in the center of the group, holding Cain in his arms. Esther and Seth stood to either side of him, while the rest of the team formed an honor guard around them.

The door opened to reveal Caterina waiting for them, with a full escort of Vatican guards. As the group approached, she inclined her head respectfully. "Your Majesty, Empress. If you will all please come with me, I'll escort you to his Holiness." her gaze flicked over the rest of the group, lingered a moment on the child in Abel's arms. Then she turned away, toward the church, and the rest of them followed.

Armed guards lined the hallway to the central council chamber, all of them in full armor. Esther shivered slightly as they passed between them. She'd only seen the full guard detail out once, and that had been during the Silent Noise threat.

The guards at the door to the Papal Council chamber saluted them as they approached, then came to attention. At Caterina's nod, two of them moved to open the heavy doors. Caterina waited until the doors were fully open, then led them through. Esther glanced around as they strode up the carpet to the Pope's throne. The entire council looked to be present, all of the Cardinals and Archbishops arrayed in chairs around the room, dressed in their formal robes. She felt a little under-dressed, but then, no one in their party was dressed much more formally. And they had just come from a battle.

Alessandro rose as they reached the dais where his chair, along with that of Lady Caterina and Cardinal di Medici, was situated. A genuine smile lit up his face as they stopped. "Esther. Father Nightroad." He glanced at Seth, and a bit of pink washed over his cheeks. "Lady Seth." He looked over the group. "Everyone...everyone came back?"

Abel stepped forward as Caterina ascended to claim her place on the dais. "We were fortunate, Holiness, but yes...all of us have returned safely."

Alessandro's smile warmed even further, softened by genuine relief. "That...that's good. I'm really...very glad to hear that, Father." He paused. "And the battle? Lady Caterina said you'd reported a victory, but..."

"If I may..." William stepped up to Abel's side.

"Please." Alessandro's hand toyed with his staff. "Ummm...that man...the one they called Contra Mundi..."

"He is dead, Holiness. Father Nightroad eliminated him. All of us witnessed that fact." Esther saw Abel stiffen. William continued. "Of the rest of the Order...most of their troops, both Dolls and auto-jagers, were destroyed. Of the core members, only three remain." He grimaced. "I regret to say that the members known as Dietrich von Lohengrin, Isaac von Kampfer, and Helga von Vogelweide have managed to escape us for the moment. However, I'm fairly certain that all of them sustained wounds in the battle. With no support and no leader to rely on, it should be some time before they are capable of regrouping, let alone raising any sort of trouble."

"You still let three members of their organization escape!" Di Medici was scowling.

William smiled grimly. "Yes, well, we were heavily outnumbered. More to the point, I'm afraid a great number of us were distracted by the explosion that signaled the Contra Mundi's demise. It was rather spectacular."

Alessandro blinked. "That...was that...the bright flash in the sky?"

"Most likely. I had no idea it was visible here. But surely, if you saw it, then you can guess the magnitude of the event."

"Ummm...yes." Alessandro blinked, then transferred his gaze to Abel. "Father Nightroad...you aren't...were you hurt?"

Abel shook his head. "No, Holiness. I'm a bit tired, but I am mostly unharmed." Esther wondered if the pope, or anyone else heard his voice catch on the word 'mostly'.

"I see." Alessandro blinked again. "But...that bundle..."

"Ah." Abel stepped forward to the very edge of the dais.

Alessandro looked, and his eyes widened. "It's...it's a child."

"Yes." Abel's voice was soft, but still audible. "He was abandoned on board the ARK. I intend to adopt him, to raise him as mine."

"Why was a child on the ARK?" The question came from one of the Archbishops seated to the side.

William answered. "We're not entirely sure. Evidence suggests they might have been attempting to clone the Contra Mundi for some reason. Or possibly there was some other reason he was there."

"Is this child a threat?" That came from the opposite side of the room.

"Not at this time. And I doubt we'll have to worry much, if he's raised by Father Nightroad." William smiled. "After all, he _is _a priest, and a remarkably good man."

Cardinal di Medici scowled. Esther saw Abel flinch, and knew the Professor did as well, from the way his hand came up to rest on the back of Abel's shoulder.

"A reasonable supposition. However, the life of one child is hardly our concern. Is the threat from the Order of Rosenkreutz lifted?"

William nodded. "In my estimation, yes. We do need to round up those last three members, but with the organization in shambles and the leader destroyed, I would be willing to say the threat is over."

"It's...it's over?" Alessandro whispered the words. "Then...no more battles? We can...relax? No more...no more fighting, or destruction?"

"No." Abel spoke, his voice still quiet. "There may be a few isolated incidents but..." He raised his head to meet the Pope's gaze, then spoke softly. "It is over, Holiness."

"Okay." Alessandro straightened, his expression firming with resolve. He raised his hands, and silence fell over the room. "Send word to everyone...hostilities with the Order of Rosenkreutz are ended. The war...the war is over."

There was a murmur of assent from all around the room. Cardinal di Medici looked murderous, but he bowed his head in acceptance of Alessandro's words.

Alessandro waited for the noise to die down, then turned to the assembled group of warriors. His eyes came to Abel's. "You look...you look really tired, Father." He smiled, a warm, gentle smile, full of kindness. "I...there will probably be a big announcement later, and a celebration and everything, but for now...you should rest." His eyes moved to each of them. "All of you should. I...it's not much, but there are guest rooms prepared for each of you. Please, feel free." His eyes met Esther's, then Seth's, and he blushed again. "Thank you, Esther, Lady Seth, for helping with this. And the rest of you. Thank you. Thank you...very much, for everything you've done."

Wordsworth spoke for them again. "You honor us, Holiness."

Alessandro shook his head softly, but he didn't verbalize what he thought. After a moment, he turned. "Sister...could you please show them to their rooms?"

Caterina nodded. "Of course Holiness." She descended from her seat once more. "Come." The group bowed once more to the pope and to the seated council, who returned the salute, then filed out of the room.

Somewhat to Esther's surprise, Caterina took the whole group to the guest wing. Petros declined, saying he would prefer to return to his men. Paula followed him. The rest of them went willingly to the rooms she showed them to. Esther wasn't surprised to find her rooms were the same ones she'd used before, with Abel and Seth on either side. Caterina showed them to the doors, then bid them good night. Esther saw her hand touch Abel's arm for a moment. Abel stopped. Caterina murmured something to him. Esther couldn't hear what she said, but Abel relaxed just a fraction. Then she left.

Abel watched the slim form retreat down the hall, then turned to Esther and his sister. "I...well, good night, Esther, Seth." He looked at the doors. "Ah...Esther...did you want me to...?"

Esther shook her head. She knew she would miss his presence, but she was too tired to worry about sleeping soundly. And he needed his rest as well. "It's all right, Abel. Go to sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

Seth grinned and stretched lazily. "I suppose I'll see you in the morning as well, my dear brother." She gave him a quick smile, which he returned tiredly, then vanished into her chambers.

Esther watched Abel vanish into his own rooms, then entered hers. It was almost too much effort to change into the nightgown she'd been left, though the clean cloth felt nice. She just managed it, then toppled into bed. She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

**8888888888**

The next two days passed quietly. Esther slept late, and woke only when Virgil gently eased her out of bed and offered her breakfast. The Albion lord had taken his first dose of silver nitrate while they were returning, and assured Esther he was perfectly safe. Esther noted that he looked much better than he had. His wounds were healed, and Caterina, or the Vatican, had provided clean clothing for all of them. Virgil drew Esther a hot bath while she ate, then left a clean dress neatly folded on her pillow while she washed. Afterward, he left her, citing business to attend to. Esther offered to help, but he simply smiled and urged her to rest.

Esther had to admit, she still felt tired. She wasn't weary enough to sleep, but she was glad that Virgil was taking care of whatever needed to be taken care of. She sat for a few moments, enjoying the sunshine, then shook her head and went to her door.

She emerged to see Seth just leaving her rooms as well, also dressed in fresh garments. The Empress smiled. "Hey, Esther."

"Good morning." Esther returned the smile.

Seth snorted. "Well, it's almost good afternoon, isn't it? Still, sometimes you just need to sleep until you wake up." She rolled her shoulders, rocking on her heels. "I think everyone's up, but I was just about to check on Brother Abel."

"I imagine Abel is...very tired." Esther's gaze went to the door of Abel's room, still firmly shut.

Seth snorted. "Abel's exhausted. Honestly, even I don't know how he managed everything." She sighed, her eyes suddenly sad. "And I'm afraid we're going to ask still more of him. I fear that the people won't be content with a simple announcement. And whether he likes it or not, Abel is a hero, to a lot of people."

Esther swallowed. "I know. But I think it would be better to wait and see what Lady Caterina and the others come up with, before we worry too much." She nodded her head at the door. "Shall we?"

Seth joined her at Abel's door. Esther knocked softly, but there was no answer. She waited, then knocked a little louder. Silence. Esther waited a moment more, then eased the door open.

The main room of the guest suite for Abel was empty, but the bedroom door was open. Esther moved toward it and stuck her head cautiously through it.

Abel lay on the bed, sound asleep, long silver hair tangled haphazardly over the pillow. His clothing had been changed to a set of pajamas, and a new cassock was laid over a chair, along with his cross. Someone had set up makeshift bedding for Cain as well, and the baby was lying curled within his blankets, also fast asleep. Esther smiled at the sight and held the door open wider so Seth could join her.

Seth made a soft noise. "Well, it looks like he's completely out." She sighed. She slipped inside and made her way to the side of the bed. "Abel?" She waited a moment. "Hey Abel." After another moment, she reached out and gently shook her brother's shoulder. Abel barely stirred, and his breathing remained deep and even. Seth made another soft sound, though she smiled as well. "You really did wear yourself out this time, didn't you, my dear brother?" She gently brushed the silver hair away from his face.

Esther joined her at Abel's bedside. "Do you think it would be all right if we stayed with him?"

Seth nodded. "As far as I know, Lady Caterina and our advisers are handling things. And I'm pretty sure Abel won't mind." She tilted her head, her gaze going to the mound of bedding in the corner, and the tiny figure within. "Besides, even if Abel remains asleep, I'm pretty sure he'll probably wake sometime soon. It's best if we have someone remain here to take care of him."

Esther nodded. After a moment of thought, she settled on the edge of the bed next to Abel. Seth moved his clothing off the chair and settled in it.

They spent the rest of the day drifting in out of conversation, and light naps. To Esther's surprise, Seth seemed to be almost as tired as she was. Virgil and Father Wordsworth both found them there around mid-afternoon. Virgil brought food for both of them, and fresh milk for Cain. The child woke around evening, making fretful noises. Esther changed his diaper, cleaned him up and fed him. Seth took care of the dirty linens, and the dishes from their own meals.

Abel remained dead to the world. He barely even moved. Esther would have been worried, if she hadn't been able to see the rise and fall of his chest through the sheets. Besides, she remembered that he'd slept like that before, when she'd escaped from the Order the first time. Both Seth and William assured her it was a normal, healing sleep for Abel, and that he would wake in much better she condition. Before she went to bed, she checked on him once more, and was pleased to note that the dark shadows around his eyes had faded, along with what had remained of his wounds. He looked...not quite at peace, but less drawn and gaunt. She smiled, tucked the covers a little more firmly around his shoulders, while Seth did the same with the sleeping babe, then they took their leave.

The next day passed in a similar manner, with Esther and Seth keeping watch over Abel and Cain, and the others appearing occasionally with food, or milk, or clean linens, or even just to check on the two. Cain woke more frequently, and was more restless, but he seemed to like being held by either of them, so Seth and Esther took it in turns to hold the child and rock him soothingly, as well as tending to his other needs.

Finally, around dusk, Abel stirred. At the first sound of restlessness from the bed, Seth handed Esther the baby. "Here. Why don't you stay with Abel, and I'll go get us something to eat?" She smiled. "Abel's probably going to need a lot of food, and I'm sure the others will want to know he's waking up."

Esther nodded and settled back in her seat. She watched Seth disappear out the door, then turned back to the bed, watching quietly.

For several minutes, Abel didn't move. The only sounds in the room were their breathing, and the quiet, contented gurgles from Cain. Then Abel stirred again, and slowly opened his eyes. He blinked hazily once or twice, then sat up. "Esther?"

"Yes." She watched him blink sleep from his eyes, rubbing them absentmindedly. "How do you feel?"

Abel gave her a quick, sheepish grin. "Ah...well enough I suppose. Though, I am a bit hungry."

Esther smiled. "Seth said you might be. She's already gone to get you some food."

Abel chuckled. "She really does know what I need." His eyes went to the baby in Esther's arms. "And Cain..."

Esther smiled. "He's really been very well behaved. We've all been taking turns watching him while you were asleep."

Abel blinked. "I...um...just how long was I asleep?"

"You've been unconscious for most of two days, my dear brother." Seth stepped into the room, dragging a cart behind her, piled high with dishes. She got the cart into the room and pushed the door shut, then turned to survey her brother critically. "But you really are looking much better now."

Abel swallowed. "Two days..."

Seth grinned. "It's all right. Everyone knows how tired you were. I just spoke with the others. The Professor said he'd be by later to talk to you. In the meantime..." She turned and pulled the cart closer to the bed, then set a tray in Abel's lap and began loading it from the cart. "You'd best eat, Abel."

Abel grinned sheepishly. "That does look delicious." He gestured. "Ah...I hope the two of you will join me."

Seth grinned and produced two more plates. "I did try to bring enough for all of us." She glanced at Esther. "I brought some milk for him too. Why don't you set him down on the bed for now?"

Esther nodded and laid Cain carefully on the bed, next to Abel. She tugged a little on the blankets, to form a nest for him, and Abel obligingly shifted the tray so she could re-arrange them. Within his nest, Cain wiggled a little, getting comfortable, then settled down with a soft sound of infant contentment, watching them all with sleepy blue eyes.

Abel paused, then reached one hand over to stroke the soft blond hair off Cain's forehead. Cain made another soft, happy sound. Abel smiled, then went back to eating. Esther and Seth filled their own plates, then Esther returned to her chair, and Seth perched herself on the end of the bed, just beyond Abel's feet. They ate together in a comfortable silence, broken only when Seth got Abel seconds, then thirds. Seth herself took a second helping, and even Esther indulged in a second helping of dessert. Fortunately, Seth had anticipated their hunger. She'd even brought enough sugar and milk for Abel to drain three cups of his favorite brand of tea, complete with thirteen sugar cubes.

Finally, they all laid aside their plates, Abel with a sigh of contentment. A quick check revealed that Cain had drifted off into a doze. Abel sighed again. "Was I really unconscious for two days?"

Seth made a face. "Every bit of it, Abel. I even tried to shake you awake once or twice." She shrugged. "It's probably all right. Everyone knows you were pretty exhausted."

"That is true." All of them turned to see Caterina in the doorway. She inclined her head to both Esther and Seth before meeting Abel's eyes. "May I?"

"Of course." Abel smiled and gestured for her to come in.

Caterina stepped inside, moving to her subordinate's side. "How are you feeling?" her eyes studied his face, then what was visible of his frame, as if assuring herself that his wounds were healing.

"Oh, much better I think." Abel's smile was warm.

"I see." Caterina returned his smile, laying one hand on his forearm and squeezing gently. Her gaze shifted to the sleeping infant. "And your child?"

"Ah, well, Esther and Seth told me he's doing well." Abel reached out and smoothed back Cain's hair again. "I think he's going to be all right."

Caterina smiled again. "That's excellent news. You should know, His Holiness has formally acknowledged your adoption."

"Has he?" Abel's eyes brightened. "Ah...tell him I said thank you, please."

"I shall." Caterina watched Abel's fingers stroking softly over the baby's face for a moment, then spoke softly, her voice slightly regretful. "Abel..."

Abel spoke softly. "I hadn't had time to ask...what's happened."

Caterina nodded. "We've released the news that hostilities are ended. There are wanted bulletins out for the Order members who escaped. We've received requests for confirmation from most of our associated countries."

Abel tensed slightly. "Confirmation?"

"We've had the representatives of Albion and the Empire report their observations as well. However, at the moment we're planning a quick progress through several countries to let people see with their own eyes that the Alliance leaders are safe, and as a gesture of our faith that things are over. I imagine everyone will want to recognize the members of the final combat team." Caterina's eyes were fixed on Abel's face.

Abel tensed even further. "Caterina..."

"I know. But you've been leading the war effort for the past year. As much as you don't like the spotlight, Abel, it's not an option this time for you to simply disappear into the shadows." Caterina sighed. "We'll try to make it as easy as possible for you, but it's simply not possible for you to avoid all notice." Abel remained frozen, his hands clenching on the sheets. Caterina sighed and laid a hand gently on his shoulder. "We'll discuss it more tomorrow, all right?"

After a long moment, Abel nodded. Caterina smiled. "All right. I'll send the Professor down to check on you. Then I want you to get some rest, Abel." She turned away without waiting for a reply. "Lady Esther, Lady Seth, I assume I'll see you both tomorrow as well?" Esther and Seth both nodded. Caterina cast one final look at Abel, then turned and left the room.

William came in a few minutes later. He gave Abel a quick check up, then the child as well. Then he patted Abel's shoulder. "Well, it looks as if you'll be all right with a few days rest." He studied Abel's face. "I assume Lady Caterina has been in to speak to you." Abel nodded, his expression tightening. The Professor sighed, patted Abel's shoulder once more, and left.

Seth stretched. "I think I'm going to turn in myself." She sighed. "You'd best sleep while you can, Abel. Things are going to be pretty busy, I think." She smiled at her brother, then stretched over to give him a quick hug. Then she shared a glance with Esther and let herself out of the room.

Esther waited until the door shut behind the Empress. Abel was quiet, still tense. Esther watched him a moment, then moved to the other side of the bed. "It looks like Cain is asleep. Would you like me to put him back to bed?"

Abel blinked. "Wha...oh. Ah...yes please." He swallowed sharply, his eyes clouded with uncertainty and apprehension.

Esther gently picked up the infant. Cain shifted in her arms, but the tiny eyelids remained shut. She checked quickly to see that his diaper was still clean, then settled him into the makeshift bed. She wrapped him securely in the blankets, then stroked her hand over his cheek once and rose to her feet. "Well, I suppose I ought to be getting to bed myself."

"Esther." Abel's voice was quiet. She turned to see him gazing at her, his eyes still revealing his the turmoil Caterina's visit had stirred in him. Then he lifted one hand, holding it out. His voice was barely a whisper when he spoke again. "Please...stay with me."

Esther blinked. Abel had never asked for her to stay with him before. "Are you sure?"

Abel nodded, swallowed hard once more. "I know it's a bit of a risk, but...I..." His voice cracked.

Esther settled onto the bed. Abel's hand caught her and pulled her to him, gathering her into an embrace. He relaxed slightly as she settled against him. "Esther..." She felt his grip tighten, a quiet desperation in his voice.

"It's all right." She reached up and gently touched his face. Abel relaxed at the gentle caress. "Everything will work out, Abel."

Abel nodded. "I know. But I...need you with me."

Esther tilted her head back so she could smile into his gaze. "Of course." She leaned back into his arms. "Actually, I was thinking the exact same thing."

She felt a shiver run through him, though whether it was laughter or simple release, she couldn't tell. Then Abel relaxed completely.

It was the work of a few moments to maneuver them both beneath the blankets. As soon as they were lying down, Esther snuggled close. Abel's arm circled her shoulders, but he didn't speak. After a few moments his breathing slowed and deepened. Esther twisted her head, to find herself gazing at Abel's sleeping face. She worked one arm free and brushed his hair gently back. "Rest well, love." She shifted to plant a light kiss on his cheek, then settled back. Within moments, she had drifted off into slumber.

**8888888888**

The next few days were busy ones.

The next morning, the Professor and Seth woke them for breakfast with the others. The rest of the combat party met them there, as well as Caterina. Virgil brought Esther up to speed on what had been done, while Baibars and Astha did the same with Seth. After breakfast, the group separated for their separate duties.

For Esther, the first day involved a three hour conference call with Vanessa and her Councilors. First, they had to be reassured that the Contra Mundi had been dealt with. Then Mary gave them an updated warning about the Rosenkreutz members who had escaped. After that, they went over all the business that had accumulated. Underground affairs with Virgil, security and guard details with Mary assisting her, and then matters of the kingdom, with the Council and her advisers .

After that, she met with Seth, Lady Caterina, and the Pope to discuss their plans. As Caterina had warned, many countries had requested visits from the final combat party. Word had spread throughout Rome as well, and the people were planning a huge celebration. Many nations had expressed wishes to reward and recognize them as well.

Over the next few days a framework of plans emerged. Before they left Rome, there would be a festival, and Alessandro would present them to the city and give them public recognition. Afterward, they would board the Iron Maiden for a brief progress, visiting the capitals of supporting countries, as well as cities that had suffered heavy damage under the attacks of Rosenkreutz, such as Venice, the Four City Alliance, Carthage and Istvan. Most cities would only involve a two or three night visit, though they would stay longer in the Empire.

After some discussion, Caterina elected to go with them. Though she hadn't been a member of the final assault party on the ARK, she was the leader of the AX. And, as Seth pointed out, she was the final member of the Alliance leadership. Without the alliance between Empire, Albion and Vatican, they'd have all been destroyed. Alessandro was supportive of her attendance as well, and even Francesco gave grudging approval, citing the benefit of a stronger Vatican representation.

Most of it was formula, simply a matter of arriving, attending an honorary dinner or two, a meeting with the rulers, or the city governors, perhaps a speech or two. None of them were adverse to it, except for Abel.

The day after they'd gotten the basic arrangements made, Caterina called Abel into her office to brief him. Abel flatly refused to give a speech, and or even to go forward for recognition. When Caterina pointed out that he was _the _ hero of the war, Abel simply shook his head and reiterated his refusal. Caterina tried reasoning with him, arguing, even asking for explanations, but Abel simply continued to state that he couldn't and wouldn't step forward.

Esther and Seth watched the two of them argue, and shared a long look. Both of them had been helping Abel with Cain. And both of them had been woken by Abel's cries, at least once a night, as he suffered nightmares. He spoke very little about them, but Esther could guess what they were about. Reliving his brother's death, perhaps Lilith's as well, or Seth's near-death and Esther's disappearance. Esther had woken from nightmares of her own a few times, and knew Seth had as well. She saw compassion and understanding in Virgil and William's eyes, and suspected both of them had heard Abel crying out in his sleep as well.

Abel looked as if he was about ready to simply turn around and walk away, when Alessandro spoke hesitantly from his seat. "Ummm...Father Nightroad?"

Caterina stopped, and Abel turned to address the younger man. "Holiness?"

Alessandro blinked, his fingers twisting absently in his robes. "Well...I was just wondering...I mean...I was wondering why you're so against being recognized. I know...you've done a lot for the Vatican and...everyone else. Not just this battle, but a lot of other things. Sister said...that you've been...helping for a long time. Even Brother Petros said so. I think he even admires you. And I...I know I do." Alessandro flushed. "But I...I've never recognized what you've done. I know...before...Sister said it was because...because people couldn't know...about...about your powers. But now...I was just wondering...if there was...another reason. I mean...I don't like crowds, or loud noises." His blush deepened. "Is it...something like that? Because...if it's something like that...we can...we can make arrangements. We can...tape you speaking, or have a private ceremony, or something. Because I...I'd really...I really want to recognize what you've done, this time." He swallowed nervously.

Abel stood still for a long moment, then sighed, shoulders slumping slightly. "It isn't that, Holiness." He watched the young man's face a moment, then took a deep breath. "I...what occurred aboard the ARK..."

His voice cracked. He took another deep breath, then spoke softly. "The man...who was called the Contra Mundi...I knew him long ago."

Alessandro stopped fidgeting. "You...you did?"

Abel nodded. "We were close, once upon a time. I...once, I called him my brother. He was...a good man. He was injured, in an accident, trying to protect me, and lost his mind. Because I knew him...because I loved him...and for all those dear to me who suffered at his hands...I fought him." His voice broke again, but he continued. "I...thought that I hated him...that he had come to hate me. But in the end...it was because I loved him, and he still remembered...that I killed him."

Abel's head bowed. "I'm sorry, Holiness. I know the world sees this as a victory but I...I..." His voice dropped to a barely audible whisper. "I...mourn him. I cannot see the victory...not now."

"That...that's terrible." There was compassion and understanding in Alessandro's face, tears streaking his cheeks. "Something like that...I didn't realize..." He blinked rapidly, then scrubbed the sleeve of his robes across his face. "I...I'm sorry."

"Nor did I." Caterina's voice was quiet, gentle. "That's why you didn't want to speak, Abel?" Abel nodded, and Caterina sighed. "You could have simply told me."

Esther saw Abel swallow. "I know...but I..."

Caterina shook her head, a faint smile on her face. "No, it's all right. I should have known." She rose and came around to stand in front of Abel, then gently laid a hand on his cheek. "You've always tried to spare me your pain, and handle things your own way. I should have realized it was something like that." She sighed. "I can't let you stay in the shadows, but we can announce that you're still recovering from the battle, and unable to speak. Will that suffice?"

Abel hesitated a moment, then nodded. William spoke up. "I'll be happy to make an official statement to that effect, as Abel's physician." he tapped his pipe thoughtfully. "I think, with a little planning, the rest of us can answer any questions that might come up. It will take some delicate maneuvering, but it's not impossible."

Caterina nodded and returned to her seat. "We'll give you the exact same recognition as the other members of the final attacking force. Nothing special, and we'll avoid as much mention of the Contra Mundi as we can." She held Abel's gaze. "Can you manage that?"

Abel swallowed. "I...if I must." He frowned. "Cain..."

"You should keep him with you." William spoke, his voice thoughtful.

Caterina frowned. "Is that really wise?"

"It may be a very good idea, Excellency." Havel spoke from his own seat. "While I confess I know little about child care, I do know that having a child with him will balance Abel's image as a warrior. A child's presence will ease some of the apprehension people naturally feel when confronted with very powerful soldiers."

"There is that." William nodded. "But it's also an excellent excuse. If it's obvious that Abel has a child to care for, then it will be much easier to dismiss him from events quickly. After all..." He grinned slightly. "There are very few people in the world who wouldn't sympathize with the necessities of caring for a child, particularly an infant."

Abel looked as if he was about to protest, but William held up a hand. "Think about it. I'm aware you don't want to upset the boy, but if he becomes fussy, you have the perfect reason to leave, and one that all of us can cover for you."

Caterina nodded. "An excellent point. Abel?" She turned back to Abel.

Abel nodded. "All right." he swallowed. "Is there anything else...?"

Caterina studied him a moment, then shook her head. "No. I believe that's all we need from you for now." Her eyes softened. "Rest, Abel."

Abel nodded, bowed, and departed. There was silence in the room for a moment or two, then the rest of them bent to the work of figuring out the final details.

Hours later, Esther found herself in Abel's quarters. Seth joined them a few minutes later. Abel was engaged in feeding Cain, but after a few minutes he set the bottle aside and patted the child on the back gently, before laying him inside the makeshift bedding. Seth watched her brother, then spoke softly. "Hey Abel. There's something I need to ask you."

Abel turned. "Yes?"

Seth shifted her position, bringing one foot up on her seat, to encircle it with her arms. "Now that everything's settled...are you going to keep your promise to Esther?"

Abel blinked, confused, then his expression cleared. "Yes."

Seth grinned. "I figured as much." She sighed, and the smile slipped away. "Abel...you do know...what you want...it's a lot different than being Esther's guard, at least officially."

Abel sighed. "I know. But I will work something out." he ran a hand through his silver hair.

Seth sighed again, a tinge of exasperation in her tone. "Abel, honestly, you don't have to sort out everything by yourself. And I wouldn't have asked, if I didn't have an idea." She shifted, then pushed herself to her feet, rocking restlessly on her heels. "You know, there have been a lot of questions in the Empire, about why we've been following your lead. Even with my best efforts, and Mirka and Baibars, people have noticed that I've been deferring to you."

Abel grimaced. "I'm sorry."

Seth snorted. "You hardly need to apologize to me, Abel. Besides, I have an idea that might solve both our problems." She moved forward to lay a hand on his arm and stare up into his eyes. "Abel...I think it's time my brother came home."

Abel's eyes widened and his shoulders stiffened. "Seth..."

"You don't have to go before the Full Court. And I'll make it clear that you have obligations outside the Empire, relating to the Alliance. I won't hold you beside me. But Abel...isn't it time?" Her grip shifted, both her smaller hands holding onto his larger one. "Cain has been taken care of, and you're caring for him. You've saved the world from destruction. With the Alliance, it's not going to matter so much that you're a priest. You don't have to worry about compromising your position. And Esther already understands."

Abel swallowed hard. "Seth...I am...still a..."

"Don't even say it!" Seth spat out the words. "Abel...why can't you see the truth for yourself? Even if you've done terrible things, you've also done so much good. Besides...if you promised Esther...are you really going to let your guilt get in the way of that?" She glared at her brother. Abel remained silent. Then he sighed, shoulders relaxing. "You're right." He took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, then pulled his younger sister into his arms. "I'm sorry. It's just...it's been a long time since I allowed myself to think that way. And with Cain..."

"I know." Even muffled by Abel's robes, Esther thought she could hear the tears in Seth's voice. "But still...Abel...please...won't you at least consider it?"

"I need to talk to Caterina. But yes, I will consider it." He ran his hand through his sister's midnight hair. "Can you give me a few days?"

Seth sighed, her arms relaxing. "After nine hundred years, I suppose I can wait for a few more days." She looked up int her brother's eyes. "But Abel, I'd really like to know your decision soon."

Abel nodded, stroking her hair again. "You will. I promise."

"All right." Seth embraced him again, then released him. "I suppose we'd all better get our rest." She looked up at her brother. "Rest well, Abel."

He smiled. "You too." Seth grinned in response, then disappeared out the door. Abel stood still a moment, then turned and slipped into bed. Esther joined him, and within moments, both were sound asleep.

**8888888888888**

The formal celebrations were held three days later, starting with a noon procession through Rome. All of the Methuselah had taken multiple doses of the silver nitrate solution Virgil used, and were protected by UV gel as well. Because of the size of the city, they were conveyed in well-decorated open carriages, as opposed to walking.

As the leaders of the Alliance, Esther, Seth and Caterina rode in the first carriage. Abel rode with them as their guard, a silent shadow, his formal cassock completely outshone by the three of them.

Caterina wore her formal Cardinal's robes, the most heavily decorated pair she owned. Esther had a beautiful red and gold and white gown that Virgil had gotten made up for her out of cloth from the church stores. He'd even gone out into the city and purchased a handsome gold, diamond, and ruby necklace and matching earrings, He'd even produced a golden crown, also with gems. It wasn't nearly as ornate as her formal state crown, or as heavy, but it made the point. Seth had an equally resplendent set of robes in green and silver and white, in Imperial style. Emeralds twinkled on her cuffs, her throat, and her waist, as well as in the brow of her octagonal cap. In contrast to her usual preference, the robes were full length, stopping just above her heels. The cut of them gave her face and figure an added maturity, making her appear closer to Esther's age of twenty, than the age of fifteen her body had stopped at.

They rode for nearly two hours, surrounded by crowds shouting, cheering, throwing flowers and waving banners. It wasn't really any worse than anything Esther had seen before, but she was glad of Caterina and Seth's presence. She could understand why Alessandro was nervous in crowds. So much noise, so many people.

Finally, they stopped at the foot of the stairs leading to the Church. Alessandro was waiting at the top, with a full honor guard, every one of them arrayed in their best robes. Alessandro himself was a nearly blinding figure in white and gold and silver cloth, complete with formal regalia and a sparkling miter settled firmly on his fair hair. Three steps behind him, Cardinal di Medici and the rest of the Papal Council stood arrayed, and behind them, a full complement of Inquisitors and Vatican guards.

As the carriage rolled to a stop, Abel alighted, then held out his hand to help each of them descend from the carriage. His manners were perfect, but as Esther took his hand to step downward, she saw the unease, and faint unhappiness in his eyes.

She wasn't surprised. After all, not only did he not want to be in front of the crowds, he'd been forced to leave Cain with Sister Kate, and one of the other Sisters of the Vatican. He'd been adamant that Cain not be exposed to all the fuss, and Caterina had agreed wholeheartedly, given that he was positioned as their guard, and it was impossible to be effective as a guard or a deterrent while carrying an infant. Kate had volunteered her care, with that of a young protégé she'd been recruiting, and Abel had reluctantly agreed.

Esther shook the thoughts away, and offered Abel a quick smile. Abel managed a rather weak half-grin in return, but it was close enough to his usual expression to be attributed to nerves, or the solemnity of the moment. His fingers tightened around hers in a light, reassuring squeeze before he released her to stand with the other two. Moments later, the rest of the assault team formed an honor guard around them.

To Esther's surprise, the other two had voted her to lead the group up the stairs to the church. She'd protested, being the least senior of the three, in either age or time as a ruler, but Caterina and Seth had brooked no argument. She'd been the one to suggest and start the triple Alliance they now had. She'd been the focus of the Contra Mundi's attacks. She'd been the one to face the Contra Mundi multiple times. Both of them felt she deserved a position of honor, and there was no backing out of it.

Esther stepped up to the foot of the stairs, gathering her skirts carefully in one hand. Seth came up to her left, Caterina to her right, a few paces behind her. Abel stepped into place behind them, equidistant to all three women. Virgil and Mary took up positions on either side of Esther, just slightly back. Baibars, Ion and Astha formed up on Seth's side. The Professor, Leon and Hugue formed up on the other side. Petros and Paula formed rearguard, both in full ceremonial armor. Esther waited until she thought everyone was in position, then took a deep breath and started up the staircase.

The stairs up to the Vatican weren't that long, but Esther felt like they went on forever. She tried to keep her focus on the Pope's gently smiling face, full of warmth and encouragement, but she was still _very_ aware of the crowds ringed at the base of the steps, and the throngs of officials waiting behind the Pope. Finally, she made it to the top step, curtsied to the Pope, and took her place before him, the others spreading out in a line to either side of her. Abel took his place at Caterina's right, as her subordinate in the AX.

Alessandro greeted Seth with equal solemnity, then raised his staff for quiet. The crowds at the foot of the stairs, and the muttering officials all stilled, watching.

Out of deference to Alessandro's nerves and the sun sensitivity of the Methuselah, they'd elected not to have any grand speeches. Only simple statements, and a simple presentation of the medals. Esther saw Alessandro swallow nervously, then he smiled at her. "Queen Esther."

She stepped forward, issued another curtsey. Alessandro turned, and one of the waiting officials took his staff with a reverent bow. Another, a Cardinal from his appearance, stepped forward with a pendant draped formally on a cushion. Alessandro took it, then turned to her, and raised his hands to lay it over her shoulders. "For you valiant efforts against the Enemy of the World, and the Alliance you've helped us build, the Vatican thanks you." He smiled then, suddenly a young man instead of the Pope. "Thank you, Esther, for everything you've done. I'm glad we're friends." It was spoken so quietly she doubted most could hear it.

She smiled back. "I as well, Holiness." She bowed her head. "Thank you." Another curtsey, and then she returned to her place in line.

Seth was next, a bright smile on her face. She didn't bow, as Empress, but she did bend her knees in the Imperial form of curtsey, a gesture of respect and equality that had murmurs racing through the crowd. Alessandro repeated his formal thanks. Esther didn't hear Seth's reply, but Alessandro blushed with a pleased smile on his face.

Caterina followed the Empress. She looked regal as she bent her head to accept the formal salutation and medal from her brother. Esther saw Alessandro murmur something else, and thought she caught the word 'sister' in it. She didn't hear Caterina's soft-spoken reply, but her expression was one of amused fondness as she re-took her place in the line.

Abel followed Caterina. He'd argued for someone else, but that, neither Seth nor Caterina had been willing to budge on, and Esther had agreed. He'd been the one who had faced the Contra Mundi the longest. Certainly, he'd paid the greatest sacrifice. Esther watched him stride forward, then bend before the Pope. His height meant that he was more or less kneeling on the stone. The silver head bowed.

Alessandro's eyes were full of warmth and compassion, and kindness. He touched Abel's shoulder in a benediction. "Father Nightroad...you've faced the Enemies of the World for a long time, and served well with Lady Caterina. May the Vatican always remember your faith, and your courage." He lowered the medal of honor over Abel's shoulders, then lifted his hand and gently touched Abel's brow. "May your wisdom and strength be remembered, a guiding light for all those who serve the Lord."

Esther knew, from the way his shoulders shifted, that Abel would have liked to protest the honor. But this wasn't the place, or the time. Instead, Alessandro gestured, and Abel rose to his feet. "Thank you for your words, Holiness. I am honored." He bowed; hand on his heart, then resumed his place in the line.

The rest of the ceremony passed simply enough. Medals were presented, and each combatant given a few words of encouragement and gratitude. Esther let it wash over her, and concentrated on maintaining a proper, regal expression, though she allowed herself to smile when Mary and Virgil received their medals. But then, Seth was grinning like a child on her birthday when Baibars, Ion and Astha were presented, and Caterina had a similar look of satisfaction when her AX members were awarded.

There were no deviations, though Esther recalled that some of them were receiving extra awards as well. Leon, she knew, had been granted a parole, and his sentence was up for review, with the possibility that he would be cleared of the rest of his sentence, in return for continued service to the Vatican. The Professor was receiving his own space to set up a lab. Kate, though she wasn't there, would be getting a complete overhaul, and some desperately needed, or wanted, upgrades.

She knew Alessandro and Caterina had also discussed something for Abel. She had no idea what they were planning, but she knew that, for now, they both intended to honor Abel's wishes that the minimum amount of attention be drawn to him. So far, the only thing he had accepted was Alessandro's formalization of his adoption of Cain.

Finally, the last of the participants received their medals. Alessandro intoned a short blessing. With that signal, cheers and applause roared from the waiting crowd. The Cardinals, Archbishops, and Bishops clustered around delivered their own applause, and here and there, bows of appreciation and respect.

Finally, the applause died down. The group arranged themselves in a line as Alessandro offered them an invitation, for a east inside. Then, with a final, almost unified bow, the combat participants saluted the Vatican officials, and followed the Pope inside.

Lunch was delicious. Abel sat through the actual meal with the rest of them. Esther saw one of the older Cardinal's speaking to him,but she couldn't hear what was said. Still, she wasn't surprised when Abel rose from his seat just after dessert had been served, offering up a hasty excuse before he fled. She sighed, shared a look with the others, then went back to her wine. Despite her urge to follow Abel, she knew that she didn't really have a good reason to do so. Instead, she settled back to enjoy the remainder of the feast and social hour.

The feast ended fairly early. After all, they were scheduled to begin their progress the next afternoon, and everyone still had things to do, last minute plans and packing. Esther was relieved when the festivities ended. It felt...odd, not having Abel there, after all he'd done.

**8888888888**

Esther slept late the next day, then she and Seth helped Abel with Cain, while their advisers handled the matter of packing. She felt slightly guilty about that, but both her advisers assured her it was no trouble. Besides, as Seth pointed out, she was a monarch. There were appearances to be maintained, and packing wasn't something a queen usually got involved in.

They boarded the Iron Maiden early that afternoon. Alessandro was there to bid them an affectionate farewell. He even managed the courage to kiss the back of Seth's hand in parting, though he blushed furiously as he did so. Esther noticed Abel watching with a small smile as Seth returned the courtesy with a swift peck on the cheek that turned Alessandro's face crimson. Then he gave the pope a final, respectful bow and strode up the ramp, Cain in his arms, followed by the rest of them.

The first part of the trip was fairly easy for all of them. They were all still recovering, in various ways, and spent most of their time in lounge areas, or in private quarters. Esther spent time with her advisers, keeping up-to-date on her work and issues in the kingdom, or with Abel and Seth.

Their first stop in Venice went off without a hitch. Just a simple feast and some fireworks. The fireworks seemed to cause both Astha and Abel some amusement, and a shared glance that ended in quiet grins.

Their second stop, Hispania, proved to be a little more chaotic. Cardinal Borgias met them there, courtesy of the Royal Family. He insisted on introducing them, and made something of a dramatic production out of it. Esther noticed that he attempted to trap Abel several times, about Cain, about the final battles, and about several other things as well. Fortunately, Caterina was aware of his tactics, and she and the Professor, as well as Brother Petros, managed to be on hand to defuse the situation before Abel got too agitated or upset. Once, Cain started crying in the middle of Antonio's attempt to drag Abel away, resulting in a quick exit, as Abel excused himself to take care of his adopted child.

Aside from Antonio, the rest of the visit was quiet, friendly. Esther enjoyed a long conversation with her fellow monarchs, as did Seth. The celebration was limited to a grand feast, and a night or two of dancing, and then they were politely ushered back to their ship and given a formal farewell, then continued their progress.

The next stop, Carthage, was a quick one, but difficult. Esther felt uneasy, remembering what she'd experienced in both places, and she could see actual pain in Abel's face, memories too close to the surface. She was relieved that the others noticed as well. Caterina, Seth and her advisers provided a buffer for her, and the AX members, with Seth's assistance, did the same for Abel. Still, it was a relief when they left, only two days later.

Istvan was equally difficult, and for much the same reason. Still, it was far better than her last visit, alone with vampire not-really-assassins and an archbishop out to get her. She was more than glad of the support of her advisers and the AX members. And she almost enjoyed the puzzled looks of the people, that Star of Istvan, Saint Esther, was in the company of several Methuselah.

The last night in Istvan, she joined Abel with Cain. Seth came in a few moments later, looking pensive. She stood at the foot of the bed a few moments, then spoke softly. "Hey, Abel. Do you remember what we discussed, while we were in the Vatican? About your situation?"

Abel nodded. "I do."

Seth chewed her lip a moment. "We'll be stopping in the Empire next. It will take several days to get there, but...I really do need to know what you're going to do. Have you thought about it?"

"I have." Abel sighed, then shifted to stand and wrap his arm around his sister's shoulders. "I've even discussed it with Caterina. She said it would be all right, as long as there isn't much fuss."

Seth started, and looked up at her brother with wide eyes. "Abel...does that mean...?"

"It means you can tell your people that I'm coming home. Well, that your brother is." He laughed ruefully. "I suppose I'll need something appropriate for the occasion. After all, I can't exactly show up in my usual cassock." He sighed. "But...I would appreciate it if we could keep this relatively quiet."

Seth grinned. "Don't worry. I'll have Mirka make all the arrangements. We'll manage. After all, she might be a little bit odd sometimes, but she's certainly very discreet. That's the main reason she's my double, after all."

Abel nodded. "That's true." He tightened his grip gently in a hug. "Let me know what the plans are, and I'll do my best to act accordingly."

Seth nodded. She hugged her brother tightly, then stepped back. "Well, I'd best go start arranging things, if that's the way you want it, Abel." She sighed. "What do you plan to do with Cain, though? You'll blow your cover pretty fast if you have a child with you."

"Well, it isn't too much trouble. I'm sure Sister Kate and I could keep an eye on him." Esther spoke quietly.

Seth smiled. "That might be a very good idea. I'm sure Mirka could help as well. After all, she isn't going to be needed quite so much for this, since I'll be home, and the Earl of Memphis will be representing the family." Seth's smile was touched with relief. "Thanks, Esther. You really are a big help."

Esther blushed. "Well, it's really no problem."

"Okay then." Seth stretched, then turned away to the doors. "I'll let you know what the plans are later, Abel." She gave her brother a quick wave, then ducked out the door.

Abel sighed. "Ah, thank you, Esther."

"I said it's no trouble." Esther gently tickled the quiet infant beside her, earning her a giggle. "But...what Seth said..."

"She wants to have me recognized as her brother." Abel ran a hand through his silver hair. "I suppose I don't mind, and there _are_ some benefits to being a member of a royal family, but really...the responsibilities and everything..."

"I'm sure you'll do just fine." Esther smiled, then rose to take his hand and kiss him lightly. "But you should probably get plenty of rest. After all, we'll be starting for the Empire tomorrow, and it looks like you'll have a lot of work in front of you." Abel nodded, then pulled her close to him.

**88888888888888**

They arrived within the Empire several evenings later. Rather than going to the Imperial Star Palace, the Iron Maiden docked at the Moldova estate. Mirka met them there, and escorted them all to guest rooms. She and Seth planned to return to the Palace by separate routes the next day. The rest of them would be summoned a day or two later. Abel, instead of playing the part of silent shadow, would be a public escort for Esther and Caterina, with Baibars, Ion and Astha acting as _his_ honor guard. Sister Kate and two of Mirka's most trustworthy maid-servants would be responsible for Cain.

Normally, Seth would have greeted Esther and Caterina first, but Abel's homecoming changed matters. Instead, he would be the first one to greet the Empress, as her long lost brother. He and Seth had spent several days on board the ship, discussing how the whole thing would go forward. Esther listened to the plans, surprised by how elegantly everything fell into place. Abel fidgeted, but agreed.

The afternoon before their planned entrance to the Palace found Esther out in the gardens, sitting by a fountain. She was looking forward to the evening, but she couldn't help feeling nervous as well. Even though Abel would be the main focus of the night, the thought of standing before the full Methuselah court was a bit daunting. And she knew that most of them would remember how she'd been Abel's junior partner on their first trip to the Empire. She had a feeling there would be a lot of questions, and she wasn't sure how to answer them.

Movement startled her from her thoughts, and she looked up to see Caterina standing nearby. "Lady Caterina."

Caterina inclined her head. "I was out for a walk in the gardens. I wondered if I might join you."

"Oh...certainly." Esther moved aside so Caterina could join her on the bench. "I was just admiring the view, and thinking about things."

"Ah. I understand." Caterina settled gracefully into her seat. "Anything in particular? That you wish to share?"

Esther fidgeted with her skirt. "Well, it's just...I've never formally visited the Imperial Court. I mean, I was here as an envoy, but its different now. And...I was wondering about Abel. I know that the Empress plans to announce him to the Court as her brother but...won't there be questions?"

"There will." Caterina sighed. "We're planning to keep it fairly quiet, but still...there's absolutely no way this won't get back to the Vatican, and to Albion. And then there will be an uproar." She sighed again. "I'm fairly certain His Holiness won't truly mind, but Cardinal di Medici..."

"He'll be furious." Esther swallowed. "This...is it going to cause trouble for you? I mean, my Council is used to Lord Walsh and his sister, and they've gotten fairly comfortable with Methuselah, but the Vatican..."

"There will be protests. However, for once Abel's silence has truly worked in our favor. Or at least in mine. As have circumstances." Caterina smiled ruefully. "Abel absolutely refused to tell me any more than he had to about his past, or his family. Because of that, I can honestly say I had no idea he was a member of the Imperial family until after the Albion incident. And since then...he's been an auxiliary member, working either in Albion as your guard, or as a go-between for the Vatican and the Imperial and Albion courts, or as a military adviser. So it can be argued that he hasn't been a member of the clergy, officially at least, since I discovered his identity."

"I see. But even so...I was under the impression that all your Imperial contacts involved Abel."

Caterina smiled. "They did. However, almost all of those assignments were given at his own request. I had originally planned to send the Professor or Tres to meet the Duchess of Kiev in Venice. Likewise, when you were sent as an envoy...your presence was requested by the Earl of Memphis. Father Nightroad was an addition to guard your back, and he volunteered. And while it was my decision to deploy him in Carthage, to retrieve the messenger, many of his actions were taken independently. At the time, I assigned Abel those missions because he was the best suited. Of all my AX members, he was the most reasonable regarding Methuselah. However..." Caterina folded her hands. "Abel is a brilliant strategist. I never guessed how much so until we entered this conflict. I know he advocated peace between Methuselah and Terran, but if I didn't know better, I'd say he planned this whole thing, using himself as the go-between."

"You think he planned to bring the Empire and the Vatican together?"

"I think he planned to attempt it, certainly." Caterina sighed. "I almost want to be angry with him except that, whatever his motivations, I know Abel. Whatever he planned, he was, and is, still genuinely my friend. Abel has never used anyone save himself."

"That...that's very true." Esther looked out over the fountain, the glowing flowers and bushes that surrounded them. "And honestly, I don't really regret the way things happened. I just...I wonder if doing this now is really in his best interests."

Caterina nodded. "It will certainly raise questions. However...it will also offer him protection. With the current Alliance in place, especially at a time when we have a great deal of support, being publicly recognized as a major power will support his position. There have been questions about his status, given his previous position as a rather nameless priest working for me. I know several people have questioned his rise to power. However, as with Cardinal Borgias and his dual role as the Prince of Hispania, if Abel is revealed as a noble in his own right, there will be far fewer questions. Even as a Prince of the Methuselah, he'll be safer than he is right now." Another smile, somewhat admiring, curved her mouth. "I suspect Abel doesn't care, but Her Imperial Majesty most likely knows that."

"I think so. She mentioned that there had been questions, about why she was listening to a Vatican priest." Esther found herself toying with the lap of her skirt, and forced herself to still.

"Indeed. I've faced similar inquiries." Caterina folded her hands in her lap. "However...I honestly believe it will be all right. Abel is, if nothing else, very persuasive. And as a hero of this conflict with the Enemy of the World, people will be willing to give him far more leniency. All in all, the timing for this is excellent." Caterina smiled. "I think we'll be able to manage this in a satisfactory manner, so I'd advise you not to worry."

"I suppose you're right." Esther swallowed. She'd been hopeful, but hearing Caterina say that things would be all right made her relax. She glanced at the setting sun. "I guess we really ought to be getting ready to go."

Caterina nodded and rose from the seat. "You're quite correct." She inclined her head as Esther stood. "Shall we?" Esther nodded, and followed her out of the garden.

Getting dressed took very little time. Virgil was already waiting for her, as was Mary. Three of Mirka's servants helped Esther wash and dress, then her advisers assisted in the final touches. Virgil and Seth had provided a splendid formal gown of ruby red silk and linen, with insets of white satin and gold brocade on the sleeves and waist. Mary helped put Esther's hair up. She hadn't cut it for a while, and the red tresses fell to just below her shoulder-blades. Mary brushed it out, then deftly put it up in a slightly less severe bun than her own military style, leaving a few locks to frame her face. A servant applied a little lipstick and make-up, and then Virgil added her jewelry, a formal crown, a gold and silver bracelet for each wrist, ruby teardrop earrings and a finely made gold chain with a tri-stone pendant of ruby, emerald and diamond, symbol of their alliance. Both advisers looked her over, then excused themselves to see to final preparations.

Esther shifted her weight, relieved to find that the gown hung well, and was relatively easy to move about in. A glance at the clock told her there was still some time before they departed. She considered, then crossed the hall and knocked gently on Abel's door. "Abel? May I come in."

"Yes." There was a bit of shuffling, then Abel pulled the door open. "I was just getting the final touches on this..." he trailed off, eyes widening. "Miss Esther...you look fantastic!"

Esther studied Abel's outfit and swallowed.

She knew Abel and Seth had discussed his outfit carefully. They'd considered dressing him in Imperial garments, but they wanted his homecoming to stand out. Despite his distinctive silver hair and blue eyes, they'd agreed that Abel's homecoming needed to have more impact. They'd also agreed that Imperial nobleman's garments were too flashy to really suit him, as a man who'd been living and working in the shadows for so many years. And that too much ostentation could cause rumblings of unease. Instead, Seth and Mirka had commissioned an outfit from the tailors that would accurately reflect his humble nature, while still being suited for a prince, and a man who had been gone from the empire for a long time. And the result...

Abel wore a close fitted shirt of cream-colored silk, under a deep, emerald green shirt. The over-shirt collar was cut in a v-shape low on his chest, then flared high and folded back at his throat, framing and hinting at the strong muscles of throat and chest. The long-sleeved tunic fit close, though not too much, framing his broad shoulders, and the trim, lean lines of his frame. The sleeves were full length, buttoning tight to highlight the lean wrists. Beautiful abstract patterns were stitched in silver thread on either side of the open collar, emphasizing his broad chest. The garment had been cut long, tapering to the waist before it flared out, falling like a coat to his knees. Silver brocade decorated the hem, ornamented by golden tabs that matched his cuff links. Below that Abel wore charcoal gray trousers, fitted to show off his narrow hips and long legs. Black dress boots polished to a high shine completed the ensemble. He wasn't wearing glasses, and his shining silver hair had been left mostly loose, styled back away from his face with a simple, elegant, wide clip at his shoulders, rather than his usual severe ponytail.

The effect was elegant and striking, and a very far cry from his usual appearance of a rather battered priest. Esther stepped forward to brush a lock of silver hair back from his face. "You look absolutely amazing." She smiled. "I don't think anyone would possibly believe you and Father Nightroad are the same person."

"Yes, well, that is the point. Still...I wouldn't want to embarrass my companions." He returned her smile, then caught her fingers to kiss them with courtly grace. "You really do look quite lovely, Esther."

"Thank you." Esther could feel herself blushing. She changed the subject. "I think it's almost time to go to the Imperial Palace. We should probably join Lady Caterina and the others."

"Hmmm." Abel shifted his gaze. "I suppose you're right." He bowed, then held out his arm. "I do hope you'll permit me to escort you to the carriages, Your Majesty."

Esther grinned at his tone, then looped her arm through his. "I'd be very honored, my lord." Abel's expression twitched in a grimace at her choice of address, then he led her from the room.

The Imperial carriages were actually motorized vehicles, larger and more elegant than traditional Albion or Vatican conveyances. Esther shared hers with Abel and Caterina, as the honored guests. The rest of the party was divided into additional carriages. There was actually room to stand inside the vehicles, and it was very comfortable. It reminded Esther somewhat of the train ride she'd taken from Istvan, her first journey with Father Nightroad.

The carriages stopped at the foot of the stairs leading into the Imperial Palace. Following Imperial protocol, Esther, Abel and Caterina waited for their subordinates to disembark first. Each of them were ceremoniously handed out, Esther by Virgil, Caterina by William, and Abel by Astha, who was acting as his most senior partner, even though Baibars held a higher rank. Instead, the head of the Yenceri was waiting to bow them into the Palace. He waited until Abel approached him then bowed low, extending one arm. "This way my lord, my ladies. The Empress awaits you in the Greater Council Hall."

Abel inclined his head in a shallow nod. Esther stepped up this right, Caterina to his left. The others formed up in an honor guard around them, just as they had for every other stop they'd made on the progress, save that Abel formed the center, rather than one of Caterina and Esther's subordinates.

Robed guards clad in full ceremonial armor met them at the head of the stairs. Also there was an official page of the Imperial household, a middle aged Methuselah clad in an emerald green uniform. He bowed low to them, then led them inside, deep into the Imperial Star Palace.

The Palace was as much of a labyrinth as the main section of the Vatican was. Even having been there before, Esther felt confused. She was glad for their guide.

Finally, the page stopped in front of a huge set of double doors. Esther didn't recognize them, though she thought, from the slight shift of his shoulders, that Abel did. Still, she was relieved. The last time she'd encountered the Imperial Council had been Suleyman's death. She didn't want to deal with the memories of the man's final betrayal and subsequent demise. She took a deep calming breath, then schooled her face into what she hoped was an appropriately regal and relaxed expression as the page threw open the doors.

The room was packed with Methuselah nobles, all dressed in glittering, jewel-accented robes of every color but green. Within the sea of bright colors, Abel's outfit stood out both in its elegant simplicity and its color. Esther heard more than one shocked intake of breath from the crowd, and furious muttering, instantly quelled as the page took the proper three steps forward and announced "My Lords, My Ladies, Beloved Empress...I present to you the assembled Heroes of the Rosenkreutz War, from Albion, the Vatican, and our most sacred Empire!" With that final note, the assembled nobles all rose to their feet. The page stepped to one side of the long carpeted aisle to the throne and bowed, hand on his heart. "My lord."

Abel didn't hesitate. He strode forward, up the carpet, shoulder straight, head held high, looking every inch the confident noble. Watching him as she followed three paces behind, it was almost impossible to believe this was the same man who'd argued against this ceremony for over an hour the night before. Esther pushed the thought away and concentrated on maintaining a calm appearance and not tripping over her heels or her long skirts.

Abel stopped a foot and a half from the stairs leading to the elevated throne. He held his position for one moment, then dropped gracefully to one knee, left knee on the floor, right knee upraised with his right hand resting on the ground beside it in a fist and his left pressed to his chest. Silver hair fell forward to obscure his face as he bowed his head. The rest of them followed suit, Caterina and Esther modified their position to accommodate their longer skirts.

Silence fell, and into that silence, Abel spoke, his low tones ringing through the room. "My Empress."

Seth rose from her seat. "Rise, all of you, and be welcome within my Court." Esther straightened, glad that they hadn't had to kneel too long. With her skirts, it was more of a deep curtsey, and hard on her knees, especially in her heels.

Abel rose as well, facing the throne. The rest of the Imperial nobles stood to either side of him, Ion and Astha flanking him, Baibars forward and to the side, in his position as the Captain of the Yenceri, the Imperial Guard.

There was a moment of stillness, then Seth lifted her hand and raised her veils. A shocked mutter rippled through the court, punctuated by gasps as the Empress, Mother of all Methuselah, stepped forward and descended from the dais, stopping in front of the silver-haired man wearing her colors.

"Well then, have you come home at last?" Her tone was conversational, but formal. "Have you finished the task you set out to do?"

"I have." Abel's tone matched Seth's perfectly, Court-formal and as at ease as if they'd been in his rooms after a quiet day. He bowed his head to the slight figure before him. "I would wish to continue my work with your Alliance, with those who are dear to me beyond your country's borders, and with these nobles who have served so well beside me, however...I have come home, to stand once more beside you, if you will have me, My Empress."

"Ah. Dear brother." Esther heard the renewed ripple of shock that resonated through the room. Then Seth's eyes raised, to seek those of her Captain. "My Lord Baibars, Duke of Khartoum, Captain of my Yenceri. Do you speak on my brother's behalf, for this assembled Court?"

"I do. I have served with him for months now. I find this man to be honorable, strong, a true hero of our Empire. I would gladly serve with him. I would gladly serve him, with as much honor as I do yourself, my Empress. I would be greatly pleased, should His Highness resume his rightful place." Baibars bowed.

Seth nodded regally, then turned her glowing green eyes to her envoys. "Lady Astharoshe Asran, Duchess of Kiev, and envoy to the Outer. You have served my purposes in Albion and the Vatican for years now. Tell me, would you continue to serve with this man?"

"I would be honored. I have always found him a worthy partner." Astha inclined her head.

Seth turned to Ion. "Earl of Memphis, you to whom I have entrusted several vital missions, who served well in both the Vatican and Albion, as well as risking your life for my Empire in the matter of the Duke of Tigris...would you continue to serve in Albion and the Vatican, and at my brother's side?"

"It would be a great honor to serve with him, Empress." Ion mirrored Astha's bow. "I have had the privilege of serving with this man for several months now. His honor as a noble is without question, and I believe his skills are invaluable, both to the Empire and to our allies."

"Queen Esther of Albion. Cardinal Caterina of the Vatican. I welcome you to my Empire, and ask you both, do you agree with the Earl of Memphis' assessment?"

Caterina nodded once. "I do. I have found this man's services and advice to be vital in the war against Rosenkreutz, and I fear, without him, peace would perhaps never have come to pass. He has been a guide and adviser in the shadows for many years, and his words have been well worth listening to. I would be pleased to count him as a formal ally at last."

Seth turned to look at Esther. Esther bowed her head in acknowledgment. "While I don't know him as well as Lady Caterina does...this man has been a good friend to me. Without him, I might never have assumed the throne. I fully agree with what Lady Caterina and the Earl of Memphis have said."

"Very well then." Seth's gaze lifted, full of royalty and power, every inch the Empress. "I trust you of the Court, my loyal children, have heard the words of these allies and Councilors. Do you accept them?" Her tone was stern, and left no doubt about the answer she expected.

Murmurs of assent swept through the Council room. One by one, the assembled lords and ladies of the Imperial Court bowed their heads, offering formal acknowledgment and acceptance of the words they'd spoken.

Seth waited until the words had rippled around the room and quieted. Then she turned back to the silver-haired man before her. "So then. I will ask you to kneel once more."

Abel dropped to his knees once more before her, bowing his head. It was odd, that even kneeling, he came up to her chest. In other, less formal circumstances, it might have been amusing. But this moment was far too solemn for laughter. Even Leon was still and somber, expression set in a polite mask.

Seth lifted her gaze once more, and spoke. "Duchess of Moldova, step forward." From the shadows, Mirka emerged, the lavender and white of her formal House colors mingling with the robes that proclaimed her a member of Her Imperial Majesty's Secret Council. In her hands she bore an emerald cushion, on which rested a silver circlet, adorned with three small emeralds.

Mirka descended the dais with graceful, careful steps, then bowed and extended the cushion towards Seth. "Empress."

Seth turned and took the circlet carefully from the pillow. Mirka bowed slightly lower, then moved to stand beside Baibars.

Seth looked down at Abel's bowed head, then spoke in a clear, ringing voice that held all the authority of the 900 year Empress. "You have stated your desire to return to my side and serve me. You have been vouched for by my Council, and by our allies. Therefore, in my own name as Augusta Veradica, I do openly restore you to your rightful place, and announce you to all those here assembled as my brother, Heir to my Empire, Crown Prince Aloysha Kasimer." She set the silver circlet upon his brow, then took his hands and lifted him to his feet, a brilliant smile replacing the solemnity of moments before. Then she stretched up and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Welcome home, my beloved brother."

Abel smiled, and kissed Seth's hand with a courtier's grace, then kissed her cheek in return. "Thank you. It is good to be home with you once again." Then he turned to the assembled nobles.

Baibars, Mirka, Astha and Ion dropped to bended knee at once. Esther and Caterina were high enough ranked to get away with a curtsey, but the rest of their group also went to one knee, heads bowed in respect. All around the room, the nobles of the Methuselah Court followed suit.

Seth let them hold the position for a moment, then gestured. "Rise, my beloved Children. And you, who are my honored guests..." She smiled. "You have no need to bow to me, and I would say that my beloved brother feels the same."

"Indeed." Abel, now Aloysha, strode forward and extended his hands, one to Esther and one to Caterina. "We have worked together a long time, haven't we? Between such friends, there should be no need for such formality as this." He drew them both to their feet with a smile. "Lady Caterina, Queen Esther...for all these years of partnership..." He owed his head over their hands. "My deepest thanks."

Esther nodded. Caterina as well. Still smiling, the newly appointed Prince led them forward for formal introductions to the Empress. Seth greeted them both with a smile and a kiss on the cheek, a customary greeting they both returned, and forestalled their bowing. She shook their hands warmly instead, and bade them stand beside her as she recognized the others.

The rest of the ceremony followed the pattern of previous visits. Esther managed all the proper phrases, the gestures as she assisted Seth in pinning Imperial medals on Virgil and Mary. Still, it all felt surreal, and oddly anti-climactic. Her eyes kept going to the slender silver-haired figure who held the medals for his sister. Abel Nightroad. Prince Aloysha Kasimer, Crown Prince of the Methuselah Empire. Her Abel.

Esther dragged her attention back to the ceremony at hand. Finally, the last of their party, Sister Paula, was awarded the Imperial Medal. Caterina looped it over her head. Paula bowed to her Cardinal, then to the Empress, then took her place beside Brother Petros. Seth lifted her hands. "My beloved children...I give you the heroes of the Rosenkreutz War, and the Empire!"

And the room exploded into cheers and shouts of acclimation.

**8888888888**

The reception went on until well past dawn. Esther, Caterina and Abel stayed with Seth. The rest of the group mingled with the Methuselah nobles. Servants brought in tables, loaded with wine and food and Aqua Vitae.

Esther was glad to be away from the main section of the room. There were so many tense undercurrents, it was like watching a riptide in motion.

Petros and Paula were clearly uncomfortable, and suspicious, here in what had only a few years before been enemy territory. Most of the Methuselah seemed to share the sentiment, and steered clear of the Inquisitors. It would have been open rudeness, save that Baibars and a few other of the Yenceri, as well as Mirka, took it upon themselves to open a discussion, which seemed to mostly involve commiseration on the trials of keeping an eye on one's leaders, comparisons of the hardships that could be faced, and not-quite comparisons on the glories of respective rulers. Mirka even went so far as to tease Petros gently, making him blush just slightly, which went a long way toward easing the tension.

The rest of the AX agents were doing fine. The Professor had engaged a few individuals in a quiet discussion, and Leon had found a set of his own, lingering by the wine. As for her own people, Mary was clearly a known figure and Virgil was well capable of holding his own in an Court. In fact, he looked almost more at ease within the Imperial Court than he did at home in Albion. Esther spotted him speaking with several different individuals over the course of the evening.

Esther found herself speaking to several people as well. It seemed as though every noble in the room wanted to come up and greet their new prince and their allies personally. There was a steady stream of individuals coming up, bowing to the Empress, bowing to Abel with murmurs of loyalty or greeting or congratulations and welcome, then turning to greet her and Caterina. After the first few dozen, it was difficult to hold onto her calm expression. By the time the trickle began to slow and the nobles disperse, Esther felt exhausted. Even Caterina looked pale and tired, and Abel looked almost unconscious on his feet. Seth was the only one on the dais who seemed to have any energy left, and even she looked subdued.

Finally, a few hours after dawn, Seth rose and invited he guests to remain in the Star Palace for the remainder of their visit. She then dismissed the Court and retired. Esther, Abel and Caterina followed her, surrounded by her guards.

It was a relief to be led to their rooms. Polite, quiet maids helped her out of her dress, provided a set of nightwear, then left. Esther took a moment to relax, savoring the peace, then wrapped her robe around her and stepped across the hall to Abel's rooms. She knocked and heard a muffled response, and let herself in.

Abel stood in his bedroom, balancing Cain on his hip. Like her, he'd exchanged his clothing for a loose nightgown and robe. His feet were bare, as was his head, the silver hair now disordered. His face looked tired, but his expression brightened as she entered. "Esther."

"I thought I'd come see how you were doing. I hope I'm not disturbing you."

Abel shook his head. "No. I wasn't ready to sleep yet." He sighed. "Really, I need a few minutes to unwind. Honestly...I thought this was supposed to be quiet..."

"Sorry." Seth appeared in the doorway, dressed in loose, casual garments. She gave Abel an apologetic smile. "That really was as quiet as I could keep it I'm afraid." She stretched. "At least with a full Court, they won't have quite as much need to gossip about it. And I rather thought you might like to meet everyone at once, rather than putting up with three or four days of Formal Court introductions."

Abel grimaced. "Really..." He sighed. "You're right. Though, honestly...that name..."

"It suits you." Seth grinned. "Besides...did you really want to be something like...oh, Justinian or Nikolai?"

Abel winced. "Ah...no, thank you. Aloysha Kasimer is fine. It is memorable, I suppose." Cain made a sleepy unhappy noise on his shoulder and Abel shifted the child's weight absently, making him comfortable.

Seth rolled her shoulders. "You'll have to appear a few more times with me, to make the point, but there shouldn't be anything like this again. I don't really come out in public much, and it's rare for me to allow that much informal contact. So...I think a couple appearances standing or sitting on the Throne Dais with me will do, maybe an appearance in the garden. You shouldn't have to talk to anyone. And everyone else will be doing the rounds as well, so it shan't be that bad. And you can stick close to me or Esther or Caterina."

Abel sighed. "I'd really rather not, but I suppose I can handle that, if I must."

"I know Abel." Seth laid a gentle hand on his arm for a moment, then withdrew. "Still, you'll be in the Inner Court most of the time. I don't allow my nobles back here, except for my special servants, and Mirka and Baibars. There aren't even that many guards. And there's a whole wing you know, so you and Esther have plenty of privacy." She grinned. "I did give Esther her own rooms, but that doesn't mean she has to use them."

Esther felt her face heating, and Abel turned a deep shade of pink. Then Abel turned his head to meet her eyes, and a small smile turned up the corners of his mouth. "Thank you."

He returned his gaze to his sister. "Truly, Seth...thank you."

Seth sniffed. "You don't need to thank me." her eyes were sparkling in the low lights. Then she suddenly took two quick steps forward and flung her arms around him, burying her face in her brother's chest. "I missed you so much Abel. I know you'll go with Esther but still, getting my brother back, being able to see you like this...I'm so glad you finally decided to come home and be my brother again. I know that you don't like the spotlight, but I'm so glad you've finally decided to emerge from the shadows, big brother."

"I know." Abel's free hand came up to brush against her hair, then to wrap gently around the thin shoulders. "I know. I'm sorry I left you with such a heavy burden for so long. I'm sorry I left you alone."

Seth sniffed, then pushed herself back. "Idiot. You don't need to apologize." She scrubbed the tears from her face. "I'll let you and Esther get some rest."

"Wait." Esther stepped forward. There was something about the lonely sadness in Seth's face that caught her heart. She was reminded of the child she'd known on the space station, sad and needing her older brother's comfort. She glanced at the bed, and at the crib that had been set up for Cain. "If you aren't needed elsewhere...why don't you stay with us? Just for tonight...today I mean, at least. I'm sure the bed's big enough for all three of us. It's certainly bigger than that one at the Vatican."

Seth gave her a weak smile. "I'd hate to intrude..."

"It's all right." Abel's hand snaked out to catch his sister once more. "Esther's right. Just for today..." He embraced her. "I've missed you as well."

Esther knew she'd made the right decision from the way Seth's shoulders relaxed. "Okay."

Abel smiled and released her, then turned to lay Cain in his crib. Then he turned back to the bed and turned the sheets down. "I don't know about you two, but I am tired."

Seth grinned, and followed her brother. Esther did as well. It took some arranging, but eventually Abel was settled in the middle, Esther on one side and Seth on the other. Esther snuggled close, relaxing in his warmth. One hand found his, the other draped across his chest. The last thing she was conscious of was Abel's steady breathing, and a small hand whose fingers tangled in hers.

**888888888888**

They remained in the Empire for a full ten days, as opposed to the normal two or three days. The extended stay had been justified by the fact that they were formal Allies, and that of the three countries, the Empire was the one that the various forces had spent the least amount of time in. So they stayed, relaxing and meeting the noble families.

True to their agreement, Abel joined Seth in Court a handful times. He also joined her in the gardens on several occasions, and once or twice in the city. Dressed in his Imperial Court garb, green and sparkling with gold and silver and gems, it was hardly surprising that no one identified him as Father Nightroad, AX priest. Really, it was more surprising that no one commented on the priest's absence, though Esther knew that Seth and Mirka and the others had spread rumors about continued recovery from wounds, his duties with his adopted child, and even a possible breakdown of health due to the strain of a progress so soon after his battle with the Contra Mundi.

Esther thought that there might be one or two among the Court who suspected his identity, but if so, there were no mentions of it. Not even that the Prince bore a passing resemblance to the priest. Then again, Abel habitually stooped, and his straight back added a good inch or more to his height. His bearing had completely changed, and his spectacles no longer obscured his face. The silver hair that hung loose instead of tied back in a severe ponytail changed the apparent shape of his face as well. Between that and his changed mannerisms, he really was a different person. Crown Prince Aloysha Kasimer.

It would have unnerved Esther, but she understood what it meant to don a mask. And despite several appearances on both their parts they both spent most of their time in the privacy of the Inner Court. And there, the masks would fall away, and he was Abel again. Her Abel, the warm, loving, complicated and gentle man she'd fallen in love with. They spent much of the time being together, simply enjoying each other's company, talking, relaxing. Under the quiet of those days, with her and Seth, and the others as occasional guests and Cain's caretakers for a few hours, some of the terrible strain lines that had been in his face since the battle began to fade. By the time they'd been there a week; Abel had even begun to honestly relax. There were still terrible shadows in his eyes sometimes, and he still woke from nightmares, but they were less present than they had been. That was a relief to all of them.

Their last night in the Empire was marked by a grand banquet. It wasn't a full court, but most of the nobility was there. Fortunately, it wasn't a situation that required too much mingling. Dinner would be with their chosen companions, the other warriors at the Empress's table. Afterward, there would be some music, and some dancing. But it was a well-known fact that they'd be leaving in the morning for the Four Cities area, so it would be an early evening.

Dinner was a full several-course meal. Esther was seated at Abel...Aloysha's right. The Crown Prince sat to the right of the Empress, with lady Caterina, as the senior of the remaining Alliance leaders to her left. The rest of them were arranged along either side of the table. Not surprisingly, Esther was seated next to Colonel Spencer, the next highest ranking of the Albion contingent. The space next to Caterina had been taken by the Professor, the most senior AX member after Abel.

Dinner was fairly quiet. Abel was slightly withdrawn, as he usually was in public appearances. Mary was watching the assembled guests, and Esther was content to do the same. It was strange. At 15, she'd considered these people her mortal enemies. At 17, she'd had several Methuselah friends, including the Empress. And now, at 20...they were allies. It was amazing. She turned her head to look at the silver haired man beside her. Everything was because of him. Because of Abel. She set the thought aside, knowing he'd be embarrassed if she mentioned it.

The music after dinner was very beautiful, but Esther felt more like listening than dancing. She wasn't very well versed in Imperial dances, after all. Besides, Abel looked tired again, and seemed to share her reluctance. Esther leaned over and brushed his hand with hers, out of sight under the table. Abel's lean fingers caressed hers, accompanied by a warm, relieved smile. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing, enjoying the music and each others presence. As soon as the Empress retired, Abel and Esther followed. They spent an hour or so with Seth, then fell into bed.

The following mid-morning found them preparing to exit onto the Empress's private ship dock. The Iron Maiden had, from the state of the metal, and some modifications Esther could see, been treated to a thorough cleaning and overhaul. Whatever had been done, Sister Kate was in an extremely good mood as she greeted them.

They said their farewells to Mirka while the servants loaded their luggage. Seth joined them, dressed in an unassuming outfit that Esther knew she'd used when posing as a servant in Court. She was last to hug her adviser. After a final round of farewells, including a teasing admonition on behavior that left Ion blushing, they boarded the ship, and were away.

**888888888888**

The next two stops, in the Four Cities Alliance and the Franc Kingdom, were easy ones. As with Hispania and Carthage and Venice, they only stayed a few days. Long enough to be congratulated, have a one or two evening celebration in their honor, and then they left once more.

The Four Cities Alliance was by far the easiest stop of the entire journey, at least for Abel. Father Hugue was a well-known figure in that area. Esther had heard of it, but she hadn't realized that Hugue was a member of one of the elite families of the region. The last surviving member, in fact. He'd apparently spent much of the war networking among his old contacts and colleagues. His return caused quite a stir, and the local excitement over welcoming their own home-town hero allowed Abel to slip into the background almost completely unnoticed.

The Franc Kingdom was far more neutral. Fortunately for Abel, they'd heard he had a child, and the King was more than happy to make allowances for Abel's duties as a new father, and his apparent tiredness. Abel made one short appearance at the main celebration background, then remained in his rooms for the rest of their two day stay.

Finally, just over three weeks after their progress began, they turned toward their final destination. Albion. Esther's heart was lighter than it had been for the rest of the trip. Despite her enjoyment of travel, and everyone's company, she was relieved to be going home at last. As the ship sped toward Albion and Londinium, Esther found herself gravitating to the forward observation deck, watching for the lights of home.

Mary and Virgil joined her as the first lights of the city came into sight. At the sight of the glowing lights, Mary smiled. "Looking forward to being home, Majesty?"

Esther nodded. "It's strange. Three years ago, I'd never even seen Albion. It was just the place my father was from. But now...I think I miss the city and the palace even more than I used to miss Istvan and the church there."

"It's a good thing. After all, you are our Queen. Albion is your home, your country."

Esther nodded again, then turned to her two advisers. "What about you?"

Mary's smile widened a fraction. "As a warrior, I am proud to have participated in such a legendary conflict. As a noble and a politician, I am pleased for this opportunity to build new contacts. However, personally...yes. I am looking forward to returning home, Majesty."

Virgil inclined his head in agreement. "While I do not begrudge our time spent, I find I miss the Underground, and Vanessa. Even the Court."

Esther turned back to the approaching lights. "There is that. But really, I think I'm just glad to be nearing the end of the journey. I'd really like to finally be able to have a chance to relax, and let everything settle back to normal."

"That too." A small smile touched Virgil's face. The three of them enjoyed a companionable silence for the rest of the approach.

They disembarked in the evening air. The landing dock was well lit by lamps, and most of the Court was there to greet them. Esther had asked Virgil and Mary to send a message ahead. Much as she would have preferred to simply land and enter the Palace, and announce her presence the next morning, she knew the Court would have been offended. So she'd send messages, informing her nobles and Vanessa's people of her projected time of arrival.

Because it was her country, Esther was the first to disembark, Virgil and Mary at her side. Seth and Caterina followed, with Abel near the middle of the group, Cain in his arms.

By the time Esther set foot on the paved walkway to the Palace, her nobles lined it, three people deep. As she stepped forward her steward, standing next to the ramp, rapped his staff on the ground. "All hail Her Majesty, Queen Esther, and her companions, Cardinal Caterina Sforza and The Methuselah Empress, Lady Augusta Veradica!"

All the way down the path, people bowed, or sank into deep curtsies. Esther inclined her head in acknowledgment, then strode forward, nodding to people as she passed.

Her steward rapped his staff again. "The survivors and heroes of the Rosenkreutz War!"

At that, backs straightened, and a roar of muted cheers and clapping rose among the assembled.

Esther led the group through the cheering crowd, to the entrance of the Palace, then turned. The cheers were already fading a little, but her upraised hands brought silence. Esther waited a moment, then lowered her hands and smiled at the crowd.

"Thank you, everyone, for your warm welcome. It's good to be home." She had considered a longer speech, but it had been a long flight, and an even longer journey. "I'm very glad to see all of you, and I look forward to greeting you all properly. However, it's been a very long trip, and I know our guests are tired. So I hope you will excuse me for tonight. I wish you all a very pleasant evening." Another murmur rose up, but she saw understanding and sympathy on the faces nearest her. She bowed her head once more, in acknowledgment and dismissal, then turned and entered the Palace.

Vanessa was waiting inside the doors, along with half a dozen others. She'd even foregone her customary outfit of leather for her dress uniform. As Esther entered, she saluted smartly. "Your Majesty. On behalf of the Underground, I welcome you and your guests." She gestured to the others. Then a small smile crossed her features. "I'm not as proficient in such things as Virgil or Colonel Spencer, but rooms are prepared for you and your guests if you wish to rest, and there is food if want it."

Esther exhaled softly in relief. She'd had longer actual flights, but after weeks traveling all over the continent, she was tired. And now that she was truly home, she felt herself relaxing in a way she hadn't managed to at any other location. Even the Vatican, familiar and comforting as it was, and the safety of Seth's Inner Court hadn't been as soothing as the walls of Buckingham Palace. She smiled. "Thank you for all your effort. I can't speak for my companions, but really, the thought of a bed sounds heavenly." She turned to the rest of the group. "My friends, I think I wish to retire for the evening. However, please feel free to take advantage of the refreshments Lady Vanessa has provided, as well as anything else you need."

Caterina smiled gently. "Your offer is kind. However, I admit, I am feeling fatigued. I think I shall retire as well." The other Ax members nodded, William with evident relief, and even Petros relaxed slightly.

Seth stretched, as much as her semi-formal clothing would allow. "No kidding. Honestly, it's always a bit difficult, going from a nocturnal schedule to a daylight one. I could use a little more rest." Behind her, Astha made a face, and Ion nodded in agreement. A shadow passed over Abel's face, then vanished.

Vanessa nodded and offered another bow. "Then my men and I would be honored to escort you to your rooms. She straightened and set off down the hall, and Esther followed.

Twenty minutes later, Esther shut her door with a sigh, looking at the familiar furnishings. Not surprisingly, Vanessa had elected to house the entire war party in the Royal Wing, a decision Esther had no qualms approving. She sighed again, then moved over to the inner rooms. A glance revealed a night-dress already laid out for her, and another revealed fresh towels and soap, if she wanted a bath. She considered it, then slipped out of her dress and into the robe, and collapsed on the bed with a sigh of relief.

She considered crossing to Abel's room, across the hall. But her bed was warm and soft and comfortable, and she was getting drowsy fast. She knew Abel was as tired as she was, if not more so. She also knew that if he truly felt he needed her company, he'd come to her, as he'd done in the Empire. There was an equal chance that he'd simply go to bed, as she had done. Esther yawned and pulled a blanket over her shoulders. Almost of their own accord, her eyes dropped closed. Within seconds, she was fast asleep.

Esther woke the next morning to sunlight shining in the windows, though a glance at the clock revealed it wasn't that late. Someone had already hung out one of her Court dresses, and when she pushed herself out of bed there was tea on the bedside table, and a note that breakfast was in the main room, written in Virgil's neat hand. Esther smiled and slipped on a robe, then strode out into the main room.

To her surprise, Abel was waiting for her. He was wearing a clean uniform, his hair damp from a recent bath. He looked slightly tired, but far better than he had. He looked up from buttering a roll when she entered and smiled. "Esther." He rose and held out a chair for her. "Good morning."

"Good morning." Esther smiled as she seated herself. Abel poured her a cup of tea, then stepped around to settle into his seat. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting for too long."

"Hardly at all." Abel smiled sheepishly. "I'm afraid I've only been up for a short time myself. But Lord Walsh said he had business to attend to, and asked if I would wait for you."

Esther nodded. She knew Virgil had been fretting over the state of the Underground for a few days. Not that he ever appeared less than calm and collected, but he'd been slightly restless. Not that it was a surprise. Mary had been similarly concerned about the Palace Guard. Despite the fact that Vanessa was quite capable, neither of them liked leaving their chosen positions, and they'd all three been gone from Albion for over a month. Esther found herself wondering what the reports from the Council would be like. Out of deference to their late arrival, they'd agreed to postpone the Council meeting until just after noon.

She helped herself to a little of everything and watched Abel pile food on his plate. "Did you sleep well?"

Abel shrugged. "Well enough I suppose. Cain was a little fussy this morning, though he's napping now."

"I'm glad. You look like you're feeling much better."

Abel nodded. "I do. Honestly, I'm very glad we've reached the end of our journey, at least for a while."

Esther nodded. "I think everyone feels that way. So, will you be returning to guard duty?"

Abel blinked. "Ah...well, that rather depends on a few things, I think. Cain for one. Besides..." A sudden boyish grin lit his expression. "I have something very important to take care of first. I really think...well, I have a very important promise to keep."

"Oh." Esther blinked. "Really?"

"Of course." Abel smiled. "You needn't worry about it, Esther. Anyway, speaking of sleep, I trust you rested well?"

Esther felt a little startled, but she allowed him to change the subject. They spent the rest of the morning in quiet talk, broken only when Abel left the room briefly and returned with Cain on his hip. From there, they played with the child until Esther had to get ready for Council. Due to Cain's presence, Abel wasn't attending with her, but she didn't mind. She knew he'd likely use the time to rest. And she had to admit, the morning had been nice, and she didn't want to break the peace for both of them.

The Council meeting was tiring, and busy. First, Virgil and Mary presented the report of the final battle aboard the ARK. Esther added her own observations as well. Seth and Caterina were both special guests at the meeting. Seth confirmed the death of the Contra Mundi, and Caterina added the observations of AX members and the two Inquisitors. From there followed a brief discussion over the wanted bulletins for the remaining three Order members, and the precautions they should take, in case there was an attack. All of them doubted that any of the three fugitives would be so reckless, but there was no point in being careless.

From there, they went into reports on the state of Albion. Spring was in the air, and with it came planting time, and a mountain of permissions and requests. Also there was the matter of taking the military, including the Eire branch of the navy, off of military alert. Pay was discussed, and possible rewards and bonuses for soldiers who had been in combat. However, most of the reports were favorable. Esther was glad that Albion hadn't taken any harm in her absence. She'd been afraid something would happen, but everything had gone fairly smoothly. In fact, the safe houses for the Underground had been opened more fully, due to to possible evacuation preparations. Several shop owners from both sides had been talking, and there were tentative trades and contacts springing up all over the place. With the open Methuselah-Terran Alliance between the Vatican, Albion and the Empire, and the cessation of hostilities, relationships were beginning to form between the two peoples. The development pleased Esther a great deal, and she could tell Virgil was equally interested.

The weather had been fairly mild, and the reports from the countryside were optimistic, hopeful for good crops. Most of the Council lords had a stack of permits and requests from their lands, in regards to irrigation procedures and necessary equipment. Esther promised to look over them carefully.

There were a number of other items of business, all of them fairly mundane, the usual Council reports by the lords. For a wonder, there had been no serious disasters, or even all that much trouble. The most pressing issue was approving the suggestions for the celebration in Albion, for the end of the conflict. Several townsfolk had put forth requests, including a long petition for fireworks over the city.

Esther was more than happy to approve the celebration for her people. After debate, the Council granted permission for the fireworks, as well as special funds to supply food and drink for the city guilds and populace, and an additional small feast with entertainment for the Royal Guard and the military in the city. They would have to enjoy the evening in shifts, but Mary had guaranteed everyone would get a turn at the festivities.

Palace celebrations included a formal banquet for that evening, and a semi-formal ball three nights later, the same night as the city-wide celebration. Despite all the business, Esther was still able to release the Council with plenty of time to prepare for the banquet.

The banquet that evening was a repeat of practically every other stop they'd made. A presentation of the assembled heroes, followed by a formal dinner in their honor. As the host rulers, Esther received her own presentation from her Council, including Virgil and Mary. In turn, she presented the rest of them. Abel was third, following Caterina as usual. Vanessa and two of the more highly recommended maids had taken charge of Cain for the evening.

The presentations were harder than Esther had expected. It felt odd, speaking so formally to the people she'd considered friends for years. Abel was the hardest. Her heart insisted on pounding when he knelt in front of her. There was something about the subservient posture that made her want to pull him to his feet, and having him so close made her want to pull him up and kiss him. Still, she managed to restrain herself.

The meal afterward was delicious, though Esther noticed that Abel disappeared as soon as possible. She didn't blame him. She felt more than a little tired after the long day of paperwork, and she knew that he was both concerned about Cain and still uncomfortable celebrating. She was tempted to leave herself, but she knew it would be rude of her to do so. Instead, she contented herself with chatting with Seth and Caterina, and answering various questions. Between them, they managed to keep the talk fairly light, and the evening was actually rather enjoyable.

The next few days passed in a flurry of Council meetings, Court meetings, catching up on her work, and arrangements for the ball. Despite the workload, it felt oddly comforting to settle back into the routines of ruling. Two years ago, she would have been relieved to get away, but the past years had given her both appreciation and interest in her country. Besides, with the threat of attack no longer looming so darkly on the horizon, business had turned to more interesting matters, such as economics and internal Albion politics. The threat of Rosenkreutz had made her lords far less opposed to each other than they could have been. Now they were a little more divided on things. Also, with the threat lifted, the Alliance could begin shifting its focus from military support to more cooperative efforts, like trade and mutual enterprises. Things such as cross fostering programs, or an international trade school, regarding the sharing of technology and history. Ion had once mentioned that various legends and histories of the Vatican didn't appear in the Methuselah world, and both Esther and Seth had a keen interest in rectifying the discrepancies.

She saw little of Abel for those days. He spent much of his time taking care of Cain. Alessandro had helped him collect the necessities for the infant. Diapers, a few changes of clothing, formula and so forth and so on. Mirka had supplied more. But he she knew from Virgil and William that he'd been acquiring some Albion-style outfits for the child, as well as a re-supply on diapers and food a baby could eat.

He also spent a fair amount of time with Caterina and Seth. When the other two weren't joining her for joint meetings, or simply small talk, often one or both of them were with him. Talking, walking in the gardens, simply relaxing over tea. Esther missed having Abel by her side, but she didn't begrudge either them or him the time. After all, Seth was his sister and had just named him formally as her brother and her heir. And he'd been Caterina's friend for a very long time.

She knew, too, that he was still troubled. One night, she'd woken to a faint cry, and gone across to find him awake, still visibly recovering from a nightmare. She'd offered to stay with him, but he'd gently refused, pointing out that she had a country to run and needed to sleep. They'd talked a few minutes, then she'd returned to bed. As much as she felt odd, sleeping alone, she knew he needed time, and was resolved to give him as much time and space as he needed.

**8888888888**

Finally, the evening of the ball arrived. Esther got ready early. She was excited, but also apprehensive. She enjoyed balls, though she hadn't been to many. She liked the music, and they'd become much more enjoyable once she'd learned to dance. She was light enough on her feet to pick up steps easily, and she knew there would be a number of people she could dance with. Virgil would dance with her as her adviser and friend. Ion, of course, was always happy to partner her. William and Leon as well.

Still, she couldn't help remembering the last ball she'd had. The wonder of the evening, and its disastrous conclusion. And really, she wasn't sure Abel would even be attending. He'd tended to avoid most of the celebrations, after all. She didn't think he'd attended even one of the dances that had been thrown in other countries, and she understood why. But she couldn't help being a little hopeful that he'd make an exception.

A knock on her door drew her from her thoughts. She smoothed a last crease in the red and silver dress she was wearing. "Yes."

The door opened and Seth bounced in, followed more sedately by Virgil and Ion. Ion had agreed to escort Seth, and Virgil was Esther's escort, as he'd been before. Seth was wearing a multi-shaded green dress with silver embroidery. She smiled at Esther's scarlet, gold and silver. "You do look nice, Esther."

"She's right. You look very pretty." Ion smiled.

Esther smiled at the compliment. "Thank you. You look very nice as well." He was wearing his preferred colors of blue and gold and white. He was dressed in Imperial style. Virgil was wearing dark gray and gold. Both of them favored a reserved style. It added maturity to Ion's face and bearing, and suited Virgil as well. "You as well, Lord Walsh."

"Thank you, Majesty." He extended his arm with a courtly bow. "The ball will begin soon. Shall we go?"

Esther nodded and took his arm. Seth did the same with Ion. One last check to make sure that everything was as it should be in her outfit, and then they exited into the corridor. Esther cast a look at Abel's door, but it was shut.

"I think Abel's coming later." Seth was studying the door. "He told me there was something he wanted to take care of, but that he'd probably show up later this evening."

"All right." Esther nodded. "It's just...I know he really doesn't like these events."

Virgil shook his head. "Vanessa will be absent this evening. However, she mentioned earlier today that she needed to speak to Father Nightroad. A project he was working on that he required her assistance with, I believe."

Esther blinked in surprise. "I would have thought he'd ask you."

A small smile touched Virgil's face. "Father Nightroad and Vanessa share an odd understanding. While I have spoken with him, and know roughly what he's working on, I believe this was a project more in line with Vanessa's skills."

"I see." Esther frowned. "I hope it's nothing serious."

Seth snorted. "Everything's serious with Abel. But I don't think it's that kind of serious. Just something important to him."

"All right." Esther wanted to ask more, but they were approaching the doors to the Grand Ballroom. She straightened her back just a little more, set her expression in a pleasant smile, and set the thoughts aside. Whatever Abel was doing was his business. Still, she hoped she'd get to see him.

The ball opened smoothly at the stroke of eight, with the help of a fantastic fireworks display over the city. Esther, with the rest of the court, watched the enthralling display. It went on for just over an hour, then dissipated, and the musicians took the floor.

Esther danced a round with Virgil, then Ion, William and Leon. She even took a turn with Baibars and Petros. Both warriors were stiff, and Petros looked as if he'd rather not be there, but they were both courteous partners and excellent dancers, and compensated well for the difference in heights.

After she'd danced once with each of the others, Esther excused herself. Virgil, attentive as ever, brought her a drink and a small plate of snacks. Caterina was already seated on the dais that had been set aside for them. Moments later, Seth joined them, Ion handing her a drink as well. The three women shared a quick look, and Esther relaxed. She missed Abel's presence, but the music was bright and lively, and she was determined to enjoy herself. She didn't feel much like dancing, but it was enough to sit and listen and watch the others.

The time drifted past. Virgil and Ion managed to coax her out on to the floor a few more times. She noticed that Leon and Astha seemed to be pairing more than usual, though Leon also danced with Caterina, and with Paula, of all people. And Astha also danced with William and Baibars. Still, the two seemed to prefer each others company. Over the rest of the floor, her nobles danced, ate, sang, and socialized, relaxing and enjoying the freeing from the tensions that had gripped them for over two years.

The clock chimed eleven. Esther was contemplating a glass of wine when a familiar voice spoke in her ear. "Miss Esther?" She turned.

Abel was beside her. He'd foregone his glasses. His hair was clean and shining, pulled back in its usual ponytail. His blue eyes were sparkling warmly, a smile playing around his mouth. He looked nervous, but oddly more relaxed than she'd seen since the Empire. He wore his crucifix, but the rest of his clothing...

He still wore the black of a priest, and there was some similarity in style. But instead of a cassock, he wore a black shirt with silver buttons and black and silver stitching outlining the collar and sleeves. His pants were more formal slacks, and the over-jacket resembled Virgil's court jacket more than his usual over-robe. His boots were cleaned up and polished even, and she recognized the boots he'd worn as Prince Aloysha, rather than his usual AX combat boots. The total effect transformed him subtly to something more than a mere priest. He looked as if he could be a noble in his own right, as much or more than any of her own courtiers.

Abel let her stare at him for a moment, then held out his hand, smiling. "Miss Esther, would you care to honor me with a dance?"

"Of course." She took his hand and he lifted her to her feet. She saw Caterina and Seth both smile. Abel glanced at his sister, who gave him a quick smile and a nod. Then he led Esther to the floor. Somehow the other saw them coming, and when they reached the floor they found a cleared space waiting for them.

The song beginning was a slow one, meant for couples. Esther turned, put her free hand on Abel's shoulder as his hand came to rest on her waist. Then they were dancing, stepping naturally to the music as if they'd both been doing it all their lives.

Esther took a moment to get settled into the rhythm, then looked up at her partner. Abel was watching her, still smiling softly. She relaxed, and returned the smile. "I'm glad you came."

"Yes. I did intend to come. I just took some time to arrange a few things." He blushed slightly.

Esther nodded. "Virgil and Seth told me." She glanced around. "What about Cain?"

"Ah. Miss Vanessa consented to watch him for me, after I did her a favor." The blush deepened.

"I see. I hope it wasn't too much trouble."

Abel laughed softly. "No. Not really." His voice dropped away as he relaxed, his expression thoughtful. "Miss Esther..." he paused.

"Yes? Is there something wrong?" Esther swallowed, wondering if he was stressed by the crowd. She tightened her grip gently, offering comfort.

"Ah...no. It's just..." He sighed. "I...Esther do you remember the last ball we danced at?"

Esther nodded. "Of course. Why?"

Abel swallowed hard. "That night...you asked something of me, and I refused you. But then...I realized I was wrong."

Esther nodded. "I remember." Her free hand shifted to touch the necklace under clothing, with the ring and locket she always carried with her. "But I thought, after I returned, I thought we straightened that out."

Abel nodded. "We did. I told you of my past, my true identity, and you didn't reject me. And after that..."

He paused, looked away, then stopped dancing and looked into her eyes. "That night...I made you a promise. A promise that I would come to you, after the threat was over, and Cain was taken care of."

Esther swallowed. Her heart was suddenly pounding hard, and it was hard to breathe. "I remember."

Abel closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he gently stepped back. "Esther...I know...things are not completely over. And I...I don't know what will happen with Cain. But still...I love you. I love you more than anything else in this world. And...I would like to keep that promise I gave you a year and a half ago." Another deep breath, then he pulled a small box from his pocket and opened it, to reveal a white-gold ring, surmounted by a ruby, framed by two small star sapphires. The body of the ring was an intricate knot-work pattern, like the one carved into the red-stone ring she wore on the chain.

Esther was aware of the song ending, of people all around the floor stopping, turning to watch. She was vaguely aware of Virgil and Mary, and William and Ion and the others. Even Seth and Caterina had come through the crowd. But she could barely spare any attention for them. All her attention was on Abel.

With fluid grace he knelt on the marble floor before her, one hand holding the ring. She saw his shoulders rise in another deep, slow inhalation. Then he looked up into her eyes, his own shining brighter than the gems of the ring he offered her. "Esther Blanchett...will you marry me?"

Her throat was tight. She could feel tears of joy brimming in her eyes. She swallowed hard against the lump in her throat. It still felt hard to talk. Instead, she reached out and took the ring gently from him, then slid it onto her left hand ring finger. The fit was perfect. Abel's eyes lit up. He started to speak, but she took a step forward, leaned forward and kissed him, letting the passion of it speak for her. With him kneeling, it was so much easier, a matter of tilting her head a couple of inches. She heard a catcall from Leon, a similar sound from Seth, the swelling noise of cries of mixed surprise, congratulations, whistles and applause. She didn't care. All that mattered was Abel, the kiss that burned like fire between them. Abel's hands found her shoulders, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss.

It was becoming hard to breathe. She broke away, still dazed. Abel met her eyes his blue gaze burning with hope and a fierce dawning joy that she hadn't seen since that night in the garden.

She smiled and brought her hand up to lay alongside his jaw. "I accept."

Abel's eyes widened. "Esther..." Suddenly he stood, pulling her into a strong, warm embrace. "Esther." A moment later he leaned down, kissing her once more, all the strength of his emotions pouring through the touch of his lips and hands on hers.

The room exploded into chaos.

* * *

**AN's smcandy:** The meaning of Abel's Imperial name.

- Aloysha: Defender of man

- Kasimer: Commands peace.

Look up from which countries those names we got came from. I do not have the time nor energy to state otherwise since I waited and worked a long time to get this update to everyone.

**[*]**- Now _We_, meaning me and **dragonwriter24cmf** had one hell of time thinking of good Nobel name for Abel we excluded using names such as Constantine, Justinian, Octavian and so on because it was names used _way_ too often in other fictions, media writings and plays and we wanted something to matching his personality and way of doing things he does presently then he did back during the Armageddon war. Now since Seth's name Augusta Vradica: a feminine form of the name of the Roman Emperor Augustus and Vradica possibly taken from the nick name of the historical figure '**Vlad the Impaler' AKA** Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia whom lived from the year **(1431–1476),** was a member of the House of Drăculești and most well-known for earning his nickname 'The Impaler' suggests, his practice of impaling his enemies is central to his historical reputation. He also the inspiration for Bram stokers "Dracula". It is also suggested that Stoker may have been made aware of the reputation of Vlad through an acquaintance of his.

**[*]**- Since Seth is called as the "Mother of all Methuselah" & "Augusta Vradica, the First and Only". Abel is "Addressed as Prince of all Methuselah" which suites him better because Abel is surely **NOT** Lord or Father nor Master of all methuselah empire the tiles and names due not suite him we both agreed this was to be the best addressed choice in referring to Prince Aloysha Kasimer.

**[*]**- Why Abel wore green the empresses color is because the first introduction, wearing green validates his position as her brother the empresses. He's not been there long enough in the empire to get his own colors, and for sure it would never be like Abel to have a color that only he can wear in a kingdom. He's not like his sister having a signature color only for one person to wear although it's shown in the anime/manga he presently wears dark colors like black while in his RMP uniforms and when he transforms he signature color is really blue. I have on my **Deviantart** page in my scrap books section folder a partial picture to what my editor made based on the that exact green outfit. You can come view it for yourselves if you like on my Da page.

**[*]**- Also the newest ring Abel gave Esther at the end of is not her official wedding ring, just the engagement ring. You'll see in the next parts of two or three of chapter 39 what Esther wedding ring will be and look like ^^


	60. Thirty-nine Pt 02 Wedding Plans

**(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES:** Before I start off with my own comments I like to address another anonymous reviewer that went under the name of **hell butterfly**, please do not demand that I the writer hurray up with the story or chapters. This is not first time I have to explain myself to impatient reviewers whom still not respect and understand why the delays in updates are happening. It also does not put such indivuals like yourself in good light with me. Both me and editor do not _hurry up_ we take our time and when life outside of our writing time is more important we try our best to make due and bring all updates we can to our beloved readers.

- Now with that aside I like to address everyone one again in apologies on mine and my editor behalf allot again on my editor end has happened in the past month and weeks that came and gone she has moved again along with her family starting a new family business to which for a time being will be take more of her time. That long with her becoming slight injured with other mishaps by the forces of nature that have been preventing her from giving me this chapter soon to the out readers. But she along with myself are committed to seeing this story through to the bitter end and not leave the readers hanging even by a thread this story was plane dot be finished once started. I hope every has been not going too many types of crazy after another long wait please enjoy the chapter and goodies notes I left at the end of the page ^^

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**DISCLAIMER:** All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

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**Warning:** This fan fiction is rated (M) AKA Lemon. This story is ABSOULTLY NOT suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter.

This story contains strong explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in hand sex, one-sided love, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. If this disturbs you, do not read any further.

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**Notice:** Trinity Blood War Continuum takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (RAM), Reborn on the Mars (ROM). In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

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**Trinity Blood: War Continuum – Chapter 39 part 2**: Royal Wedding, Wedding Plans

Esther was aware of the shouts surrounding them. Congratulations, from voices she recognized as belonging to her friends. She could even hear Ion chiming in. Others were murmuring to each other as word spread through the hall like a wildfire. She was dimly aware of tones of shock in some of those voices, but she didn't care. All she really cared about was Abel's arms around her, the smile on his face, and the feeling of the cool metal band that wrapped around her finger.

Seth's amused voice at her elbow broke the spell. "For someone who doesn't like the spotlight, Abel, you sure can cause a lot of commotion."

"Quite true." William spoke from the other side. Esther turned her head to see him smiling, affection in his eyes. "While I'm aware that there are people shouting it all over the hall...please allow me to be the first to offer my congratulations to the both of you." His smile widened, and he clapped Abel on the shoulder affectionately. "I'm sure you'll take care of her, my friend, so I shan't issue any warnings. However, I do expect a wedding invitation."

"Of course." Abel's voice was quiet, but there was warmth and joy in it. He was smiling broadly, a genuine smile without a hint of pain in his eyes.

"I will expect one as well." Caterina came to stand beside them, smiling in amusement. "However, at the moment, unless you want to be mobbed by courtiers asking questions, I suggest you and Esther make your exit."

Abel flushed. "Ah...Esther?" He met her eyes. "If you want to stay...I don't mind..."

"No." Esther shook her head.

"Come on Four Eyes." Leon caught Abel's shoulder. "You and Red should get out while you can. We'll get you out of here safely, for tonight." He grinned. "Just remember, old man, I'm only doing this tonight because Esther's the second best woman in the world. After this, it'll be your job to take care of her."

Abel flushed, but his voice was firm when he replied. "Of course I'll take care of her. Although...I think you're wrong Leon. Miss Esther happens to be the _best_ woman in the world."

Leon smirked. "That's exactly the right attitude for you to have, Four Eyes."

With their friends as escorts, they managed to make it safely to the doors. Virgil was already there, smiling. He opened the door with a bow. "Rest well, Majesty. Be assured, Colonel Spencer and I will handle things here, and see your guests taken care of." His eyes met Abel's for a long moment. "I shall leave her in your care, my lord." Warmth filled his eyes. "Congratulations, Father Nightroad, Your Majesty."

Esther managed to smile at him. "Thank you." Then Abel and Seth ushered her firmly out the door, and Virgil shut it behind them.

Seth was grinning. "That, my dear brother, was one of the most impressive moves I think I've ever seen you make. I knew you were planning something, the way you've been this week, but still...you did quite well." She studied him. "Where did you leave Cain?"

Abel blushed again. "Ah...Miss Vanessa is watching him for me, until the morning. She's very good with children, you know."

Esther blinked. "Virgil said you asked her for a favor."

Abel's blush deepened. "Yes, well, I asked if she could take Cain for the evening. She said yes...just that..." His face was almost crimson.

Seth smirked. "I heard that she'd asked for a favor in return."

Abel ducked his head in embarrassment. "Ah...she asked me to make sure there was a camera set up in the ballroom. She said if she was going to watch Cain for me, she wanted to see the proposal, to see if it was worth it."

Seth laughed. "Well Abel, I should say she got quite the performance. If I were her, I'd have no objections at all. Although..." She rocked back onto her heels, grinning madly. "I got a front row seat."

Abel's expression turned rueful. "Honestly...it wasn't my intention..."

Seth shook her head. "I know. And I'm sure Esther does too." She patted her older brother's arm, then grinned. "I'm going back to the party. The rest of us will provide some distraction, Abel, so you and Esther make the most of it." She leaned up and kissed her brother's cheek, her smile slightly sad. "You've earned the right to be happy, dear Abel. Enjoy it."

Abel nodded, then pulled his sister into a quick embrace. "I'll do my best." He bent and brushed a light kiss across Seth's forehead. "Thank you."

Seth's grin brightened, then she ducked out of Abel's arms and smirked at Esther. "Well then, I'll leave Abel to you, Esther. She turned and ducked back into the ballroom before either of them could respond.

Abel sighed. "Honestly. I'm not a child anymore..." He smiled, then turned to Esther. "Miss Esther...is there somewhere you'd like to go?"

Esther smiled and caught his hand in hers. "Yes actually. I think I'd really like to go out into the gardens, if you don't mind."

Abel smiled. "Of course not."

The night was fairly quiet as they made their way outside. Esther could hear the noise coming from the ballroom, and the music, but she was quite content to miss it, to stand beside Abel on the darkened path outside, breathing in the cool night air. A breeze brushed across her shoulders, and she shivered. Abel laughed quietly, and seconds later, the long black coat wrapped around her shoulders. "There. We can't have you catching cold, now can we?"

Esther smiled. "Thank you." She felt slightly ridiculous, with the long black coat trailing the ground, swallowing her in its folds. Still, it was warm, and she was far too happy to care about a little thing like that. Instead, she snaked one arm out to link with his, and the two of them wandered into the gardens.

They walked aimlessly for a few minutes, then Abel stopped and gestured to the entrance to the rose garden. "Shall we?" Esther nodded, and followed him into the open area just beyond the gate.

It was too early in the year for the roses to be blooming, but even so, she could understand why he'd chosen to come here. Each step brought memories surging out of the darkness. The small clearing where they'd fought. The open garden where they'd talked, after Abel had revealed his past to her. Esther stopped, looking at the place where, over a year ago, he'd knelt to her, promised to love her and come home to her. The place they'd shared their first kiss. "Abel...do you remember this place?"

"Of course." Abel bent to run his fingers lightly through the stones. "I couldn't possibly forget this." He turned his head to gaze at her, and she saw him smiling in the moonlight. "I was honestly terrified when you came to speak to me that night. But...after you said you accepted me, and forgave me..." He took a deep breath and rose to his feet, his head tilted back to look at the double moon in the sky. They were still for a moment, and then he reached out, pulled her close to him, enfolding her in his embrace. "That night was the first time I felt hope. Before that night, I...I didn't think...that I could live with what I'd done, or what I...what I am. When you accepted me..."

"Shh." She put a gentle hand on his lips. "I know." She turned her fingers, to caress his face. "I'm really happy though, that you trusted me enough to tell me."

Abel laughed softly, the tension melting from his body. "Well, really, it was the Professor's idea. He told me to tell you the truth." He laughed again. "I'm really very glad I listened to him."

Esther smiled and leaned into him, listening to the strong beat of his heart. "So am I."

Abel held her for a moment, then sighed. "Do you want to go back to the celebration? It _is_ partially in your honor, you know."

Esther shook her head. She felt far too relaxed and happy. Besides, she knew she'd never be able to pay attention to the music, the dancing, or the people around her. Not like this. All she really wanted to do was stay with Abel. She looked up at him. "Actually, I think I'd prefer to go to bed. Although...if you need to go get Cain..."

Abel shook his head, another of those nearly soundless laughs shivering through his frame. "No, Miss Vanessa offered to watch him for the entire night. She has duties later in the morning, but until then..." His voice was slightly sheepish.

Esther smiled, knowing the younger Walsh sibling had probably teased him. Vanessa was usually serious, but she had a sense of mischief as strong as Seth's, when she wanted to express it. "In that case, will you stay with me tonight?"

Abel smiled. "Of course I will." He tugged her close for a quick embrace, then turned to lead her back inside.

**8888888888**

Esther woke the next morning to the feeling of warmth wrapped around her. She smiled, feeling Abel's hands wrapped around her stomach, his chest warm against her back. He'd been curled up loosely behind her when they'd finally fallen asleep, but he'd shifted during the night, and she could feel one leg pinning hers.

Esther stretched carefully. Behind her, she heard Abel's breathing change as the slight shift woke him. She relaxed. "Good morning."

"Good morning." Abel untangled himself from her, then levered himself up on one elbow. Esther rolled to face him. Abel smiled. "Did you sleep well, Esther?"

"Of course I did." Esther reached up to brush the tangled silver hair back from his face. "I always sleep well when I'm with you." She leaned up and kissed him lightly on the mouth. "And you?"

"Very well, thank you." Abel's free hand stroked back her hair. Then he sighed, looking over her head at the clock. "You know, I'm quite tempted to simply keep you here, and stay in bed all day, but I suppose we really ought to join the others for breakfast."

Esther nodded. "We should. And I do have Court later this morning. And you need to get Cain from Lady Walsh."

"Quite true." Abel sighed again, then placed a quick kiss on her forehead. "I'll go run your bath." Then he drew away and slipped out of bed, grabbing his discarded shirt as he went.

Esther watched him go, then got out of bed herself, reaching for the night-robe hung nearby. She snuggled into it, then padded over to her closet to find her outfit for the morning. Normally, her maids or Virgil would have already laid it out, but she suspected they'd all agreed to keep well clear, to give her and Abel privacy.

She found a gown she liked, suitable for Court, and reached out to pull it from the rack. As she did so, the light glinted off the ring on her finger. Abel's ring. Esther smiled and took the dress down, feeling happiness wash over her at the knowledge that Abel was now her fiancé.

They took a leisurely bath together. Esther had never bathed with Abel, and she found the experience enjoyable. It was nice, having someone to scrub her back, especially as gentle as Abel was. And it was nice to return the favor, to enjoy the feel of his smooth skin, the contours of his back and shoulders. She enjoyed it, and the way Abel arched his back like a contented cat under her touch.

Finally, they were both presentable. Esther helped Abel make a last adjustment to the way his crucifix hung, then linked arms with him and led him to the breakfast table.

The others were already there, and clearly anticipating their arrival. At their entrance, Leon let out a wolf whistle of appreciation, followed by scattered clapping. Esther felt her face heating up, and Abel was practically crimson, though it didn't stop a foolish grin from spreading over his face.

The Professor smiled and saluted them with the teacup still in his hand. "Congratulations to the pair of you."

"Thank you." Abel rubbed the back of his head.

Caterina smiled smugly. "I trust you will invite us to the wedding?"

Abel blinked. "Of course I'll invite you."

Seth grinned across the roll she was buttering. "So tell me, my dear brother, have you actually thought of _any_ of the details?"

Abel blushed again. "Well yes, a few of them. But I _was_ planning to discuss them with Esther first. So I'm afraid you'll have to wait until at least tomorrow." He sat down next to Esther and began filling both their plates.

Astha released a sharp bark of laughter. "I take it you had very little discussion last night, tovarish." She smirked at him over the rim of her cup as Abel spluttered and choked on his tea.

"Astha!" Abel turned crimson once more, then swallowed hastily.

She laughed. "You can't expect me not to tease you, priest."

Abel made a wry face. "I suppose..."

Esther laid a hand on his arm. "It's all right. I'm sure everyone means well."

Abel relaxed, his expression turning sheepish. "Oh, I know. It's just...well, this is all _very _new to me. I suppose I'll get over it." He sighed, and turned his attention to his food.

The rest of breakfast was quiet, save for the occasional remark. They were all eating at a leisurely pace, hardly surprising given the late night they'd had the prior evening.

Abel was the first to finish. He swallowed the last of his second cup of tea, then rose from his seat. "Lord Walsh, am I correct that your sister is in the Underground this morning?"

Virgil nodded. "She is. She asked me to inform you that she will meet you in the children's facility on the entry level, with your son."

Abel blinked. Of all of them, he and Seth were the only ones still having trouble adjusting to the thought of Cain as his child, rather than his brother. Then he nodded. "Thank you." He turned to Esther. "I'll see you in your office, after Court?"

"Of course." Esther nodded, then leaned forward to exchange a quick kiss with him. "I'll look forward to seeing you this afternoon." Abel smiled, brushed her hair back in a tender gesture, then left the room.

There was silence for a few moments, then Virgil spoke. "Majesty...before we meet the Council, there are things that must be considered."

Esther swallowed. She had a feeling she knew what he meant, and why he'd waited until now to speak. "About last night?"

"Indeed." Mary shifted in her seat. "Last night caused quite the uproar among the nobles. From what we were able to gather, opinions seem to be mixed, but they'll want an explanation. And, I regret to say, there will be some opposition to this."

Esther blinked. "Opposition?"

Virgil nodded. "You are the last of your family. Many nobles hoped they could persuade you to marry into their house. Such an alliance would strengthen the fortunate family immensely, as well as ensuring an Albion noble, and Albion bloodline, on the throne."

Mary nodded. "There are also several factions who hoped to be able to persuade you to make a diplomatic marriage. Hispania has several younger sons who would be ideal, such as Cardinal Borgias, who is also a younger son of the royal house. Also, Ludwig II of Germanicus in unmarried. While he is your cousin, the degrees of kinship are far enough apart that it would be allowed." Her lips twisted in a wry grin. "There was even talk that you might win the heart of His Holiness, and wed the Pope."

Esther flushed. "His Holiness and I are just friends."

Mary sighed. "Understood. But there are a number of nobles who disagree with the idea that their Queen is marrying a relatively unknown priest, and not even of known Albion descent. To be honest, they'd be more welcoming of the Professor at this point."

Virgil nodded. "The same issue faced the late Crown Prince." His expression was somber.

Esther swallowed, feeling overwhelmed. Professor Wordsworth caught her eye and smiled gently. "You don't have to worry. I assure you, I'm quite content with my current position. I won't deny that you are a lovely young lady, but I'm afraid my feelings are strictly friendly, unless you count a slight paternal bent."

Esther managed a tremulous smile. "Thank you." She looked back at her advisers. "The nobles...can they really oppose this match? To the point of preventing it?"

Mary shrugged. "Father Nightroad is a war hero. They would have to face the possibility of repercussions from the public. But they may try to force you into stepping down, or declaring your children barred from the throne."

Seth huffed. "Honestly. I think you're all forgetting one rather important fact." All eyes turned to her, and she smiled. "Abel may be a relatively unknown priest, but that isn't all he is." She stood on her chair, stretching idly. "I do realize it's a bit new, and we really didn't broadcast it much, but as of three weeks ago, Abel is _my _Crown Prince, and heir to the Empire. Between his new rank and the fact that it would irrevocably cement the Alliance for a long time, I should think that would quiet much of the protests."

Mary blinked thoughtfully. "Certainly it would silence those who think his rank unworthy of the queen."

Caterina folded her hands together. "Most likely. And, as Lord Walsh can verify, Abel is in fact _from _Albion."

Virgil started, then looked thoughtful, then slightly abashed and hopeful at the same time. "Of course. The Underground records. The Underground Facility is still part of Albion. I would have to modify them slightly, with Father Nightroad's help, but...Lady Caterina is correct."

Esther felt herself go limp with relief. She felt a little silly, not having thought of those facts before, but for one moment she'd been afraid she would lose Abel, or her people.

Seth made a cheerful noise of frustration. "Honestly, the hardest part is likely to be convincing Abel to let you release the news. After all, he really does hate the spotlight."

"I'm not so sure about that." The Professor was smiling. "I suspect, for Esther, Abel will do anything he has to. Even if it means wandering into the spotlight a little."

Seth grinned. "You're probably right. Abel is like that." She bounced out of her chair. "Well, if we're going to tell Esther's Council who my brother really is, I'd best go tell Abel. After all, he really won't like it if he gets surprised by the whole thing later." She gave Esther a crooked half-smile. "It'll probably take me a while to get Abel to agree, and then we'll have to change the records. So don't be put out if he's late this evening, okay? It probably won't be Abel's fault."

Esther nodded. "I understand." Seth eyed her for a moment, then flashed the table a quick salute and skipped out the door.

The rest of them finished their meal in silence. Caterina excused herself, to handle business for the Vatican. Astha and Ion excused themselves to rest. Esther finished the last of her breakfast tea, then rose and made her way to the Council chambers with Virgil and Mary.

There was tension in the air, and several nobles looked stern and grave. However, none of them addressed her. Instead, after opening, they moved on to other business. Reports on the celebrations. Who had donated what, who wished to donate further. Those that needed to be compensated, or were speaking as representatives of Londinium merchants. Economic reports, and reports on the general atmosphere of the city. Esther was pleased to hear that her people, at least, had been thrilled by Abel's proposal. From the reports that were given, Abel was remarkably popular with the people.

The end of that report marked a tense silence. Then one of the senior Council members rose. "Your Majesty, regarding Father Nightroad's proposal...surely you are aware...to marry him would be...against Albion's best interests."

"I disagree." Mary spoke calmly. "Aside from mutual affection, Father Nightroad would make an excellent match politically."

Another of the nobles snorted. "A nameless priest? Even if he is in the pope's favor..."

"Father Abel Nightroad is indeed a simple priest. However..." Virgil rose and went to a computer. A few minutes later, a display appeared. Virgil gestured to the screen. "As of three weeks ago, the Empress of the New Methuselah Empire announced the return of her only living relative and, currently, her heir. Crown Prince Aloysha Kasimir." He tapped a button, and the image appeared in the 3-D display in the center of the table. Gasps echoed around the room.

There was shocked silence for a few moments. Then one of the older Council members rose from his seat. "Perhaps his rank is suitable, but a marriage alliance with such a powerful country is no better. Such a tie...how could we prevent the Empire from annexing our country?"

Virgil shook his head. "We already have a verbal agreement from the Empress and the Crown Prince that Albion will not be claimed by the Empire." A small, warm smile touched his face. "It appears that Father Nightroad has far too much respect for Her Majesty, and for his home country."

"Home country?"

Virgil nodded. "My lords, you may recall two years ago, we addressed the problem of limiting access to the Underground. At the time, we confirmed that Father Abel Nightroad possessed unlimited access, as a son of one of the families that founded the facility." He faced the Council.

"That's impossible. He cannot be Albion nobility _and _an Imperial prince."

Virgil shook his head. "The original families of the Underground were spread among many different locations. We have evidence, corroborated by Father Nightroad and the Empress, that suggests the siblings were separated at birth."

One of the younger nobles rose from his seat. "If you have evidence, then I demand to see it."

Virgil inclined his head. "Father Nightroad and my sister are even now compiling the documentation. I will have it in hand for presentation at tomorrow's Council. I trust that will be sufficient."

There were nods all around the table. After a moment, talk turned to the next order of business.

Abel didn't join her afterward in her office. Esther worked through her paperwork, keeping herself busy. She missed Abel's quiet presence, but she understood. Seth had warned her, after all. And even with all she'd done before, there was plenty of work to keep her occupied.

Abel and Seth both joined the rest of them at dinner. Seth looked rather triumphant. Abel looked tired, and somewhat stressed, but he managed a smile and a brief caress as he took his place beside her. Esther smiled and took his hand in hers. "Did you manage to get everything straightened out?"

Abel sighed. "Yes. We did. Although, honestly...I'd _really_ rather elope. This whole thing seems far too complicated."

Leon snorted. "It's not that bad." he gave Abel a sharp grin. "Besides, every girl wants a beautiful wedding. And if _I _can manage one, then even a four-eyed klutz like you can do it. And you wouldn't want to cheat Red out of her special day, now would you?"

Abel blushed. "Well no, of course not. But really...all this fuss..."

"I'm sure you'll survive a little bit of fuss, Abel." Caterina was smiling over the rim of her teacup. She took a sip, then set the cup down. "I realize you haven't had much time to arrange matters, but I trust you will keep us informed?"

Abel flushed again. "Well...of course." He and Esther exchanged glances. "Actually, I was hoping to have a chance to talk to Esther this evening."

Seth grinned. "I'll watch Cain for you, if you'd rather not be disturbed."

Abel blushed slightly. "Well, that's very generous of you."

Seth shook her head. "Not really. After all, he's my family too. And I really haven't gotten to spend much time with him. Not as much as you have." She took a bite out of her food. "I'll come by and get him after dinner."

Abel nodded, then reached across to grab a plate of sliced meats. The rest of the table followed suit. Caterina led the table in a short grace, and the rest of the meal passed in a quiet, pleasant evening.

Afterward, Abel joined Esther in her quarters. He still looked tired, but he was smiling as he helped her out of her dress and into her nightgown. "You know, I hadn't really asked what you do want for your wedding."

Esther nodded. She'd been thinking about it off and on all evening. "Well, I'd like to have all our friends there. And...I'm not really fond of the idea of a big celebration, but...even so, I think...I really don't think eloping is the answer. Besides...we do have the people to think about. And I really think it would help, for them to be able to see who I'm marrying. Albion really hasn't had much to celebrate, these past few years. I think it would be good to give them something like this."

Abel sighed. "Well, I suppose you're right. I'm not really all that fond of the spotlight, but..." He smiled and brushed the hair back from her face. "I really don't mind."

Esther searched his face. "Are you sure?"

"Quite sure." Abel smiled, then bent for a kiss. "Now then...about that discussion..." Esther smiled as he swept her up into his arms.

**8888888888**

Esther stifled a yawn as she and Abel made their way to the breakfast table. She and Abel had stayed up late, talking over their various wedding plans, and woken late. Beside her, Abel looked only slightly more awake.

The rest of their friends and compatriots were already waiting for them. Astha's eyebrow rose as she took in Abel's rumpled condition. Beside her, Seth was grinning wickedly.

Esther gratefully accepted a cup of tea from Virgil and swallowed quickly, ignoring the heat in favor of the surge of wakefulness it brought her. She grinned as she watched William shove a similar cup into Abel's hands, smirking as the taller man downed the tea in a single gulp. "Coming in like that...I do hope your discussion was productive enough to warrant it."

Abel blinked the sleep out of his eyes. "Yes, well...Esther and I did sort some things out." He started to look around.

William stifled a snort of amusement and poured another cup. "Here. I've already added the sugar."

"Thank you." Abel took the cup and drank, a look of relief on his face. Leon made a rude, if somewhat muffled noise, then stood and heaped a number of foods onto a plate. He shoved it across the table. Abel caught it, just avoided dropping it, and settled into a chair with a sigh. Esther followed suit, smiling a quick thanks as Virgil set a plate in front of her.

The rest of the table let them eat in silence. Finally, Abel pushed away his third plate. Seth watched him, then huffed. "Honestly, are you going to tell us or not?"

Abel smiled. "Well, we've only a few rough ideas. But...we did decide on who we'd like to stand with us."

Esther swallowed, feeling suddenly nervous. They'd discussed this for a good part of last night, and she hoped they'd be able to avoid hurting anyone's feelings, but she wasn't sure.

William leaned back in his chair. "So then...who have you decided on? I assume you've at least chosen a Best Man?"

Abel's fingers twitched on his teacup as he cleared his throat. "Actually, I was rather hoping _you'd_ fill that role."

William blinked. "You're certain about that?"

Abel nodded. "How could I not be?" He smiled gently. "You've been my friend for a very long time, after all. Besides, you were the one who encouraged me to tell Esther the truth. Otherwise, I might never have found the courage to confess to her."

William blinked again, his eyes suspiciously misty. "Well, if that's the way you feel...I would be honored to stand with you."

"Thank you." Abel smiled again. "Ah...Esther and I agreed, we're thinking of having four attendants each. So..."

Leon grinned. "So, who are the lucky other three for you?" He smirked. "I have to say, if you're asking me, I'm not sure I do so hot in a tux."

Abel shook his head. "Actually, I was going to ask if you and Tres would be ushers. You both have a _very_ distinctive presence. If you think you can be polite to the nobles."

Leon frowned, considering. "Yeah. I think I could do that for you. Although...if I'm not gonna be your groomsman, I was kinda hoping to walk Red here up the aisle." He gave Esther a wink.

Esther flushed. "Well, thank you, but...actually, I already know who I'd like to give me away."

Mary studied her appraisingly. "That is usually the role of the bride's father. However..."

Esther nodded. "I thought about it a lot. Actually, I'd like the person who gives me away to be the same person who escorted me to the palace as queen for the first time." She looked up at the slender man standing silently to one side. "Lord Walsh, I'd very much appreciate it if you'd be my escort."

Virgil's eyes widened sharply, astonishment clear on his face. "Majesty..."

"You were the first one to recognize me as Queen. You were the one who told me who my family was, and convinced me to take the throne. And ever since I came to Albion, you've been by my side to help and advise me. I think it's only right that you lead me to the altar one more time."

Virgil stood speechless for a few moments. Then he stepped forward and took one of her hands, bowing gracefully over it. "If that is what you wish, my queen...then I shall be honored to do so." He kissed the back of her hand in gentle gesture. "Truly, I can think of no higher compliment I have ever been paid. And, if it is not too forward of me, I should be most pleased to fulfill your grandmother's request to watch over you in this manner." He raised his head. "She would be very proud of you, and very happy for you."

Esther swallowed, feeling tears stinging her eyes. "Thank you." She couldn't manage more than a whisper. Virgil bowed his head and stepped back.

Seth broke the moment before she could start crying. "You never did tell us who else you were going to have as your attendants, Abel."

Abel blushed. "Yes, well...actually..." He took a deep breath. "Father Havel, Father Hugue de Watteau, if he can make it, and..." He took another breath. "Brother Petros."

Petros stiffened. "You are asking me?"

Abel held his gaze. "I am."

Petros stared at him. "Why?"

"Because you stood with me, when I most needed your help." Abel didn't break his gaze away. "Because...three years ago, you listened when I needed you to. Two and a half years ago, you carried my body from where I fell, and prayed for me. Two years ago, you protected me, spared me, even when it risked your career, and your honor. You spoke for me and fought beside me." Abel finally did look away. "For all the disagreements we have had, you have been a good friend to me. For that, I would be honored to have your presence by my side."

Petros flushed, scowling. Then he looked away as well, tucking one lock of blue hair behind his ear in a nervous. embarrassed gesture. "In that case...I will stand with you."

Abel nodded. "Thank you." he turned his gaze to where Ion sat a few feet away. "Ah...Ion...I was wondering if I could ask a favor of you."

Ion blinked. "Of course."

Abel blushed. "Well...it's just...I'm _very _clumsy when I'm nervous. So...I was wondering...if you wouldn't mind too terribly, I'd like to ask you to carry the ring for me. The wedding ring for Esther, I mean. Otherwise, I'm quite likely to lose it, and I'd really rather not run the risk."

Ion's eyes widened. Then he rose from his seat and bowed. "I'd...I would be...most honored to serve you."

Abel flushed. "Oh, come now. There's no need to be quite that formal."

Seth spoke up. "And what of me, Abel?" Her tone was teasing, but Esther could see the shadows of pain in her eyes.

Abel apparently did too. He rose from his seat, moving around the table to embrace his sister. "Well, I'm fairly certain we'll have to have a priest, but...I _was_ under the impression that a noble's marriage has to be blessed by the Empress. And as I _am_ a Prince of the Methuselah...well, I was rather hoping to have you officiate as well."

Seth laughed, the sound muffled in the folds of his cassock. "You do realize, that's going to create quite a fuss, Abel."

"Not necessarily." Caterina was watching her the two of them. "I assume that you haven't chosen a priest to officiate yet?"

Abel shook his head. "I don't really know anyone in Albion. I simply haven't had time to look."

Caterina smiled. "It's traditional for the Archbishop to officiate. However, if you've no objections, then I suggest you ask His Holiness."

Abel blinked. "Ah...I'm sorry..."

Esther felt herself flushing. "Really...I wouldn't want to put him to so much trouble."

Caterina shook her head. "I doubt he'd find it much trouble. After all, you are both good friends to him. I know he speaks highly of both of you, and I suspect he'd feel as honored to be asked as you would to have him accept. In fact, I suspect he'd feel slightly unhappy if you _didn't_ ask him."

Abel shifted uncomfortably. "Well, if you think so..."

Caterina nodded. "There's also the fact that His Holiness is known to be a friend to Methuselah, particularly your sister. He's the least likely member of the clergy not already involved to cause a fuss over having to accommodate Methuselah traditions." She raised an eyebrow at her former subordinate.

Abel flushed. "In that case..." He looked over to Esther, and she nodded. "In that case...I'd be honored if you'd ask His Holiness to preside."

"I'll call him this morning." Caterina settled back into her chair.

Mary set her teacup down. "Speaking of which...you haven't told us who your attendants will be Majesty, aside from Lord Walsh."

Esther swallowed. She'd hoped that letting Abel go first would ease her nerves, but she still felt strangely shy. "Well, I was hoping...I was hoping that, as my sister, and my adviser, you'd consent to be my Maid of Honor."

Mary stared at her a moment, then smiled warmly. "Of course. I'd be happy to."

Esther exhaled in relief. "Thank you." She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "For the other three...I'd like to ask Sister Kate, Lady Vanessa, and..." She paused. "And...Lady Caterina, I'd like to ask you, if you don't mind."

Caterina's smile mirrored Mary's. "Not at all. I'd be honored to serve. Though, if you like, I can attend in my position as Duchess of Milan, rather than a Cardinal."

Esther nodded. "If you think that would be easier."

"Indeed. I'll inform His Holiness."

Esther turned her gaze to the slender blond Methuselah lounging on the other side of the table. "Miss Astha...I was wondering...since the Earl of Memphis will be carrying the ring for Abel, would you be willing to carry the ring for me?"

Astha smiled, then rose to offer her a formal bow. "It would be my honor."

Esther relaxed. "Thank you."

Leon grinned. "You know, you still need a flower girl."

Esther blinked. She and Abel hadn't discussed that particular role. Flower girls were traditionally younger girls, and she simply didn't know anyone the appropriate age.

Abel was frowning thoughtfully, then his expression brightened. "As it happens, I do have an idea." He turned to face her. "You may recall Miss Wendy, from the Underground."

Her mind flashed to the young, blond teen who greeted him so affectionately at Christmas. "I do."

"Do you think you might be willing to ask her?" Abel was still considering. "She and her friends...well, we've shared a few things. And I'm rather fond of her. Besides, I think she'd enjoy something like this."

Esther nodded. "That seems like a fine idea."

Virgil stepped forward. "If I may offer another recommendation...you recall Angelica?"

Esther smiled. "Of course. She was the one who was friends with His Holiness, right?"

"Yes. If you are willing, I will ask her if she would like to participate as well."

Esther nodded. "Of course."

Mary opened her mouth to ask another question, but a knock on the door of the dining room distracted them. Virgil answered, to be met with a young guard, two of his fellows behind him, securing another man in rumpled street clothes that almost passed for casual wear among the Palace servants. "What is it?"

The soldier saluted. "My Lord, we found this gentleman looking through windows in the gardens. Not the public gardens, the private ones near the Queen's Wing. We apprehended him, but he says he has a right to be here. Something about special permissions given by a 'Professor'."

William sat up straighter. Before he could speak, however, the man straightened, settling his clothes in jerky movements. "That's right. Just ask him. Professor William Wordsworth. He enlisted my assistance two years ago, in the matter of the Queen's identity."

Esther grimaced. She knew that voice. The brown hair, brown eyes and half-shaven look; they were all familiar. "Mr. Clement."

The Professor's smile took on a bit of an edge. "Indeed. Mr. Clement, Reporter for the Piccadilly Gazette."

Clement's eyes widened. "Professor! You gotta tell them..." His voice trailed off as he noticed the rest of the group. "Ah..."

"Mr. Clement...I do believe I ordered you to cease your persecution and harassment of Her Majesty, and those around her." The Professor fixed him with a steely stare.

"I'm not out to persecute anyone!" Clement's eyes widened again, his expression almost comical.

"Then why are you here, and why were you sneaking around the Queen's wing?" Mary's eyes were cold as ice.

Clement snorted. "Are you kidding? The rumors are flying! Everyone's talking about the guy who proposed to the Queen at the celebration ball." Esther felt her face heating, and Abel had paled, an odd, almost sick, look on his face.

Clement kept speaking, his hand holding a pad of paper and a pen as he gestured wildly. "I've heard a half-dozen stories on the streets. That the guy is a minor Albion noble. That he's a foreigner. Some people are saying he's a Vatican priest with special dispensation, or even direct orders, from the Pope. Or a buddy of hers from Istvan. Man, it's a regular rumor mill out there. The biggest I've seen since the White Rebellion." Esther felt herself stiffen. Clement caught the movement and winced. "Sorry, no offense meant...the White Incident, I meant." He scrubbed a hand through his hair. "And every paper in Albion wants the truth. Including mine."

"I do not recall granting an interview, nor receiving orders from Her Majesty to permit one." Virgil's tone was soft, but cool.

Clement snorted. "Security's still tight. Besides...no one wants to wait on an interview. Story like this, no one wants to hear the scripted answers. No offense." He offered a challenging smile.

"Even so, that does not excuse sneaking onto the grounds. And how did you get past the gate guards?" Mary's tone was severe.

"I bluffed." Clement's grin was edgy, but cocky at the same time. "Told them I was an associate of the Professor and wanted a chat. Didn't even lie, really." he grimaced. "Honestly, ever since he drafted me for that one story when your identity came out, Majesty, my editor thinks I have an 'in' with the Royal Compound. He's been riding me hard about getting a special scoop. It was different when we were at war, but now...my boss _really_ wants this one. And I sure as hell know I do." He smirked again.

Virgil's eyes cut to her, and Esther managed to shake her head, just a touch. She knew they'd have to announce some details, and likely the wedding ceremony would be a public one. Still...she didn't want to have her relationship with Abel revealed like this. Not to a man like Clement. He had been helpful in establishing her identity, but William had blackmailed him into it And she hadn't forgotten his attempts to dig up scandals on her in Istvan.

Virgil saw her reluctance. He turned back. "Escort this man to the gate, and pass word that he is not to be permitted inside again." Mary nodded, reinforcing the order.

Clement's eyes widened. "Hey, c'mon. I mean...come on Professor! I did what you asked. And I kept my word! I haven't so much as written a word against or about Her Majesty since then. Come on! Just this one story..." His expression turned frantic as the guards took hold of his shoulders. "Come on! You can't stop the news from spreading! People are going to start printing stories, no matter what you do!" He smiled a feral grin. "I might be breaking in and snooping, but at least I'm after the truth. Do you really think all the papers are gonna care about it, especially if you try to keep this quiet?"

Esther felt a sick sensation building in her stomach. She didn't like Clement, but he had a point. There were rumors. There would be more. No matter that Abel wanted to avoid the spotlight, he'd be under heavy scrutiny as her fiancé, more as her husband. There would be stories printed, true or not.

Marry scowled. "Take this man out."

"Actually..." William held up a hand. "If I might make a suggestion?"

"Yes?" Esther swallowed.

The Professor's eyes were thoughtful. "I'm afraid Mr. Clement does have a point about the information. There are rumors on the streets, and sooner or later, the papers will start publishing stories, accurate or not."

Caterina sighed. "An unfortunate fact of life, particularly for those with a reputation or title to maintain."

"True, true. But...I'm guessing that all of us would prefer to keep _some_ rumors off the streets. Just as I'm sure we'd like to...obscure...some things as well." The Professor lit his pipe with an absent-minded gesture.

Abel looked grave; the rest of them looked serious, even Seth. Esther found herself nodding.

The Professor puffed a few smoke rings out of his pipe. "The best way to control information is to control the source. If we make it apparent that we are providing information through a single source..."

"An exclusive...it is not the usual policy in the Palace." Mary's voice was thoughtful. "However, in this case..."

"It could be helpful. If Her Majesty agrees. And her fiancé." Caterina looked to both of them.

Esther thought about it. She didn't like Clement. Still...she didn't like the idea of facing a crowd, or a sea of reporters, for an interview. It was easier to talk to one person. And it was true, she hadn't heard from Clement since her coronation. Besides...her gaze slipped to Abel. He hadn't moved, but he was still pale and tense.

One reporter would be far easier for him to deal with. And Abel was more than capable of telling Clement to mind his own business and take himself elsewhere if the man became too prying in his questions.

She turned back to the Professor and nodded.

William smiled. "Excellent. In that case..." He blew another puff of smoke, and his smile took on an almost predatory edge. "I trust you recall the rules of our previous arrangement, Mr. Clement. _All _the conditions?"

Clement blanched, and that sight was enough to make Esther relax. Obviously, William had a firm control on the matter. Then Clement nodded vigorously. "I remember the rules Professor. Only what I'm told, how I'm told. Straight up reporting, facts as facts. No embellishments. I'll tell my boss that too." He swallowed.

The Professor smirked. "Excellent. In that case...I believe you may turn out to be highly useful after all, Mr. Clement..."

* * *

**AN's smcandy:** If any of you recall from the manga the Ishtaven/ Albion reporter (Clement from the Piccadilly Gazette) made his appearance in manga from chapters 35 and 47. I thought with all that is going on currant and since he was on Esther's tail more than once and has been making some cameo appearances since then he would be one and only of few reporters being able to get an official inside scoop on the upcoming royal wedding and the mysterious fiancé that the queen s marrying. They'll be more of him in the next chapter but I hope everyone is happy for now on this newest update. Take care until the next time we are still a little far off from the finale but we are getting there bit by tiny bit. Soon the wedding going to takes place..


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